I met Colleen last year at the Big Summer Potluck. I have to tell you, that one day brought so many talented people into my world. Colleen not only runs Souffle Bombay, she also has a second site, Picture Me Cooking, geared towards cooking with kids. And it all started with a Food Memory. Here’s how she describes it:
My friends and family often joke that no one turns down an invitation to our house because they want to come and eat the food, lol!! Cooking is amazing to me, combine a bit of this with a bit of that and look what you get…a party in your mouth! I enjoy cooking for my family, cooking for others, planning party menu’s and I LOVE cooking with my children. From an early age, the kitchen became my happy place.
One day, I had a flash of a memory…it was about first time I remember cooking as a kid, I could see myself walking toward my family, who were all sitting at the table looking at what I had made with anticipation and excitement. I can remember exactly how I felt carrying that cake as I walked toward them.
I though well…THAT one moment was certainly a defining moment for me…and you know what I don’t even have a picture of it…WHY I thought don’t kids cookbooks have a way to capture some photos of what they cook up in the kitchen, who the cook with…after all to many of us some of our most precious memories happened in a kitchen at the knee of someone we love/loved.
So, I sat down and outlined the book and began to write it, then formed a group about a year later with 3 other mom’s and produced the book. I have even been on QVC with it – all that from a memory.
See what I mean about the talented people I had the fortune to meet that day? Colleen took a memory and turned it into a book. She’s been on QVC y’all. I knew about the book but not the QVC…she must have nerves of steel. I’m going to have to ask her all about that experience when I see her this summer at Big Summer Potluck II. Until then, we can all enjoy her Snickerdoodles Food Memory.
Snickerdoodles
For me, eating certain foods and hearing certain songs are the most powerful drivers of my memories.
The food memories, for whatever reason are all warm and happy…the music ones take me back to so many different events, some crazy happy some achingly painful and some “what was I thinking”! Anyone with me on this?
Case in point…Snickerdoodles.
I can see in my minds eye my Grammy often making Snickerdoodles, I can see me helping her, sometimes alone, sometimes surrounded by my cousins and siblings.
I can’t recall a Christmas at her house without having eaten as many of them as I possibly could without any adults saying a word! Man, holidays are best!!
But do I have HER recipe…nope. I do make Snicherdoodles often as my children love both baking them up and of course eating them up.
I was intrigued when I saw this recipe for Snickerdoodles from Miss in the Kitchen (a really nice gal who cooks up quick family style dishes). One of the ingredients in her recipe is cream cheese….yes…cream cheese. Never heard of such a thing in a Snickerdoodle, so I wanted to find out how that would change things.
These were good…they were softer than what I am accustomed to and did not last long in my house lol! We even made 1 HUGE cookie that could have fed 4 kids easily, however my two knuckleheads decided to split it to see if they could eat it! My 9 year old son polished off his half…while my 6 year old daughter made a valiant effort!
Cream Cheese Snickerdoodles
Souffle Bombay’s adaptation from Miss in the Kitchen (Blog)
BAH Note: The only thing I will add is that the cookie dough is very soft. I refrigerated mine for about 30 minutes before I tried to scoop it. And then I returned the bowl of dough to the fridge after I had scooped enough for a sheet pan.
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In your mixing bowl, add cream cheese and butter. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined. Beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla . Add flour and baking soda mixing until all combined. Scoop into 1 1/2 inch balls and roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on a greased or lined baking sheet and press gently with tines of a fork in a crisscross pattern. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Bon Appetit Hon 