My Favorite Cottage Things: Wooden Trivets + the "Best Chocolate Chip Cookies"

Up until fairly recently, Hubs would often joke that I have a knack for making biscuits that resemble cookies and cookies that look (and taste) like biscuits. He was right. I don't know what I was doing wrong, but no matter what recipe I tried or how meticulously I followed it, my cookies would just never turn out. I believe now that what I really needed all those years was my little old-fashion cottage kitchen to spark in me the determination to make the perfect cookie - even if it was the last thing I ever managed to do.

I have to admit that I didn't really *love* or feel attached to my almost renovated cottage kitchen until this past April when I began to do more cooking and baking. It had nothing to do with expensive appliance upgrades and state of the art cooking gadgets (I have neither, anyway) but I think it had more to do with finally feeling "at home" in the new space after getting thoroughly acquainted with it. With the two of us working happily and frequently together (the kitchen and I), we have become like old friends who feel confident that when we tackle a recipe, especially a cookie recipe, we will succeed...or at least get better with each attempt. Individually, people and old kitchens are imperfect and need work (and sometimes must be accepted "as is") , but my goodness, as a team - is there anything that they can't accomplish? Nevermind my fine lines and foibles - nevermind her unlevel floor and imperfectly installed countertop...when we're working together, those things are put out of mind and our focus is on creating something delicious and from our hearts!

So during these last few months, my dear old kitchen and I have set off to try our best at baking and in the process, have discovered some really great recipes. Out of all the ones I may share with you in the future, you have to know that I really and truly mean it when I say that you absolutely, positively, must try the "Best Chocolate Chip Cookie" recipe at least once in your lifetime, but preferably every week - if not more. I have tried so many chocolate chip cookie recipes and while most of them were tasty, they just weren't what I personally was looking for in a chocolate chip cookie (the old "it's not you, it's me" explanation). I like a good old-fashion chocolate chip cookie that is hearty, chunky, chewy, soft, and moist - and stays that way even the day after baking (there will be none left by the third day, just so you know). I've been on the search for this cookie for 15 years, and I'm happy to report that I've finally found it. Your personal chocolate chip cookie preference may be different but if not, do try this recipe and let me know what you think! Most of the 1500+ reviews were positive and the few that weren't, well, I believe those folks just have a different cookie style:)

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

INGREDIENTS

* 1 cup butter, softened
* 1 cup white sugar
* 1 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 eggs
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 2 teaspoons hot water
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)


DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.
3. Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely browned.

My personal notes:

I don't have one of those handy cookie scoops to ensure that each of my cookies are the same size, so I used two level tablespoons of dough, rolled up into a loose ball, for each cookie. They come out a perfect size and just the right thickness!

I baked my cookies for exactly 11 minutes and they were perfect. Try a test cookie for 10 minutes first and let cool, and see if you might like it even better.

After removing them from the oven, I let my cookies stand for just a few minutes until they were firm enough to transfer to a wire cooling rack. I let them cool completely and then stored them in an airtight plastic container. I layered them between sheets of wax paper just in case they tried to stick together!

Today, I was pondering the fact that I've got a few little growing collections of items that I didn't consciously realize I was collecting! I guess they are just little things that I always gravitate towards at thrift stores or yard sales without thinking "Oh, I'll add this to my collection!"

I've discovered that I happen to have an affinity for carved wooden trivets. I like the various sizes you can find and the intricate details on most of them. What I've found that I like to do is paint them, of course! I've already painted two of the five that I own and I'm pleased with how they turned out. I painted a white basecoat using spray paint, and then a few coats of red spray paint. After sanding and distressing the trivets to reveal the white undercoat here and there, I wiped them down with a dark tinted paste wax and then buffed, buffed, buffed.

I've never actually used the painted trivets as I'm afraid a hot pot would damage the finish, but I do like the way the trivets look as decorative accents. I've put the two red ones in my kitchen island and think they look sweet and dainty tucked in between the ironstone china. I'm sure they are feeling much too pretty now to be bearing up the load of a hefty old pot, anyway. "Let the practical potholders have that job!", they say:)

1955 Good Housekeeping Cookbook

Do not walk, RUN to Ebay and snatch up a copy of this vintage cookbook from 1955, the Good Housekeeping Cookbook ! I found one at Goodwill yesterday and WOW, what a gem! There are over 3000 recipes in the book (760 pages!), from old-fashioned dishes to the "newer" dishes of the 1950's. There are plenty of practical kitchen tips as well. This is a great one to add to your cookbook collection. Vintage and antique cookbooks are so charming...through them, you can take a step back in time to the kitchens of your mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and beyond.

As of this posting you can get this book for as little as 1.99! Check it out! And let me know if you order one! I know you'll love it as I do mine!

A Rain Poem

Rain, Rain

Rain, rain - don’t go away,
Right now inside we’ll gladly stay.
In our pajamas all snug and warm,
We’re prepared for any old storm.
Blankets and pillows for long dreamy naps,
Cuddles and kisses while sitting on laps;
Reading great books by soft candlelight,
Drinking hot cocoa is such a delight.
By the bright, dancing fire we toast our small toes,
Smelling bread in the oven and soup on the stove.
Playing fun games and creating fine art,
Writing new poems straight from the heart;
Hearing raindrops above so heavy and loud
On the roof that we know is solid and sound.
Feeling quite cozy as we happily play
In a tent made of sheets on this dark and wet day;
Soft music flowing through out our calm home,
Thankful we are for this nest of our own.
Eating warm cookies so nice and sweet,
Yes, rainy days are such a treat.
Rain, rain - don’t go away,
We’ll play in the sunshine another day.

~Kim Bouldin
©2008

ell, I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some rain! I know parts of the country are still in an awful drought and are dealing with heat, fires, and just plain old misery. I really shouldn't complain, but I thought I'd at least write a poem about rain lest I forget what it is!

I was thinking, as I do every now and then....Wouldn't it be fun to have a "Rain Party" on one of those dark, dreary, rainy days (that we will all hopefully get soon!)? Nothing extravagant, mind you, and no invitations would even be necessary as it would be a small and personal family event. I think some planning would be required, though, because we can never really count on weather forecasts. But a rain party simply must take place when it's raining, don't you think? A few simple items saved up and put away for just the right moment would be all that's required. Most of us with children already have games on hand, but maybe you'll run across one you've never played and decide to put it in your "Rain Treasury" as a surprise for your kids. How about some great poems and stories your kids have never heard? They can be collecting for the rain treasury, too, which I'm sure would be a lot of fun for a child. Some fresh crayons, paper, clay, or maybe even a little paint are great ingredients for an art filled rainy day. Letter writing is a fine rainy day activity as well. And small homemade wrapped gifts would be delightful to set aside for a wet day. So many possibilities!

Fresh baked bread may be a little much for some of us to tackle on short notice, but there are many other less time consuming bread recipes out there (biscuits and quick rolls, whipped up start to finish in 20 minutes!) or what about your favorite cookie or cake recipe? I haven't tried this "Rich Roll Cookies" recipe from the Joy of Cooking but it's gotten great reviews from others. I've been looking for a good rolled cookie recipe for cookies that can be cut out with cutters and decorated - a great rainy day project! Now to buy cookie cutters shaped like raindrops and umbrellas!

Soup is a wonderful rainy day food and I'm sure you have your favorites. My family likes Chicken Corn Soup and Potato Soup best. But a good old can of Cambell's Tomato Soup with grilled cheese sandwiches is just as delicious and is the perfect comfort food.

No rainy day would be complete without lots of candles, so stock up on your favorite scents and have them ready to go when the rain starts pouring. Even when it's too hot for a fire, candles send out just enough warm,flickering light to give you and your family that wonderful, cozy feeling. Better yet, you can buy glass lanterns at places like Wal-mart for $5 - you'll have a bit more light if you want to read or play games by a flame. We used glass lanterns in our kitchen for months during our remodel and I miss them!

Along with decorating for your rain party with candles or lantern light, try making a simple old-fashion paper pennant banner to string across your fireplace mantel. If you're like me, you have plenty of colorful scrapbook paper on hand...just make yourself a cardboard triangular shaped template and use it to cut your papers. I'm in the process of making mine - it will simply read R-A-I-N-R-A-I-N. If you'd like some old fashion letters to cut out and glue to your pennant banner, feel free to use either of the two styles in this R A I N document that I created for my own banner. (The first font is called Quentin Caps and the second is called Mary Jane Antique if you like the fonts but want to create different words to print out.) The way I attach the individual letters together is by punching a hole in the upper two corners of each triangle (with a hole punch) and stringing them together pieces of yarn tied in bows. Ribbon will work well, too. Scrapbook paper would be great, also, for making colorful long paper chains to string up here and there. Oh, I really love the idea of spending sunny days to create rainy day decorations:) It gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "Saving up for a rainy day" ! After your rain party, just carefully pack up all your decorations and store them for the next time!

If you'd like a copy of my poem to print out for your next rainy day, you can download it here. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did writing it!



I haven't been around in over a week - would you believe I finally had my yard sale?!?!? Boy, am I glad to get that out of the way because it required so much of my attention and energy. The highlight of the yard sale this weekend was the bake sale the kidlets had with some of their friends. They had so much fun! Granted, I literally stayed up all night Thursday (I never went to bed!) baking cookies for Friday's sale, but it was so worth it. The kids also sold lemonade, sweet tea, and soda. Below is a photo...you can see that they made a banner like the one I've described above (so easy even for kids!)



I apologize for all the emails that I've missed lately...I've got some catching up to do, for sure! Thank you all for all the wonderful and thoughtful comments about my fireplace idea...I have a semi-plan in mind already!

Dreaming of a Kitchen Fireplace

I've had a notion over the last few hot July days, a warm and cozy notion that I just can't seem to get out of my head... a notion that I need to have a fireplace in our kitchen. Oooh, can you imagine it's irresistible lure on those frigid winter days...those days that are so cold that you leave the oven door open after baking biscuits or muffins just to warm yourself up a bit? Can you imagine the sheer joy and sense of togetherness that would embrace you and everyone else that sat at the table in front of a fire as you dined together on those dark and wintry evenings?

Now, I know that space won't allow me to have a bona fide roaring and crackling fireplace in my kitchen or dining area. But I do have the space for a large, wide, perhaps even tall mantle. I realize that a mantle in itself won't literally warm our bones on those bleak winter days and nights but for me anyway, just the idea, just the hint of a fire is enough warm my spirit. I love fireplace mantles just as much as I love old doors, old houses, old anything... So I'm thinking that instead of putting a mirror or piece of art on the longest empty wall in in our kitchen / dining room, I want to put a fireplace mantle!

I see them all the time on Craigslist and, when I go, the flea market. When I find just the right one, I'll know it, but the price has to be right for this remodelers tiny budget. I'm thinking that I would want it to be painted dark, dark brown, almost black, to add some contrast to all the light colors I have going on in the kitchen and to really make the fireplace the focal point. I found this dark, old fireplace mantle on Craigslist and while I can't afford it now, it inspires me. I'm wondering how hard it would be to build one and then again, would I rather have a piece of history instead?



The wall I have in mind is in the dining area behind the farm table, the wall opposite you if you were standing right here behind the island. I'm sorry I don't have a better view...here is the other half of that wall...




Don't you hear that lonely wall begging to be chosen for a focal point?

I think I would want a mantle that is tallish and wide so that it doesn't disappear behind the farm table. Ideally, it would be neat if were portable and not actually nailed into the wall, but at the same time, I don't want it to look fake. I want it to look like it's an old fireplace that just happens to not be in use anymore, all bricked up like folks usually did when they wanted to keep out the draft. We are going to be adding beadboard around the kitchen and dining room so to really pull this off, I think I just need to go all the way and install the fireplace mantle as a permanent fixture and then add the beadboard around it.

I know some folks who have those little electric fireplaces that look so convincingly real and that would be really sweet tucked under a mantle, but there just isn't room in the space I have in mind for anything more than the mantle itself. Like I mentioned, I would probably brick up the opening with the same kind of brick paver I used for my kitchen backsplash (and will eventually use for the surround on our real fireplace in the living room, now covered in tile that has been painted) or try to come up with a prettier idea. In the fall and winter, I'd use the mantle shelf for a couple or three candles and in the spring and summer, I'd use it to display fresh flowers. I would hang a horizontally long mirror above the mantle (which would reflect candle light nicely), or a row of matted and framed silhouette art. I could use silhouettes of my children, but I also love the idea another blogger had (I'm sorry, I can't remember who...ugh) to use these bird silhouette patterns that can be downloaded here. The blogger I speak of framed these little pretties and they were so sweet! If anyone knows who I'm talking about, please let me know!

Incidentally, I found this gorgeous old fireplace mantle on Craigslist last night for just $45! They had two...I called this morning but they had sold them already. Pity, but someone got a great deal!

So that's what I've been daydreaming about lately. What have you been dreaming of?

Another Cottage Project: Raising the Hallway Ceiling

We had a very productive (albeit messy, hot, and exhausting ) weekend here at our Twice Remembered Cottage. We got started with our hallway project! Our hall is very long and what made it very unappealing to me was it's extremely low ceiling. I'm only about 5'5" and I could literally touch the ceiling without much effort. It has long been our goal to someday raise the ceiling there, which I hoped would visually open up the narrow space a bit. This weekend, we did just that.

So here is where we started - our very gloomy and sometimes scary hallway. We've gone ahead and replaced all the hollow core doors with solid pine doors except for that one there on the right...we're working in that particular room (expanding a closet) and have waited to put up the door there until we're ready to also put up the new closet door. Anyway, can you see how close the ceiling is to the top of doors? There is absolutely no room for the beefy 5 inch wide door trim I want to add around the doors - and no room for crown moulding and a pine plank ceiling either. Clearly, the ceiling needed to be raised.



The first cut... Who knew cutting through popcorn could be so easy and exciting?




There's no going back now!




This photo reveals the air conditioning duct work! This would have been a problem, but don't worry... this is unused duct work from the old original air conditioning system installed 30 years ago. A new system (with duct work under our floor) was added several years back and the old one remained to fossilize in our ceiling, I suppose. But this explains why the ceiling was so low to begin with. Fortunately hubby had crawled into the attic to investigate well before we decided to tackle this project:)



I thought I'd take a photo of the "big mess" being created already. But compared to what was to come, this was nothing!



Within minutes, the old drywall was completely removed from the ceiling and we could get a good view of the old metal monster that was hiding above.... I had to help hubs remove the duct work and I was so afraid it was going to fall on my head! I had to hold one end as I stood on a ladder while hubs unscrewed it from the center and other end. Talk about scary!





Our first good view of our new ceiling height! Whew, it sure was dirty up there!



Another whole foot added to the ceiling height - from 7 feet to 8 feet just like that!





The metal monster wasn't so intimidating when it wasn't hanging by a few screws above my head.



Now to begin ripping out the hall walls...




See what I meant about it getting messier?



A good friend came by and helped hubs hang the drywall for the new ceiling. I tried but have absolutely no upper body strength and proved to be a pretty puny and clumsy helper. Hubs forgot to cut the hole for the light but he can go back and do that. I'm thinking about hanging an old fashioned baby chandelier, but hubs isn't thrilled. I think it will grow on him;)



I love the results so far - the hall really feels so much more spacious now! I really can't wait to add our plank ceilings and crown moulding, tall white beadboard, wide door trim (with maybe a nifty antique metal number above each door..."Where is your bathroom?" ...."Oh, it's down the hall, Room 2."), and of course, our long awaited wood flooring. But this is where we leave of for now because today, Monday, it's business as usual for hubs and his real job. We'll save the walls for another free weekend. I hope you enjoyed this little tour of our most recent cottage transformation project!

Letters from My Cottage Visitors

It's been a while since I've shared some letters and questions from my blog readers, so I' thought I'd do that today! Let's get started!



Just wanted to know where you found the pretty white curtain above your kitchen sink... ~S.

Well, S., I wish I could tell you where they originally came from, but I found them at my local Goodwill store. And I'll let you in on a little secret...they're not actually curtains! They are really pillowcases that I've hung with curtain rings and a rod. I don't really sew and I would have been afraid to attempt to make rod pockets for these sweet pillowcases, so I just hung them as they were!



I absolutely love your site and the work that you do! Your kitchen cabinet refinish project looks amazing. We are buying a house that has plain oak cabinets with a sort of shiny (ugly) finish. I would like to refinish them with a white antique look. I was wondering if you could tell me if that is a HUGE project to undertake. And the time it may take to do it. Also, what websites or the like would you recommend for instructions in order for us to do this project ourselves? ~K.


Thank you, K., for your kind words about our cabinet project! I may not be the one to ask about how long a project like this can take because as my readers would tell you, it seems to take me a looong time to complete a project. We added beadboard and trimwork to our cabinets, along with undercabinet lighting - and that added time. Plus, I painted the cabinets inside and out (white on the inside, red on the outside) after using a couple of coats of primer. Red is a very difficult color to work with as it usually takes many coats...I think it took four coats for my cabinets. Oh, and the basecoat was an off white - I wanted to be able to sand the edges so that the white undercoat peeked through. I guess all in all, I had about 7 coats or so of primer, basecoat, and actual paint color. I also lined my shelves with wallpaper and added several coats of polyeurothane to protect the paper (still holding up great!). So there may be lots of things that I did that you won't have to do, and white as your planning on using wouldn't take as many coats...it shouldn't take you nearly as long as it took me. But it did take me about 5 months to complete the project. It doesn't usually take folks that long, but we're talking about me here, hehe. I have three kidlets and a crazy household, so I worked on it when I could.

I'm sure that there are many resources on the web for how to makeover kitchen cabinets, but if you'd like to know exactly the steps I used, please see my FAQ page under the Kitchen category. If you have any other questions, please let me know!




Hi Kim

A quick question about your cabinets (that I love, by the way). Did you find that the red color darkened the room? ~C.

Actually, no, not at all. I don't know if you've seen the most recent kitchen photos (since we painted the walls a warm white called "Malted Milk"), but the lighter wall color in combination with the white semi-gloss wood ceilings and trim, plus the light we have coming in, keeps everything light and airy. Also, in the future we will be adding white beadboard to the walls 3/4 of the way up. So everything is is basically shades of white, and the red cabinets are the main focus.

I hope this helps answer your question. Red may not work in everyones kitchen or with any wall color, but I've loved it on my cabinets.


How do you clean the outside of your cabinets? ~L.

I use a warm damp cloth with just a bit of grease cutting dish soap to wipe down the cabinets. To add shine (not to mention a great scent!), I've had great success using Pledge orange oil. I spray it onto a cloth and then use the cloth to wipe down the cabinets. The orange oil may not work for every painted cabinet finish, however, so please use with caution and only after testing in a small hidden area. Also, if you are planning on painting your cabinets again any time soon, I wouldn't suggest using the orange oil.

Here's a great reader tip!

Hi,

I'm a fan of your blog (I found it through The Cottage Nest blog). I especially love how you covered up your popcorn ceilings- just gorgeous. Anyway, I thought you might be interested in a product I recently discovered. It's called Soy Gel (find it here ). It's a non-toxic paint stripper in a gel form. It is completely awesome and super safe. I can vouch for it. I recently bought some to strip an antique bamboo desk that someone painted a lurid green color. The gel was easy to apply and barely smelled at all. I actually did this process indoors- in our guest room! I didn't even have to sand or prep the desk at all. I just slapped the stuff on and left the room for a couple of hours. Then I scraped it off and wiped it with a damp cloth. It was like it was never painted at all.

I thought that since you are working on your house with kids around that you would be interested in a stripper that is safe. Let me know if you ever use it! ~C.

Thank you, C.! I have several pieces of furniture in the garage right now that need stripping and I've always dreaded the task due to the harsh chemicals I thought I needed to use- but I will definitely try using product instead!

and two related questions....

Hi,

I enjoy reading One Woman’s Cottage Life, and especially enjoy the pictures. I absolutely love the canvas above your mantle. I think it’s perfect. Did you paint the canvas, or could you suggest a store where I might find something similar? Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks, and keep up the great work you’re doing.

~P.



How I wish I had such talent to create a beautiful piece of art such as the Garden of Hope painting! No, I didn't do the painting... I do share the same first name with the artist, however:) Her name is Kim Parker. Read on to find out more...


Hello,
Would you be able to tell me where you purchased your garden of hope picture? I have not been able to find one larger than a 22 by 22. I have been to several web-sites and even contacted Kim Parker. Her publisher contacted me to let me know about custom glicles, but they are about $700.00. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. ~T.



T., I bought my Garden of Hope digital print on canvas at my local Kirklands about three years ago. At the time, I didn't know who Kim Parker was and wasn't familiar with her work - I just knew when I saw the Garden of Hope art in the store that day that I was in love with the piece. It is about 4' by 4' and was on sale for around $120 I believe. I couldn't believe the deal that I got for such a large piece. And because it is digital on canvas, it really looks like an oil painting! I haven't seen any of Kim's work in Kirklands for the last couple of years, but keep checking in...who knows!

Hi. I was wondering if you painted your tongue and groove ceiling with a roller or did it all by hand with a brush?

My husband rollered the ceiling tonight and it made it look textured and I hate it...I didn’t think about the roller putting a (however slight someone may think) texture on it. ~T.

T., we hand brushed our ceiling planks using semi-gloss paint. I've noticed the slight texture that even foam rollers can leave and I wanted to avoid that. It *is* a lot of extra work, I know, and this wasn't my favorite project. We primed and painted one coat of paint on the planks before we installed them (so when the planks expanded and contracted, there wouldn't be any noticeable gaps), and then after installation, we added another two to three coats.

I just came across your blog while looking for ideas for the cabin we are in the process of building. We are spending our entire budget on the shell of the building, leaving it as a big empty 1100 sq ft room with the framing up for 3 bedrooms, kitchen, bath, dining room, living room…pretty standard. We’re going to be living with wood floors for quite awhile, I was interested in how you did the bedroom floor (specifically how it was finished, what type of paint etc.) ~J.

J., in my daughters room, we just painted the floor (using a roller) with oil-based primer and then used an oil-based gloss white porch paint. It is very durable. You can caulk any seams first (which we didn't do) and you're left with a very pretty floor...yes, even subflooring can be pretty! This is a great solution for those who are tired of their old carpet but aren't quite ready to put down hardwood (like us!). Though this is a temporary solution for us while we work on all the rooms in our house, we went ahead and added a diamond pattern with decoupaged accents to our daughters' bedroom floor. We used regular cheap white latex paint on the rest of the house and it doesn't hold up nearly as well as the oil-based porch paint, though it doesn't do too bad of a job, either. But with three kids and pets, there was no way that we could live through the long drying time that oil-based paints require for the rest of our house. With latex, I could paint the floors while everyone was sleeping and it would be dry by morning time. It was a trade-off, but then again, I wasn't too concerned since eventually we will put down our hardwood and we don't really need a long lasting painted finish.



I hope this has answered a few of your questions and I always appreciate hearing from you!