Cookie Scoop

I have been interested in getting a cookie scoop for a long long time.

When I was a kid I loved to mix up the cookies, but hated using the two-spoon process to put the cookie dough on the cookie pans. I turned the kitchen over to my Mom for that and went outside to play. She always did a great two-spoon job.

Now that I have my own home - OK, I've been on my own since High School, but... - I make cookies for the fans at my house! It is so fun that Jun loves cookies. Must be the taste of Mother's Love - or the sugar. Hmmm. Anyway, I have been doing the two-spoon process all the while pining away for a cookie scoop.

On various trips back to the States I have looked for the right sized scoop - whatever that is - and FINALLY found one on my trip this summer. My parents' smallish town has a very very well stocked kitchen store. I paid over my $14 for a cookie scoop - is this NOT expensive? - used it once at home and, when packing to come back to Japan forgot it!

A couple of weeks ago my folks sent a package of stuff I'd ordered and threw in my cookie scoop too! Today I mixed up a batch of cake mix cookies and got out my cookie scoop. I had cookies on the pan in nothing flat.

Then I began to think. (My husband often tells me I think too much.) Each and every cookie is the exact same size. With the same amount of dough. The same shape. They'd be the same color too, if my oven was a bit more uniform in heating. And scooping out the dough really took so little time, the cookies could not be called a labor of love at all. Well, the fact that I started with a cake mix might have made you all wonder about the love, but cake mixes are spendy here, so the fact that I did use one was an expression of love - oh, and thanks to my friend for giving it to me!

So, I'm in a quandary about the cookie scoop. It is the process of baking that helps me relieve stress. That helps me use some creativity. It isn't the end product, though if it is good, I'm happy. It isn't exactly the ease of it, though this blog is called "kantan" (easy) cooking. Being able to do the two-spoon process well was kind of an initiation into adulthood. Anybody can use a cookie scoop.

But, I must admit, I DID pay $14 dollars for it. And it was really easy. And kind of fun. And...well, we'll see if I put it in a box when we move next, or pass it on.

Spaghetti Boiler

It took this post by A and M's Mama over at Shinshu Life to make me think of getting off my duff to do something with the two tomatoes lounging in my produce basket. They were on their way south, but I was just so impressed at how well our new fridge keeps the produce (with the exception of carrots), that I kind of made it into an experiment.

But, when A and M's Mama posted about tomatoes again, I got motivated. I decided to cut them up and put them in the blender, as I hate to have tomato skins floating in my sauce, and I sure don't want to peel a tomato. It was a great success! The sauce turned out well, for once!

Then, I got out our handy dandy microwave spaghetti boiler. This is the most wonderful microwave accessory. Especially if you have a smaller family and only need to boil up to 200 gms. of pasta for a meal. I got it at our local department store for well under 1,000 yen. Here is a pic of a similar one I found on the net. It takes 8 minutes longer than the boiling time of your pasta to finish it (but no pre-boiling). It can be used for spaghetti or other pastas. It doesn't heat up your kitchen. It doesn't take up one of the 2-3 burners you may be working with in a Japanese kitchen. And, there isn't a pot of boiling water to boil over onto your toddler. Always a plus! So, if you are looking for a new kitchen toy, I recommend this one!

Aprons

I so rarely used aprons while cooking, when growing up, that I think I could just about say I never used one.

I was so surprised and a little put off when I came to Japan and everyone HAD to wear an apron while cooking. I am not a messy cook!

Then, the housewives would wear their aprons with 10,000 yen bills, then worth about US$100, in their pockets to pick up cucumbers, croquet and other things each day on our shopping street. How could you WEAR an apron outside! How embarrassing!

But, somehow I got on the apron kick too. I slowly started a collection of aprons of different styles and colors and materials. I got some for gifts and bought others.

Now, I can't bear to cook without an apron on. A full shoulder down apron. Hopefully with pockets. And, I always eat with that apron on! A great substitute for the napkins in one of my former lives. Feeding Jun, an apron is essential for any semblance of cleanliness.

Jun has discovered Mama's aprons too. She loves the pockets. She uses them to climb up my front, one step at at time. She also uses them to store things.

Currently my apron pockets are housing a bunch of rocks from the park, a dessert fork and a red pen that Daddy was looking all over for. Oh well!

So, do you like aprons? What is in YOUR pockets?