My Momma collected recipes and cookbooks. I collect recipes and cookbooks. Momma loved desserts. I love desserts. As hard as I try to find desserts that will please everyone in our family, especially all 14 grands, I have yet to find anything more universally accepted than chocolate chip cookies. Plain, no frills and definitely NO NUTS, chocolate chip cookies.
The simplest recipe I have discovered yet is easy enough to entice some young bakers to join me in the kitchen, and, if you set a timer while they're baking, they are virtually fail-proof. As an added plus, there are only 4 ingredients, so I can keep those in the pantry and ready at a moment's notice.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix together:
1 box yellow cake mix
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 eggs
When that is smooth, fold in:
2 c. chocolate chips
Drop by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick spray.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned.
Try to wait until they are cool before sampling.
See? Simple. Easy. Kid-pleasing.
But, during this pandemic, I have found myself perusing recipes and experimenting.Key word there -- experimenting. I added oats and nuts with a B+ result. Then, I saw a recipe that added 1 c. of crushed pretzels and a sprinkling of sea salt on top before baking. Sweet and salty. Hmmm. How bad could it be? In my opinion, these were a D+ at best. Why, oh why, did I waste my chocolate chips? In the future, I will stick to my tried and true method and leave my experimenting to other dishes.
Chocolate chip cookies with pretzels. Uh, no.
All of this led me to think about how often people in today's world try to mess with God's perfect design for marriage. I suppose the subject of marriage is on my mind more than usual right now because Steve and I have 49 years under our belt and are anticipating our big 5-0 next March.
We don't have the perfect marriage. We're still working on it and will until the day one of us draws our last breath. But, I do believe we each have THE spouse that God intended for us to have.
I look around when I'm out and about, I listen to news reports, I watch TV and movies, and I see example after example of those who are trying to have their own version of marriage, rather than God's version. Some are living together before they marry. Some are having affairs. Some are throwing in the towel and divorcing without seeking counseling and trying hard to fix problems. MANY are placing unrealistic expectations on their spouse. Others are only contributing a paltry effort to making their marriage the best it can be. Hollywood entertainment often even makes fun of committed, monogamous relationships. God created marriage to be for one man and one woman together until death. He doesn't promise that such a relationship will be problem-free, but it's important to keep in mind that a strong marriage is a precious gift and that marriage is intended to be a picture of God's relationship with His people.
Proverbs 31:10 -- "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies."
Isaiah 62:5 -- "As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you;
as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you."
Ephesians 5:25 - "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her."
Genesis 2:24 -- "That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh."
Proverbs 18:22 -- "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord."
Mark 10:9 -- "Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate."
Matthew 19:6 -- "So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”
The Bible gives a very clear recipe for marriage according to God's plan. I believe it would be best to follow it.
And, by all means, keep crushed pretzels out of your chocolate chip cookies.