Lab cookie bake-off

Yes, some labs go out for lunch, some do dinner... but because we are the "chick lab" we baked cookies at my house as our holiday outting!  It was oddly, much like work.  I provided the supplies and the space, Trina (the lab manager) orchestrated everyone, and the research assistants worked with purpose.

Ok, it was different than work because there was some of this:

This was our starting crew:

And then this lovely student came after her final:

This is Ling, newly arrived from China and completely new to American baking. She took to making sugar cookies like a pro... to quote her "You know how some people are type A? they call me A+".  Her verdict on the product "too much sugar, I like it spicy"

Ling and Kristin took care of the decorating as well

Meg suffered from sugar shock due to finger-licking overload:

There were snickerdoodles:

Some Mississippi based candy-cookie from Trina's childhood:

The classic peanut butter chocolate kiss cookie, which I almost completely mucked up by purchasing cherry-creme kisses! yeah, that doesn't go with peanut butter. thankfully I am a Hammond at heart and bought too much of everything, including more than one kind of the kisses.

And this is Trina the lab manager. She is great at her job, and I am one lucky lady to have her running the show, including cookie baking.

A crafty exchange

I hate to sew, but I love to knit.  I wish I liked to sew (or that I was good at it, but I'm not).

My mother-in-law hates to knit, but loves to sew (and is a fantastic seamstress).

So, we make stuff for each other.  The latest gift giving (I love that both are work-in-progress pictures, even though they are done):

Socks for Connie.  A CookieA pattern in Cherry Tree Hill yarn, probably the best ones yet.  I started them on the Japan trip.  I will make another pair for sure. (sadly not while in Japan)

Qulited wall hanging for the new house.  Its stunning.

What's next?  I'm not sure.  We're both in the thick of Christmas gift making for others, but I'm sure something is on the other side of December.

the banana bread

OK, this is one of the things I make that the kids actually like.  a lot.  It smells fantastic when you bake it, but it will taste better if you can resist slicing into it until the next day.  I went for healthy last night (no chocolate chips), but clearly, it is not healthy. 

The recipe was published in the Boston Globe many, many years ago (back far enough that we were still getting the newspaper delivered, and that was at least 10 years ago, maybe longer!)

This makes 1 loaf:

• 3 or 4 overripe bananas
• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 lb. (one stick) butter, melted, slightly cooled
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
• (optional add-ins: 1/2cup walnuts, 1 cup cranberries, or 1 cup chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 x 5 loaf pan.

 

Beat bananas and sugar in a mixing bowl for 2 or 3 minutes. Add in the butter, eggs and vanilla extract and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl before each addition.

 

Add in the dry ingredients (plus an optional add-in, if desired). Mix to just combine.

 

Pour into prepared pan. Bake about 1 hour 10 minutes until bread is pulling away from the pan sides and tests done.