My kids (and husband and assorted wanderers) decimated the last batch of cookies in record time.  They requested a do-over.  I agreed, only because I wanted to test the theory that these would be just as good in a slice-and-bake format.

So, on a day when I was testing out a new apple dessert that used a thick sweet dough (pie crusts and I do NOT get along), I tossed together the cookie dough, rolled it in logs, wrapped it in plastic, then tossed it in the fridge.

Since I was focused on the new recipe, the logs did not get baked until the next day.  However, the results were awesome.  Not only could I just bake one sheet at a time (because whatever is baked is assumed to be one serving), but it was much less annoying than rolling and flattening. 

Before I make the next batch, there is something that's bothering me, and that's the instant pudding.  Hopefully I can find an organic version, just to be on the safe side. 

Here are the ingredients:

• Sugar - obviously not a worry to me
• Modified Food Starch - not too creepy, it's just starch that's broken down even more to thicken things faster
• Contains Less than 2% of:
• Natural and Artificial Flavor - can't complain here, even though I use real vanilla, lots of people use the imitation
• Salt - not watching sodium here!
• Disodium Phosphate - sold at vitamin stores for "cleansing" doubt if it's poisonous, but hope it's not going to have that effect on my cookies!
• Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate  -  Well, the Organic Materials Review Institute doesn't have a problem with it...
• Mono- and Diglycerides (Prevent Foaming), - a fat by product.  Ick??
• Artificial Color, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 - I'm not a fan, but I'm not going to sweat the occasional addition.
• BHA Preservative - Quite the controversy here...check it out!

All in all I guess it's not too heinous, but after putting in so much work, I'd like to be 100% sure that all anyone is getting from my cookies is fatter.

I'm a former Coke addict.  Before coffee came into my life, I drank...well, more than a lot of Coke.  Once the kids came along, I got very serious about what we as a family put into our bodies.  My biggest gripe with soda is high fructose corn syrup.  Yes, there are raging debates over how bad it really is, but I'd like my kids to eat as naturally as possible - just in case.   Soda happens in our house.  Not every day, maybe not every week, but it happens. 

Yesterday I came across an article about Kosher for Passover Coke.  It turns out that the nice people at Coca-Cola make a version of coke at this time of year that is made with sugar.  Of course, Jones Soda is made with natural ingredients, and so are the sodas at Whole Foods, but, I only like Coke (my one claim to being high-maintenance).  A few emails later I had found a local grocer who carried this Kosher for Passover Coke, so I made the special trip to buy some (and, it turns out, a bunch of other things; off-plan shopping is dangerous!).

 To me, it tastes a lot better.  But maybe that's because I wanted it to.  So I decided to have my oldest lab rat participate in the Coke Challenge.  I poured two samples, and called him in.  Of course his first reaction was "why are we having soda?"  I told him he could have a complete glass of the soda he preferred if he'd give me some thoughtful feedback.  His conclusion was that, while he?d certainly drink both, the "old" coke was sweeter and had an aftertaste that the "new" one didn't.   So there I had it, the Kosher for Passover Coke IS better.  I just might make a trip back to that store and buy a case for when we want soda.  It's a little thing, but it makes me feel better.

L'Chayim!

Today I was reading a post by Monica Reinagel at Nutrition Data about chicken.  My family eats a lot of chicken, and I thought that paying a little bit more for hormone and antibiotic free chicken was a safe bet.  Here is what she had to say about that: 

"You might be surprised, as I was, to learn that chickens labeled "all-natural" can legally be pumped full of things like salt, seaweed extracts, broth and other things...none of which are naturally occuring in chickens! Even more shocking, birds fed certain antibiotics can still be labeled "Raised without Antibiotics."

Yes, I sure was surprised, so I clicked on over to the Truthful Labeling Coalition to check out what they had to say.  The first thing they talk about is the stuff that gets injected into chicken.  Ok, misleading, but what I really want to know about is the antibiotics, and that's under the issue tab. The buzz is ionophores.  If you can figure out what those are...please let me know.  Their point is not that anything in the chicken is bad, it's that the labeling is not trustworthy.

It frustrates me that I pay more based on what a label promises, only to find out that it's not true.   So I took Monica's advice and followed her link to continue the search for a local purveyor of poultry (and other farm produce).   It took a bit of browsing, but I found a few farms reasonably local to me that don't require the purchase of half a hog or similar quantities that would take up all the freezer space reserved for ice cream.   One farmer invited me to bring the family and check out the farm.   I wonder if I can trust a small farmer more than a big corporation?