The State of America's Children & Salted Whiskey Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I'm already falling behind on my promise to keep this up and running. However, I started this post a week ago when I read the "State of America's Children" article by Marian Wright Edelman recently featured on the huffington post.

Ms. Edelman, head of the Children's Defense Fund, conveys some disturbing numbers regarding the state of poverty affecting America's youth. Sometimes quoted as "Kill Me Now Statistics", does it matter much if you say "One in five children is poor" or "Children are our nation’s poorest age group" or even "Every 32 seconds another child is born poor"? No matter your advocacy strategy or your approach to pulling on readers heartstrings, the fact is that youth in America are suffering. Additionally, many of the budget cut items directly affect youth-- and youth keep growing up. I highly recommend reading both the article and the full report.

If that doesn't make you want to combine whiskey and cookies, I'm not sure what would. Except maybe the pure desire for something truly delicious...



Salted Whiskey Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon table salt
14 tablespoons (1 3/4 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tbsp Bourbon
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 bag dark chocolate chips
Sea salt for sprinkling over cookies


Combine dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a larger bowl, beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy (you know, when it starts looking a little like cartoon clouds). Beat in egg, vanilla and Bourbon. Add dry ingredients, then fold in oats and chocolate chips. Roll into cookie-sized balls (approx. 2 tbsp), drop onto parchment-paper-lined cookie sheets, and flatten to 1/4" thickness. Bake at 350 for 13-16 minutes.

Return!

This blog has lain dormant for a long time, and for that I apologize. I had intended to follow up my first Geoffrey Canada post with a more nuanced interpretation of some of the problematic aspects of his approach, responding to some of the criticisms of the model and addressing the cultural imperialism implications, etc. I had intended to follow that post with a number of others: discussing the 11 year old boy I saw escorted out of Truancy Court in handcuffs; the final results of my research study about the effect that knowledge of a youth's abuse history has upon juvenile probation officer decisions; and some thoughts raised by the provocative memoir collection "Soul on Ice" by Eldridge Cleaver.



I also wanted to show off the Butternut Squash and Caramelized Gallete I made for Friendsgiving (recipe available here), "mince-ish pies" my sister and I made for Christmas Eve, and host of other delicious creations that came out of my kitchen this winter, spring and summer.



That didn't exactly happen as planned, but here are some images of what came along with my master's degree:



Orriocheta with Peas, Spinach, and Asparagus:


Thai Green Eggplant (Brinjals)


Multi-Colored Breakfast Potatoes:


Ginger Apple Pumpkin Bread:


Chocolate Hazelnut Holiday Cake:


Tarragon Dijon Mashed Potatoes:

And the newly introduced first course to every dinner party, nearly perfected art of the cheese plate:


More recipes, photographs and thoughts on juvenile justice & child welfare to follow!