chocolate chip cookies

Earlier this week, I baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies. There was no particular reason, I just felt like baking eating some cookie dough [who am I trying to kid?]
We also had accumulated more than two packages of Smart Balance butter sticks because I kept forgetting we already had some.
As I was making the cookies, so many memories came to me.

Mostly, I thought about my mom and baking with her. I have so many great memories of baking with mom. I also remember how she stopped letting me lick the beater when I was in high school. It wasn't because I was too old, but because she thought I could get salmonella [apparently the word was out in the mid 90s]. I was offended by this...I mean it's the best part, right? Why else help out or hang around the kitchen?
I thought about how much I love it when someone bakes cookies for a meeting for no particular reason. There's no birthday to celebrate, but they show up with cookies or some kind of baked good to share. I wish I did that more often...I am going to work on this...especially once our kitchen renovation is complete.

Baking makes me realize the things I learned from Mom. Learn the premise of a recipe, but don't be afraid to improvise a bit. I use 1 1/8 cup whole wheat flour [half the amount of regular flour in the Toll House recipe] and decrease the amount of sugar by 1/4 cup when I make chocolate chip cookies.
I use two spoons when placing cookie dough on to the baking sheet. I didn't really think much of this being Mom's thing until I baked with a few friends in college...and in the years since. It's pretty convenient, scoop with one and scrape on to the baking sheet with the other.

I remember my mom telling me I would get a stomach ache if I ate too much cookie dough. It never happened...until this week. But it's my own dumb fault...should have listened to Mom!

Does baking bring back fun memories for you?