Whether you cook a lot or just a little, if you cook at ALL, you are bound to stain your clothes from time to time... UNLESS you happen to be wearing an apron. Yes, Grandma was right! You should put on your apron before you start mixing up bowls of creamy gooey chocolate frosting or frying up finger-lickin'-good pieces of crunchy chicken just like the Colonel!
I love aprons. They can be totally utilitarian, or pretty, or sexy, or even silly. They come in styles that can cover the bottom half of you or the whole enchilada, which is what I generally wear. I'm only 5'1", and when I stand in front of a counter, any stains will be right at my tummy. Always looks pretty.
In these photos, my girl is wearing her Daddy's apron. I made it for him 3 Christmases ago. The name tag on the front is actually a tag from his brother's military uniform. It's all sentimental... and totally utilitarian. It has an adjustable neck strap and front pockets. And it's made in a cammo fabric, so that the cook can go incognito when necessary!
Yes, I love aprons. I love finding an apron in a thrift store or antique shop. I wonder about the person who made it. Did they make it for themselves or was it a gift? I wonder about the person who wore it. Was she a mom or a grandma? How many meals did she make while wearing it? Did it just sit inside a drawer? Did it hang on a hook? Maybe the owner wore it while tending her garden, filling her pockets with eggs that she carefully carried back to the kitchen.
My imagination just takes me away.
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CHOCOLATE CRINKLE COOKIES
2 c. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
In a small bowl, mix together oil, chocolate, and eggs. Add sugar and mix well. Add to flour mixture and mix well with a spoon.
Chill dough for several hours.
Heat oven to 350 F. Prepare 2 cookie sheets by spraying with non-stick cooking spray or covering with parchment paper (my favorite method). Fill a small bowl with the powdered sugar. Create dough balls about the diameter of a quarter. Roll each one in powdered sugar. Place on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 10 minutes.
