Today's Holi's

(I just felt "today's holidays" was a bit redundant)

As has been previously mentioned, today is: National Chocolate Chip Day.

Now normally I would have alerted people ahead of time so that they could go out and refill their larders, but really, don't most of us have chocolate chips on hand in the cupboard every day of the week?

I know I do. Granted, I may occasionally run out of milk or eggs. Sometimes even breakfast cereal. But chocolate chips? Never.

Still, there are a few hours remaining in the day to refill the stock items one should always have on hand.

You've probably all heard of how the chocolate chip cookie was invented. You may even need to know about cookies in general. Or generals. Or read Wikipedia's take on the chocolate chip.

It's all here.

And stay tuned at the end of the post for a family recipe (not cookies) that utilizes chocolate chips.

But FIRST, there is yet another exciting holiday waiting for it's observance:

Nylon Stockings Day

Here are a couple of sites: informative, rumor dispelling and both G-rated.

But the most important info on today's evolutionary product--pantyhose--has been neglected. And that being....support/control top types are a must for women who have had children. And my advice to those of us with seven or more kids? Wear "tan" or darker. It hides the varicose and spider veins SO much more effectively.

But getting back to necessary foodstuffs, here is that recipe I was talking about. It was developed by daughter Sharon--don't forget, she has some of my genes--for the sake of using up those leftover bits of cereal in the bottom of the box.

You know, the shreds and crumbs that no one wants in their bowl, for fear of creating toxic amounts of mush. And if you have a hankering for frosted mini-wheats, you already know how much sugar there is at the bag's end.

Sharon Hoyt's (famous) Cereal Bars

1 stick butter, softened

1 to 1.5 cups sugar (depending on taste and the percentage of leftovers from FMW..I almost never use more than 1 cup)

2 med. eggs (I increased this from her original one)

a little of each of the following (you have to be fearless in working with inexact amounts)
---vanilla (I use about 1 tsp)
---baking powder (I use between 1/2 and 1 tsp)
---salt (a little more than 1/2...isn't this fun?)

1 to 2 tsp cinnamon (I use 1 but Sharon gets a little carried away...)

.5 to 1.5 cups flour

.5 to .75 quart container full of cereal leftovers, which you crush with a rolling pin on wax paper

"some" chocolate chips (just throw some in, or measure around 1/2 to 3/4 cup)

some milk to moisten if necessary

Cream first two ingredients. Add the rest. You may have to adjust the flour according to how much leftover cereal crumbs you are using. An experienced cook will just "know" and it doesn't have to be exact. If you are one of those people who has to have everything "exact" then I feel sorry for you.

Bake approx. 30 minutes at 350 degrees in a (sprayed) pan slightly less than 9x13.

When it comes out clean from a toothpick, remove and sprinkle more chocolate chips on top. When these melt they can be spread with a knife for frosting.

Bon appetite!
 

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