softening butter

All of a sudden it hits you.

That craving.

That intense craving for a batch of your favorite chocolate chip cookies.

And you need them now.

Actually, you really needed them yesterday.

You gather your ingredients.

And as you do, you realize something.

The butter.

That stupid stick of butter is still in the fridge.

You realize that in an ideal situation, that butter would have already been sitting on the counter for the last hour, doing what it does best to soften itself up to the perfect consistency to make the perfect cookie.

You know that if you don't soften it up enough, your cookies will be round hard lumps.

You also know that if you stick it in the microwave, you, more likely than not, will soften it too much, creating cookie puddles.

Yet you realize your life is never really an ideal situation.

You want to eat a warm, fresh from the oven, cookie.  Now.  Not in an hour.

Waiting for that stick of cold butter to soften will feel like forever.

So what to do?  What to do??

Here's an answer to your baking prayers!  One I found in a little book titled "good things for the kitchen" by Martha Stewart.

It explains a super easy way for you to hurry the process along without sacrificing the integrity of your cookies 

(or whatever else you may be craving today):

Grate the butter into a large mixing bowl.

The little pieces will soften faster than a solid stick.

In no time, the butter will be at room temperature!

photo credit:  Martha Stewart Living

I know.

Your welcome.
Happy baking/eating!!

72° (!!!!!)  Very warm. Sunny. Perfection.

We will be outside today as much as possible.  

In fact, we have plans for a walk, kicking the soccer ball around the yard, blowing bubbles, and some time at the park once Daddy/Mike gets home.

I am so happy for the chance to soak in all that vitamin D!  

(and maybe the start of a tan??  maybe that's just wishful thinking...)

See you tomorrow!