Thursday, November 5, 2009

A salute to Snickerdoodles and our American Heroes...Transcending generations & oceans...foodie Friday...


Snickerdoodles seem to be one of the cookies that transcends generations. This little cookie has been around forever and is so versatile in taste and texture. It is crisp with just a hint of cinnamon. It appeals to both the elderly and the young. It will continue to delight the pallet long after trends in cookies have come and gone. A classic treat and one that I am sure delights the Cookie Monster in all of us.

Years ago Snickerdoodles were made with Crisco and now some recipes call for butter. Here is my little secret. I make mine with butter flavored Crisco sticks. Why? I need a cookie that I can ship to soldiers in Iraq that will not melt, turn rancid in the extreme heat of 100* weather or crumble. These cookies travel well across oceans in mail trucks, military planes, across a desert and reach the hands of many of US finest men and women who are keeping us safe each and every day.

Packages can average about 2 to 4 weeks depending upon where a military unit is stationed and some times even longer. There seems to be no rhyme or reason. So keeping a home baked good fresh is definitely a challenge. Holiday times can be longer due to the volume of mail. It is important that holiday mail be posted by mid-November.

For the above reasons , I have found that the soldiers have responded in a positive way to the Snickerdoodle cookie. I also add a little question and answer sheet with each box with a self addressed envelope (no return postage needed as military postage is free during deployment). I ask the soldier to check off answers to some of my questions to the condition of the box upon arrival. The overwhelming result is always to send more and 99% of the time they check the cookies arrived fresh and also intact. Recently one soldier wrote to me and said:

" I need your cookies to remind me of home and so that I personally do not crumble".

Perhaps you can find it in your heart to send a letter or a care package to a soldier. There are many wonderful sites out there for you to join during the entire year. I personally am a member of the following sites and have found them to be extremely helpful and supportive of our soldiers.

anysoldier.com
militarymoms.net
adoptaplatoon.org
booksforsoldiers.com


RECIPE can be found HERE

For more foodie recipes and facts please head on over to designsbygollum.blogspot

36 comments:

  1. I get tears in my eyes reading about what you are dong, Joyce, and the note that the soldier wrote... Call me uninformed, but I did not know the first thing about sending anything overseas. I am jotting down these websites to see what I can offer.

    Thank you so much and keep baking those snickerdoodles!! :-))

    xoxo
    Janie

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for these links. What a wonderful thing to do.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh Joyce!
    How wonderful is this. I am going to check out a couple of the sites and see about sending a little box of love from Phoenix to a soldier. Thank you for posting this, and thank you sharing the secret to your wonderful recipe.

    Have a wonderful blessed day. Country hugs, Sherry

    ReplyDelete
  4. My recipe always makes dry cookies. I think you have the solution here.

    ReplyDelete
  5. That comment made me cry! Thank you for your good work..I want to send cookies too, and thanks for the tip about the Crisco sticks..
    Have a great weekend, Joyce..
    The Suffolk Gal..

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sending cookies is the least we can do!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Oh how sweet. that brought tears to my eyes. I love snickerdoodles myself.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hello Joyce, I too make snickerdoodle cookies but only at Christmas. Your post today is so special and so are you. I am feeling so emotional about our soldiers at war. The response from that soldier just made me cry. Thank you for the info about how to touch a soldier's life while they are at war. I am visiting my daughter this week and we both want to do something for our soldiers. Your wonderful post is a motivating factor. Thank you so much.

    Hugs, Jeanne

    ReplyDelete
  9. oh , my favorite cookie............!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. The snickerdoodle is certainly a fine cookie. Thanks for the links to the organizations for the soldiers.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thanks for the sites, recipes, and good ideas.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I so admire the way you are supporting and honoring our troops. Thank you for the sites and for all you are doing!! I was very moved by your post. God Bless America and her men and women serving in our armed forces.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I know our soldiers must be very happy to receive a tasty gift from home. Thanks for the links. You can't beat a good snickerdoodle.

    ReplyDelete
  14. You are a gem. I have asked before .. how can I help with your baking, I dont bake, so I want to do something to add to your's. Tell what you need and I will send it...

    ReplyDelete
  15. MMmmmmm, ya just can't beat a good sinckerdoodle. You are a blessing girl. The comment made, "so I won't crumble" touched my heart. I baked chocolate chip raisin oatmeal cookies this morning. We a well into harvesting the soybean crop and I have all the Strongbacks (farm hands) to feed. What the heck am I doin' on the stinkin' computer. LOL!

    Have a great day and may God return you blessings many times!!!

    Well, back to work.....

    ReplyDelete
  16. Yummo! My husband is forever begging me to bake him snickerdoodles. Come share your recipe at my Christmas Cookie Exchange:

    http://afinehouse.blogspot.com/2009/11/you-are-invited.html

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a wonderful thing you are doing. The cookies look and sound delightful and snickerdoodles are cookies that everyone loves. Have a great day.

    ReplyDelete
  18. What a wonderful thing you do. I love Snickerdoodles...sounds like everyone else does too.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have not made snicker doodles in forever. Thanks for sharing the recipe via Martha Stewart. Have a great weekend. Love & blessings from NC!

    ReplyDelete
  20. My mom used to make snickerdoodles too. Recently, I discovered that Pillsbury makes them in a break-and-bake package... not bad when you're in a hurry! I will certainly check out the websites for supporting our soldiers.... thanks for sharing this information.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Joyce, I just found this on anysoldier.com's FAQ page.

    Can I send homemade cookies? I make the best in the world!
    No, not unless you send to a Soldier that knows you.

    We warn the Soldiers to not eat anything that does not come in a factory sealed package.

    This is really a sad sign of the times, but you can understand that for safety reasons it has to be this way. The Soldiers will throw out any homemade items so please don't waste your time or money sending the most bestest cookies ever made.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow! His note back to you made me crumble. Amazing. So sweet of you to do this for our heroes.

    Hugs sweet friend!
    Kat

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a beautiful thing you do! I love the way that soldier responded. We truly do not understand what a deployment does to a family. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  24. Excellent, excellent post. You're giving me ideas...

    ReplyDelete
  25. Hi Betty....what wonderful things you do for our soldiers...You are a very thoughtful kind person and it's so nice that you get to hear back from the men and women that you take such good care of.....Bravo to you!.....Sandra.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Oh, Joyce, bless your heart for your kindness. Thank you for sharing this.
    You are a sweetie,
    Shelia ;)

    ReplyDelete
  27. This is wonderful Joyce. I've sent things in the past to "any soldier" but I didn't know about the last two organizations. I'll check them out to see what I can send.

    Hugs, Pat

    ReplyDelete
  28. What a wonderful way to show our soldiers we are thinking of them! I would like to involve my kids in doing this. I'll take a look at your links. :D

    ReplyDelete
  29. You are such a kind hearted person. It is so sweet of you to remember those soldiers ... it was really nice what the one soldier wrote back. It feels rewarding. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  30. What a sweet thing you are doing. And I love snickerdoodle cookies too ! Thanks for stopping by......

    ReplyDelete
  31. Such an inspiring post. Thank you so much for sharing, Joyce. I LOVE Snickerdoodles!!!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Great recipe and great post. As I was reading your post I was hoping you would have a link where you can write and send baked good to soldiers...I'm going to do this too! Thank you soooo much!

    ReplyDelete
  33. What a great post. I love the tip about the crisco!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for peaking in at my blog! Come back and visit again.