Helpful Hints For Cookies

* Butter should be brought to room temperature beore using. You can
put butter in the microwave for approx. 20 seconds to soften
(remember, because the microwave wattages vary, the time given is
approximate)

* Melt chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in your microwave
(in microwave start with approx. 30 seconds, and stir chocolate).
Care must be taken that chocolate doesnt burn.

* Preheat oven or appox. 15 minutes before using.

* Check cookies about 2/3 of the way through baking. If cookies are
not browning evenly, rotate cookie sheet.

* When measuring flour, spoon it loosely into the measuring cup and
level it with the straight edge o a knife or spatula.

* When sifting lour, if the recipe calls for “X cups sifted flour,”
sift it beore measuring. If recipe calls or “X cups flour, sifted,”
sift after measuring.

* Store cookes in airtight containers. Cookies will stay fresh for
about a week stored in this fashon.

* Never store crisp cookes with soft ones, or the crisp ones will turn
soft.

* When packaging cookies for travel pick cookies without sharp
points, as the travel will probably break the points.

* When packaging fragile cookies for travel place them back to back
and wrap in waxed paper or place in sandwich baggies.

* To get uniform cookie size and shape use a spring-handled ice-cream
scoop. (These come in various sized and are referred to by number —
which is the number o scoops per quart of ice cream. If your recipe
calls for dough by the rounded teaspoonful use a number 70 scoop.

* Only regular margarine or butter should be used in recipes calling
for margarine or butter. May diet margarines, spreads, and soft
margarines in tubs contain higher percentages of water or have had
air whipped into them. Using these products may result in a less
desirable cookie.

* When packaging cookies use popped popcorn to fill the spaces for
additional protection. Not only is it light-weight it is ecologically
sound. IF the idea of popping corn does not appeal to you, your local
furniture store, computer warehouse, or delivery outpost may have the
styrofoam peanuts for either no or a minimal cost.

* Best choices for packing and shipping — unfrosted crispy or chewy
bars — chewy or fudgy brownies — drop cookies — firm cut-out
cookies

* Poor choices for packing and shipping — cake-like brownies or bars
~- soft cookies — cookies or bars with frosting — cookies or bars
with ingredients that might spoil or melt in warm weather

* LAST BUT NOT LEAST — LABEL BOX *PERISHABLE* to encourage speedy and
careful handling.