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The Cookie That Started A Battalion Battle

By Jetta Allen, Editor in Chief

It’s 2012 and we are stationed at Fort Bragg, what is now Fort Liberty, in North Carolina. We had been stationed there a little over a year and to our excitement, several of our friends from our former duty station in Alaska were also PCS’ed to North Carolina around the same time! It was great to be able to be surrounded by friends as a new mom. The value of friendships in new places is severely underrated and I wasn’t overwhelmed at the thought of starting from “scratch” finding friends. We held many family-friendly parties and get-togethers at our house in Spring Lake, but I will never forget the time GROWN SOLDIERS not only hid my cookies from the children but then fought over them!

These “Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies” are legendary, winning several cookie contests. Maybe it is the brown butter lending it a nutty, rich flavor without the crunch. Or maybe it’s the three types of chocolate chips! Whatever the reason, everyone loves them! I made, what I thought was, a huge plate of them for this get-together. Slowly my husband and our toddler son kept sneaking them. As guests arrived, kids went straight for them and the number of cookies was beginning to dwindle. After children raved about the cookies their dads tried them! It was love at first sight. Next thing you know, the whole plate is GONE! Having a large dog, I thought Willie may have been to blame, so the hunt was on to find the plate and culprit. Our friends employed their tactical training and started to help.

The search started in the dining room, then the living room, searching up and down peaking outside, and then coming back to the kitchen. I soon found my friend’s husband guarding the microwave and others noticed quickly! Next thing you know there are playful shouts about one stealing all the cookies and how they should be shared because apparently, their wives don’t bake good cookies. The soldiers all agreed to hide the cookies from the kids, sneak them outside, and eat them on the side of the house, away from the greedy children. These soldiers had served in Iraq and two tours in Afghanistan together. Their bonds were strong, but these cookies nearly caused a riot right there in my kitchen. They had their plan hatched and now just looked at me, the only outsider listening in on their cookie coup. It was as if they forgot I was standing in the middle of them. Mind you, all this happened in about 10 minutes! It was a lot to take in and I couldn’t help but laugh! When soldiers serve, giving them a plate of cookies is the least I can do! I wouldn’t get in the way of their cookie coup and gave them a nod of approval. So the 4 of them snuck outside and returned my plate empty but with a grin, knowing we all shared a funny story!

Bake these cookies yourself, but beware, your friends or family may stage a cookie coup of their own to get them all to themselves!

The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter PLUS 1 extra tablespoon

1 ¼ cup packed dark brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

1 large egg, PLUS 1 egg yolk

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

½ cup milk chocolate chips

½ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat, whisking constantly until the butter begins to brown. It takes several minutes.

2. Remove from heat once brown and smelling nutty, immediately pour in a glass or stainless steel mixing bowl. Let cool.

3. Add the sugars to the browned butter and beat until creamed. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla and beat.

4. Add all the dry ingredients and mix.

5. Fold in the chocolate chips.

6. Chill dough a few hours or in the freezer for 1 hour.

7. Preheat the over to 350*F or 177*C

8. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use stoneware.

9. Drop cookie dough by the tablespoonful.

10. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies begin to turn golden brown.

11. Cool. Then try to avoid a cookie coup!

About the Author

Jetta Allen is the Editor in Chief of United on the RoK. Over the past few years, she has worn many hats; writer, poet, photographer, and editor. She loves nature, travel, and culture, but most of all, making memories with her family.

As a military spouse, Jetta knows the importance of community and how being connected can help one find the resources and networks that help them thrive. Her advice to newcomers to Korea is to get connected with your local community and neighborhoods, find others with similar hobbies and interests, don't be afraid to introduce yourself on social media sites for the installation, volunteer, and most importantly, start making Korea your new home! When it feels like home, you can start to grow and embrace the country with all of its possibilities.

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