Soda, not Powder

So I am busy getting ready to make food for the teacher appreciation luncheon. I signed up to bring several things because I want the teachers to have a nice spread, you know? I decided to make a dessert first. I did also had another motive. As we prepare to move, I wanted to find a way to use the sticks of margarine, eggs, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and flour that I have in the pantry. I do not like to throw things like that away, but I also do not care to fool with dragging them across the country with us, you know?

I had the "stuff" to make a batch of Toll House Cookies, or actually a pan cookie. I like pan cookies better, plus, they are far lower maintenance - no setting the timer and switching out batches every 9-11 minutes.

I usually measure everything out ahead of time into smaller bowls so the kids can help me without me getting all addled and confused. But I was in a hurry. . . Plus at the time, the kids were no where around. Spencer was even asleep! But as soon as Jess heard the mixer, she came out of the woodwork, dragging her "cooking stool" behind her. Of course, I let her join in the cookie mixing fun. Now, I rarely even look at the recipe because we make these cookies all the time! Seriously, we make once every couple weeks, I'd bet. I could make it in my sleep. I creamed the butter and sugar. I added the vanilla. I added the eggs, one at the time. And then I measured out the dry ingredients to blend them together to add last. I carefully measured the 2 and 1/4 cups of all purpose flour and dumped them in the bowl. I carefully measured out the 1 teaspoon of salt and dumped it into the bowl. I overlooked the BAKING SODA that I had already gotten out and put on the counter as I reached into the cabinet and pulled out the BAKING POWDER. I carefully measured the 1 teaspoon of BAKING POWDER and dumped it into the bowl. I mixed the dry ingredients and added them slowly. Once it was all mixed, I turned off the mixer and added the chocolate chips. I spread the cookie dough into the greased 9x13 inch pan and placed it in the over. I set the timer.

I then decided that since I had 1 egg left and 1 stick of margarine left, I may as well make another half batch. I am not terribly good with math in my head, so I got a scrap of paper to divide all the ingredients in half. As I wrote, "1/2 teaspoon BAKING SODA" it hit me! I added POWDER instead of SODA! Holy cow!

The packaging is so similar, you can see where I might get confused, right??
So I immediately called Momma (did you see that one coming?). She laughed at me and said who knows!? We talked the remainder of the baking time while I watched it very carefully. It looked OK. When I took it out, I thought it looked a little flakier, but basically it looked the same. I tasted a small sliver, it tasted OK, too. A little different, but maybe that is my mind playing tricks one me. I am very susceptible to the power of suggestion. (I am convinced that I would be CURED by a placebo if I believed in it enough.)

I went ahead and mixed up another half batch and baked it, too. This time, I added BAKING SODA, per the recipe. And I decided to set up a blind taste test for my sweet husband.

Such a willing helper. . .

Well, he tasted both cookies. He said they were both OK. He could definitely tell a difference, though. He said that I should send them all to the luncheon because neither batch was bad, just different. He chose the ones with the baking SODA, so I guess Toll House knew what they were doing after all. Hey, I performed a public service for anyone who ever wondered if baking soda or baking powder are the same!! You're welcome.