kdl1221

I am impressed. The mail turn around was..... 11 days! So, I set aside some of the cookies I made to play around with how they tasted as time progressed. 1. Oatmeal Raisin. 2. Peanut Butter 3. Snickerdoodle As soon as they cooled mostly they were immediately wrapped. They were mailed within a few hours. I had access amounts of baked cookies, which were sent off to be enjoyed by the soilders my husband works with. Some dough was frozen to be used im my absense when my family is craving cookies. So, get to the point right? Oatmeal Raisin: Room temp- stale, crunchy, held flavor the best. Hung outside on the clothesline, in the sun and Georgia heat for a few hours- warm, hard, crunchy, and actually seemed to loose some flavor. Snickerdoodle: Room temp- stale, slight plastic taste, dry, crumbly Heated outside- normal taste, almost as soft as fresh, no longer crumbly Peanut Butter: Room temp- stale, hard, crunchy, stronger plastic taste than the others Heated outside- COMPLETELY SOFT! ! great taste. These by far shocked me. They went from being so hard and yucky, to tasting/texture like right from the oven. Most I can figure.... all three used lots of butter crisco. Only the PB had milk and eggs, the others didnt. My conclusion is... I will not send oatmeal raisin again, unless it is requested. The peanut butter I may send some every package. Now, even though I was loathed to the oatmeal raisin... my kids insisted they liked those best... maybe I am off, and they are on to something? My uncle was so thankful for the cookies, and said how much all the guys liked them. Next package is going out Saturday with pecan tarts and chocolate brownies (no chocolate pieces, but maybe some pecans also) I may even slip in a pint of vodka... beer would explode! ~K

I believe this is called Muc Xao Thap Cam (or darn close) with spring roll. Noodles, squid, chicken, peppers, pineapple, onion. ~Kim

While from the land of tropical hurricanes, you can find most ANYTHING canned in my pantry.... from fruits to veggies to even corned beef hash (my husband's tastes)... after a couple months it is all given up to a food pantry in the area... and every spring the processes of rebuying begins. The only thing I find I open often is sliced black olives. A favorite of my son.

I just sent a couple dozen cookies to my uncle in Afghanistan. My husband is Army also, and served time in Iraq during 90-91, thankfully he has not been sent back, yet. He gave me his insite to receiving packages while overseas. 1. ANYTHING you send is greatly appriciated, because it is the thought that you took time to get things together, box them up, and ship them. 2. Chapstick, bug repellent(non aerosol), sunblock, wet wipes are always great items. Packaged koolaid, coffee and teas already come in the crummy MREs, and while not in high demand, would of course not be refused. 3. My husband did receive homemade cookies once. He said it didn't matter they were stale, he ate every single one, and did not share. He wished he had received them more often, for himself, and then he would have shared. I wrapped them all indiv, then sealed with wax paper in ziplock bags. I also repeated this processes and kept some here in my pantry, to taste test in a few weeks (just curious how stale they get and might adjust ingrediants accordingly). I sent my great aunt's snickerdoodles, grandmothers peanut butter cookies (these specific recipes mostly for sentimental value), and some oatmeal raisin, and some other odds and ends. I will update in about 3 weeks with the stale results, and recipes if anyone wants.