Peppernuts...Part II An Update

So, yesterday when I wrote about how much I hate cutting the peppernuts I should have mentioned that last year a friend of mine came over to help us make peppernuts (her first time, I think).

This is significant because last fall was a difficult time for our family. Our baby son, Jedrek, had been diagnosed with liver cancer (hepatoblastoma) and had undergone chemotherapy and surgery. When the Christmas season came around he had just finished treatment. In fact, the day before last year's peppernuts were made we had been to the hospital for Jedrek's central line (a line that is placed directly into a vein by the heart and is used to draw blood and deliver medications) to be removed. This was a big landmark in the treatment process, yet we were still cautious in many ways.

Anyway, I was explaining to my friend how important it was to cut the peppernuts small. It took a few tries and examples for her to understand my definition of the word "small." As she got into it, though, she commented how it was almost "meditative" work to be so detailed with cookie making. At the time I just smiled...she didn't have a nursing 7 month old demanding her attention. Yesterday I just laughed thinking about how "non-mediative" it was to try to cut sticky peppernuts with 2 kids and a husband helping, fighting, and making noise while the now 19 month old ran around finding pencils and pens and things to draw on (like walls, furniture, my jeans, etc).

Here is a tray of last year's peppernuts:

Fast forward to today. It was a strange-weather day as it started out warm and got colder and more rainy as the day progressed. By 2:30 this afternoon it was dark and looked like evening had come. I had just finished my afternoon coffee and snack and put down my book, trying to decide what project I had energy for next. My 1 and 5 year old were asleep and my 9 year old was playing quietly in his room. I had mixed up some peppernut dough that morning that was in the fridge, so I decided I could at least cut a couple of trays worth while it was so quiet.

Well, I don't know what it was...the weather, the quiet house, the smells, or the fact that I had mixed up the only peppernut recipe that I LOVE and no one else in my family cares for, but I think I reached that "meditative" state. For a few minutes. It was peaceful, at least, and the cookie dough was not very sticky. So I take back what I said yesterday about "hating" the cutting part. I guess it just takes the right atmosphere...and the right dough!

Before I knew it, my loving husband was home from work and I had finished the peppernuts...an entire gallon...by myself!

Now on to the eating!