Human Kindness and Cookies

I have always been intrigued by human interaction.  The hubs and I like most people enjoy people watching and joining in on gatherings of various peoples.  We spend a good deal of time in the city of San Francisco and have had so many amazing experiences with perfect strangers on the street, in a ball park and on public transportation. If you have ever been to SF you know what I’m talking about.  ( example of one of the most amazing experiences ever!
Flashdance at the Ferry Building / Labor Day 2008 from Kevin Ang on Vimeo.)  If you squint you can see us up by the statue.
 I tend to not watch news shows, not because I don’t want to know what is going on in the world but because eventually I will learn all of the big news I need to and I want to avoid the rhetoric, fighting and negativity news stations tend to thrive on.  I prefer to observe our world through my own eyes and see the beauty that lies all around us.  I’m am not always an optimist and I do not always have the best attitude but in my heart I truly believe in the goodness of mankind.

Everyday I try to make someones day a little better.  I don’t always succeed and it is rarely a big gesture.  But a smile, helping hand, a nice comment ..  just something to make someone’s day a little brighter.

Sunday we had a tire blow out 50 miles from home.  It was Sunday after 7 and EVERY tire shop, dealership and body shop were closed.  A man named Sean ( I kick myself for not getting more info) Stopped and stayed with us for an hour in a parking lot.  Offering to take us wherever we needed to go and staying with us until he knew we were not stranded.  I was so impressed and humbled by this mans actions.  We were perfect strangers but he was there to assist us in any way that he could.   It made me think of Vivien Leigh in A Streetcar Named Desire  “Whoever you are, I have always depended on the kindness of strangers”

After calling over 20 different places (between the hubs and I) I contacted my friend who was 60 miles away whose husband is a body man.  He drove all the way to his shop, picked up a spare and drove down to help.  Once again I am amazed by his kindness and sweet dispotion.  He saved us from being stranded and reminded me that humans are amazing.

So he will be thanked repeatedly but today’s gift is a batch of cookies.   The recipe follows:

Chocolate Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies

(Started with basic recipe and added lots of goodies)

1 cup butter , softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons Cream of Tarter

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 1/4  cups of all purpose flour

1/4-1/2 cup cocoa powder (depending on the chocolateyness you desire)  adjust sugar as necessary cocoa powder will decrease sweetness of the cookie)

1/4 cup hazelnuts (you can use any other nut you would like)

6 oz of chocolate chips

Cream butter and Sugar and blend in eggs, vanilla, baking soda and cream of tarter.

Mix in flour, cocoa, salt and chips/nuts.

Bake at 375 for 7-10 mins on an ungreased cookie sheet.

I tried as bars and as regular cookies.  Bars end up more dry. 

GO out and do good in the world!  It starts with each one of us!