Pulling it out of the bag

I've had a ridiculously hectic two weeks! It started with putting in some hours at my daughters' school to help organise and run the summer fete and that co-incided with a sudden increase of sales in my shop. It's also a busy time in the veg garden and all this in the run up to the end of term and going on holiday. So whilst my head was full of imaginary suitcases that I packed and unpacked several times a day, other things were pushed aside. When I took the girls to school yesterday morning another mother was handing over a present to the teacher and at that point I shoved a suitcase out of my head and remembered the custom of giving the teacher a gift at the end of the year. With the shopping done for the week and no time nor intention to visit the shops again I had to think of some way to create two presents for my girls' teachers, plus, of course, smaller gifts for four teaching assistants.

Fortunately, our home is awash with craft items so I mentally pencilled in finding half an hour after school to help the girls make a gift for their teachers. And then for the teaching assistants... biscuits! Perfect... and something with an egg in so I can use up the last egg in the fridge before I go on holiday.

By four o'clock that evening we had made two secret boxes (they look like books but are really little boxes to put treasures in) for each class teacher. Then we spent another hour making chocolate chip cookies. These turned out really well and once they were cooled we placed 3 each in cellophane bags and wrapped them with curling ribbon. So from having nothing that morning, we had created some beautiful and personal gifts.

When we went into school this morning I enjoyed watching my two hand over their little gifts to their teachers. And they were gratefully received too. In my mind gifts like that are worth more than a bottle of wine or box of chocolates.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

4½ oz (125g) unsalted butter
6 oz (175g) light brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3½ oz (100g) plain flour
¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Pinch of salt
6 oz (175g) oats
2 oz (55g) chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 180°C, gas 4 and grease 2 baking trays. Cream together the butter and sugar then stir in the egg and vanilla. Sift in the flour and raising agents then add all the other ingredients and combine until a dough forms. Pull off pieces of dough and roll into a ball then flatten. Place the biscuits, well spaced out, on a baking sheety and bake for 15-20 minutes. Cool on a rack.