This is awesome.

What do laid off hedge fund employees do for a second act?  They make cookies at a commercial kitchen designed to help aspiring cooks and gourmets launch their businesses.

The kitchen, rare in its approach, solves many problems. It offers cooks space they do not have at home, is fully equipped and complies with the city’s health code. The place has also fostered an informal network, where cooks combine purchasing orders for things like butter and olive oil to save money, or rely on one another as taste testers.

But like many of its users, the kitchen suffered when the economy cratered. It used to function as a training ground for unionized workers, available for rental to commercial cooks at night and on weekends. Once grants and donations dried up, though, the Consortium for Worker Education, the union-backed nonprofit group that sustained it, could no longer afford to lease the space.

The kitchen was supposed to close at the end of August, but its manager, Kathrine Gregory, hatched a survival plan and enlisted the cooks to help her.

One made vegan pâté. Another baked Finnish ruis bread. Ms. LaBarbara made sun-dried tomato hummus, and Ms. Angebranndt, of course, baked whoopie pies. The food was laid out before a small group of officials from the city and nonprofit groups who had gone to the kitchen to hear Ms. Gregory’s pitch. They left extending a bailout package worth more than $250,000 and a $1-a-year lease agreement for the equipment.

“The way to a funder’s heart,” Ms. Gregory observed, “is through his stomach.”

A wonderful cookie recipe at Lauralea Cooks.

Heidi over at 101 Cookbooks has an amazing recipe for Banana Chip Cookie Recipe that you will want to check out this summer.

• 1 c Butter
• 2 1/4 c Peanut Butter
• 2 c Sugar
• 2 1/4 c Packed Brown Sugar
• 6 Eggs
• 1 1/2 t Light Corn Syrup
• 1 1/2 t Vanilla
• 3 t Baking Soda
• 9 c Uncooked Oatmeal
• 2 c Chocolate Chips
• 2 c M&M's

Cream butter, peanut butter add sugars and beat until mixed. Add eggs and beat until creamy. Add corn syrup, baking soda and vanilla and beat until mixed. Stir in oatmeal and add M&M's. Bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

• 3/4 c Vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 c All-purpose flour
• 2/3 c Sugar
• 1/3 c Unsweetened cocoa
• 1 lg Egg
• 2 tb Water if dough is dry
• 1 ts Baking powder
• 1/4 c Chopped walnuts
• 1/2 ts Baking soda
• 1/2 c Semisweet chocolate chips

1. Beat together the oil, sugar, and egg. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to blend well. Let stand for 10 minutes. Drop by spoonfuls, about 1 inch apart, onto a lightly oiled baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes at about 375 F.

One cookie - 106 calories, 1 starch/bread, 1 fat exchange 2 g protein, 18 g carbohydrate, 6 g fat, 124 mg sodium

Technorati Tags : diabetic, diabetes, recipe, chocolate, cookie

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup raisins, optional
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

Technorati Tags : Monster, Cookie, Recipe