Aggression Cookies

Grandma and Bethany, Christmas

I made cookies this week. Not just any cookies but I made Grandpa and Grandma's Aggression cookies. I enjoyed them growing up at my grandparent's house. They regularly had my brother and I and my two cousins over for the weekends. I'm sure our parents put their free weekends to good use!

Grandma and Grandpa were good at spoiling us (still are!) and I remember hot chocolate and cookies as we all sat in their giant bean bag while they watched the Lawrence Welk Show! We had plenty to do at their house.

Grandpa collected trains that ran on a huge set of tracks and houses set up in the garage. Grandpa worked for Knudsen so their freezer was always stocked with novelty ice creams! Us grand kids would play all day, using our imaginations with the toys that were there. Behind their house was a track field that we would often go down to to burn off extra energy. Every New Year's my grandparents had a big, fancy party where we had to dress up and 'be on our best behavior'. Grandpa would spend hours cooking up his cherried pot roast, mashed potatoes and black eyed peas. Grandma would likewise, spend hours baking up her huge platter of cookies, chocolates, breads and desserts. And there would always be the Aggression cookies!

We lost my grandpa in '95 to lung cancer and he is missed. He had a way of 'dealing' with us grand kids that was all 'him'. He would bark and yell, and yet we always knew his bark was much worse than his bite. He was frugal beyond words yet would 'let' my grandma spoil us (it was him too), he would get aggravated with Grandma for her crazy ways yet had all he patience in the world for her when she was shopping. He would never say a word or complain and would hold her purse and packages.

When I make those cookies, I pull out his recipe. It's yellow and old. Grandma made a copy for me. His writing is all over it. He tells me to double the recipe. "Yes, sir". I always do. He tells me to use one full box of brown sugar. "Thanks, Grandpa it's helpful to not have to measure it out". He also tells me to "use the green bowl". This part I can't do but I know exactly which bowl he wants me to use and I know right where it is in their kitchen. It's avocado green. But, guess what? I have a green bowl roughly the same size. It's not avocado green (I can't travel back to the '70s to replicate that one) but I do use it every time I make these, because Grandpa says to.

Make these and think of my grandparents. I always do. I am grateful my grandma is such a big part of my life and that my girls know her so well also. She dotes on them the same way she doted on the four of us. They get spoiled and loved on. When she is here with us for a few days she is such a huge help bustling around the house tying up all my loose ends. I'm sure I hear her in the middle of the night up checking on the kids and putting more blankets on them (she's always cold!). After she goes home I can always count on a call from her checking on her great-granddaughters. She's incredibly loving! Also, if I age half as grateful as she has I'll be in pretty good shape!

So, remember your grandparents today, all their quirks and habits, love and sometimes yelling! Make these cookies and think of mine!

Grandma and Grandpa's Aggression Cookies- double it and mix in the green bowl!

1 cup light brown sugar (a full box if doubled!)

1 cup butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups quick cooking rolled oats

granulated sugar

Mix all ingredients like pie crust until soft. Flatten 1-inch balls of dough onto ungreased pan. Press flat with bottom of glass dipped once into a bit of butter and then granulated sugar. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven 10-12 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen.