In the Interest of Science

Have you tried the raspberry cheesecake cookies from Subway?  They may be my favorite non-chocolate cookie ever.  I have searched the internet for a copycat recipe with no luck.  Oh, there are recipes out there, they just aren't right.  And the problem?  It's the raspberries.

And so, in the interest of science, I purchased a dozen of these cookies so that I could taste them enough to test a few of those copycat recipes. :)

What the heck are those raspberries anyway?  They appear to be some type of jam-like candy drops.  According to the ingredients list on Subway's website they are "raspberry bits (dextrose, palm oil, sugar, corn flour, raspberry powder, natural flavor, citric acid, blueberry and carrot extracts)". 

Hmmm... can't find those on my regular grocery shelf.  So I headed off to one of my favorite stores, Planktown Market, because they have lots and lots of baking and candy items.  I found two types of raspberry candies, and although the ingredients are not the same they were the only things I could find so I decided to give them a try.  Ooh, and while I was there I found REAL white chocolate chips, the kind made with cocoa butter.  Not just the "white chips" that you can find most places, which are definitely NOT chocolate, although they are what Subway uses.

So anyway... as my teenage fans might say... Epic Fail.  Rats.  Both types of candies melted and ran all over the pan.  Good thing I used parchment paper, or I would still be soaking the pans.  Tasted good though.  So why did I write about them?  Because sadly enough they were the highlight of my week.  And if by chance you know the real recipe, or even where I might be able to get the right type of raspberry bits, please speak up!  I have seen some offered through King Arthur flour, but at $7.95 for 8 oz (plus shipping) I might as well just keep Subway in business. 

The rest of my week was just changing diapers.

Last week I thought Tommy's intestinal issues were food related and not contagious, but I spent this week changing Ellie's diapers way too many times, and now she has also officially been introduced to the shower.  And what is the correct formula for how much a baby can throw up anyway?  Maybe like 1.75 times their body weight?  Yikes!

By today she was mostly better.  We headed out this afternoon for a family stroll around the block.  I tried to get them to keep their new sunglasses strapped on, but they were non-compliant.  You can tell that Ellie looks pretty mad about them, and Tommy didn't bother grumbling, he just ripped them right off.  Repeatedly.



The walk took it's toll.  By the time we got home they were in full nap mode.   

It gave me a chance to grab a few weeds out of the flower bed next to the driveway. And what you ask, is that box on the ground next to them?  Just a little Christmas tree box that the wind blew into our yard a week or so ago.  I found it and a tarp with a bungee attached along our fence line.  If they are yours, please claim them!