All's been Quiet on The Monday Morsel Front

You've been asking, we've neglected to answer

HITTING RESET

Nineteen years ago, The Co-Rockers completed their very first Boston Marathon. Pounding the pavement for 26.2 miles was the culmination of hours of training, testing our psyche, our feet and our spirit. Rumor has it, Terri and Nanci could have shaved 90 minutes off their time had they stopped complaining and laughing. At the finish line, Terri remarked, “Nanci, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”And so began their adventures, trading pinnies for aprons, then whisks for a pen…(ok, fingers) creating Monday Morsels, a newsletter designed to showcase their wisdom, experiences and inane humor, highlight specialty foods and restaurants, and share their love of music.

What began as an ambitious weekly blog, was culled down to twice a month, then once and then…we bit off more than we could chew. Questions about their whereabouts began circulating, “Are the Co-Rockers severed? “Have they gone the way of Richard Simmons?” “Did they ghost us?” The reality is, life simply got in the way (family, flu, festivities and fragilities) ultimately leading Terri and Nanci down a path of exploration and another reinvention.

The Co-Rockers virgin Boston Marathon run, 2006

After hitting the ground running, we’ve hit the reset button—an opportunity to learn from the past, shaped by our inner dreams and aspirations. Off Our Rocker Cookies was born from reinvention and revitalization, a reminder that pursuing new passions isn’t just for the young but, without sounding cliché, “for the young at heart.” As we enter the next  stage in our sagacious and scintillating 60s, The Co-Rockers aim to explore new opportunities to engage, learn, and grow and commit to sharing our morsels—moist, dry, and wrinkled—because they have a lot of baggage to unload. So here’s to rebooting with an occasional snooze.

Terri has immersed herself in an intensive grief therapy program to pursue her certificate as a Grief Counselor and offer support, care and guidance to those who have experienced loss in all forms. Additionally, she is considering dusting off her legal skills and contemplating how she can become meaningfully involved with the challenges to our democracy without getting arrested and sent to an undisclosed location.

Nanci recently wrapped up a screenwriting course that invigorated her dream of writing for SNL and inspired her to finish her screenplay,  “The Co-Rockers take Manhattan”. She is also digging deep into tech, creating with AI and building an app that doesn't need to be microwaved.

Together, The Co-Rockers are contemplating another run...(walk or crawl) but for now, donning their boxing gloves (literally and figuratively) 

We’d like to hear from you! How did you reset your button? A new career? Challenge? Physical? Volunteer opportunity? Share your reset to help inspire others to engage in new opportunities. And stay tuned for our Monday Morsels podcast … will keep you posted!

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STEPPING OUT WITH THE CO-ROCKERS

CHIP OFF YE OLD TOLL HOUSE

Obsession alert. Nanci’s childhood was defined by Famous Amos, Friehofer’s and raw Pillsbury slice and bake. Need we say more. Terri has been along for the ride, indulging Nanci’s cookie compulsion. Both are united on their cookie of choice: crisp on the edges, not too doughy and not too sweet. The Toll House recipe is still bar none, especially raw (not to worry RFK hasn’t banned raw cookie dough…yet) Here are our favs along with our top secret recipe for the best damned chocolate chip cookies that are no longer available!

Flour Bakery, multiple locations

Joanne Chang’s chocolate chunk chip cookie is crisp on the outside and chewy on the inside with bits of chocolate chips throughout and not too sweet. Flour has 10 locations in the Greater Boston area, hoping that they serve up cookies as good as the original in South Boston.

Le Petit Four Bakery, Wellesley

Valerie Coullet started her business out of a garage in Needham and has now opened a bakery that crafts phenomenal French pastries (will write about this another time) . Their chocolate chip cookie made with a mix of white and dark chocolate chips is a bit heavier,  doughy in the middle and crisp on the outside. Initially turned off white chocolate chips, (not The Rockers vibe), they tried them “Sam I am, and they may we say,” be a fabulous cookie with an authentic Parisian flair. 

New England Soup Factory, Newton

No soup for you! Well, we say go to NE Soup Factory for Marjorie Druker’s delectable soups and her delicious, crisp, brown sugar chocolate chip cookie. Dan Andelman of Phantom Gourmet introduced us to this treat many years ago when he knew we were on a quest and it simply doesn’t disappoint. The brown sugar makes the difference, making this cookie chewier and crisper.

Wellesley Bakery, Wellesley

All roads lead to this special place in our heart. Mara Noon’s chocolate chip oatmeal cookie is the right kind of mix of not too sweet, moist, big cookie (at a great price) that always keeps us coming back for more!

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SOMETHING TO CHEW ON…Literally

ORANGE IS THE NEW CHIP,by The Co-Rockers
1 Cup of All-purpose Flour 
1 Cup of Bread Flour 
1 C butter softened
2 cups of semi sweet chocolate chips (mixed or chopped) 
¾ C granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon sugar
¾ C brown sugar 
2 eggs run under warm water for a few minutes
1 Tspn Baking soda 
½ tsp vanilla 
½ tsp salt 
1 tablespoon orange zest

Preheat oven  to 350. Place orange zest and tablespoon of sugar in a small bowl and use clean fingers (or food safe gloves) to pinch and mix together, the aroma of the zest and color of the sugar will be orange. In a large bowl aside both flours, salt, baking soda, add chopped chocolate and mix to combine. Cream butter, 3/4 c. sugar,, brown sugar in a mixer, scraping sides until fully creamy, add eggs, vanilla and mix to combine. Add the zest making sure it is fully mixed. Take bowl out of mixer and pour the flour/chocolate chip mix in 1/4 cup at a time and stir to combine. Use a disher to scoop onto parchment paper and bake for approximately 17 minutes (depending on oven temp, check at 9 minutes) Let cool and indulge!

Songs for the Reboot!

“I look out the window and I see the lights and the skyline and the people on the street rushing around looking for action, love, and the world's greatest chocolate chip cookie, and my heart does a little dance.” Nora Ephron, Heartburn

Wanna be startin’ something, Michael Jackson

I can see clearly now, Johnny Nash

Enjoy every morsel and subscribe to the Monday Morsel’s Spotify Playlist!