"The Chewy"

I've never made a chocolate chip cookie before, and did I mention that I call myself a baker? Pshh what was I thinking! I think to call yourself a baker you have to have at least baked one batch of chocolate chip cookies from scratch. Well, after today, I can now happily and without a doubt call myself a baker.

My favorite type of cookies are the chewy type, so it just seemed appropriate that I try a recipe called, most blatantly, "The Chewy." These cookies were definitely yummy, and yes chewy as their name described but I don't think that I can call these my go-to CCC recipe. They were good just not out of this world delicious and when it comes to a CCC, I think they deserve to be just that.

Also, I was just wondering, do any of you guys ever bake cookies and get those thinned out crispy edges? Most of my cookies always come out that way and I cannot for the life of me figure out why. If you guys have any tips on this problem, help a girl out?

Alton Brown's 'The Chewy'

Yields: 2 1/2 dozen cookies

Original recipe can be found here.

1 cup/ 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

2 1/4 cups bread flour

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups brown sugar

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 tbsn. milk

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 F. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda, set aside. Pour the melted butter into a large bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar. Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, milk, and vanilla, then mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment paper lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.

Breakfast Cookies

As you can see, I am still on that 'health kick'. My pantry is nowfully stocked with all sorts of healthy things: steel cut oats, baby food, agave, whole wheat flour, flax seeds, you name it! Eating healthy has been an attempt I've been making for some time now, but now that I'm taking a Human Nutrition class, I'm even more hell bent on doing so!

Not much of the information applies much to my baking habits, but when I learned that white flour and white rice has almost ALL of its nutrients removed from it, I was pretty shocked! Plus, when baking with whole wheat flour doesn't make much difference in taste, what's the harm in making things healthier?

These cookies are just as good as everyone says they are in the reviews and are most appropriately the perfect breakfast as their name suggests. They are chock full of goodies that keep you fueled throughout the day and just for some fun, I added a little spiced glaze, which just gave it that perfect amount of sweetness to make it seem like dessert too :)

Breakfast Cookies

Yields: 12 large cookies

Adapted from this Ellie Krieger recipe.

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup dark brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup (1 small jar) strained carrot baby food

3 tbsn. apple sauce

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup bran cereal flakes (I used cornflakes)

1/3 cup raisins

1/3 cup walnut pieces, lightly toasted and chopped

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 350 F. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt in a medium sized bowl. Combine the applesauce, oil and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed, scraping down the sides if necessary, until sugars have dissolved and mixture is light in color, about 1 minute. Add egg, carrot puree and vanilla and beat for an additional 30 seconds. Add flour mixture and beat an additional 30 seconds. Add oats, flakes, raisins, and walnuts and mix on low until just incorporated. Dough will be slightly sticky and less cohesive than typical cookie dough. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and using 3 - 4 tbsn. of batter, form a ball and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining batter, leaving 3 inches between cookies. Wet hands and use palm of hand to flatten cookies until about 1/4 inch thick. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes until cookies are fragrant but still soft. Let cookies cool slightly, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Happy Valentine's Day!

There may be only a handful of you guys, but I love you all dearly! I don't think I've ever thanked you guys but it's a damn shame because all of you are wonderful, enchanting, hilarious and incredibly sincere. I could keep complimenting but that list would take the whole screen!

It always helps to know that somewhere, out there, someone is rooting you on, despite your failures or triumphs; and when I had a not-so-nice encounter with a certain someone, you guys all outpoured your loving support and it made me happy beyond words. My heart literally smiled, cause ya know... hearts can do that right?

So this Valentine's day I want to dedicate to you guys! Because after all, I ♥ You!

OH, and happy Chinese/ Vietnamese New Year as well :)

And if you happen to be in need of some last minute & easy treats, try these:

The simplest and most effective treat? Chocolate covered strawberries of course! Why not jazz them up a little by coating them in your favorite nuts? Mmmm.

And how about a little bubbly buzz to go with those strawberries? The perfect drink would be these Champagne Raspberry Fizzes. Sweet, decadent and luxurious.

Looking for some good clean fun? Perhaps a nice Valentine's day with the kids or just something to warm you up? Homemade spicy chai; deeeelicious. And how cute are these? Just cut out a heart into a piece of paper and use it as a stencil for cocoa powder or cinnamon :)

And just to spice up your night a little more: some spiced chai snickerdoodles, for your snickerdoodle at home. With these, you'll be impossible to resist. Go get 'em tiger!

Coconut Macadamia Cookies

HEY guess what? I'm getting better! I can actually, semi-decently bake a cookie now! I've perfected some cookies before but that's just because they were really simple, hard-to-mess-up recipes. But these? I've been making these my whole life because they are one of my mom's favorites and ever since I can remember they've always been too browned on the bottom or weird-shaped, but still yummy nonetheless.

Well this time I actually made these babies perfectly! They perfectly spread on the baking sheets, weren't browned on the bottom, golden brown on top and soft and chewy on the inside! I guess practice really does make perfect. I love life lessons come to reality!

This cookie dough scoop really makes life easier:

The perfect shade of golden brown!

Coconut-Macadamia Cookies

Yields: about 30 cookies

Original recipe from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

1 cup margarine or butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 cup flaked coconut

1 jar (3 1/2 oz.) macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 375 F. Mix butter, sugars and egg. Stir in flour and baking soda, dough will be very stiff. Stir in coconut and nuts. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet (I suggest rolling into a ball, then flattening to about 1/2 inch thick with your two palms). Bake until light brown, 8 - 10 minutes (centers will be soft). Cool slightly, remove from cookie sheet and cool completely.

Smores Cookies

I often use my baking skills to my advantage. When I need a favor or help or anything of that nature, I often offer a baked good in return. 'Help! I need a shift covered! I'll bake you something in return, pleeeeeease??' Yep this hobby has definitely become handy from time to time. I know I've previously said I hated baking cookies. But that fear is now gone, I'm proud to say. After baking an enormous amount of cookies this holiday season, I've perfected the art of the cookie.

Now I'm moving on to bigger and better things hopefully... the macaron perhaps? Only the future will tell. On to the cookies... by the pictures you can tell that these are some sinful little buggers; decadent in every way. These are now one of my top 5 cookies, they are amazingly soft yet chewy and the taste is out of this world! And I especially loved the chewiness that the marshmallows added to the cookies.

Smores Cookies

Yields: about 3 dozen

Original recipe can be found here.

Printable Recipe

1 3/4 cups flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup/ 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

2 cups miniature chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

2 regular Hershey bars, roughly chopped

In a stand mixer, combine the butter and sugars and mix until fluffy. Mix in the eggs and vanilla until combined. Add the flour, graham crackers, salt and baking soda and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips then cover and refrigerate the dough for about one hour. Preheat oven to 375 F. Take a tablespoon of the dough, roll into a ball, and drop onto a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of dough, leaving about 2 inches between each to allow it to spread. Bake for 6 minutes, then remove from the oven. Push a 3 - 5 marshmallows and a few pieces of a Hershey's bar into each cookie. Return to oven and bake for another 2 - 3 minutes until golden brown and the marshmallows are a bit toasted. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

(Campfire not included):

Sugar Cookies

Not feeling like much of a writer today, but on the upside here are some sugar cookies! The recipe is a hybrid of a couple I've found. These only took a quick zap in the oven and turned out super soft. I liked the addition of the almond extract and everyone who tried them said they tasted great! Something else I like about them: they keep really well so they make great gifts.

This was also my first attempt with royal icing, and though it was finicky and took some patience, the result was worth it. I mean just look at that Hello Kitty! Obviously I need some more practice but for a first try, I'd say I was successful. Now I'm just looking for ways to make royal icing taste better cause I'm not all for that sugary taste.

Merry little men:

Basic Sugar Cookies

Yields: about 20 - 30, depending on the shape

Printable Recipe

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. almond extract

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and light in color. Add the eggs, vanilla and almond extract, mixing until incorporated. Add the flour mixture, a little at a time until all of it is incorporated. Divide the dough into two and cover completely in saran wrap. Refrigerate for at least an hour to overnight before rolling. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 F. Remove one package of dough at a time and roll to 1/8 - 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shape and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Dough will soften quickly so work fast and always keep extra dough in fridge. Bake for about 7 minutes or until just barely starting to color at the bottom. Let cool completely on wire racks before frosting.

Oh no! Not Hello Kitty!

Swirly swirly swirly:

Royal Icing

Yields: about 2 cups

Original recipe can be found here.

Printable Recipe

2 egg whites

2 lbs. powdered sugar (not all may be used)

1 tsp. lemon juice

Combine egg whites and lemon juice in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add some powdered sugar and start to mix on medium-low speed. Keep adding the sugar a little at a time until the mixture looks thick like whipped cream and it makes soft peaks. Now it is ready for piping. To make it runny enough to flood, add drops of water and mix, a little at a time until the consistency is right for you.

Snowflakes:

Mint Chocolate Puddles

I'm not a cookie baker. I like to bake everything else, and hey, I'll even try a yeasted thing every now and then but cookies? Not my forte. Why you may ask? I don't really know but for me, cookies are way too easy to ruin. They can burn within a second, the textures are harder to get right, they're just a tough cookie (no pun intended, ok maybe a little)!

I only have two cookies that I really love and can actually do well, which are these and these. But in the spirit of the holidays, cookies are just about the best thing to give and I figured I should give them another chance; I mean if not at Christmastime? Then when else (Did you notice the reference to Love Actually!) ?

Anyways, I've seen these cookies for a while and they've always been on my 'to do' list and I finally decided to give them a try. And guess what? I wasn't disappointed! These guys cook up pretty fast, so I over-baked a few, but just make sure to pull them out when they look puffy and fragile because once they cool down, they'll be firm enough. AND make sure to refrigerate them as per directions. I got a little impatient and baked them anyways and I think that was the reason for my flat cookies. BUT they were delicious nonetheless. Super chocolate-y, rich but not too rich and of course, loved the mint! Perfect when warm with a cup of milk!

Chocolate Mint Puddle Cookies

Yields: 35 - 40 cookies

Original Recipe can be found here.

Printable Recipe

12 tbsn. butter

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

2 tbsn. water

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 eggs

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 packages (4.5 oz.) Andes mints

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the sugar, butter and water, stirring occasionally until melted. Remove from heat, stir in chocolate chips until melted, set aside to cool for 10 minutes. Pour chocolate mixture into a large bowl and beat in eggs, one at a time. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the chocolate mixture. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheets. Roll cookie dough into walnut sized calls and place 2 inches apart onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8 - 10 minutes, be careful not to over bake. When cookies come out of oven, press one mint into the top of each cookie, let sit for 1 minute, then after softened, swirl with the back of a spoon to make a patter with the green filling of the mint wafer.

Close up!

Happy holidays everyone!

Little Debbie's Oatmeal Cream Pies

When I was a kid I loved Little Debbie's Oatmeal Cream Pies. They were sickly sweet and sticky goodness. Oh, and I'm sorry, but I lied before... I STILL love them, die for them, would do gross, unnecessary things to get my hands on them. So it seems natural that I would try to bake them right? No! Why would I want to mess with its perfection all individually wrapped in a cute little film wrapper?!?! But I easily caved in after I heard numerous raves of a certain copy-cat recipe.

After attempting to make this cookie, it's quite clear that the Little Debbie gods have it in for me. First, I somehow stupidly measured powdered sugar rather than flour and they disintegrated into flat liquid things when I baked them (don't ask me how I made that mistake, I'm not quite sure myself)! Pissed, I started over certain I would be successful. Well the cookies came out all right (as pictured above) and they were definitely delicious but something irked me... the cookies were so soft that they would just fall apart with a single touch! Basically, I think I'll stick to the box (I'm ashamed, don't judge me...).

Oatmeal Cream Pies

Yields: about 2 dozen

Original recipe can be found here.

For the cookies:

1 cup margarine

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsn. molasses

1 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

1 1/2 cups quick oats

For the cream:

2 tsp. hot water

1/4 tsp. salt

1 jar marshmallow cream

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a large bowl, cream the margarine, sugars, molasses, vanilla and eggs together. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and add to the creamed mixture. Mix in the oats. Drop the dough by the tablespoon onto un-greased baking sheets. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes or until edges start to brown, do NOT overcook! They will look moist when you take them out. In a small bowl dissolve the salt into the hot water and allow this to cool. Combine the marshmallow, shortening, powdered sugar and vanilla in a medium bowl, mix until light and fluffy. Add the cooled salt mixture in and mix well. Spread the filling on the flat side of one cookie, top with the flat side of another cookie. Enjoy!

Nikki's Healthy Cookies

I've told you about my favorite cookies before right? Well you can find them here. Well these? These are my second favorite cookies! Actually they are pretty much on par with my favorite cookies but perhaps even better because they are healthy to boot! Generally I don't really care if something is healthy or not. If it tastes good, I most definitely will eat it. You can see me eating a quinoa and tempeh salad one day, then an entire bag of hot cheetos the next day. But if I can cut back on unnecessary sugars and fats without having to sacrifice taste, then I say why not?

I had been wanting to try this recipe for a while now and finally got down to doing it... and boy I am so, so, so glad I did. These cookies are amazing. Pure amazingness in a tiny little package. Would you puuulease look at that ingredient list? It is so hard to believe that there is no butter, no eggs, no flour and no added sugar! These are slightly crisp on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside. They don't have the typical "cookie" texture but they are sure to satisfy your craving for something sweet! I promise!!!

Nikki's Healthy Cookies Recipe

Yields: 3 dozen bite sized cookies

Original recipe from 101 Cookbooks, which can be found here.

Printable Recipe

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup coconut oil or olive oil

2 cups rolled oats

2/3 cup almond meal

1/3 cup coconut, shredded and unsweetened

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

6 - 7 oz. chocolate chips (I like using dark chocolate)

Preheat oven to 350 F, racks in the top third. In a large bowl combine the bananas, vanilla and oil, set aside. In another bowl whisk together the oats, almond meal, coconut, cinnamon, salt and baking powder. Add the dry to the wet and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate. The dough is looser than a standard cookie dough but don't worry about it. Drop dollops of the dough, each about 2 teaspoons in size, an inch apart onto parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 12 - 14 minutes.

Neiman Marcus Cookies

Weird name isn't it? This cookie recipe comes from an urban myth, it's quite an interesting story actually, it's quite lengthy, but you can read about it here. These cookies are stuffed with two kinds of chocolate, nuts and blended oatmeal which make it quite extraordinary! Make sure to under bake them so they stay nice and moist and pair them with a cold glass of milk. Perfection!

Milk & Cookies. A classic combination.

All dressed up!

Neiman Marcus Cookies

Yields: about 30

Original recipe can be found here.

Printable Recipe

1/2 cup butter

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups oatmeal, blended

6 oz. chocolate chips

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 2 oz. Hershey's bar, grated

1 egg

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 cups chopped nuts, of your choice

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add egg and vanilla, mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add chocolate chips, grated Hershey's and nuts. Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet and flatten slightly with fingertips. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 F.

Attack of the cookies!