Good golly, Miss Molly, where have I been????
Can't believe it has been two months since I've been here. In the interim, I've been back in The City By A Great Lake, returned to the Great Southwest, and then back to The City By A Great Lake.
In between all those travels, Restaurant Quality went to Paris. Oo-la-la!!
What a beautiful city ---- the architecture, the statues, the sculptures, and most importantly, the wine. Food was secondary for me. I must note that baked items are not defined as 'food' in Paris. Baked items come under the heading of 'ambrosia' in Paris. Ambrosia is of primary importance to Restaurant Quality!!
Paris highlights: The Lourve, especially standing at 'Winged Victory' and thinking of all she represents. Night river cruise on the Seine, with the Eiffel Tower in all its sparkling splendor. Notre Dame -- no further description necessary. Amarina gelato -- Je voudrais le grande, si'l vous plait. Drinking wine, every night, at the cafe near our hotel.
I'll be showing Mr. RestaurantQuality around Paris next year. Oo-la-la!!
I come to you today, bearing Lemon Sugar Cookies. This recipe is at the request of Ms. Jackson Street. It's a recipe I found online, but cannot remember where. It's a sugar cookie, with a kiss of lemon --- tasty to have while sitting on a balcony, watching the parasailing on Lake Monona, and talking with wonderful friends...................
See you much sooner than last time.
Life is good...........
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Suggested musical background: Barry White's 'You're My First, My Last, My Everything. (I LOVE to bake with Barry ----- he makes everything tastes better.)
Oven at 375 degrees; makes about four dozen cookies.
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temp
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 T. lemon zest
2 large eggs, at room temp
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar, for rolling cookies
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl, cream butter, sugar and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Add vanilla.
Gradually mix in flour mixture, at low speed.
Chill dough for a couple hours.
Shape dough into 1" balls.
Put 1/2 cup sugar into a small bowl.
Roll dough balls in the sugar.
Place on parchment covered cookie sheets.
Bake 9-11 minutes, until set, but not browned.
Cool on pan for one minute; transfer to cooling racks.
My Notes:
Regarding the sugar, when I want to 'feel' like a baker, I use 'baker's sugar'. It's the superfine stuff. Regular sugar is just fine, though, said the Mama Bear.
For the lemon zest, I use a microplane zester. It's one of those kitchen items that come under the heading 'using the right tool for the job'. It sure makes the zesting job effortless.
I always use parchment paper when baking cookies. It's inexpensive and you'll find it where you find aluminum foil. Parchment paper = nice, lightly browned cookie bottoms (provided you don't bake the holy heck out of them).
Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cookies. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Saturday, May 9, 2009
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
It is great to be back...........
Restaurant Quality has been on a brief hiatus while in The Great City On A Great Lake. Flew back for some family events, and of course, to be with My Little Sweethearts, #1-4. We had FIVE sleepovers in 17 days. Lots of fun to be had at Grandma's house. Lots of conversations involving the musings of an eight year old, a seven year old, a four year old and a two year old.
Ms. Oconomowoc and I had Fun Day in The Windy City, visiting FD #2 ---- actually for lunch and then for cocktail time (there are those amongst us who feel that's the best time of the day). In between, we started out at FD's office building and walked about six miles to/from 'Marshall Field's' on State (we never call it Macy's) and to/from The Art Institute. Ahhhh, to stand and marvel at the 'blue' in Renoir's "The Two Sisters".
Now, here I am, back in The Great SouthWest.
It's Mother's Day weekend and I threw myself into some baking. I have been saying for quite some time that I was going to make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies for Mr. Restaurant Quality.
Well, Mother's Day weekend is the perfect time to make them for the Father of all The Fabulous Ones and the Grandfather of all The Little Sweethearts. (I would not be a Mom or Grandma without him..............)
So, I cranked up my ipod and starting hauling out all the ingredients. I HIGHLY recommend baking to Bobby Darin's 'Call Me Irresponsible'. It is a great song ---- the musical arrangement is sooo good ------ and I blast it. It made these cookies especially good.
Life is good...........................
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
350 degrees
parchment lined cookie sheets
makes about 4 dozen
1 cup butter, room temp
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts (about 3/4 pound)
1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate
In medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar, until smooth.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
Mix in the nuts and white chocolate.
Drop dough by teaspoonsful, onto parchment lined cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and place pans on cooling racks. Let cookies 'rest' about five minutes, then remove from pan and place cookies on cooling racks.
My Notes:
A disclaimer: I am not a White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie gal. In fact, I step forward to say that I have never had one. You see what true love is ----- I baked something for Mr. Restaurant Quality that I don't care for. Mr. Restaurant Quality wishes to advise all that he is "The Tester" for this recipe, and he advises that they are good.
I tried one (ok, I tried three). They are tasty, but I prefer eating the dough.................
RE: baking for 10 minutes. I rotated the pans (top rack to bottom rack and vice versa) at the
five minute mark.
Start watching for 'doneness' at 9 minutes.
RE: the 'resting' of the cookies on the pan after coming out of the oven. I read somewhere that if you do this, you'll get a chewier cookie. I think 'chewy' does this cookie proud, so I let them 'rest'.
If you prefer a crisper cookie, remove the cookies from the pan, directly to a cooling rack, as soon as you take them out of the oven.
I am lucky to have a Sprouts grocery store near me, here in The Great SouthWest. Bought the nuts there, from a bulk bin, for $5.39/pound.
Restaurant Quality has been on a brief hiatus while in The Great City On A Great Lake. Flew back for some family events, and of course, to be with My Little Sweethearts, #1-4. We had FIVE sleepovers in 17 days. Lots of fun to be had at Grandma's house. Lots of conversations involving the musings of an eight year old, a seven year old, a four year old and a two year old.
Ms. Oconomowoc and I had Fun Day in The Windy City, visiting FD #2 ---- actually for lunch and then for cocktail time (there are those amongst us who feel that's the best time of the day). In between, we started out at FD's office building and walked about six miles to/from 'Marshall Field's' on State (we never call it Macy's) and to/from The Art Institute. Ahhhh, to stand and marvel at the 'blue' in Renoir's "The Two Sisters".
Now, here I am, back in The Great SouthWest.
It's Mother's Day weekend and I threw myself into some baking. I have been saying for quite some time that I was going to make White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies for Mr. Restaurant Quality.
Well, Mother's Day weekend is the perfect time to make them for the Father of all The Fabulous Ones and the Grandfather of all The Little Sweethearts. (I would not be a Mom or Grandma without him..............)
So, I cranked up my ipod and starting hauling out all the ingredients. I HIGHLY recommend baking to Bobby Darin's 'Call Me Irresponsible'. It is a great song ---- the musical arrangement is sooo good ------ and I blast it. It made these cookies especially good.
Life is good...........................
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
350 degrees
parchment lined cookie sheets
makes about 4 dozen
1 cup butter, room temp
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/2 t. almond extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts (about 3/4 pound)
1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate
In medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and sugar, until smooth.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts.
Gradually add the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
Mix in the nuts and white chocolate.
Drop dough by teaspoonsful, onto parchment lined cookie sheets.
Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and place pans on cooling racks. Let cookies 'rest' about five minutes, then remove from pan and place cookies on cooling racks.
My Notes:
A disclaimer: I am not a White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie gal. In fact, I step forward to say that I have never had one. You see what true love is ----- I baked something for Mr. Restaurant Quality that I don't care for. Mr. Restaurant Quality wishes to advise all that he is "The Tester" for this recipe, and he advises that they are good.
I tried one (ok, I tried three). They are tasty, but I prefer eating the dough.................
RE: baking for 10 minutes. I rotated the pans (top rack to bottom rack and vice versa) at the
five minute mark.
Start watching for 'doneness' at 9 minutes.
RE: the 'resting' of the cookies on the pan after coming out of the oven. I read somewhere that if you do this, you'll get a chewier cookie. I think 'chewy' does this cookie proud, so I let them 'rest'.
If you prefer a crisper cookie, remove the cookies from the pan, directly to a cooling rack, as soon as you take them out of the oven.
I am lucky to have a Sprouts grocery store near me, here in The Great SouthWest. Bought the nuts there, from a bulk bin, for $5.39/pound.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Sunny afternoon greetings from The Warm, Sunny Happenin' West Valley............
We are going to the Brewer game (third-last Spring Training game) tonight, with Mr. and Mrs. Verrado. I see beer and peanuts in my immediate future. It will be 'chilly' tonight. I'll have to wear jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and A JACKET (horrors!). However, it will not be too chilly to relax with a few beers.
We went to a Brewer night game last week, and I would have bought hot chocolate had they been selling it. I would have had to unwrap myself from my blanket to do so.
I digress...............
Before I don my Brewer attire, I reminded myself to sit down and let you know about these cookies.
I found the recipe on one of my favorite food blogs: Baking Bites. It's a great site; check it out some evening while enjoying an Adult Beverage.
The dough, the dough. I ate at least five cookies worth of dough.
The taste, the taste. Light, refreshing; the lemon flavor is just a brush of a kiss. (Not a 'big' kiss like I give The Little Sweethearts.)
When you opened the blog, you saw my first efforts at jazzing up Restaurant Quality. Like it? I sure do. Fabulous Daughter #1 was my inspiration and tutor. the cutestblogontheblock.com was the conduit.
If I can remember what FD #1 showed me, there will be ongoing updates to what Restaurant Quality looks like.
Life is good........................
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Adapted from bakingbites.com
375 degrees About 4 dozen cookies
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1 cup butter, room temp
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 T. lemon zest
2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 t. vanilla extract
Sugar for rolling the dough
In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, blend sugar and lemon zest with your fingers until combined thoroughly.
I used a stand mixer for the following. A hand mixer will work out just fine. In large bowl, cream butter on medium speed. Add the sugar/zest mixture and cream until light and fluffy. About 4 minutes.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Add vanilla and blend.
Gradually mix in the flour mixture at low speed. If using a hand mixer, you may have to switch over to using a wooden spoon to mix in by hand.
Chill dough in frig for about one hour.
Set up to roll the dough in sugar. Here's how: get out a small baking pan, such as an 8" round cake pan; a pie plate. Put about 1/2 cup sugar in the pan. You're ready to roll.
Remove bowl from frig and shape dough into 1" balls.
Roll the balls in the sugar.
Place onto cooking sheets/baking pans, lined with parchment paper.
Bake 9-11 minutes. Cookies are done when set, but not browned.
Cool in pan for one minute; remove cookies from pan and cool on cooling rack.
My Notes:
When you are combining the sugar and the lemon zest, the aroma will be so enticing. The sugar will take on a slightly yellow hue. And, you'll feel like you are a pastry chef.
I use a cookie scoop. If you don't have one, consider buying yourself a 'prize', or put it on a birthday list. Been using one for about two years and cannot imagine making cookies without one. Advantages: cookies are uniform in size (more or less), speed in getting the cookies onto the pans.
When in the oven, I started watching the cookies at 8 minutes. Mine were finished at about 9 minutes.
When the cookies come off the pan, place the pan in the freezer for a couple minutes to cool off for the next batch. This gets the next batch in the oven in no time.
We are going to the Brewer game (third-last Spring Training game) tonight, with Mr. and Mrs. Verrado. I see beer and peanuts in my immediate future. It will be 'chilly' tonight. I'll have to wear jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and A JACKET (horrors!). However, it will not be too chilly to relax with a few beers.
We went to a Brewer night game last week, and I would have bought hot chocolate had they been selling it. I would have had to unwrap myself from my blanket to do so.
I digress...............
Before I don my Brewer attire, I reminded myself to sit down and let you know about these cookies.
I found the recipe on one of my favorite food blogs: Baking Bites. It's a great site; check it out some evening while enjoying an Adult Beverage.
The dough, the dough. I ate at least five cookies worth of dough.
The taste, the taste. Light, refreshing; the lemon flavor is just a brush of a kiss. (Not a 'big' kiss like I give The Little Sweethearts.)
When you opened the blog, you saw my first efforts at jazzing up Restaurant Quality. Like it? I sure do. Fabulous Daughter #1 was my inspiration and tutor. the cutestblogontheblock.com was the conduit.
If I can remember what FD #1 showed me, there will be ongoing updates to what Restaurant Quality looks like.
Life is good........................
Lemon Sugar Cookies
Adapted from bakingbites.com
375 degrees About 4 dozen cookies
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 t. baking powder
3/4 t. salt
1 cup butter, room temp
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 T. lemon zest
2 large eggs, room temp
3/4 t. vanilla extract
Sugar for rolling the dough
In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, blend sugar and lemon zest with your fingers until combined thoroughly.
I used a stand mixer for the following. A hand mixer will work out just fine. In large bowl, cream butter on medium speed. Add the sugar/zest mixture and cream until light and fluffy. About 4 minutes.
Beat in eggs, one at a time.
Add vanilla and blend.
Gradually mix in the flour mixture at low speed. If using a hand mixer, you may have to switch over to using a wooden spoon to mix in by hand.
Chill dough in frig for about one hour.
Set up to roll the dough in sugar. Here's how: get out a small baking pan, such as an 8" round cake pan; a pie plate. Put about 1/2 cup sugar in the pan. You're ready to roll.
Remove bowl from frig and shape dough into 1" balls.
Roll the balls in the sugar.
Place onto cooking sheets/baking pans, lined with parchment paper.
Bake 9-11 minutes. Cookies are done when set, but not browned.
Cool in pan for one minute; remove cookies from pan and cool on cooling rack.
My Notes:
When you are combining the sugar and the lemon zest, the aroma will be so enticing. The sugar will take on a slightly yellow hue. And, you'll feel like you are a pastry chef.
I use a cookie scoop. If you don't have one, consider buying yourself a 'prize', or put it on a birthday list. Been using one for about two years and cannot imagine making cookies without one. Advantages: cookies are uniform in size (more or less), speed in getting the cookies onto the pans.
When in the oven, I started watching the cookies at 8 minutes. Mine were finished at about 9 minutes.
When the cookies come off the pan, place the pan in the freezer for a couple minutes to cool off for the next batch. This gets the next batch in the oven in no time.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Happy Friday (and the last Friday of February, at that),
Well iced, perfectly proportioned old fashioned in hand, (after all it is Friday - -- thank you, Mr. Restaurant Quality), I write to tell you of the perfect oatmeal raisin cookies.
Gosh, I haven't been here since February 9th. Where have I been? Right here in the Happening West Valley. Doing a whole lot of nothing, actually. Doing a whole lot of nothing is very relaxing.
Weather here is gorgeous. It's 'shorts weather'. Mr. Restaurant Quality planted red geraniums, the color of a vibrant Valentine. Have been taking long walks, admiring the mountains in the distance.
Little Sweetheart #5 continues to greatly entertain me. She has discovered that Grandma's hair is fun to pull on -- get me a ponytail holder.
On to the cookies. Mr. Cedarburg LOVES oatmeal raisin cookies, as do I. (Darling Daughter #2 and Darling Son #2 share the same passion.) I vowed to Mr. Cedarburg that I was on a quest to find the best oatmeal raisin cookies.
I have fulfilled my vow.
These cookies are very good. Mr. Restaurant Quality says they are state fair worthy. I may have to test his hypothesis, come July.
Found the recipe on one of my favorite foodblogs: Smitten Kitchen. The recipe is adapted from the recipe on the Quaker's Oats box.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
About 6 dozen
350 degrees 10-12 minutes
1 cup butter, softened (two sticks; 16 T.)
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, room temp
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
3 cups oats (I used 'regular', not 'quick')
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped optional
Cream butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla. I used a stand mixer, but you don't have to.
In separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Stir flour mixure into the butter mixture.
Stir in oats, raisins, and optional walnuts.
Chill in fridge for about 45 minutes.
Using cookie scoop, scoop onto parchment lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
Bake until golden at edges, but undercooked on top.
Recommended baking time is 10-12 minutes.
Upon removal from oven, let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then remove from baking sheet and let cool on cooling rack.
My Notes:
Recipe can easily be cut in half.
Cookies will maintain a mounded appearance; they are not 'flat' cookies. Upon seeing the cookies right out of the oven, Mr. Restaurant Quality expressed just a touch of concern. You see, he likes 'flat' cookies. He's not into mounded cookies. I think it's because he thinks he's not getting enough cookie. Scientific research shows there is a sweet tooth gene, handed down generation to generation in the Gardner family. Mr. Restaurant Quality received it from his Dad (who was an expert at assessing lemon meringue pie). It has been passed down to the Darling Children, particularly Darling Son #1, who has successfully passed the baton to Little Sweetheart #1. That child's eyes dance with sugared delight when she sees a doughnut.
I bake two baking sheets at one time, each on its own rack. At six minutes, I rotate the pans, switching racks. Helps to get cookies evenly baked.
I used the walnuts because Mr. Restaurant Quality begged me (ok, he didn't beg, he asked
politely), to add the walnuts. They are a nice addition, but I am not a nut about nuts in my
cookies and/or brownies.
This recipe makes about 6 dozen cookies. If I baked all 6 dozen at the same time, they would all
be eaten at the same time (and not by me)!!
If you don't want to bake all the dough at one time, here's what I did. I scooped 12 cookies on each of two baking sheets and baked them. I scooped the remainder of the dough onto parchment lined baking sheets and put them in the freezer to 'flash' freeze the individual scoops. Leave them in the freezer for several hours. Then, put the scoops into ziploc freezer bags and place in the freezer.
When you have a hankering for freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies, take out the number you need (need, not want) and bake. If you bake them right out of the freezer, start watching them at 10 minutes.
Life is good....................
Well iced, perfectly proportioned old fashioned in hand, (after all it is Friday - -- thank you, Mr. Restaurant Quality), I write to tell you of the perfect oatmeal raisin cookies.
Gosh, I haven't been here since February 9th. Where have I been? Right here in the Happening West Valley. Doing a whole lot of nothing, actually. Doing a whole lot of nothing is very relaxing.
Weather here is gorgeous. It's 'shorts weather'. Mr. Restaurant Quality planted red geraniums, the color of a vibrant Valentine. Have been taking long walks, admiring the mountains in the distance.
Little Sweetheart #5 continues to greatly entertain me. She has discovered that Grandma's hair is fun to pull on -- get me a ponytail holder.
On to the cookies. Mr. Cedarburg LOVES oatmeal raisin cookies, as do I. (Darling Daughter #2 and Darling Son #2 share the same passion.) I vowed to Mr. Cedarburg that I was on a quest to find the best oatmeal raisin cookies.
I have fulfilled my vow.
These cookies are very good. Mr. Restaurant Quality says they are state fair worthy. I may have to test his hypothesis, come July.
Found the recipe on one of my favorite foodblogs: Smitten Kitchen. The recipe is adapted from the recipe on the Quaker's Oats box.
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
About 6 dozen
350 degrees 10-12 minutes
1 cup butter, softened (two sticks; 16 T.)
1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs, room temp
1 t. vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
3 cups oats (I used 'regular', not 'quick')
1 1/2 cups raisins
1 cup walnuts, chopped optional
Cream butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla. I used a stand mixer, but you don't have to.
In separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
Stir flour mixure into the butter mixture.
Stir in oats, raisins, and optional walnuts.
Chill in fridge for about 45 minutes.
Using cookie scoop, scoop onto parchment lined baking sheets, 2 inches apart.
Bake until golden at edges, but undercooked on top.
Recommended baking time is 10-12 minutes.
Upon removal from oven, let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then remove from baking sheet and let cool on cooling rack.
My Notes:
Recipe can easily be cut in half.
Cookies will maintain a mounded appearance; they are not 'flat' cookies. Upon seeing the cookies right out of the oven, Mr. Restaurant Quality expressed just a touch of concern. You see, he likes 'flat' cookies. He's not into mounded cookies. I think it's because he thinks he's not getting enough cookie. Scientific research shows there is a sweet tooth gene, handed down generation to generation in the Gardner family. Mr. Restaurant Quality received it from his Dad (who was an expert at assessing lemon meringue pie). It has been passed down to the Darling Children, particularly Darling Son #1, who has successfully passed the baton to Little Sweetheart #1. That child's eyes dance with sugared delight when she sees a doughnut.
I bake two baking sheets at one time, each on its own rack. At six minutes, I rotate the pans, switching racks. Helps to get cookies evenly baked.
I used the walnuts because Mr. Restaurant Quality begged me (ok, he didn't beg, he asked
politely), to add the walnuts. They are a nice addition, but I am not a nut about nuts in my
cookies and/or brownies.
This recipe makes about 6 dozen cookies. If I baked all 6 dozen at the same time, they would all
be eaten at the same time (and not by me)!!
If you don't want to bake all the dough at one time, here's what I did. I scooped 12 cookies on each of two baking sheets and baked them. I scooped the remainder of the dough onto parchment lined baking sheets and put them in the freezer to 'flash' freeze the individual scoops. Leave them in the freezer for several hours. Then, put the scoops into ziploc freezer bags and place in the freezer.
When you have a hankering for freshly baked oatmeal raisin cookies, take out the number you need (need, not want) and bake. If you bake them right out of the freezer, start watching them at 10 minutes.
Life is good....................
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Chocolate Midnight Mint Cookies
Good Sunday Greetings,
It's chilly here, in The Valley of The Sun. Supposed to get another rainstorm, and the locals are
VERY excited. Yesterday, a cashier at the grocery store asked: 'Has it started raining, yet'? Sounded just like a hearty Midwesterner asking: 'Has the blizzard started, yet'?
When it gets chilly, here (that means 60 degrees), locals say it's 'soup weather'. The said same hearty Midwesterners break out the charcoal and brats.
Because we are hearty Midwesterners, we're breaking out the charcoal. Mr. Restaurant Quality is taking over the kitchen, today. He's making his very tasty Ka-Larry's (his version of Kabobs).
Marinated beef Ka-Larry's and marinated chicken Ka-Larry's (each in its own marinade). Recipes will follow on another blog. The Chocolate Midnight Mint cookes are not to be co-opted.
I digress............
Here's how these cookies came to be in my cookie jar (but not for long).
Fabulous Daughter #1 brought over a bag of Guittard green mint chips (look just like chocolate chips, except green and mint flavored). Her comment: 'I thought if you had these, you'd have to find something to do with them.' Smart girl, that daughter of ours, because she knows her household is a direct beneficiary of whatever comes out of the Restaurant Quality kitchen.
The cookie recipe is adapted from Dorie Greenspan's 'Baking From My Home To Yours'. Her recipe is 'My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Cookies'.
Chocolate Midnight Mint Cookies
about four dozen
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t. salt
3/4 t. baking soda
2 sticks (16 T.) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 t. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temp
1 cup chocolate chips*
1 cup mint chips*
* if you cannot find mint chips, use a bag of Andes Candies baking bits instead of the chocolate chips and the mint chips
Center a rack in the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Whisk the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
With a stand mixer or hand mixer and large bowl, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth.
Add the sugars and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until well blended.
Beat in the vanilla.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg is added.
Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients in 3 portions, mixing only until each addition is incorporated.
On low speed, or by hand with rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate and mint chips.
WARNING: the dough tastes like chocolate mint fudge......
Chill in refrig for 30-45 minutes.
Using a cookie scoop or slightly rounded tablespoonfuls, place on baking sheets, with about
2 inches inbetween.
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for about 10 minutes. Rotate the sheet at the midway point, which would be at 5 minutes. Cookies will flatten and be 'crackly'.
Pull sheet from the oven and allow to rest for 1 minute before placing on cooling rack.
My Notes:
I call them Chocolate Midnight Mint Cookies, because they are as dark as midnight. (and, I think it's a cool name..........)
If you cannot readily find mint chips, try an upscale type store, like Sendik's (to exceed your
expectations, I just called Sendik's on Rawson Ave. in Franklin ---- they have the mint chips).
Whole Foods (again I am exceeding your expectations) does not carry the mint chips.
I chill the dough before scooping it. I found it to be much too soft for scooping without chilling.
(but not too soft for tasting..............)
These cookies are slightly labor-intensive because they are baked just one sheet at a time. I filled two cookie sheets initially. Baked one, took it out of the oven, popped in the second.
While the second sheet was baking, let the first batch rest for the one minute, then onto a cooling rack.
Put the now-empty cookie sheet in the freezer to cool for a couple minutes. Then, scooped more cookies onto it, so it was ready to go in the oven, when the 'second' cookie sheet was finished.
Get a somewhat organized assembly line going.
Life is good...............
It's chilly here, in The Valley of The Sun. Supposed to get another rainstorm, and the locals are
VERY excited. Yesterday, a cashier at the grocery store asked: 'Has it started raining, yet'? Sounded just like a hearty Midwesterner asking: 'Has the blizzard started, yet'?
When it gets chilly, here (that means 60 degrees), locals say it's 'soup weather'. The said same hearty Midwesterners break out the charcoal and brats.
Because we are hearty Midwesterners, we're breaking out the charcoal. Mr. Restaurant Quality is taking over the kitchen, today. He's making his very tasty Ka-Larry's (his version of Kabobs).
Marinated beef Ka-Larry's and marinated chicken Ka-Larry's (each in its own marinade). Recipes will follow on another blog. The Chocolate Midnight Mint cookes are not to be co-opted.
I digress............
Here's how these cookies came to be in my cookie jar (but not for long).
Fabulous Daughter #1 brought over a bag of Guittard green mint chips (look just like chocolate chips, except green and mint flavored). Her comment: 'I thought if you had these, you'd have to find something to do with them.' Smart girl, that daughter of ours, because she knows her household is a direct beneficiary of whatever comes out of the Restaurant Quality kitchen.
The cookie recipe is adapted from Dorie Greenspan's 'Baking From My Home To Yours'. Her recipe is 'My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Cookies'.
Chocolate Midnight Mint Cookies
about four dozen
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 t. salt
3/4 t. baking soda
2 sticks (16 T.) unsalted butter, room temp
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
2 t. vanilla extract
2 large eggs, room temp
1 cup chocolate chips*
1 cup mint chips*
* if you cannot find mint chips, use a bag of Andes Candies baking bits instead of the chocolate chips and the mint chips
Center a rack in the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Whisk the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
With a stand mixer or hand mixer and large bowl, beat butter on medium speed for about 1 minute, until smooth.
Add the sugars and beat for another 2 minutes or so, until well blended.
Beat in the vanilla.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each egg is added.
Reduce speed to low and add dry ingredients in 3 portions, mixing only until each addition is incorporated.
On low speed, or by hand with rubber spatula, mix in the chocolate and mint chips.
WARNING: the dough tastes like chocolate mint fudge......
Chill in refrig for 30-45 minutes.
Using a cookie scoop or slightly rounded tablespoonfuls, place on baking sheets, with about
2 inches inbetween.
Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, for about 10 minutes. Rotate the sheet at the midway point, which would be at 5 minutes. Cookies will flatten and be 'crackly'.
Pull sheet from the oven and allow to rest for 1 minute before placing on cooling rack.
My Notes:
I call them Chocolate Midnight Mint Cookies, because they are as dark as midnight. (and, I think it's a cool name..........)
If you cannot readily find mint chips, try an upscale type store, like Sendik's (to exceed your
expectations, I just called Sendik's on Rawson Ave. in Franklin ---- they have the mint chips).
Whole Foods (again I am exceeding your expectations) does not carry the mint chips.
I chill the dough before scooping it. I found it to be much too soft for scooping without chilling.
(but not too soft for tasting..............)
These cookies are slightly labor-intensive because they are baked just one sheet at a time. I filled two cookie sheets initially. Baked one, took it out of the oven, popped in the second.
While the second sheet was baking, let the first batch rest for the one minute, then onto a cooling rack.
Put the now-empty cookie sheet in the freezer to cool for a couple minutes. Then, scooped more cookies onto it, so it was ready to go in the oven, when the 'second' cookie sheet was finished.
Get a somewhat organized assembly line going.
Life is good...............
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