Tag: chocolate chip cookies

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Stop everything and bake!

chocolate-chip-cookie-recipe

The countdown to Christmas is really on now! If you’re like me you have the shopping mostly done and your menu planned.  All that is left to do is some holiday baking.  Check out our Pinterest Board Cookie Exchange for some fun holiday recipes.  Even though it is fun to whip up a batch of dreidel shaped cookies or maybe even a snowman; when it all comes down to it, what people really like are Chocolate Chip Cookies. Here is the best chocolate chip cookie recipe I’ve found. If you want to make them festive for the holidays, sprinkle some colored sugar on top or mix in some fancy sprinkles like Sweetapolita to make them really feel like the holidays.

Happy Friday,

Julie

Makes approximately 36 cookies

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup (one stick) butter, softened

½ cup vegetable oil

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 large eggs

2 cups chocolate chips 

Method

-preheat oven to 375°F

-Combine flour, baking soda & salt in a small bowl and set aside. Beat butter, oil, both sugars and vanilla in a large mixer bowl until creamy.

-Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually add the flour mixture.

-Stir in the chocolate chips.

-Drop by rounded tablespoon on to ungreased cookie sheet.

-Bake 9-11 minutes or until golden brown.

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C is for Chocolate Chips

This past Wednesday was National Chocolate Chip Day, a holiday I can support without question.  If it were up to my children we’d probably sprinkle chocolate chips on everything… needless to say I am a huge fan. It all got me thinking about where Chocolate Chips came from.  As you might have suspected, the creation of the chocolate chip came about for a cookie recipe.  Ruth Graves Wakefield of the Toll House Inn in Whitman, Massachusetts added cut up chunks of a semi-sweet Nestle chocolate bar to a cookie recipe.  They were an immediate success.  Wakefield reached an agreement with Nestle to add her recipe to the back of their bags in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate.  That was in 1939 and Wakefield lived until 1977.  That is a LOT of chocolate.  It was around 1941 when Nestle began producing chocolate chips, before that they added a cutter to their larger bars.  This creation changed cookie making as we know it.

These days it is difficult to find a traditional bakery that doesn’t have some sort of chocolate chip cookie on their menu. While the Nestle Toll House Cookie recipe is  a staple at home, here are some of my favorite chocolate chip cookies to eat when someone else is baking.

Bouchon Bakery Chocolate Chunk – This cookie is crisp on the edges and chewy in the middle. I had my fair share when I worked at Bouchon Bakery in the Time Warner Center for over two years. Sometimes quality control is part of the job and I wasn’t complaining.

Levain Bakery Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies – These cookies are HUGE and sinful.  They are pretty gooey on the inside with just the right balance of richness from the chocolate and crunch from the walnuts.

Jacques Torres Chocolate Coated Chocolate Chip Cookie – This chocolate chip cookie is coated on the bottom with 60% dark chocolate… WOW!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Shots from Dominique Ansel Bakery – Cookies and milk are a great combination and this one allows you to have your milk in your cookie.  It literally is a cup made of chocolate chip cookie. 

If you missed National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day do not worry, there are chocolate chip cookies made everyday.  Pick one up at your favorite bakery and let us know why it is the best!

Happy Friday,

Julie

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Calling all Football(Food) Fans!

We’re just two weeks shy of Super Bowl Sunday and I’m already thinking about game day.  I’m not particular if the Patriots, Saints, Chiefs or Rams make it to the big game, but I am particular about what is on the menu!  There are lots of statistics about how much guacamole is served up on Super Bowl Sunday and I’m sure there are quite a few chicken wings and hot dogs gobbled up during the game as well.  Here is a super easy menu for your Super Bowl Gathering. As you know when I entertain, my goal is always to make one or two  really good homemade dishes and fill in the rest with some quality purchased items.  The cake in the picture is from Super Bowl XLVIII when the Seattle Seahawks played the Denver Broncos. The game was on Ground Hog’s Day which is also my husband’s birthday, so we celebrated all 3 events with one cake! If you’re not hosting just put together one of these dishes to take to your friend’s place or bring some of this amazing Champagne bottle sized Miller High Life!

SUPER BOWL SUNDAY MENU

French Onion Dip with Potato Chips – Mix a packet of Onion Soup Mix with and 8 oz Tub of Sour Cream and serve with your favorite chips

Baby Carrots, Sliced Cucumber & Grape Tomatoes with Hummus

Popcorn – I use Tiny But Mighty Butter Flavor Microwave Popcorn and it is ready in 2 minutes

Pigs in a Blanket – Buy the pre-made frozen ones, simply reheat and serve with fancy mustard

Chicken Wings with La Boite Ayala Spiced Aioli – Recipe HERE

Cupcakes with Frosting coordinating to the teams playing

Chocolate Chip Cookies – Find the recipe HERE

Miller High Life

Wine – Selected by my husband

Whether you watch The Super Bowl for the football, the commercials or to see Maroon 5 at Half Time this menu will come together quickly and keep your crew smiling.

Happy Friday,

Julie