Cookies 101

Baking Sheets:   Have a baking sheet at room temperature before placing dough on it; a warmer pan will melt the dough, causing cookies to run into one another. Run tepid water over the bottom of the baking sheet to cool it between batches of cookies.

Butter:   Buy the best ingredients you can afford. The most important ingredient in most cookie recipes is butter. Use fresh, unsalted butter sticks for easy measure. Before you use it, bring butter to room temperature unless the recipe directs otherwise.

Other Ingredients:

Eggs:   Use fresh large white or brown eggs at room temperature. Cold eggs separate best, but after you separate them, bring them to room temperature so they will blend better with other ingredients.

Flour:   We use unbleached all-purpose flour in most of our cookie recipes; unless the recipe specifies, do not substitute another kind.

Baking Soda and Baking Powder:   Baking soda and powder are not interchangeable. However, you can substitute baking soda plus a little acid (usually cream of tartar) for baking powder.

Salt:   Table salt is the default choice for baking; use kosher or other coarse salt only when specified.

Sugar:   Most of our recipes call for granulated white sugar; use other kinds of sugar only when specified. Brown sugar is usually firmly packed into measuring cups for accurate measures. Sift confectioners' sugar before measuring, to remove lumps.

Measuring Cups:   For greatest accuracy, use measuring cups, preferably metal, for dry and semisolid (peanut butter, jam, shortening, and such) ingredients. Scoop the ingredient into the cup and then level it with a straight-edge. Use the right size cup. (Never estimate portions.)

Liquid Measuring Cups:   A liquid measure is essential for accuracy; place the cup on a work surface as you pour.                       

Cooling Rack:   Most often made of heavy-duty wire, cooling racks allow air to circulate around cookies after they are removed from the oven.

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chunk Cookies

I mean, these cookies seriously are TOTALLY different than other oatmeal cookies because of the brown butter. Just look at the specks in the dough. Just smell them. Just eat them! Its life ending… And totally worth it.

Ingredients

·       1/2 cup unsalted butter

·       1/2 cup granulated sugar

·       1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar

·       1 large egg

·       2 teaspoons vanilla extract

·       1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

·       3/4 cups rolled oats

·       1/4 teaspoon salt

·       1/2 teaspoon baking powder

·       1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

·       1 cup chocolate chunks

·       optional: 1- 2 tablespoons milk, if dough is crumbly

Heat a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add butter. Whisking constantly, cook butter until bubbly and until small brown bits appear on the bottom of the pan – about 5-6 minutes. Watch closely and immediately remove the butter from the heat, whisking for an additional 30 seconds or so. Set aside and let cool COMPLETELY. Note: It does not need to solidify at all, but it should not be warm to the touch.

 In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, oats and cinnamon, mixing, and then set aside.

Once butter has cooled, add to a large bowl. Whisk in sugars, stirring until smooth. Add in egg and vanilla, whisking until smooth once again. Slowly begin to stir in dry ingredients, using your hands if necessary (I always do) to bring dough together. If you find that the dough still won’t come together, add in milk 1 tablespoon at a time (I rarely have to do this.) Fold in chocolate chips, distributing them evenly. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Using an ice cream scoop or your hands, form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on a nonstick baking sheet, then bake for 10-12 minutes, or until bottoms and edges are golden. Let cool before serving. Recipe from How Sweet It Is… ( I love that blog)

Triple Threat Chocolate Fudge Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut butter + cocoa powder + melted chocolate + chocolate chips = pure bliss. Did you know?

•        1 cup butter, at room temperature

•        1/2 cup peanut butter

•        1 1/2 cups sugar

•        2 eggs

•        2 teaspoons vanilla extract

•        2 cups flour

•        1/2 cup dark cocoa powder (I use Hershey’s Special Dark)

•        1 heaping teaspoon of baking soda

•        1/4 teaspoon salt

•        4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, melted

•        1 cup milk chocolate chips

Cream the butter, peanut butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until fluffy. Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt and mix until combined. Add in melted semi-sweet chocolate and mix until just combined.

Fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 4-6 hours. 

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Scoop large mounds of dough (about 2 tablespoons worth) and place them on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

The New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

This is not my recipe… To me there is no other chocolate chip cookie recipe…They are just THAT delicious.  

Yes the picture shows them dipped in chocolate… is that a bad thing?? 

2 cups minus 2 tbs. cake flour

1 2/3 cups bread flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 pounds chocolate chips

·       Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.

·       Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy – about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Reduce to low speed and add dry ingredients slowly, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Refrigerate dough for 24-36 hours.

·       When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350.

·       Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet and sprinkle with sea salt. Bake for 10-12 minutes. (The original recipe calls for larger cookies and a longer bake time, but I use a bit less dough and shorten the time in the oven.

Recipe from: How Sweet it Is… thank you Jessica

Slow Cooker Creamy Ranch Pork Chops 
and Potatoes

I love quick and easy slow cooker meals and this is seriously as easy as it gets! The pork chops will literally fall apart when you cut into them and the extra sauce makes perfect gravy. Easy dinner at its finest!

•        4-6 pork chops
•        6-8 medium potatoes, chopped into large pieces
•        2 cans cream of chicken soup
•        2 packages dry Ranch dressing mix
•        1 cup milk
•        Dried parsley to sprinkle on top (optional)

Directions

Spray your slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray  and put potatoes on the bottom. Place the pork chops on top of the potatoes. Mix together the condensed soups, Ranch dressing mix and milk. Pour on top of the pork chops and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours.

Use the extra sauce in the slow cooker as gravy for the potatoes and the pork chops. Sprinkle with dried parsley if you want.