Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I have been trying to find a decent chocolate chip cookie recipe other than just the one on the bag of chocolate chips.  I found this recipe in the cookbook The Culinary Institute of America's Gourmet Meals in Minutes and on the website Culinary Institute of America.

I love the idea of making up a batch of dough and freezing it so that whenever the occasion arises I can offer my friends and family freshly baked chocolate chip cookies.  It makes a small batch of cookies which is good because I think they tasted best when still slightly warm right alongside an ice cold glass of milk.

Although I didn't add any nuts since most of family doesn't care for them in baked goods, I think that these cookies would be fantastic with the addition of chopped and toasted walnuts or pecans.


Chocolate Chunk Cookies - yield 16 cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks

• Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugars on medium speed with the paddle attachment, scraping down the bowl periodically, until the mixture is smooth and light in color, about five minutes.
• Combine the eggs and vanilla. Add to the butter-sugar mixture and blend until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed. On low speed, mix in the sifted dry ingredients and the chocolate chunks until just incorporated.
• Shape the dough into one sixteen-inch log on a piece of waxed or parchment paper, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate or freeze until firm enough to slice into sixteen pieces. (Dough can alternatively be scaled into two-tablespoon portions and baked immediately.)
• Arrange the cookies on the parchment-lined baking sheets in even rows.
• Bake at 375 degrees F until golden brown around the edges, about twelve to fourteen minutes. Cool completely on cookie sheets.

Friday Afternoons = Baking time with my Grandma and Cousins

We made easy and delicious Applesauce-spice Cupcakes frosted with Brown-Sugar Cream-Cheese Frosting.  The recipes we tried came from the cookbook Martha Stewart's Cupcakes: 175 Inspired Ideas for Everyone's Favorite Treat.

I loved that the ingredients were things that I usually keep around so if  someday I decide to bake cupcakes this would be a great recipe to go to.



Applesauce-Spice Cupcakes - Makes 18

2 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp cloves
1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla (her recipe does not call for it, we added it)
1 can unsweetened applesauce
1 cup toasted and chopped pecans

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare muffin tins with liners.  
• Sift or whisk together dry ingredients
• Cream butter and sugars together with electric mixer on medium speed until mixture is pale and fluffy
• Add eggs one at a time, scraping down bowl as necessary
• Reduce speed to low adding applesauce then flour mixture until combined.
• Stir in pecans by hand
• Spoon mixture into cups, we were able to bake 20 although the recipe calls for 18.  
• Bake, rotating tins halfway through cooking to ensure even browning (we skipped this step) and toothpick comes out clean, takes appx. 20 minutes. 
• Cool completely on wire racks before frosting.
• Store frosted cupcakes in refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature before serving

Brown-Sugar Cream-Cheese Frosting - 2 1/2 cups


1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
8 oz cream cheese room temperature
1 cup light-brown sugar

Place all ingredients in mixing bowl and mix on medium-high speed until mixture is smooth. Frost cupcakes.  Frosting can be store for 3 days in refrigerator, allow to warm to room temperature before serving.

Another use for crab meat

Some may say I am cheap but I prefer the term frugal, I don't like to waste money or throw food away.  I had left over English muffins and crab meat so the obvious choice was to make my own version of crab eggs Benedict.  If my memory serves me correctly, we have eaten something like this at Mimi's Cafe. 

I toasted and buttered the English Muffins, added a fresh spinach leaf (from our garden), slice of tomato, slice of red onion, poached egg, about a tablespoon of the crab meat and topped it with hollandaise sauce. 

The combination was quite tasty however, I will not repeat the hollandaise sauce recipe I used.  It was a blender hollandiase recipe and it was not the same as Emeril's recipe that we have made before.

Hollandaise Sauce- From the kitchen of Emeril Lagasse

4 egg yolks

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon cayenne, or to taste

2 sticks unsalted butter, melted

1/2 teaspoon salt

Whisk the egg yolks, lemon juice, and cayenne in the top of a double boiler, or in a stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water (being careful not to let the bowl touch the water). 2. As soon as the egg yolks have thickened, remove the pot from the water and slowly add the melted butter a bit at a time, whisking continuously. Add the salt and adjust the seasoning to taste.

A can of crab meat - $14.99

If you know where Utah is, then you know that it is no where close to the coast and that fresh seafood isn't so fresh. In spite of this fact, I wanted to make a recipe that I found in The Culinary Institute of America's Gourmet Meals in Minutes.  I decided to buy this book because I checked it out from the library and have kept it for the maximum time allowed. 

I made the recipe found on page 227, Crabmeat and Shrimp Sandwiches. They were good but I think they could have been better.  I am not sure if it had to do with the canned crab meat but I felt they were lacking some flavor. We added garlic Tabasco sauce and squeezed fresh lemon wedges over them. 

Crabmeat and Shrimp Sandwich - Serves 8

1/2 lb crabmeat - I used Jack's Catch
1/2 lb shrimp - I used salad shrimp
1/2 cup mayo -I used canola mayo
1/4 cup sour cream
1 T white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
8 Pitas
1 thinly sliced tomato
1 thinly sliced red onion
1 thinly sliced avocado
Alfalfa sprouts

Mix crab and shrimp in mixing bowl.  In separate container, mix the mayo, sour cream, vinegar, garlic, mustard, curry powder, salt and pepper until combined then add it to the crab and shrimp mixture.  Build sandwiches by placing tomato, onion, avocado pita then filling with meat mixture and adding sprouts.

Ladle with Strainer

My husband and I did not get our ladle from Amazon.com but stumbled across it when we were walking around a Williams Sonoma Store. One of the only things that I consider my own recipe is my vegetable soup. I love it with tons of veggies, however, my husband prefers more broth. This ladle will satisfy us both! He can strain out the broth into his bowl and give me extra veggies in mine. Sometimes, it's the little things like this ladle that make a meal and a marriage that much better.

Lady Bug Pizzas

My daughter brought this treat back to us after she went to Girl Scouts summer camp.  It is so simple but don't let that fool you, it is quite a tasty little treat.

First take and toast your English muffins-

Next, lightly butter the muffins and place on a baking sheet covered with tinfoil.

Then, spread about a tablespoon of your favorite pesto over the muffins.  I use this prepared version that I found at Costco, no fuss, no muss.

Top this with grated mozzarella cheese and a slice of tomato and broil until the cheese is melted.

It can be served as a snack or a light lunch.  Enjoy!

Homemade Plain Yogurt

Ever since I purchased my blender and have been making smoothies regularly I wanted to make sure I was including fresh and healthy ingredients.  A lady at the beauty shop mentioned that she teaches a yogurt making class.  I thought who needs a class, I can find the information that I need online or in one of my cookbooks.  My go-to cookbook, "How To Cook Everything" of course, had the recipe included.

I have tweaked the recipe a little based on information that I found online.  It doesn't take much effort to make it, just some time.

3 3/4 cups milk (I used 1%) (Mark's recipe calls for 4 cups)
1 cup dried milk (Mark's recipe does not call for this at all - I added it to up the protein content and to make it thicker)
1/2 cup natural plain yogurt ("with active cultures")

Place milk and dried milk in sauce pan, heat to 180-185° but do not boil; turn off the heat and allow to cool to 110-115°, this takes about a half hour. 

Whisk milk and yogurt together.  Pour into a pre-warmed bowl.  You want to keep this mixture around 100° for the next 6-12 hours, I have used the proof feature in my oven and have tried using my slow cooker.  You have to turn the slow cooker on and off periodically so it doesn't overheat the milk mixture.  I have also seen that you can use a heating pad and a towel or blanket, or a warmed thermos wrapped in a towel.  It is not necessary to purchase a yogurt maker, you have other options.

After 6 hours check to see if the milk has turned to yogurt, if not, keep warm and check in another 6 hours.  Refrigerate for up to one week.  Use as a substitute for sour cream, or replace half of the mayonnaise that you would normally use with the plain yogurt. 

No thickeners, or mystery ingredients.  Good luck and healthy eating.

Blendtec - Total Blender

A decision to stop at Costco before going to dinner led us to the Blendtec roadshow and an excellent demonstrator and salesman. The blender is incredible and I use it daily to make delicious and healthy smoothies.  We got a package deal which included a cookbook, you can make soup, jam, fondue, shakes, baby food, ice cream, sherbets, yogurt; you are only limited by your imagination.

One of the fun things about the company is the"Will It Blend?" demonstration videos showing the power of the blender.  Have fun watching this one, will the I-pad blend?

Dinner Rolls - Recipe from How To Cook Everything

I purchased Mark Bittman's book "How To Cook Everything"
from a yard sale last summer and it quickly has become my favorite go to cookbook.

I made these rolls as written and didn't make any modifications to the recipe.  They only took a couple of hours to make but most of that was to allow the dough time to rise.  

The recipe was supposed to yield 20 rolls but the weights of my rolls varied
 somewhat so I ended up with 19 and some dough left over to nibble on. We devoured all but one, I consider this a successful afternoon.

Citrus Press

Pampered Chef sells this citrus press.  I use this tool often to squeeze limes and lemons, it makes quick work out of juicing and it catches the seeds. Forget about using bottled juice that does not taste as good as fresh plus, when you use fresh, you get an added bonus of using the zest of the citrus fruit for additional flavor.

Goat Cheese Crumbles

Goat Cheese, those two words used to make me cringe and dry heave because I was afraid of the unknown and unfamiliar taste, smell, and texture of this mysterious food.  I have crossed over and now have a new found respect for the goat and the wonderful cheese that is produced from her milk.  It is a delicious addition to a bed of greens, topped with left over steak strips or roast, dried cranberries and pomegranate red wine vinegar dressing.

On Baking

My sweet daughter decided to support me in my pursuit of culinary self-improvement and purchased this book for me.  I am really looking forward to learning how to make desserts from scratch.  I am quite guilty of opening a box of brownie mix and although everyone seems okay with it, I feel like it is a cop out.

Ch. 1 Professionalism
Ch. 2 Tools and Equipment for the Bakeshop
Ch. 3 Principles of Baking
Ch. 4 Bakeshop Ingredients
Ch. 5 Mise en Place
Ch. 6 Quick Breads
Ch. 7 Yeast Breads
Ch. 8 Enriched Yeast Doughs
Ch. 9 Cookies and Brownies
Ch. 10 Pies and Tarts
Ch. 11 Pastry Doughs
Ch. 12 Laminated Doughs
Ch. 13 Syrups, Icings and Sauces
Ch. 14 Cakes and Tortes
Ch. 15 Custards and Creams
Ch. 16 Ice Cream and Frozen Desserts
Ch. 17 Fruits
Ch. 18 Healthful and Special-needs Baking
Ch. 19 Petits Fours
Ch. 20 Restaurant Desserts
Ch. 21 Chocolate and Decorative Work

Appendix I Measurement and Conversion Charts
Appendix II High-Altitude Baking
Appendix III Fresh Fruit Availability Chart
Appendix IV Professional Organizations

Smoked Gouda Cheese

One of my New Years goals is to sample a new cheese each week and incorporate it into a recipe.  I picked up a small package of smoked Gouda cheese from my local grocery store's cheese counter.  The recipe I used it in is Rachael Ray's Smoked Turkey Panini. The apples were a sweet little surprise that was a good counter balance to the smoky cheese.  Since it only called for 5 ingredients, it was a quick and simple dinner to prepare.  I paired it with a homemade bowl of veggie soup and fresh fruit.  As Rachael would say, delish!

On Cooking

This is the textbook that I ordered from Amazon.  I am only taking a business class this summer therefore, I will have quite a bit of free time to study up on cooking!

Ch. 1 Professionalism
Ch. 2 Food Safety and Sanitation
Ch. 3 Nutrition
Ch. 4 Menus and Recipes
Ch. 5 Tools and Equipment
Ch. 6 Knife Skills
Ch. 7 Kitchen Staples
Ch. 8 Dairy Products
Ch. 9 Mise en Place
Ch. 10 Principles of Cooking
Ch. 11 Stocks and Sauces
Ch. 12 Soups
Ch. 13 Principles of Meat Cookery
Ch. 14 Beef
Ch. 15 Veal
Ch. 16 Lamb
Ch. 17 Pork
Ch. 18 Poultry
Ch. 19 Game
Ch. 20 Fish and Shellfish
Ch. 21 Eggs and Breakfast
Ch. 22 Vegetables
Ch. 23 Potatoes, Grains and Pasta
Ch. 24 Salads and Salad Dressings
Ch. 25 Fruits
Ch. 26 Sandwiches
Ch. 27 Charcuterie
Ch. 28 Hors D'oeuvre and Canapes
Ch. 29 Principles of the Bakeshop
Ch. 30 Quickbreads
Ch. 31 Yeast Breads
Ch. 32 Pies, Pastries and Cookies
Ch. 33 Cakes and Frostings
Ch. 34 Custards, Creams, Frozen Desserts and Sauces
Ch. 35 Plate Presentation
Ch. 36 Buffet Presentation

Maverick Oven and Roasting Digital Thermometer with Timer

I am not sure why I never had one of these before!  This little gadget will tell you the oven temperature and the temperature of the food that it is inserted into.  I used to have an instant read thermometer however, every time I used it I had to open up the oven and all of the heat would escape.

All you need to to with this one is set the desired temperature of the food and the unit will alert you when the temperature has been reached.