Chocolate Chip Cookies

Source: joannagoddard.blogspot.com via Pennyweight on Pinterest

Last night after sharing a bottle of Chardonnay with my husband over dinner, I immediately conjured a bit of energy to prepare the dough for my favorite chocolate chip cookies - Over time, I've discovered the secret to heavenly delicious cookies (of any sort) is to let the dough sit in the icebox for at least 2 hours up to 3 days. Obviously the longer the dough sits - the more scrumptious your cookies will taste. This particular recipe is my absolute favorite.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
makes 4 dozen

2 1/2 cup all purpose, unbleached flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter (unsalted)
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs (large)
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract
10 oz bittersweet chocolate (chopped)

Mix flour, salt and baking soda in separate bowl. In large mixing bowl, with high speed electrical mixer - mix butter and both sugars until light and creamy. (2 minutes)
Add eggs (1 at a time) followed by vanilla extract and chocolate chips.
With mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour until just blended.

Wrap dough in plastic and store in icebox (refrigerator) for at least 2 hours up to 3 days.

Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes then rotate the baking sheets top to bottom and front to back.
Continue to bake until cookies are golden brown, 7 to 9 minutes longer.

Let cookies cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets then transfer to a wire rack for additional cooling.

recipe: Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones

jelly cookies

Yummy treats for Valentines Day...

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup strawberry preserves
• 1/3 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheets.
2. Cream the butter with the white sugar and brown sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
3. Mix the flour and baking powder together. Stir in the flour mixture into the butter mixture and combine.
4. Cut dough using a heart-shape cookie cutter and place on the prepared baking sheet. Inside the indentation in each cookie and fill with jam. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

housewife...

Audrey Hepburn

Question: Are you as glamorous, in the kitchen?

southern dessert...

 

  

  

My mother gave me a quick lesson on how to make her delicious, southern-style banana pudding...To my surprise, it was rather simple than I was expecting. The finished dessert only took 10 minutes to make and as always....it tasted GOOD!

• 1 large pkg instant vanilla pudding, (6 ounces)
• 2 1/2 cups cold milk
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk, (14 ounces)
• 1 container whipped topping, (16 ounces)
• sliced bananas
• vanilla wafer cookies

Preparation:

Mix pudding and milk; add condensed milk. Blend well; fold in half the whipped topping. Alternate layers of pudding, bananas and vanilla wafers; top with remaining whipped topping and a few banana slices.
Refrigerate overnight before serving.

easy strawberry smoothie...

 

  

Need: 

1 cup sliced fresh or frozen strawberries

1 1/4 cups milk

1 1/4 cups ice (8 large ice cubes)

Directions:

add strawberries, ice, and milk to blender

blend on high for 1 minute

  

Smoothies are one of my favorite things to drink in the morning for breakfast or just for a quick 'pick-me up' snack...Although smoothies are often yummy and healthy it's very easy to pack on the extra (not needed) calories...Here is a simple recipe to make a delicious drink under 3 minutes. 

*If you are vegan (or) your tummy just simply cannot handle dairy, you may substitute the milk for soy, almond or rice milk instead for an equally delightful treat.

kitchen-ware...

Here are a few of my favorite kitchen-ware items...all from Anthropologie

Easy as fried pie | Homesick Texan

Easy as fried pie Homesick Texan

These blueberry pies look delicious! I’m planning on making this dessert over the weekend.

Whimsical aprons for baking

These adorable aprons are sweet for whipping up delicious cupcakes and cooking amazing new dishes!

Idea: Retro aprons can also be worn as tops in the summer :)

These aprons are available in the store and even better....they are on sale!

Please see the Summer Clearance section

Etsy Favorite: Coupon Pocket-Book

Hi Everyone!

I saw the most amazing product on Etsy today..and just wanted to share with everyone :)

It's by an Atlanta based company named Mulch.

The owner name is Stephanie and she invented the 'coupon pocket-book'

This AMAZING, convient book makes searching for coupons at the grocery store a breeze...and the books are very stylish too :)

My favorites are the Hootie Owl accordian style and Paisley Mini Coupon Pocket-Book.

Check them out for yourself!

http://www.mulch.etsy.com/

Carrot Cupcakes with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
Makes 12 cupcakes

¼ cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

½ cup vegetable oil

2 large eggs

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¾ teaspoon baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup plain flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 ½ cups grated carrots (be sure to grate finely so it doesn’t all sink to the bottom of the cupcake)

¼ cup pecans, chopped

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting 4 ½ ounces cream cheese, room temperature

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted

¼ cup maple syrup

12 pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake holders.
In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars and oil until they are combined. Add the two eggs one at a time and mix until combined. Add the vanilla extract.
Sift all the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix. Add the grated carrots and pecans.
Divide the batter between the cupcake holders and bake for around 15 minutes or until springy to touch. Allow to cool.
For the frosting, mix cream cheese, butter, confectioner’s sugar and maple syrup until creamy. Spoon the icing onto the cupcakes and place the pecan halves on top.

* I absolutely love carrot cakes and ANYTHING cupcakes...so I thought this was a treat for all the sweet tooth's out there :)

This little recipe was published in Design Sponge Online