Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are the gold standard for determining a baker's abilities in my mind. It's relatively easy to make an average chocolate chip cookie, but to make a great one - one that stands out above the crowd - that takes a great baker. I don't know about you, but I've been known to get bored. That may actually be the understatement of the year. I really enjoy trying new things and I've been known to experiment with the chocolate chip cookie (waffled chocolate chip cookies and giant chocolate chip cookies).

My little sister is a bacon lover. For her birthday, as one of several treats, I whipped up a batch of bacon chocolate chip cookies. Truth be told, I was skeptical. I've been very hesitant to put bacon in desserts (and admittedly, my father and most taste-testers were as well), but the results were honestly better than I imagined. The bacon chocolate chip cookie certainly won't replace a normal chocolate chip cookie in my heart, but I think it has for a few people - and the recipe is surprisingly easy. I followed the recipe on the back of the Toll House chocolate chip bag with a few changes.

Recipe adapted from Nestle Toll House chocolate chip package

Ingredients
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 c. butter
3/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. white sugar
1+ Tbsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 14-oz package of chocolate chips
1/2 package of bacon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325. Fry bacon until crispy (this is important so it's not gummy in the cookie). Dab away extra grease with a paper towel. Cool and cut into chunks slightly larger than a chocolate chip. Set aside
2. Mix dry ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add vanilla and eggs one at a time, beating well to incorporate.
4. Gradually mix in dry ingredients. Add chocolate chips and bacon.
5. Drop by the rounded tablespoon and bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.

Honey Beer Bread French Toast

Honey beer bread makes THE best french toast. Its crunchy on the outside and soft and gooey (but not uncooked) in the center. Use this beer bread recipe and the super simple french toast recipe below for one of the best morning treats.

Ingredients
2 slices of honey beer bread
1 egg
1/4 c. milk
1 Tbsp cinnamon

Directions

1. In a shallow, wide bowl, lightly beat egg, milk and cinnamon together. Preheat a frying pan over medium heat and grease.
2. Dip slices of bread in the batter and place on hot skillet. Cook 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden.

Kitchen Dreams: Terra Cotta Board

I'm too broke and space-less (I live at home) to have any reason to buy this terra cota board right now. Or really at any point, because even on sale it seems ridiculously over priced. That said, i want it.

Image from Williams Sonoma. I do not own this image.

I can picture serving so many cheeses and breads on this. It seems perfect for a fancy or casual cocktail hour. Which I'm of course throwing in my imaginary apartment. In the summer. On my imaginary balcony that overlooks a lake. With candles and my imaginary planters of herbs and flowers.

It's a great world inside my head. And this terra cota board makes it so much better. Perhaps another day.

NOW READING: Hearts in Atlantis

I always thought Stephen King would be too scary for me. I get scared easily. Actually that's an understatement. I get scared ridiculously easy and have some rather irrational fears. I hate large glass windows, fearing that at night I'll see a face peering in. I hate walking the 10 feet from the driveway to the front door late at night for fear of kidnapping.

So, I was reasonably hesitant when a Stephen King book was recommended to me. Fortunately, my recommender knew me well enough and assured me that Hearts in Atlantis is not a scary book. (I also knew him to be a trusted source as he'd previously assured me the movie The Room is not a horror film as I had thought based on the title.)

Hearts in Atlantis is a nostalgic series of novellas set in the 1960's to 1999. With recurring characters providing a consistent narrative and engaging story line. Quickly drawing me in, I fell in love with several of the characters, including Bobby, Sully-John and Carol. Though unlike many likable characters, I did not find the predictable and was often surprised by the choices they made. Just creative enough to make the story line intriguing, and realistic enough to remind me of people in my own life, I would highly recommend Hearts in Atlantis with the caveat, "not scary at all."

HOMEMADE OREOS

Because I was throwing a game night, and no night is complete without oreos. Consequently, many nights are not complete. Regardless, in my book if you can buy it, you can make it. And you should. And I did. And I'm never buying oreos again because these are soooooooooooooo good. [all the o's are necessary.] I also made them some vanilla counterparts, recipe to come.

Adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Cookie Ingredients
1 1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 c unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c sugar
1/2 c plus 2 Tbsp (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

Cookie Directions

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.

Filling Ingredients

1/4 c (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 c vegetable Crisco
2 c confectioners’ sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla extract

1 pinch salt

Filling Directions

1. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
2. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. 

Honey Beer Bread

Fall, to me, screams for warm baked goods. and beer. So, beer bread is the perfect solution. This recipe affirms my belief that should be beer in bread (and bakers). So grab a bottle (or two or three) of your favorite beer and set aside about an hour for this quick, delicious and dense bread.

I've also decided that this would make phenomenal french toast (so if there's any bread left, you may see that recipe come up in the future).

Recipe adapted from Cookie Monster Cooking

Ingredients:
3 c. all-purpose flour*
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbsp. honey
1 12-oz bottle of your favorite beer**
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter

*the original recipe called for 2 c. all-purpose flour and 1 c. bread flour. I substituted with 3 c. all-purpose King Arthur flour, which has a higher gluten content than most white flour.
**I used Yuengling, which is a close to second to my all-time favorite - the Dortmunder Gold from Great Lakes Brewing Company

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan with cooking spray. Melt butter and set aside to cool slightly
2. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients. Add honey and beer and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the loaf pan and top with the melted butter.
3. Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet to catch butter that may drip and cook for 50 minutes.

Waffled Chocolate Chip Cookies

A couple of years ago, I decided to reinvent the chocolate chip cookie. Enter the waffle iron. Waffled chocolate chip cookies? Not too shabby and oh so fun.

Disclaimer: Again, not entirely sure what I based the recipe off of :/

Ingredients

1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1/2 c + 2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 Tbsp. vanilla

3/4 c. flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 c. oats

3/4 c. mini chocolate chips

Directions

1. Whisk butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Stir in dry ingredients. Incorporate chocolate chips.
2. Great waffle iron. Pour batter into compartments and close lid. Let sit 2-3 minutes. Nommmm.

Turkey Avocado Panini with Roasted Cherry Tomato Relish

I have to admit that for the longest time (aka my entire childhood) I did not like (aka refused to eat) sandwiches with cold cuts. I actually don't enjoy lunch - I don't appreciate it as a meal and thought I recognize it's physiological importance, I find it unnecessary and bland. That is until I discovered paninis. They changed my world and made lunch that much more complicated.

I have also for the longest time (aka my entire childhood and most of my adulthood) hated tomatoes. But, recently I've been on a quest to make myself enjoy them. I now love tomato with fresh mozzarella and basil or pesto. And then my good friend from college taught me that if you cook the life out of cherry tomatoes, they're rather enjoyable.

General rule of thumb: avocado makes everything better.

Ingredients:
Two slices of bread
Handful of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
A slice of swiss cheese
1/2 avocado
3-4 slices of turkey

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil and roast cherry tomatoes for 15-20 minutes over medium low heat in a frying pan. Make sure they don't burn, but rather give up totally and shrivel
2. Pull tomatoes out of oil and clean pan. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Layer with all of the ingredients and toast until the cheese gets deliciously melty.

Now that's a sandwich.

Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are kind of a classic. Actually, they're definitely a classic. And, this is America - so, bigger is better. Drop these suckers by the 1/4 c. They are big and delicious. A fun alternative to the standard, tried and true Toll House recipe. 

Disclaimer: I don't know where I originally found the original recipe

Ingredients

2 c. flour

1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 c. butter, melted

1 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. sugar

1 Tbsp. vanilla

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 c. chocolate chips

Directions

1. Sift flour, baking soda and salt. 
2. Cream melted butter and sugars in a separate bowl. Beat in vanilla, egg and egg parts.
3. Mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients and stir in the chocolate chips. 
4. Drop by the 1/4 c. Bake at 325 for 15-17 minutes

Plum Galette

Because I discovered that galettes are fun and we had a bajillion plums and my best friend's family was visiting and they love plums. Enter the plum galette. 

Crust ingredients:
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. + 1 Tbsp. Crisco
2 Tbsp. ice water
Directions:

1. Combine flour, salt and crisco. Cut Crisco through with knife and combine with flour. Combine until Crisco is combined with flour mixture. Add water and roll out on a flat, flour coated surface. Lay flat on parchment paper

Filling ingredients: 

1 1/2 pounds of plums

3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. water
2 Tbsp orange juice

dash of salt

3 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. raw sugar

Directions:

1. Quarter plums and mix with the 3/4 c. sugar, water, orange juice, salt and flour. Place in the middle of the pie crust and fold up the edges.
2. Brush pie crust with melted butter and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake at 400 for 45 - 50 minutes.
3. Serve with vanilla ice cream (duh).

Cherry Galette

One day we got cherries from the CSA. But, not enough cherries to make a pie, and they weren't sweet enough to just eat. The solution: cherry galette. Or a small, flat pie. 

Recipe adapted from Grandma's recipe book and Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Crust ingredients:
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. + 1 Tbsp. Crisco
2 Tbsp. ice water
2 Tbsp. melted butter
2 Tbsp. raw sugar


Filling Ingredients:
2 c. pitted fresh ripe tart red cherries,
3/4 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. lemon juice

Directions:

1. Combine flour, salt and crisco. Cut Crisco through with knife and combine with flour. Combine until Crisco is combined with flour mixture. Add water and roll out on a flat, flour coated surface. 
2. Mix filling ingredients and place in the middle of the pie crust.
3. Fold up edges. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar
4. Bake at 400 for 50 to 55 minutes until crust is golden (I would bake on parchment paper to minimize the mess.)

Peach Crumb Pie

Because sometimes you can't just make the same peach pie over and over again no matter how delicious it is. and a crumb topping makes everything, everything better.

Recipe adapted from Grandma's recipe book and Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

Crust ingredients:
1 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 c. + 1 Tbsp. Crisco
2 Tbsp. ice water
Directions:

1. Combine flour, salt and crisco. Cut Crisco through with knife and combine with flour. Combine until Crisco is combined with flour mixture. Add water and roll out on a flat, flour coated surface. Lay in pie pan and patch cracks (let's face it, they happen).

Filling ingredients: 

5 c. sliced peaches (8 peaches, maybe - I mixed yellow and white peaches)

3/4 c. - 1 c. sugar

dash of salt

3 Tbsp. flour

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Directions:

1. Boil peaches in large pot for 1 minute, then peel, core and slice. Combine with the rest of the ingredients and fill pie. Top with crumb topping (below). Bake at 400 for 45 - 50 minutes.
2. Serve with vanilla ice cream (duh).

Topping ingredients:

1/3 c. sugar

3/4 c. flour

6 T. butter

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Cut butter into dry ingredients until crumbly. Top the pie.