"THE Chocolate Chip Cookie"

It might be absurd how many chocolate chip cookies I've baked on this blog.  MIGHT, because then again, can a painter use TOO many shades of blue to depict our lovely sky?  Are there TOO many ways to arrange musical notes to create a beautiful song??  Do you see what I'm getting at?!  Cookies are art, and they should be expressed in as many ways as possible.  I am merely playing the role of artist (say that like you're a French person), and the oven is my instrument.  The chocolate chip is my voice and the... okay I'll stop now.  

I'm basically trying to justify my behavior by making myself sound sophisticated.  

What happens is, when I read that someone has found THE chocolate chip cookie, I have to try it.  Which is exactly what I did yesterday.  This cookie was described as "unbelievably chewy" and "the perfect softness."  But what really stirred my interest was the addition of cornstarch.  Two teaspoons, claiming to give the cookies an "unbelievable lift."  

I'm not sure about the lift (mine were the perfect thickness - but I also like to press my cookies down slightly before baking them), but this cookie was pretty incredible.  Definitely soft and unbelievably chewy - with that crackled exterior I love in a cookie.  You should try them (recipe linked above), and then while you're at it... try some of my other favorite chocolate chip cookies I've made on this blog:
       

Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies

Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Saveur's Layered Chocolate Chip Cookies

Gluten-free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Strawberry Cake Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Pudding Cookies

Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Snickerdoodles

Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

The Super Bowl usually falls right around (if not on) my birthday each year.  Which means, I'm pretty blessed with excuses to eat everything I want on that day/week.  This year, I want to try frying pickles, this pizza, and these cupcakes are pretty incredible, too.  Also, the sandwich above!  If you're feeding a crowd for the big game, you must try this fantastically easy recipe from Weelicious.  I think  your family pet could throw this together, that's how simple it is.  Four bone-in, skinless chicken breasts (the butcher at the grocery store can remove the skin for you), 1 cup of good BBQ sauce and a slow cooker.  Done.  Cook on low for 2 and a half hours, shred, serve.  I had leftovers for days which we turned into pizza, quesadillas and simply picked at with our fingers.  Here's the recipe if you need further information, but your pet is making this and your pet can't read, so...

p.s. Super Bowl snack ideas from last year.

p.p.s. Corn on the Cob Cupcakes

Chocolate Yogurt Bundt Cake

I am a very picky chocolate cake eater.  If it's dry, or too bread-like, well then… no.  NO!  It must be moist, not overly sweet but not overly bitter and VERY chocolaty.  Chocolate chips and/or chocolate icing are a bonus.  I become irrationally nervous when I try out a new recipe, as I was yesterday, but I found one that DID NOT disappoint!  I used this recipe with several adaptions: brewed coffee instead of water, whole milk plain yogurt instead of sour cream, no glaze - but I did add a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the batter.  It came out better than I could have imagined, to the point where I cannot stop eating it.  I keep pretending that I'm British and that it's tea time and that I should accompany my tea with cake.  I don't drink tea.  I just eat cake, a lot.  

Baked Ziti

In this week's edition of "Random Things You Should Know About Me" (that's not a thing), I love pretending that I'm an Italian grandmother.  I like to imagine myself slaving away in the kitchen all day, making family favorite recipes I know by heart, adding my secret components that I'll only tell one deserving grandchild before I die (the one who sends me the most text messages).  Until I reach that status, I will try out recipes online that only take an hour from start to finish.  Like this Baked Ziti, made with love and tons of cheese.  If you're ever cooking for a crowd, check out The Pioneer Woman's recipes.  She often times cooks for small armies, and her food is divine.  I made this with just sausage, and otherwise followed the recipe to a T.  My one note: go splurge on good cheese at a local cheese shop or Italian market, you won't regret it.

Now get out of my kitchen before I spank you!  

(That's how they talk, right?)      

Oh, hello Ricotta and Parmesan and Mozzarella and Egg.

Leftovers for days...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Oat Bites

I don't know how to dress anymore.  I was just in New York, dealing with Polar Vortexes and bundling up my kids until you could only see their eyeballs.  Now I'm in California and it's summer.  It's slathered sunscreen, AC blasting in car, HOT summer.  In January.  These little no-bake treats are perfect for such weather, but that doesn't mean you won't enjoy them in the tundra.  They're delicious.  You most likely have all the ingredients in your pantry, and they take NO time to put together.  Your kids can help roll them into balls, and you can make them as big or as small as you want!  My vote is small, because then you won't feel guilty for eating 5 in a row.  They are so creamy, with a slight crunch from the cereal, and the mini chocolate chips make them just sweet enough.  You need to make these, whether you're wearing too many clothes or too little.

Recipe HERE.         

Mac & Cheese Casserole with Veggies

I had all of these posts lined up for you and then my Internet went kaput.  I also turned into an eighty year old woman who says kaput.  Is that even how you spell kaput?  No matter, because now my Internet is all fixed and I can share with you this easy casserole I made the other night.  Moms, do you ever find yourself at dinnertime thinking, "I'm alone with the kids tonight, I haven't gone to the market in days, I'm too lazy to go get something, and feeding my kids goldfish for dinner would be cruel"??  I found myself in that predicament the other night, so I turned to my leftovers and my pantry and said some magic (curse) words and came up with something wonderful!      

Annie's Spirals with Butter and Parmesan (yum), leftover roasted chicken, leftover broccoli, frozen peas, bread crumbs, and cheddar cheese.  I preheated the oven to 425.  Then I made the mac & cheese as directed on the box (you could really use and kind or brand).  When that was all done, I tossed in the  shredded chicken, chopped broccoli, and frozen peas (about a 1/2 cup of both veggies).  I placed all of that in a buttered casserole dish (8x8), topped it all with some bread crumbs and grated cheddar, and baked it for 10-15 minutes, until it got all brown and crispy on top...   

It was so good, *your kids will love it!

*I said YOUR kids will love it.  Mine did not.  My 16-month-old is going through a very picky stage, and my son won't touch broccoli.  I tried.  I did.  And then I ate almost the ENTIRE thing myself.  

Vanilla Bean Blondies

Greetings!!  Remember when I used to blog, every single weekday?  Remember when I didn't have two children, and I showered more than twice a week, and I worked out more than twice a year?  I remember.  Sort of.  Not really.  Or even at all.  The truth is, I could blame my kids all day long for my lack of posts and showers (no but really, the shower thing IS their fault), but that wouldn't be fair.  The truth is, we're going through a major life change as a family (which I'll share more at a later date) and my mind has been elsewhere.  That, combined with lots of travel, have meant I've barely been in the kitchen!  And now that I am back, it's like I've forgotten how to cook.  What do I like to make?  What ingredients do I buy at the market?  Are there breakfast foods besides NY bagels?  

But don't fret.  I'll figure it out.  I'll cook my way out of the hole.  I'll shower.  I made these Vanilla Bean Blondies after all!  Half with chocolate, because, chocolate.  The vanilla flavor is pretty ridiculous, they taste like vanilla ice cream in bar form.  Simple, easy ingredients that come together in no time.  I used 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla paste instead of a bean, because that's what I had.  

I'm going to shower now, I promise.          

See what I mean?  Mind, elsewhere.

Polar Vortex Cookies

Well, hello there Blog.  Are you mad that I've been neglecting you?  The problem, you see, is that I have been traveling since December 21st, much of this time being spent in hotels, thus, not cooking.  I used a lot of commas in that sentence.  But for the past week we have been lucky enough to stay in a friend's NYC apartment, therefore, a small amount of cooking/baking has been taking place.  Like today, for instance, Jack and I ventured out in the frigid 5 degree weather (I know, Minnesota, I know) to gather cookie supplies.  We made a basic recipe, but a fun way to liven up any cookie is to use sprinkles instead of chocolate chips.  A whole lot of them.  Just make sure to let your 16 month-old eat a few, because the tantrum she will throw when she can't have any more will be epic.  EPIC.

Ahhhhhhh cabin fevvvvvverrrrrrrrrrr Polarrrrrrrr Vortexxxxxx.

And The Winner Is...

Number 2, drawn by Molly Davin!!  She entitled it "Salad is for Losers" - obviously.

Congrats Molly!!

And congrats to Jennifer and Ellen as well, the ladies behind Number 1 & 2.  It was a close race.  This was fun, if you have any suggestions for future contests, speak up!

*A few of you commented on the Anonymous voting.  While I never made a rule against that, I was able to figure out which comments were duplicates and I eliminated those.  Future contests will have more specific rules, okey dokey?