Part of reason I started a blog is to get out of my "comfort zone" when it comes to baking and cooking. Without it, I would never of tried something called "Haupia" or a Blueberry Cake from scratch... or a grilled tart. It's like a Christopher Columbus of cooking, going out into the unknown... except without a ship full of sweaty, salty seadogs, and sailing off the edge of the world.
But... there is always a time and place for Classics. Just like The Beatles, Elvis, The Godfather, I Love Lucy, Chevy Corvette's... some things just withstand the test of time. They are that old friend that says "Dude, I can't let you down... I started it all"
Chocolate Chip Cookies do that. While you may have a unique favorite dessert, or definitely a more complicated one... who in their right mind does not like chocolate chip cookies? There are two camps of people... people who like chocolate chip, and people who love them. There are no haters. Chocolate Chip Cookie should run for president. He/She would unite the land. I'd vote for that. Make cookie, not war.
So a bunch of my good looking girl friends came up this weekend to see NYC (Veggie Girl's proclaimed city of choice). They wanted something classic for the long car ride back home. Here's a failsafe cookie recipe.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe by Adam - makes 18-24
-1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
-1 cup packed brown sugar
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 egg, slightly beaten
-1/4 cup butter, melted
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-4 oz of both milk and dark chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate
Preheat your oven to 350*. Get two cookie sheets ready, ungreased. The cookies probably won't stick, so don't worry.
In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, until well incorporated. Just use a wooden spoon, it's a old school and a good workout.
In a small cup or bowl, stir the melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract together. Add this to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough comes together. It should smell delicious and become brown and shiny. If there are some crumbs still on the bottom or the dough doesn't want to come together, just keep at it. Eventually it will form a tough, sticky like dough. Fold the chocolate chips into the dough until they are evenly distributed.
Using two teaspoons, place heaping doughfuls onto the pans, leaving some space for them to spread out. Bake for 8-14 mins, or until the edges lightly brown and the cookies are firm to the touch. Don't overbake these... they kind of firm up as they cool. Cool on the pans for a minute, and then immediately place on a cooling rack until completely cool... if you can wait that long.
Well, this is going to be a shorter than usual Adam post. I'm going to try and update this site a bit, add some more of my cool new friends blogs, and maybe change the layout. I feel there's a lot of wasted space. Does anyone have any reccomendations for cool widgets or blog templates? I would take last place in the computer user olympics, so any help would be great. Drop me an email. I'll post about my NYC trip later this week once the girls get me some pictures, and I have to take care of some unfinished award business I've been putting off. Oh, and don't worry, FFF will be back a la usual. I've only just begun to talk health and fitness. Let me know what direction you want it steered in :)
Sailing away
But... there is always a time and place for Classics. Just like The Beatles, Elvis, The Godfather, I Love Lucy, Chevy Corvette's... some things just withstand the test of time. They are that old friend that says "Dude, I can't let you down... I started it all"
Chocolate Chip Cookies do that. While you may have a unique favorite dessert, or definitely a more complicated one... who in their right mind does not like chocolate chip cookies? There are two camps of people... people who like chocolate chip, and people who love them. There are no haters. Chocolate Chip Cookie should run for president. He/She would unite the land. I'd vote for that. Make cookie, not war.
So a bunch of my good looking girl friends came up this weekend to see NYC (Veggie Girl's proclaimed city of choice). They wanted something classic for the long car ride back home. Here's a failsafe cookie recipe.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe by Adam - makes 18-24
-1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
-1 cup packed brown sugar
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 egg, slightly beaten
-1/4 cup butter, melted
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-4 oz of both milk and dark chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate
Preheat your oven to 350*. Get two cookie sheets ready, ungreased. The cookies probably won't stick, so don't worry.
In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, until well incorporated. Just use a wooden spoon, it's a old school and a good workout.
In a small cup or bowl, stir the melted butter, egg, and vanilla extract together. Add this to the dry ingredients and stir until the dough comes together. It should smell delicious and become brown and shiny. If there are some crumbs still on the bottom or the dough doesn't want to come together, just keep at it. Eventually it will form a tough, sticky like dough. Fold the chocolate chips into the dough until they are evenly distributed.
Using two teaspoons, place heaping doughfuls onto the pans, leaving some space for them to spread out. Bake for 8-14 mins, or until the edges lightly brown and the cookies are firm to the touch. Don't overbake these... they kind of firm up as they cool. Cool on the pans for a minute, and then immediately place on a cooling rack until completely cool... if you can wait that long.
Well, this is going to be a shorter than usual Adam post. I'm going to try and update this site a bit, add some more of my cool new friends blogs, and maybe change the layout. I feel there's a lot of wasted space. Does anyone have any reccomendations for cool widgets or blog templates? I would take last place in the computer user olympics, so any help would be great. Drop me an email. I'll post about my NYC trip later this week once the girls get me some pictures, and I have to take care of some unfinished award business I've been putting off. Oh, and don't worry, FFF will be back a la usual. I've only just begun to talk health and fitness. Let me know what direction you want it steered in :)
Sailing away
Comments
For FFF, how about something about different energy bars, and whether or not they're worth it? Feature a Larabar, perhaps?? ;0)
I love the whole wheat pastry flour in these cookies. I've been baking more, and these cookies will just have to be tried out next week. I'm excited!
What is the texture of these cookies like? I would love to try a recipe with whole wheat flour, but I prefer chewy cookies with a crunch on the outside.
The cookies look great considering how little butter you used.
Honestly, I need major help on my layout too.. I don't even have a banner!
I must say Adam, your pictures get better and better. As Tommy Lee says "... it just gets yummier and yummier.." :-)
I have never made cookies with whole wheat flour. I need to try that.
It sounds like you had a good time in NYC, I'm so jealous as I haven't been there in almost a year now. Last time I stayed at the Marriot Marquis in Times Square, let me tell you the energy in that area at night is amazing.
I hope there will be pics soon from you?
Exploring new things is also one of my favorite things about blogging! for me it was a clafouti... haha, when else would I wake up on a sunday morning and make clafouti for me and my roomies?
I love ccc - there's nothing better. These look perfect!
Good blogger templates are hard to find. Most are really, really ungly. There's this site called, Suck My Lolly, and she has some cool ones. Kind of girly though. What do you have questions about? If you need any help, let me know. I can make cool headers!
You're a really good friend to be sending your friends on their way with homemade cookies. The best I managed to muster for my visiting friends a couple of weeks ago was to provide them with a bagel breakfast prior to a hiking trip.
It's nice when you can just bake and eat a choc chip cookie, innit?
By the way, you forgot the 'Obsessed with, will trip you for the last one' camp of CC cookie eaters. Guess which one I'm in?
Does the wholewheat pastry flour make a difference to the way these taste?
I ll try it soon and let you know the outcome. You ll see pics on my blog . Thanks for the recipe. I agree with you a blog really motivates and pushes you to a new limit. I just started mine and i really enjoy it.
Good luck with fixing up and changing up your blog. Isn't it never ending?! I am so not happy with mine right now, but don't have the time, inspiration, or energy to go for it, but probably soon. I have no suggestions for you, but I'm sure you have a lot of friends who have a real talent for it {I don't!} and can help you out. Again, good luck!
nice blog!
Love the ww flour! I really love making my cheats more healthy!
I find that blogging keeps me really creative. I have readers who keep me going and trying to come up with interesting and more creative dishes! Food blogging RULES!
Christina - You're so right, chocolate kind of goes with the nutty flour taste
Nik - I'm glad we all get to see your creative side too :)
Steph - The texture all comes down to how long you bake them. Do not overbake these things, and they will be chewy awesome.
Lisa - Thanks alot. We'll make a cookie Olympics sometime.
Cookie - Ha, why yes we do :)
Elle - Milk is a total necessity.
Teresa - Ha, Juggling is hard, magic is more of my thing :)
Dawn - Yeah I'll put some up this week. I was just compared to Tommy Lee... I never would of guessed that :) You an 80's fan?
Kev - Ha you said it bud.
Tony - Dude I would love to be your room mate if that was the case. I usually roll with light brown sugar, it's more neutral but still really good.
Em - Thanks I just made that up. Maybe I'll take you up on a header.
Lore - CCC are an American thing? Cool.
Ben - Thanks dude, classics rock
Snooky - Thanks a lot. Let me know what kind of cookie recipes you have too.
Nats - Thanks! I think your blog looks great already. Lots of character.
Pam - Thanks. WW flour is our friend here.
Dragon - Thanks cookie buddy :)
Meg - Thanks Meg. Your blog is sweet too.
Gloria - Ha, I'm sure the kids love them.
Lo - Ha, well there's a remedy for that.
Jenn - I couldn't agree more. Sweets for sweets... I like that
Maggie - Thanks. I'm an experimenter too, isn't it great?
just like you I'm planning to change my lay-out and header too!! I'm never satisfied. Anyways, I'm not an expert but I can help you if you want :-) just call my name and I'll be there!!LOL cant wait to see the photos of your NYC trip
btw, i agree with emiline most blogger template are not really nice the best ones are wordpress LOL but lets see what we can do :-)
I just did a big site overhaul - I decided to re-write a template myself but there are loads of nice ones out there. And it's easier now to add widgets to blogger than it used to be!
Anyway, if you want a hand with it give me a shout! Oh - I have a good link somewhere about customising blogs - I'll try to hunt it out now!