While in Park City, B stopped by a book store. A wonderful little book store, full of brand new books and so many possibilities. And since B was picking them up by the handful, I decided that I wanted my own. So I wandered around, looking for one that wasn't too expensive, I actually wanted to read (whether I had already or not), and trying not to make it look like I just wanted one too.
I found myself in the children's/teen's section, and picked up this book Wonder. I had heard about it, though basically that adult book groups were reading it (in which case, I would use shy away from it). I knew it was a best-seller. I knew it was a fast-read. So I added it to our growing cart.
I read the whole thing in two days. And if you knew me, a children's book this long should have taken shorter. (True, I was on vacation and didn't have the time to just sit and read for hours straight like I sometimes do.) And while I was engrossed in the story while I was reading it, as soon as I put it down, I promptly forgot about it. There is supposed to be something that I learn from this one, right? There was supposed to be something that I took away from this and applied to my own life, right? I mean, isn't that why all these book discussion groups were talking about it? But I just didn't get it.
And I still don't. I might read it again, if I ever got really bored and the library wasn't open or I had a lot of fines. (Only then do I peruse the bookshelves in our house, full of books I've already read but can't get rid of for some reason.) I might have my kids read it, when they're old enough. But really, if someone wanted to borrow it and never gave it back, I wouldn't mind. If someone wants to discuss it with me, that's fine too. But I won't have too much to say about it. It was a good vacation read. But I'm glad I'm on to other things.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
BROCCOLI SALAD and more...
Tonight's menu: smoked chicken, B's grandmother's broccoli salad, and corn on the cob on the grill. I couldn't be more excited. B loves his new grill, and so far every night since we've had it, we've made dinner using it. And I am not complaining. That thing has gotten me out of most cooking duties, and on to my first love: baking. I'm glad B enjoys his cooking, because it's certainly making me happy. I even do the dishes without complaining because he's done mot of the cooking!
Grilled, smoked chicken is on right now, and I can't wait to try it. B had some elaborate steps, including brining the pieces and setting up the grill to be a smoker, but I didn't really pay attention. But he really isn't putting much of a rub or a marinade or anything else on it. This is why I'm excited to try it.
My contribution to tonight's dinner is B's grandmother's broccoli salad, as I mentioned before. We had it when I first met her, last Thanksgiving when we flew down to Florida so I could meet most of the extended family. It was really good, and I remember liking it, but B remembers loving it. So I got her recipe and here we are, trying it out for ourselves. All the parts are in the fridge now, just waiting for the chicken to be done. I'll post an update when we've actually eaten some of this stuff. Because I think it's going to be amazing.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of broccoli, florets
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup raisins
7 strips bacon, crispy and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Mix first five ingredients in a large bowl. Put it in the fridge until ready to serve.
Mix the last 3 ingredients in a smaller bowl. Put this (separate bowl) into the fridge as well, until ready to serve.
Just before serving, add the wet ingredients to the dry. Serve.
Ridiculously easy, huh? I was pretty psyched when I read the recipe and knew how much B loves it. We'll see if he still likes my version.
Note: This recipe says that it came form the Park City cookbook. Fun coincidence that we just came from there! Also, it says that it is excellent with barbecued chicken and corn on the cob. Which is exactly what we decided to have as well! Somehow, the universe is coming all together.
UPDATE:
Dinner was fabulous. The chicken was moist and flavorful and to die for. The salad was so good we had trouble not eating all of it (but we would have been sick). The corn was wonderful, though not the best part of the meal. And, I forgot to mention, I made french fries! Yes, from scratch. (Are you getting the hint that B and I make WAY too much food for us to eat? And yet we eat it anyway?) Apparently, the trick is to fry the potatoes twice, so that the air inside of them makes it nice and crisp.
So now, as Baby W (yes, we've named him!) pushes up on my ribcage, causing some major pain, my husband is generous enough to do the dishes. And I'm telling you, there are a lot. I can also tell you that both of us will be getting a good night's sleep.
Leftover pumpkin cookies and pumpkin pie for dessert, if we don't explode before then.
Grilled, smoked chicken is on right now, and I can't wait to try it. B had some elaborate steps, including brining the pieces and setting up the grill to be a smoker, but I didn't really pay attention. But he really isn't putting much of a rub or a marinade or anything else on it. This is why I'm excited to try it.
My contribution to tonight's dinner is B's grandmother's broccoli salad, as I mentioned before. We had it when I first met her, last Thanksgiving when we flew down to Florida so I could meet most of the extended family. It was really good, and I remember liking it, but B remembers loving it. So I got her recipe and here we are, trying it out for ourselves. All the parts are in the fridge now, just waiting for the chicken to be done. I'll post an update when we've actually eaten some of this stuff. Because I think it's going to be amazing.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds of broccoli, florets
1 cup chopped red onion
1 cup sunflower seeds
1 cup raisins
7 strips bacon, crispy and crumbled
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons white vinegar
Mix first five ingredients in a large bowl. Put it in the fridge until ready to serve.
Mix the last 3 ingredients in a smaller bowl. Put this (separate bowl) into the fridge as well, until ready to serve.
Just before serving, add the wet ingredients to the dry. Serve.
Ridiculously easy, huh? I was pretty psyched when I read the recipe and knew how much B loves it. We'll see if he still likes my version.
Note: This recipe says that it came form the Park City cookbook. Fun coincidence that we just came from there! Also, it says that it is excellent with barbecued chicken and corn on the cob. Which is exactly what we decided to have as well! Somehow, the universe is coming all together.
UPDATE:
Dinner was fabulous. The chicken was moist and flavorful and to die for. The salad was so good we had trouble not eating all of it (but we would have been sick). The corn was wonderful, though not the best part of the meal. And, I forgot to mention, I made french fries! Yes, from scratch. (Are you getting the hint that B and I make WAY too much food for us to eat? And yet we eat it anyway?) Apparently, the trick is to fry the potatoes twice, so that the air inside of them makes it nice and crisp.
So now, as Baby W (yes, we've named him!) pushes up on my ribcage, causing some major pain, my husband is generous enough to do the dishes. And I'm telling you, there are a lot. I can also tell you that both of us will be getting a good night's sleep.
Leftover pumpkin cookies and pumpkin pie for dessert, if we don't explode before then.
Monday, September 23, 2013
GLAZED PUMPKIN SUGAR COOKIES
Can you say best cookies ever? And I'm not exaggerating. I had a little leftover pumpkin from my pie last night, so I was browsing Pinterest looking for a way to use it up. (Note: I have a recipe for some add-in to your coffee to make it taste like a pumpkin spice latte that I've been wanting to try, but at the moment we have no coffee :( and that pumpkin was just calling to me in the fridge. Soon, I will try this other one, though.) I came across this recipe for cookies, and thought that I might try it. Oh goodness. Dessert heaven.
GLAZED PUMPKIN SUGAR COOKIES
Ingredients:
Cookies:
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (I used fresh, she used canned)
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I left this out. I just made this icing sugar)
Mix butter, oil, pumpkin, sugars, vanilla, and eggs until smooth.
Slowly mix in all dry ingredients until mixed and fluffy.
Spoon onto baking sheet (I always use parchment paper) and flatten using the bottom of a glass. If the dough is too sticky (mine was), dip the bottom of the glass in white sugar for every cookie, then flatten.
Bake for 8 minutes EXACTLY at 350.
GLAZE: Combine ingredients until smooth. After cookies come out of the oven, transfer them to a cooling rack. While the cookies are still hot, put small amount of glaze on top. Let the glaze harden a bit before storing.
Original recipe here: http://www.laurenslatest.com/soft-glazed-pumpkin-sugar-cookies/
TIPS/TECHNIQUES:
1. I committed one of those sins that every baker must never commit: I didn't soften the butter. I wanted to make cookies, and realized that all of my butter was in the fridge still. I don't have a microwave, so there's no easy way out. Until, maybe, today. I turned the oven on to preheat it, and immediately stuck the stick of butter on the rack. I left it there for maybe 2-3 minutes (checking all the time because I didn't want it to melt all over my oven). When I took it out, the edges were soft (not melted) but the middle was still quite firm. I put it in the mixer anyway. I added all the ingredients and started my mixer. For the first mix (all except the dry ingredients) the butter mixed, but was lumpy. I was worried, but pressed on. But the time I was done mixing and ready to bake, the batter was incredibly fluffy and no chunks of butter were left over! And these cookies really are delightful to eat. So maybe I have found a way to bypass my oversight?
2. The glaze is wonderful for these cookies. I was skeptical, because I thought the cookies were pretty great on their own, but this added was even better. The thing about glaze, though, is that it gets gloppy fast. The recipe told me to make the glaze at the end and put it on all the cookies, then let it harden. But I only have a small amount of space to cool the cookies. and the next batch was coming out of the oven fast. So I developed a new method. I let the glaze harden a bit in the bowl, and whenever I needed it, I mixed it up again. I only put the glaze on the hot hot cookies, and that helped to melt it a bit and coat the whole cookie.
GLAZED PUMPKIN SUGAR COOKIES
Ingredients:
Cookies:
1/2 cup softened butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (I used fresh, she used canned)
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
4 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Glaze:
3 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons water
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (I left this out. I just made this icing sugar)
Mix butter, oil, pumpkin, sugars, vanilla, and eggs until smooth.
Slowly mix in all dry ingredients until mixed and fluffy.
Spoon onto baking sheet (I always use parchment paper) and flatten using the bottom of a glass. If the dough is too sticky (mine was), dip the bottom of the glass in white sugar for every cookie, then flatten.
Bake for 8 minutes EXACTLY at 350.
GLAZE: Combine ingredients until smooth. After cookies come out of the oven, transfer them to a cooling rack. While the cookies are still hot, put small amount of glaze on top. Let the glaze harden a bit before storing.
Original recipe here: http://www.laurenslatest.com/soft-glazed-pumpkin-sugar-cookies/
TIPS/TECHNIQUES:
1. I committed one of those sins that every baker must never commit: I didn't soften the butter. I wanted to make cookies, and realized that all of my butter was in the fridge still. I don't have a microwave, so there's no easy way out. Until, maybe, today. I turned the oven on to preheat it, and immediately stuck the stick of butter on the rack. I left it there for maybe 2-3 minutes (checking all the time because I didn't want it to melt all over my oven). When I took it out, the edges were soft (not melted) but the middle was still quite firm. I put it in the mixer anyway. I added all the ingredients and started my mixer. For the first mix (all except the dry ingredients) the butter mixed, but was lumpy. I was worried, but pressed on. But the time I was done mixing and ready to bake, the batter was incredibly fluffy and no chunks of butter were left over! And these cookies really are delightful to eat. So maybe I have found a way to bypass my oversight?
2. The glaze is wonderful for these cookies. I was skeptical, because I thought the cookies were pretty great on their own, but this added was even better. The thing about glaze, though, is that it gets gloppy fast. The recipe told me to make the glaze at the end and put it on all the cookies, then let it harden. But I only have a small amount of space to cool the cookies. and the next batch was coming out of the oven fast. So I developed a new method. I let the glaze harden a bit in the bowl, and whenever I needed it, I mixed it up again. I only put the glaze on the hot hot cookies, and that helped to melt it a bit and coat the whole cookie.
Vacation
I have the time to get around to talking about our lovely vacation!
We headed out for a friend's wedding in Seattle early on Friday morning. We hadn't planned exactly how we were going to get from the airport to the wedding itself, so it was a surprise to land in Seattle and learn that the couple had sent one of their friends to pick us up! He was a great tour driver, and as we passed downtown he showed us all there was to see. Neither B nor I had ever been to that part of the country before, and I must say that it is beautiful. The trees are so overwhelming and the rain felt like it belonged. I would love to visit again, though not in so much of a hurry.
We arrived at the church and began to help decorate. This wedding was run by all the family and friends of the couple, and it was wonderful to see everyone pitch in so willingly. B was a groomsman, so he had other responsibilities, but I helped arrange and decorate tables and prepare food. It was an intense day-before-the-wedding. We didn't have a car, so we had to rely on others to drive us to our hotel and pick us up, but it wasn't too much of a problem. The wedding itself was wonderful. The sun came out and everything went smoothly, and the couple are now happily back from their honeymoon and preparing to move to England for the next few years. B and I were so happy that we were able to share in their day.
From Seattle, we flew to Park City, UT. B's family has a condo there, so it was wonderful to be able to spend a week in the mountains with a car and a condo for our use. It rained quite a bit, but even that couldn't hide the beauty and awe of the mountains. We spent a day in Salt Lake City, and we were able to tour the LDS grounds and see the organ. We took the ski lifts to the top of the mountains and hiked down (yes, as I am seven months pregnant, I am pretty proud of that one). And of course we ate good food. Park City is known for its yummy restaurants (though most are pretty expensive). We were able to try a few of the really nice ones and enjoy the good down-to-earth cooking of others. In short, our trip is exactly what we needed: a relaxing time away before fall really settled in and September, October, and November zoom by. It will probably be our last vacation before the baby comes, so I'm glad that we were able to take it. Hopefully soon.
We headed out for a friend's wedding in Seattle early on Friday morning. We hadn't planned exactly how we were going to get from the airport to the wedding itself, so it was a surprise to land in Seattle and learn that the couple had sent one of their friends to pick us up! He was a great tour driver, and as we passed downtown he showed us all there was to see. Neither B nor I had ever been to that part of the country before, and I must say that it is beautiful. The trees are so overwhelming and the rain felt like it belonged. I would love to visit again, though not in so much of a hurry.
We arrived at the church and began to help decorate. This wedding was run by all the family and friends of the couple, and it was wonderful to see everyone pitch in so willingly. B was a groomsman, so he had other responsibilities, but I helped arrange and decorate tables and prepare food. It was an intense day-before-the-wedding. We didn't have a car, so we had to rely on others to drive us to our hotel and pick us up, but it wasn't too much of a problem. The wedding itself was wonderful. The sun came out and everything went smoothly, and the couple are now happily back from their honeymoon and preparing to move to England for the next few years. B and I were so happy that we were able to share in their day.
From Seattle, we flew to Park City, UT. B's family has a condo there, so it was wonderful to be able to spend a week in the mountains with a car and a condo for our use. It rained quite a bit, but even that couldn't hide the beauty and awe of the mountains. We spent a day in Salt Lake City, and we were able to tour the LDS grounds and see the organ. We took the ski lifts to the top of the mountains and hiked down (yes, as I am seven months pregnant, I am pretty proud of that one). And of course we ate good food. Park City is known for its yummy restaurants (though most are pretty expensive). We were able to try a few of the really nice ones and enjoy the good down-to-earth cooking of others. In short, our trip is exactly what we needed: a relaxing time away before fall really settled in and September, October, and November zoom by. It will probably be our last vacation before the baby comes, so I'm glad that we were able to take it. Hopefully soon.
Pumpkin time! FRESH
Finally, I have enough energy to do things again! I have cleaned the house (well, started anyway) and made some food, though B is still helping me out on that front. But he loves it!
Yesterday, he bought a new grill. Now, we had a grill, but that grill is extremely small. The last apartment we lived in had only a small balcony on which to do anything outside (I'm talking two chairs, a small drinks table in between, and we still had to squeeze around to sit in them), so the grill was literally the smallest little charcoal grill we could find. Now that we have a house, with a beautiful front lawn, we decided to go ahead and make the purchase: a new, bigger, charcoal grill.
Last night, we broke it in. Two beautiful steaks on one side (almost two pounds of meat!) and a tray full of peppers, onions, and mushrooms on the other. I made some cornbread in the oven, and after we started our meal, B added a few ears of sweet corn to the grill, so we could eat them hot when we were ready. It was heavenly.
And on top of all of this, the weather is finally starting to cool down. We ate outside and actually got a little chilly. Which is all to say that I love fall and all the flavors that come with it. When we went to the store to pick up the meat, I couldn't help myself from adding a few pumpkins to the cart. I just had to have fresh pumpkin.
If you've never had fresh pumpkin, straight from the oven off the rind, you are completely missing out. The smaller ones are sweeter, and the grocery store even had the ones labeled "pie pumpkins" so it was really easy to choose the right one. And they were only $3-4! I love when something so yummy to turns out to be so cheap.
Anyway, I got two of these small pumpkins, each about 4 pounds or a little more. I came home and prepared the first one instantly. Instructions: Cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out all the seeds and strings in the middle (this is the fun part) and put them in a bowl for later. Plop them in the oven (I like to put them cut side down on a cookie sheet covered in parchment) and cook in 350 oven until the flesh is tender, about 30-45 minutes for my pumpkin. Remove from the oven, let cool, and scoop out into a bowl. Put all this flesh into a food processor and puree. And then eat. Eat to your heart's content. Because goodness can also come in a taste. And that is fresh pumpkin.
I made a pumpkin pie from all this pumpkin, but it turned out not so well. The crust got soggy in the middle, and there is too much ginger. I tried a new recipe and followed it pretty well, so I guess I'll just have to return to my mom's. And I have another pumpkin just waiting for me on the counter, so I think I might try again.
Yesterday, he bought a new grill. Now, we had a grill, but that grill is extremely small. The last apartment we lived in had only a small balcony on which to do anything outside (I'm talking two chairs, a small drinks table in between, and we still had to squeeze around to sit in them), so the grill was literally the smallest little charcoal grill we could find. Now that we have a house, with a beautiful front lawn, we decided to go ahead and make the purchase: a new, bigger, charcoal grill.
Last night, we broke it in. Two beautiful steaks on one side (almost two pounds of meat!) and a tray full of peppers, onions, and mushrooms on the other. I made some cornbread in the oven, and after we started our meal, B added a few ears of sweet corn to the grill, so we could eat them hot when we were ready. It was heavenly.
And on top of all of this, the weather is finally starting to cool down. We ate outside and actually got a little chilly. Which is all to say that I love fall and all the flavors that come with it. When we went to the store to pick up the meat, I couldn't help myself from adding a few pumpkins to the cart. I just had to have fresh pumpkin.
If you've never had fresh pumpkin, straight from the oven off the rind, you are completely missing out. The smaller ones are sweeter, and the grocery store even had the ones labeled "pie pumpkins" so it was really easy to choose the right one. And they were only $3-4! I love when something so yummy to turns out to be so cheap.
Anyway, I got two of these small pumpkins, each about 4 pounds or a little more. I came home and prepared the first one instantly. Instructions: Cut the pumpkin in half. Scoop out all the seeds and strings in the middle (this is the fun part) and put them in a bowl for later. Plop them in the oven (I like to put them cut side down on a cookie sheet covered in parchment) and cook in 350 oven until the flesh is tender, about 30-45 minutes for my pumpkin. Remove from the oven, let cool, and scoop out into a bowl. Put all this flesh into a food processor and puree. And then eat. Eat to your heart's content. Because goodness can also come in a taste. And that is fresh pumpkin.
I made a pumpkin pie from all this pumpkin, but it turned out not so well. The crust got soggy in the middle, and there is too much ginger. I tried a new recipe and followed it pretty well, so I guess I'll just have to return to my mom's. And I have another pumpkin just waiting for me on the counter, so I think I might try again.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Update
The last post I wrote detailed my trip to the hospital, my kidney infection, and the fact that we were headed out on a well-deserved vacation after all that we had been through. Well, we did that. And we got back on Tuesday. Just in time for me to come down with some sort of respiratory infection. Welcome home, right? So today I sit here either shivering or sweating like a pig because of my fever and battling a cough that refuses to stay down every time I breathe or talk. On top of that, I forgot to get the chicken out of the freezer so that we can have dinner (a necessity, since I haven't been food shopping yet from vacation).
Here's to hoping that you are having a good week. Because I certainly am not.
Here's to hoping that you are having a good week. Because I certainly am not.
Thursday, September 5, 2013
Away, we go away.
B and I were planning on heading out to Seattle for a wedding this weekend, and had an elaborate plan of driving out there and camping our way through national parks and forests to reach our destination. We figured that since we were both between jobs and the baby isn't here yet, this would be the perfect time to try one of these. We were so excited and got all the camping gear we would need and even some of the food.
And then the kidney infection happened. I got out of the hospital on Tuesday. We were supposed to leave on Thursday. That wasn't going to happen with a 6-months-pregnant lady who was still recovering from a major infection where she couldn't even get herself up and out of the bed. So the trip got cancelled.
We were totally bummed. I was definitely looking forward to this trip, and I couldn't wait to get out of the Chicago suburbs and into some real outdoors. I had done all the planning and all the reserving of campsites and more, and then I was forced to go back and cancel all those things. It made me so sad to think that we weren't even going to make it to the wedding.
But B surprised me. While I was sitting at home, watching the days go by and wishing I were in Yellowstone, as we were supposed to be at that moment, he bought some plane tickets. And now, miracle of all miracles, we are headed to Seattle tomorrow to celebrate with friends at their wedding, then off to Park City, UT, where we will still have a week or so of vacation in beautiful mountains. I can't wait. And, I have the best husband ever. The trip may not be exactly what I was thinking of and planning on, but it is still one of the best things that I could have imagined.
And then the kidney infection happened. I got out of the hospital on Tuesday. We were supposed to leave on Thursday. That wasn't going to happen with a 6-months-pregnant lady who was still recovering from a major infection where she couldn't even get herself up and out of the bed. So the trip got cancelled.
We were totally bummed. I was definitely looking forward to this trip, and I couldn't wait to get out of the Chicago suburbs and into some real outdoors. I had done all the planning and all the reserving of campsites and more, and then I was forced to go back and cancel all those things. It made me so sad to think that we weren't even going to make it to the wedding.
But B surprised me. While I was sitting at home, watching the days go by and wishing I were in Yellowstone, as we were supposed to be at that moment, he bought some plane tickets. And now, miracle of all miracles, we are headed to Seattle tomorrow to celebrate with friends at their wedding, then off to Park City, UT, where we will still have a week or so of vacation in beautiful mountains. I can't wait. And, I have the best husband ever. The trip may not be exactly what I was thinking of and planning on, but it is still one of the best things that I could have imagined.
Monday, September 2, 2013
CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES (TOLL HOUSE)
Just finishing up the last dozen cookies from the latest adventure--chocolate chip cookies. B requested them, after failing to find any "fancy" dessert that he wanted after dinner. So we're back to an old favorite.
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Heat oven to 325 F.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy.
Beat in eggs.
Gradually add flour mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes.
Helpful hints:
1. There's been a post circulating Pinterest about the way that ingredients affect how cookies (or muffins or cupcakes or anything else you can think of) come out of the oven. I can't reiterate it enough. Tonight, I took out the butter I was going to use for the cookies, since it has to be softened. I don't have a microwave, and so I always need to be thinking ahead. Well, today was pretty warm, and we decided not to turn the AC on, and then I made dinner and left the butter on the counter in my ridiculously hot kitchen. And you guessed it, the butter was more than softened. It was on its way to becoming melted. And then what did I do? I made the batter and left it on the counter while B and I watched an episode of TV. So not only was the butter already too warm, but I left it out even more before I actually made the cookies. This made the cookies sadly "melty" on the cookie sheet, and bake unevenly. Some on the top are too brown, while others are not quite done. And they are all about 1/4 inch thick and gloppy. But at least they taste good.
2. Parchment paper is my best friend. The recipe calls for a greased cookie sheet, but I never use those anymore. Parchment paper can be reused and it really isn't that expensive. When I got married, my aunt (a wonderful baker that I hope to be one day) furnished my kitchen with everything baking-related. And this included a giant package of parchment paper from King Arthur Flour. Almost a year and a half into my marriage, and I haven't even scratched the surface of that package. And I make a lot of cookies.
3. A cookie scooper. Is there a better word for this? My mom taught me that using one of these (they look like a ice cream scoop, but smaller) ensures that each cookie is the same size. She likes them when she's baking for gifts or for other people at all. I have come to rely on them, just because they make things so much easier. I have three different sizes, and I use each and every one of them.
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Heat oven to 325 F.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until creamy.
Beat in eggs.
Gradually add flour mixture.
Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet. Bake 9-11 minutes.
Helpful hints:
1. There's been a post circulating Pinterest about the way that ingredients affect how cookies (or muffins or cupcakes or anything else you can think of) come out of the oven. I can't reiterate it enough. Tonight, I took out the butter I was going to use for the cookies, since it has to be softened. I don't have a microwave, and so I always need to be thinking ahead. Well, today was pretty warm, and we decided not to turn the AC on, and then I made dinner and left the butter on the counter in my ridiculously hot kitchen. And you guessed it, the butter was more than softened. It was on its way to becoming melted. And then what did I do? I made the batter and left it on the counter while B and I watched an episode of TV. So not only was the butter already too warm, but I left it out even more before I actually made the cookies. This made the cookies sadly "melty" on the cookie sheet, and bake unevenly. Some on the top are too brown, while others are not quite done. And they are all about 1/4 inch thick and gloppy. But at least they taste good.
2. Parchment paper is my best friend. The recipe calls for a greased cookie sheet, but I never use those anymore. Parchment paper can be reused and it really isn't that expensive. When I got married, my aunt (a wonderful baker that I hope to be one day) furnished my kitchen with everything baking-related. And this included a giant package of parchment paper from King Arthur Flour. Almost a year and a half into my marriage, and I haven't even scratched the surface of that package. And I make a lot of cookies.
3. A cookie scooper. Is there a better word for this? My mom taught me that using one of these (they look like a ice cream scoop, but smaller) ensures that each cookie is the same size. She likes them when she's baking for gifts or for other people at all. I have come to rely on them, just because they make things so much easier. I have three different sizes, and I use each and every one of them.
Candide by Voltaire
I've decided--what is life without the books that we read? So I've decided to keep a tab on the books that I read, as well as everything else I'm already doing.
Candide by Voltaire. Such and interesting book. I read it in high school (thanks AP History) and filled out a little worksheet for it for extra credit, but I must have had a bad translation or I really wasn't paying attention to what I was reading then. Because this second time around was quite different.
B is a philosopher, and his reading would be quite different from mine. Basically, because I didn't get all the references or all that Voltaire was trying to say. Instead, I read it for the story itself. The story about the man that continued throughout life looking for evidence that there were good things and good people. An for the story, it is quite fantastical. Meeting long-lost friends though dead (several) and all the hardships he himself went through, only to find that what he wanted in the end was not very exciting. I liked the story (other than the details of the abuse suffered by every character) and I would read it again, but probably not for a long time.
Candide by Voltaire. Such and interesting book. I read it in high school (thanks AP History) and filled out a little worksheet for it for extra credit, but I must have had a bad translation or I really wasn't paying attention to what I was reading then. Because this second time around was quite different.
B is a philosopher, and his reading would be quite different from mine. Basically, because I didn't get all the references or all that Voltaire was trying to say. Instead, I read it for the story itself. The story about the man that continued throughout life looking for evidence that there were good things and good people. An for the story, it is quite fantastical. Meeting long-lost friends though dead (several) and all the hardships he himself went through, only to find that what he wanted in the end was not very exciting. I liked the story (other than the details of the abuse suffered by every character) and I would read it again, but probably not for a long time.
DAD'S PARMESAN CHICKEN
The weather is finally beautiful here in the Midwest. Sadly, I believe that it won't last. Goodness, it's September! Enough of this heat already.
Today was filled with cleaning and cooking--my kind of day :) The floors are mopped, the dishes are done, the carpet in vacuumed, the bathroom is clean, and (most) of the laundry is folded and put away. After a few days being out of commission, it's nice to finally be able to clean the house so that it is usable again. I've been waiting for this day.
Dinner tonight was my dad's parmesan chicken. No, it's not the same as the breaded chicken in tomato sauce and spaghetti. Instead, it's yummy goodness covered in butter and bread crumbs. Amazing. It's known as my dad's signature dish, and anytime I make it there are compliments. And it really is super easy.
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried parsley
some salt
a little pepper
1/3 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast HALVES
dash paprika
In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.
In another bowl, combine the butter, lemon juice, and garlic.
Dip chicken in butter mixture, then roll in crumbs.
Roll up chicken jelly-roll style; place seam side down in greased baking dish.
Drizzle with any remaining butter mixture; sprinkle with paprika.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 35 minutes or until juices run clear.
This recipe is wonderful. Just saying.
Today was filled with cleaning and cooking--my kind of day :) The floors are mopped, the dishes are done, the carpet in vacuumed, the bathroom is clean, and (most) of the laundry is folded and put away. After a few days being out of commission, it's nice to finally be able to clean the house so that it is usable again. I've been waiting for this day.
Dinner tonight was my dad's parmesan chicken. No, it's not the same as the breaded chicken in tomato sauce and spaghetti. Instead, it's yummy goodness covered in butter and bread crumbs. Amazing. It's known as my dad's signature dish, and anytime I make it there are compliments. And it really is super easy.
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried parsley
some salt
a little pepper
1/3 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, minced
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast HALVES
dash paprika
In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper.
In another bowl, combine the butter, lemon juice, and garlic.
Dip chicken in butter mixture, then roll in crumbs.
Roll up chicken jelly-roll style; place seam side down in greased baking dish.
Drizzle with any remaining butter mixture; sprinkle with paprika.
Bake, uncovered, at 350 F for 35 minutes or until juices run clear.
This recipe is wonderful. Just saying.
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