TWD: Chewy, Chunky Blondies

Nicole of Cookies on Friday picked Chewy, Chunky Blondies for this week's Tuesdays with Dorie recipe.


What's a chewy, chunky blondie, you ask? Imagine a chocolate cookie dough with heaping piles of coconut, chopped pecans, and toffee bits thrown in and baked in bar form. Yeah, um, it was pretty much a given that these would be awesome. I loved them, the folks at the cook-out I took them to loved them.

All in all, these blondies were a grand-slam home run, I'd say.

The only issue I ran into with these lovelies is that they seemed underbaked, even with 15-20 minutes extra time in the oven. But that wasn't a problem, they were still fantastic.

Thanks Nicole for a great pick! You can stop by Nicole's blog if you'd like to see the recipe. Or, of course, getting ahold of a copy of Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking, From my Home to Yours" is an option too.

OK, see you a little later on today with my Daring Baker's post. (So much baking, so little time.)

TWD: Chockablock Cookies

Dear Reader,

I'm sorry I haven't had any witty observations about life to share with you lately.

I'm sorry I don't have any progress photos that entice you to run into the kitchen (right now!) and bake these.

I'm sorry I don't have any heart-warming stories about how these cookies remind me of my grandma.

All I have is cookies, chockablock full of chunky, chewy add-ins...


... like dried figs, sliced almonds, chocolate chips, and oatmeal.

Every time I ate one, I thought about how I like chocolate chip cookies better. Somehow, though, that thought didn't stop me from eating about 20 of them.

Hmmmm... now I'm not so sure.

Sorry readers. Life has been busy. Focus has been elsewhere. But I'm still here, waiting for that full-on blogging urge to hit.

Thanks so much to Mary of Popsicles and Sandy Feet for choosing these make-them-your-own cookies for this week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe. If you'd like to see the recipe, please visit Mary's blog or find yourself a copy of Dorie Greenspan's book, "Baking, From my Home to Yours".

TWD: My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies, Day 8 of "8 Days with Dorie"

Kait of Kait’s Plate selected My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies for this week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe.

Chocolate chip cookies are like brownies in that there are so many variations, from cakey to chewy to thick to thin to crispy to soft. It's hard to say that any one recipe is the best, because every one's definition of the best is different.

I thought Dorie's chocolate chip cookies (I'm going to call them "CCC" from here on out) were on the thin and crispy side. They were good, but I tend to like my CCC thicker and softer. I'm glad I tried these, though, it's always nice to have another data point in the quest to find the perfect (for me) chocolate chip cookies. Plus, a not-perfect CCC is better than no CCC at all, right?

OK, that's all for now, folks. Tomorrow and the next day I'll post the last two recipes in my "to bake" TWD list. After that, I'm all caught up and will have baked every recipe the group has baked since the beginning of TWD. Woo hoo! And yes, I'm an insane over achiever... woo hoo!

You can find the cookie recipe on Kait's blog, or in Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking, From my Home to Yours".

Chocolate Chip Cookies, Four Ways

I'm one of those folks who can't seem to find the exit to the weight-loss/weight-gain roller coaster. Sometimes I'm on the fit and healthy side of the hill, and sometimes I'm on the can't-button-my-top-pants-button side of the hill. After reading this post, I'll let you guess which side of the hill I'm on right now.

Last month, I was on a full-on Chocolate Chip Cookie kick. About once a week, I'd whip up another batch, all under the guise of "testing recipes" (mmm hmm, right).

First, I made the Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies from the King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion. (You might want to check out the recipe----> here.)





Next, were the Chocolate Chip Cookies Straight Up or with Nuts from Elizabeth Faulkner's Demolition Desserts. (The recipe is---> here. You might need to click the page-up button to get to page 23.)



Moving along, we have Chocolate Chip Cookies from the Art & Soul of Baking by Cindy Mushet. (That recipe is---> here.)



Finally, we had Chocolate Chip Cookies from Baked, New Frontiers in Baking, by Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito. I couldn't find the recipe online and I haven't asked permission to post the recipe, so I encourage you to borrow, buy, or steal a copy of the book (just kidding about that last one!). It's a first rate collection of creative desserts with plenty of drool-worthy photos.





I'm guessing you'd like to know how they tasted.

I wish I could remember!

Well, you see, I meant to take notes and compare and contrast, I really did, but then I slipped into a sugar coma and forgot! It's the truth, I swear! Please don't haul me to the slammer.

Ha, just kidding (sort of). I remember they were all a little less cakey than I tend to like, but that's nothing that an extra 1/2 cup of flour wouldn't solve, I'm guessing.

If you like chewy CCC, I think the Demolition Dessert cookies probably had the nicest chewy texture with that sort of caramely tinge. My hubby liked the chopped chocolate.

The King Arthur cookies had that blend of crispy outside and a bit of soft inside.

The Art and Soul of Baking cookies were softest (my favorite trait).

The Baked cookies look thicker in the book than I think mine turned out, so I would definitely add a little more flour if I made these again (I tend to go easy on the flour anyway, so this might have been my fault.)

All of them tasted really good. I didn't have any complaints with the taste.

OK, folks, that's all for now. Please excuse me while I head to the gym for a 50 mile run followed by 500 sit-ups and several hours of weight training. Or maybe I'll just make some more cookies.

TWD: Chipster Topped Brownies

Every so often you run across a dessert that really knocks your socks off. Take this week's Tuesday's with Dorie recipe, Chipster-Topped Brownies, for example. Talk about a stroke of genius... this brownie had a crunchy chocolate chip cookie crust. (Sigh)

Since brownies and chocolate chip cookies are my all time favorites, it isn't much of a surprise that I wanted these treats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (OK, OK, snack time too). Thanks so much to Beth of Supplicious for picking these. They were da bomb!


In case you aren't drooling yet, let me share a few visuals.

The first task is to layer brownie batter in a pan. Then, dollop the chocolate chip cookie dough on top...


Smooth the cookie layer as best as you can. Some folks had problems with this. My kitchen was warm and I think that helped me get a smooth batter.


Next came the hard part; figuring out when they were done baking. There were comments on the TWD forum all over the board. Some folks baked for the recommended time and they were overdone... some for the recommended time and the brownies were goopy. I baked mine for 20 minutes longer than recommended, and the brownie layer was still leaning towards slightly underdone. This was OK, though (they are brownies, after all). After they sat, they were fine for eating.

On the down side, these won't win any awards for beauty. Mine puffed up in the oven and then cratered at the end of baking.


But all was forgiven after sampling. Forget looks! These babies rock out loud! Will definitely make these again.

FYI... I added the nuts to the chocolate chip cookie layer rather than the brownie layer since I'm a "no-nuts-in-my-brownies" type. I also added a couple of handfuls of Heath toffee bits to the cookie layer as well. They both added an extra scrumptious crunch to the topping.

All righty! That's it for now. If you'd like to see the recipe, please check out Dorie Greenspan's book "Baking, From my Home to Yours" or check out Beth's blog, above.

Operation Baking Gals, Round 5

This was my care package for Operation Baking Gals, Round 5, sent to a soldier named Dustin. I wish I could have packed the whole Christmas tree in the box along with mugs of steamy hot chocolate and a gentle falling snow.


I feel so bad for the soldiers that are away for Christmas, and their families. But all I can do is send my box of cookies and say my prayers for their quick and safe return.

Here are the cookies I made...

Butter Crunch Cookies


This was my favorite cookie from this year's cookie exchange with my cake decorating club. They were made by Ceil Kessler, who always manages to make the tastiest treats. This cookie is strangely addictive... I wasn't in love with them at first, but I keep on sampling them and before I knew it the only thing I wanted in life was more of these cookies. I believe this this recipe comes from allrecipes.com.

2 C. butter, softened
2 C. sugar
3 C. all-purpose flour
2 tsp. cream of tarter
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
4 C. Cornflakes, lightly crushed
1 C. chopped pecans

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in the cornflakes and pecans.

Scoop by spoonful and place on an ungreased cookie sheet, or cover sheet with parchment paper. *don't use a silpat, I tried one and they spread like crazy* Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned.

Makes about 8 dozen


Candy Cane Snowballs


This was my favorite cookie from last year's cookie exchange with my cake decorating club, and was made by Sue Tickel, who wins every cake decorating contest she enters. They come from Taste of Home.


2 C. butter, softened
1 C. powdered sugar
3-1/2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. chopped pecans
8 oz. white chocolate or white candy coating
1/3 to 1/2 C. crushed peppermint candy

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and powdered sugar. Stir in vanilla. Gradually add flour. Stir in pecans. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours or until easy to handle.

Roll into 1 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. In a microwave-safe bowl, melt white chocolate or candy coating; stir until smooth. Dip the top of each cookie into the candy coating, then into the peppermint candy.

Makes 5 dozen.

Sugar Spiral Cookies


This is my normal sugar cookie recipe, which you can find at the bottom of ----> this post. Or I'm sure any sugar cookie dough would work.

What I did is to roll the whole batch of dough into as close of a rectangle as I could, maybe a little less than 1/4 inch thick. You don't want them too thick or you won't have a very big spiral (unless of course, you want them that way). My rectangle was maybe 8 inches deep by however long that made them. I trimmed the edges to make a clean rectangle.

I sprinkled a whole gob of red sanding sugar over the rectangle and then pressed it in slightly using my rolling pin. I then rolled them up into a log.


I wet the edge a little so it would hold the spiral shut. Then refrigerated the log until well chilled. At least a half hour. Then I sliced into 1/4 inch slices, chilled for a little while, and baked like normal.

Chocolate Chip Cookies


Of course, I had to do like everyone else in the blogosphere and try the famous New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I thought they were very good. I can't say that they were heads and tails above any other recipe I've tried. But they were good, I would make them again.

OK, over and out until next month!! Many thanks to Val and Randy from Just Add Nuts for leading this month's effort.

Operation Baking Gals, Round 4

I know, it's Tuesday and I'm supposed to be posting my Tuesday's with Dorie recipe today. However, Laurie, our fearless TWD leader, has given us the option of posting late this week, since this week's recipe is a Thanksgiving pie. So, I'm posting my Operation Baking Gals November contribution today instead.

It was a very patriotic and emotional month. It started with Election Day and all of the drama and anxiety that brings. Then, Veteran's Day, where I got to see my oldest son "post the colors" (i.e. bring in the flags) with the other Cub Scouts during the elementary school Veteran's Day program. (The Veteran's Day program was very touching and well done and once again proved how easily I cry now that I've had children.) Then, I received a letter of thanks from last month's Operation Baking Gals soldier, David. Coincidentally, I received his letter within days of mailing off November's care package to another soldier, Joshua.

Captain David Spirz, stationed in Iraq, wrote such a nice letter. He said my package was the first he recieved, and that he got 11 more boxes of cookies in about 10 days! He sent several pictures of himself and the goodies as well. I really enjoyed reading his letter and sharing the pictures with my two boys. I hope it helped them understand that there are many, many faces behind the word "soldier". David also mentioned that the temperature had finally cooled down to 85-90 degrees... from a consistent 115-120 degrees! Yikes!

I made three different recipes to send to this month's soldier, Joshua.

First, were White Chip Caramel Bars, a brown sugar-based bar cookie studded with white chocolate chips and nuts. The recipe can be found ---> HERE. These bars are delish and will appeal to those with a major sweet tooth. They are supposed to be drizzled with melted white chocolate, but I knew that wouldn't work with the high temperatures in the Middle East, so I left it off.


Second, was half of the Lenox Almond Biscotti I had frozen as an unbaked log several Tuesday's with Dorie ago. I mixed mini chocolate chips into this half, but I didn't like them as well as the original version.


Finally, the Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chunk Cookies I made for Cookie Carnival.


I hope these treats brightened the lives of the soldiers, even if just for a little while. They'll never know how much I appreciate the sacrifice they've made for this country and countries around the world. Thank you!!

Thanks to Susan at She's Becoming DoughMessTic for starting Operation Baking Gals, and also thank you to Bridget at The Way the Cookie Crumbles for hosting our soldier this month.

Cookie Carnival: The Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Just when I think I've made the best chocolate chip cookie yet, along comes another fabulous recipe. I'm starting to think maybe there's no such thing as a bad chocolate chip cookie.

The lovely, Kate, from the Clean Plate Club, and our fearless Cookie Carnival leader has chosen The Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chunk Cookies as this month's cookie. It comes from "In the Sweet Kitchen", by Regan Daley.


Mmmm, these were soft and chewy throughout. They held their shape and didn't flatten out, no doubt due to the large percentage of flour. These cookies contained the same basic amount of sugar, butter, and eggs as the famous Tollhouse chocolate chip cookies, but they have almost a cup of flour more.

Anyway, they were delicious and perfect for dunking into an ice cold glass of milk. I sent most of them to one of the soldiers for Operation Baking Gals (I'll post about that later). I hope the soldiers enjoy them as much as I did.

(I'm not usually one to fall for nick-nacks and do-dads, but I couldn't resist buying this chicken, er, rooster (thanks, Vera!).)


The Ultimate Chewy and Soft Chocolate Chunk Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup unsalted butter at room temp
1 cup tightly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 cups plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
16 oz. flavorful bitter or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or lightly butter them, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, or a large bowl if mixing by hand, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt together in a small bowl. Add the dry ingredients to the butter-sugar mixture, and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks.

3. Using your hands, shape knobs of dough about the size of a large walnut and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Stagger the rows of cookies to ensure even baking. Bake 12-15 for smaller cookies, 14-17 for larger ones or until the tops are a light golden brown. If the cookies are neither firm nor dark when they are removed from the oven, they will cool chewy and soft. Cool the cookies on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. If somehow they don't get inhaled immediately, they may be stored airtight at room temperature for up to one week.

Last Chance to win Free Stuff

Today, Thursday, is the last day for a chance to win my extra, new, copy of the Sweet Melissa Baking Book.

Check it out!

If you already commented, or you already have the book, or you just don't care, I'll throw another chocolate chip cookie recipe out there. (I know you're thinking, "For crying out loud, woman, would you just give chocolate chip cookies a REST!").

Well, no, no I won't. I can't. I'm of the opinion that chocolate chip cookie dough is quite possibly the most delicious substance on planet earth.



This recipe is from allrecipes.com and can be found HERE. These cookies have that lovely crispyness on the outside and chewiness on the inside. I like to add more salt, maybe 3/4 to 1 teaspoon total. I don't recommend refrigerating first, like I did this time, or the cookies end up somewhat flat.



Enjoy!

Operation Baking Gals: Round Three

Whew! I barely made the deadline to join bakers from around the country (maybe world) in thanking soldiers who are serving our country so selflessly and bravely. What better way to thank them than with a box plumb full of cookies!


Operation Baking Gals was started in July by Susan of She's Becoming DoughMESStic. It was a small group of bakers that first month, but the baking-gal ranks have grown to over 700 in three months! Holy Toledo, thatsalotta baked goods flying out of the US Postal Service's hands!

If you'd like to join up, head on over to Operation Baking Gals. Don't worry, it's easy. Susan has all of the important information regarding "what, where, when, and how" on the site.

I sent three types of cookies. Nothing fancy, but some old favorites.

There were chocolate chip cookies...


snickerdoodles...


and sugar cookies, a bite-size version. (OK, this is how persnickety I am. I hated that they weren't color coordinated! What was I thinking, using Halloween sprinkles on one set and turquoise-y sanding sugar on another?!!? Well, the US militry can rest assured that there will be no color mixing snafu's the next time!)




May I say, to each and every soldier out there, and families of soldiers out there, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Words can't express my gratitude for what you do each and every day so that the rest of us can go on our merry way, worrying about unimportant things like what color of sprinkles to use on our cookies. As you eat cookies and baked goods from the Operation Baking Gals, know that they were made with thoughts and prayers for your safety and well-being.



one-pot chocolate chip cookies

I tried this recipe for the first time and it met all of my criteria for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. These cookies stay soft, don't flatten out in the oven, and they taste fantastic. As an added bonus, the recipe uses melted butter, so no waiting around for the butter to soften.

(Recipe reprinted with permission from The Weekend Baker (newly in paperback) by Abigail Johnson Dodge. Be sure to check out Abby's website!

INGREDIENTS
8 tablespoons (113 grams) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup (113 grams) firmly packed brown sugar
1/3 cup (71 grams) granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups (191 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt (I used 1/2 tsp.)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (170 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (57 grams) coarsely chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), optional

1. Position an oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment or nonstick baking liners (I like Silpat).
2. Put the butter in a medium saucepan and set over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter is melted. Slide the pan from the heat and add the brown sugar and granulated sugar. Whisk until no lumps remain. Set aside to let cool, about 5 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well blended. Once the butter mixture has cooled, add the egg and vanilla and whisk until blended. Pour in the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips and the nuts, if using.
4. Using a small ice-cream scoop (about 1 2/3 inches (4.25 cm) in diameter) or tablespoons, drop scant 2-tablespoon mounds of the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets, arranging them about 1 ½ inches (4 cm) apart. (At this point, the loaded cookie sheets can be slipped into the freezer until the cookies are frozen, about 1 hour. Then transfer the cookies to heavy-duty freezer bags and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, remove from the freezer, arrange on lined cookie sheets, and leave on the counter to thaw slightly while the oven heats.)
5. Bake 1 sheet at a time (make sure to use a cooled sheet for the second batch) until the cookies are light golden around the edges and puffed, about 12 minutes. If these cookies are over-baked, they won’t come out chewy. Transfer the cookie sheet to a rack to cool for about 10 minutes. Using a spatula, lift the cookies from the sheet onto a rack and let cool completely.
Storage: Layer the baked and cooled cookies between parchment or waxed paper in an airtight container. They can be stored at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. You don’t even need to thaw them completely. They’re just as delicious cold.

Big Cookie Variation: Scoop up 1/4-cup portions of this cookie dough, arrange them about 3 inches (7.75 cm) apart on the prepared cookie sheets, and flatten the mounds slightly with lightly floured fingertips. Bake 1 sheet at a time until the cookies are light golden around the edges and puffed, about 13 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool as directed for the regular-sized cookies. Makes 10 cookies.


Snickerdoodles

I got this recipe from the girlfriend of one of my classmates in college. This classmate and I were on a project team together and his girlfriend always sent the best cookies along with him to our project team get-togethers. Here's to college girlfriends everywhere!

3-3/4 C. flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 C. butter, room temperature
2 C. sugar
2 eggs
1/4 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
3 T. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon

Either grease a cookie sheet, or line one with parchment paper.

Stir together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt.

Beat the butter until creamy and smooth. Add 2 C. sugar and beat until fluffy and lightened in color. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat well.

Add dry ingredients and mix just until well combined. Form dough into 1-inch balls. Mix remaining sugar and cinnamon. Roll balls in sugar mixture. Place balls 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees. If you like them soft, take them out earlier... they go from soft to crunchy quickly.

Sugar Cookies

This is my go-to sugar cookie recipe that I got from a friend and cookie-decorator extraordinaire. These cookies are soft and cakey with just a hint of salt. This recipe is perfect for cut-out cookies and can also be used for candy cane cookies at Christmas (color half of the dough red, roll pieces into ropes, then twist and bake), or as in this case, rolled into scant 1-inch balls and baked.

1 C. sugar
1 C. salted butter
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 to 3 C self-rising flour

Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg and vanilla and mix well. Add 2-1/2 C. flour. If dough is sticky to the touch keep adding flour until no longer sticky. I typically use about 2-3/4 cups flour.

Dough does not need to be chilled, but can be. If the kitchen is warm, I will chill my pan of cut out cookie shapes before baking to keep them from spreading in the oven.

For cut out cookies, roll to desired thickness, cut shapes with cookie cutters and lay on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 6-9 minutes. I like them just set with no brown edges. Watch the tops while baking, when they longer have a sheen, they're done. For balls, bake about 6-8 minutes... same thing, watch the tops for the sheen. When it's gone, they're done.

Famous Hammus Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

A couple of life-times ago, I worked in an oil refinery. A refinery in Texas… on the Gulf Coast, a stone’s throw away from Louisiana. Kinda swampy, Cajun type country. The kind of country where one might see alligator road kill on the way to work (yes, I sure did).

The kind of country where one might eat gumbo, deep-fried crabs, and bread pudding... or find themselves elbow-deep in crawfish, boiled potatoes, and corn on the cob on a Friday night. No plates required at the crawfish boil, just newspaper and paper towels.

Them’s some good eats, as Alton Brown would say.

Some of the best cooks I ran into during my five years down south were the operators at the refinery. Guys whose dads and granddads had worked there before them. Men and women who, to me, were the salt of the earth. They worked to live, not the other way around.

In the control rooms of the refinery I ate crawfish etouffee, shrimp scampi, Italian cream cake, the most decadent and piled-high carrot cake I've ever eaten… the list goes on... from guys who loved to cook and were happy to share their recipes.

One recipe I collected was from a fellow named Robert Hamm. Fitting name as he was indeed, a ham. These are similar to other oatmeal chocolate chip recipes I’ve seen, but they don’t come with the quirky title that these do. Whatever… they’re hearty and delicious and get raves whenever I make them.


Oh, and what's interesting about the first picture in this post... I was about 300 feet in the air on a tiny little platform that you get to by ladder. Wonder if my inscription is still there...

Anyway, Enjoy!


Famous Hammus Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2-1/2 C. oatmeal
2 C. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 C. butter, room temperature
1 C. brown sugar
1 C. granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 12-oz. bag chocolate chips
1 4-6 oz. Hershey bar or Kisses, chopped or grated
2 C. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Blend oatmeal to a powder in a blender or food processor. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda together with oatmeal powder and pulse a few times to combine.

Cream butter, eggs, vanilla, and both sugars together. Add flour mixture to butter mixture and stir until blended. Add chocolates and pecans and stir well.

Roll into 2-inch balls or drop by an ice cream scooper onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

Carrie's Cookies (Chocolate Chip, that is)

I really wish I could make a living trying new chocolate chip cookie recipes. *sigh*

I recently made Carrie's (Chocolate Chip) cookies, as in Carrie of Carrie's Kitchen Creations. They were soft... mmmm, my favorite! Also, on the first day at least, they had the slightest bit of crispiness on the outside.

I give them... two thumbs up!

Since I had a grab-bag of chips in my pantry, I used 1/2 milk chocolate chips, 1/2 semi-sweet chips, and a couple of handfuls of Heath toffee bits. (I think I'll add toffee bits to EVERY chocolate chip cookie I make from now on.)

You can find the recipe HERE. Thank you, Carrie!

And in the garden, the daisies are blooming!