Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (10 5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until warm

• 1 cup packed (7 ounces) light or dark brown sugar

• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) granulated sugar

• 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1-1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or above, I used mini M&Ms)

Directions:

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper- and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Either by hand or with an electric mixer, mix the butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla until combined. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed just until combined. Stir in the chips to taste.

4. Roll a scant 1/4 cup of the dough into a ball. Hold the dough ball with the fingertips of both hands and pull into 2 equal halves. Rotate the halves 90 degrees and, with jagged surfaces facing up, join the halves together at their base, again forming a single ball, being careful not to smooth the dough's uneven surface. Place the formed dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, jagged surface up, spacing them 2 1/2 inches apart.

5. Bake until the cookies are light golden grown and the outer edges start to harden yet the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the baking sheets front to back and top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets. Remove the cooled cookies from the baking sheets with a side metal spatula.

Note: These oversized cookies are chewy and thick, like many of the chocolate chip cookies sold in gourmet shops and cookie stores. They rely on melted butter and an extra egg yolk to keep their texture soft. These cookies are best served warm from the oven but will retain their texture even when cooled. To ensure the proper texture, cool the cookies on the baking sheet. Oversized baking sheets allow you to get all the dough into the oven at one time. If you're using smaller baking sheets, put fewer cookies on each sheet and bake them in batches.

Makes 18 large cookies (9 on each large baking sheet).

Notes:

I know not many recipes can rival mom's chocolate chip recipe! But I find myself turning to these more and more. A friend made these for me after EmmaMae was born as the dessert to the dinner she brought. She made me a log of dough that I could easily make into cookies whenever we wanted. It was great! And I LOVE these cookies. I usually have the ingredients on hand, they only take 2 pans cooking at the same time (so none of the in and out of the oven forever, which is usually why I don't make cookies), and they are large and chewy! The recipe source has a picture on her blog about how to form the cookies. It sounds complicated but it's not and totally worth it! These are large cookies and remind of the bakeries here in NYC. Now, I try and follow my friend's tradition and if I don't make the Simple Brownies for dessert, I usually bring the new mom some of these cooked or a log of dough ready to be snacked on when the chocolate urge strikes!

Source: http://www.browneyedbaker.com/2008/06/21/thick-and-chewy-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Simple Granola Bars

Simple Granola Bars

Ingredients:

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1/2 cup wheat germ (or wheat bran or ground flax, or mixture)

• 3/4 t ground cinnamon

• 1 C whole wheat flour

• 3/4-1 C raisins (I usually throw in a full cup)

• 3/4 t salt

• 1/2 C oil (I have used olive oil or canola oil)

• 1/2 C honey

• 1 beaten egg

• 2 t vanilla extract

• Variations: craisins, coconut, mini chocolate chips, slivered almonds, etc

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and line with waxed or parchment paper a 9x13 baking pan.

2. In a large bowl, stir together oats, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins, and salt. Make a well in the center and pour in the honey, egg, oil, and vanilla. Mix well with a spoon or fork until all moistened evenly. Put into prepared pan and smooth out, pressing down evenly with spatula. 

3. Bake for 18-20 minutes, just until edges start to brown/golden. Cool for 5-10 minutes and then lift out the squares (the waxed or parchment paper makes this easy) and cut into squares. Best to cut while still warm.  Store in air tight container. 

Makes 18 medium sized granola bars. (I cut once lengthwise and then 8 times width wise in the 9x13 to make 18 bars). 

Notes:

We eat a lot of granola bars around here, especially as we are on the go. Making my own saves a lot of money and they are much healthier than many of the processed kinds. I have tried many recipes but I keep coming back to this one. It can be changed quite a bit (if you don't have wheat germ, that's okay!). I like that they pack well and don't fall apart as some do. Full of protein and whole grains, they are filling - which is a must in our snack department! The boys like to grab one as we head to the playground, I bring some in a tupperware when we are out and about, or they throw one in their lunches. I try to make these weekly, although I'm sure we would eat more if I made them more often! I haven't tried, but I'm sure they freeze well, too. Very simple to stir together and pop in the oven, so I feel like they are still convenient and worth making instead of buying.

Source: Adapted from and picture credit:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/playgroup-granola-bars/detail.aspx