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Chocolate Chip Cookies

This chocolate chip cookie recipe has been my tried-and-true for several years now. Luckily, I don't have to search through all of the pinterest "best ever" recipes to find one. And really, if all of the cookies out there are the best ever, does that make them all average? How does one cookie stand out from the rest? I guess you'll have to try them all to figure it out. I received this recipe from a friend about six years ago, and I haven't turned back since. It's nice to have this recipe in my back pocket when I am craving that chocolatey, chewy, melt-in-your-mouth cookie. It turns out as I expect it to every single time. Since I haven't blogged about this recipe before, I've had to go searching through all of my paper recipes to find it. Since I prefer to search for recipes online now, I felt we could both get the benefit of having it on my blog. I hope this cookie becomes your go to from now on.

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe from a friend

INGREDIENTS

2/3 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup shortening

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 eggs, room temp.*

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

12 oz. bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees or 325 degrees for a convection oven. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cream together butter, shortening, both sugars and vanilla extract in a large bowl, about 3 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time.

Mix dry ingredients together in a separate bowl. Slowly add in to creamy mixture. Add in chocolate chips. Mix well.

Scoop heaping spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Side Note: I only bake one tray at a time on the center rack to allow for even cooking. I find it more consistent to have one tray in the oven while working on the next tray. That way one tray is always baking.

Bake for 9-11 minutes, depending on how chewy a cookie you like. I barely let mine brown before pulling them out.

Remove from oven, and transfer to a cooling rack.

Makes approximately 55 cookies.

*To bring eggs to room temperature faster, place eggs in slightly-warmer-than lukewarm water for about five minutes.

Read More 1 Comment | Posted by Amy Lou |

Lemon cookies

Another great find off of Pinterest. These won first place in the Food Dish best cookie contest. Of course I had to taste them for myself. A soft and chewy bite. Delicately sweet with the combination of that tangy lemon flavor. This cookie is a keeper.

Lemon Cookies
Adapted Recipe from: LDS Living

INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
2 tsp. lemon zest
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease light colored baking sheets with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again.
Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar.
Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate.
Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar.
Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.
Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte.
Remove from oven and cool cookies about three minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
*If using a non-stick darker baking tray, reduce baking time by about 2 minutes.

Read More 2 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Bacon caramel popcorn

Bacon Caramel Popcorn
Adapted Recipe from: About.com

INGREDIENTS

8 slices bacon

6 cups popped popcorn (plain)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. light corn syrup
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted
candy thermometer

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray.

Cook the bacon in a skillet until crispy. Drain off the fat and let cool. Once cool, coarsely chop the bacon into half-inch pieces.

Place the bacon, popcorn and chopped pecans into a large bowl and toss together.

In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup and stir them together over medium heat. Once the sugar and butter have melted, stop stirring and insert a candy thermometer.

Continue to cook the sugar until it reaches 238 degrees which should take 2-3 minutes.

Once the temperature has been reached, remove pan from the heat and add the baking soda. Stir vigorously. The sugar mixture will foam up, so be careful during this step.

Pour the caramel over the popcorn mixture in the bowl and quickly stir together, making sure the popcorn, nuts and bacon are coated with caramel.

Spread the popcorn out over the prepared baking sheet. Bake for about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to distribute the caramel.

Once it is golden brown and crunchy, remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

Store popcorn in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Read More 2 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

i carry your heart with me

My grandma and grandpa

Their wedding day

A gorgeous bride and a handsome groom - my grandparents.

My grandma had eight children, all unique and so special.

My grandma loved her flowers. On any given day there were at least 10 small jars/vases in her kitchen of a flower she had picked or a plant stem that needed stronger roots, growing them all in water. She cared for her plants like the Lord cared for her. Every breath she took she was dedicated to her faith.

And to her husband of 62 years.

Mom and grandma

Grandma with my niece Breyya

Me and my two grandmas

Me, grandma and my mom during her last week.

Today on Valentines Day, my grandmother will be laid to rest. What better way to say I love you than today. We will honor such a strong, gentle grandmother, mother, daughter and friend to so many. I will carry you in my heart always, grandma. I love you.

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart)

i am never without it (anywhere i go you go, my dear;

and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet)

i want no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

BY E. E. CUMMINGS

Read More 3 comments | Posted by Anonymous |

Graphic designer, baker and a photo taker. Inspired by Jesus, photography, stellar design, all things creative, cooking, the arts and funny stuff. I prefer to visually tell stories through photographs; whether a trip I was on, a dessert I made or a recent vintage find. Art is all around me, and I capture it whenever I can.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lemon cookies

Bacon caramel popcorn

i carry your heart with me

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