"C" is for Cookie

“Marge, it's 3 AM. Shouldn't you be baking?”
-Homer Simpson

Ahh, nothing like a good Simpson quote to start off a post.

Today's subject: cookies...chocolate chip cookies, to be exact. Cook's Illustrated magazine has no less than 4 chocolate chip cookie recipes, all promising to be better than the last. The particular recipe that I have been using was, I thought, as good as it could get.

Since this particular batch was made however, the May/June 2009 issue of Cook's Illustrated arrived in my mailbox containing yet another recipe, this time touting the be all and end all Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies. Cook's Illustrated has thrown down the gauntlet. The game is afoot!

First, my go-to recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookies.
(Stay tuned for Chocolate Chip Cookies: The Rematch)

Mix the butter and sugars...

...eggs and vanilla...

...flour...

...chocolate chips....

...measure 1/4 cup...

....and roll into a ball. Sometimes here I roll all
the dough into balls and put them all into the
refrigerator. Then after dinner I'll bake 3 or 4 for
dessert.

When you're ready to bake you take one ball of dough...

...break it in half...

...rotate each piece 90 degrees with jagged sides up....

...then set it on a cookie sheet with the rough sides up

Ready to bake

That's good enough for me!
Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe, do your best!


Let's think of other things that starts with "C"

Across the street from our house is a trail that runs along the bay. There's biking/jogging/walking trails, a playground, a dog park, a golf course, art sculptures and some really incredible views. Here's some stuff we've seen...

Caution Signs

Cats on the Water

I love the idea of being a "Cat Socializer". It makes me think I should bring tea and crumpets down to the water and have conversations that start with "Have you seen the latest edition of Lolcats?"

California Poppy

Chloe, Danny and Jocelyn's Puppy

("Who's a cute puppy-wuppy? Are you a cute puppy-wuppy! Yes you are! Oh, yes, you are!")

and then there's...
Cake!

I made this Lemon Lover's Cake on Sunday. A yellow cake with buttercream frosting (my first try with real vanilla beans), topped with lemon curd and garnished with sugared lemons and white chocolate curls.

And finally, there's Code Pink. If you have any knitting or crochet abilities, I encourage you to go check it out.