3 Types of Cookies From ONE Batch of Cookie Dough. Whooo! [Chocolate Snaps]

Chocolate Snaps

I went down to Anaheim this past weekend for Blizzcon 2011 and I nerded it out! LOVED D3 and I cannot wait for it to come out. It's going to be AMAZING!! Hello to all the future monks and demonhunters!

After my last post on Oct. 15, I realized that I was finally out of photos to upload. Wow. I didn't anticipate that happening. Since I've been busy with interviews and vacations this past month, I have been missing my kitchen time. Maybe that's why I lost 2 pounds this month? Today, I decided that I would finally bake chocolate snaps! On my way to the store to purchase butter, my brain started firing off different combinations that I could make with the dough. I ended up with chocolate, strawberry, and peppermint.

The recipe worked great for me! The cookies came out light and crispy. The plain chocolate was good, but the peppermint was a winner for me. It only beat strawberry because...well, peppermint > strawberry.

FYI: The photos are different from my usual style, because I wanted to experiment. Let me know what you think. =)

Strawberry Chocolate

Peppermint Snaps

Chocolate Snap Cookies
adapted from In Jennie's Kitchen

Makes 66 cookies

Note: I understand that my measurements are a mix of grams and cup/spoons, which is confusing. I should explain that those are the measurements I used. As we all know, weight and cup/spoons can vastly differ even if the recipe claims the amount is similar. For example, the original recipe called for 1g or 1/8 tsp of salt, but when I weighed the amount of salt, it was insane so I decided to use 1/8 tsp instead. I also decreased the amount of sugar used in the original, because I don't like my cookies too sweet and the amount of brown sugar was too much for me. So I opted for 4 TBSP brown sugar instead of the original 62g, which fits MY tastebuds. The adjustments works for my palette and I'm sure the original is great as well. Please visit In Jennie's Kitchen for the original recipe.

Ingredients
129g all-purpose flour
6g cocoa powder
3g baking soda
1/8 tsp salt
86g bittersweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (4 oz) butter, softened
50g sugar
4 TBSP brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. In a small bowl, whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together.
3. Melt chocolate chips in 30 to 40 second intervals in the microwave. Set aside to cool slightly.
4. In another bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla extract. Beat for 1 minute until light and fluffy. Pour melted chocolate and beat for 1 minute, until well-mixed.
5. Add flour mixture. Mix until flour is just incorporated. Beat on high for 30 seconds. The dough resembles thick cake batter.
6. Spoon coined sized cookies onto cookie sheet, spaced 1 inch apart. I used a small spoon that scooped between 1/4 to 1/2 tsp of dough.
7. Bake for 11 to 14 minutes.

Other flavor combinations
Strawberry Chocolate
1/2 cup of dough
4 TBSP freeze dried strawberries, crushed

Mix dough and crushed strawberries together in a separate bowl. Spoon onto cookies sheet and top each cookie with a bit of strawberry crumbs.

Peppermint Chocolate
1/2 cup of dough
1/4 tsp peppermint extract

Mix together and spoon onto cookie sheet.

I can't wait for the holidays. [Molasses Oatmeal Raisin Cookies]

My first memory of oatmeal cookies were the ones my mom made. She didn't use real butter, halved the sugar, and added extra oatmeal. The results were super crispy granola like cookies. I didn't enjoy them at all.

Then I had my first taste of store brought oatmeal raisin cookies and I nearly fainted. You mean oatmeal cookies weren't always crispy? They weren't always hard and lacked sweetness and butter? You mean oatmeal can ACTUALLY taste delicious? Talk about a reality check.

It turns out that my favorite ones are chewy oatmeal cookies filled with raisins and cinnamon. If I crave for sweetness, I definitely would bake my white chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies. That's an orgasm right there. I went to the bookstore recently and found a molasses oatmeal raisin cookies recipe. I love the aroma and flavor profile of molasses so I knew I had to try the recipe.

This recipe is a winner if you enjoy the taste of molasses, spices, and chewy cookies. If Thanksgiving and Christmas had a cookie as a mascot, this would be it. From the first taste, it brings back the memories of the holidays.

Molasses Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
adapted from a cookie book from Border's (shame on me for not writing down author/title)

Note: There is a hint of salt in the cookies. If you don't enjoy that, lower the salt to 1/2 tsp.

Ingredients
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
6 TBSP molasses
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 1/2 cups oats
1/2 cup walnuts/pecans, chopped
1 cup raisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Cream butter and sugar.
3. Add molasses and eggs. Mix thoroughly.
4. Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Add to creamed mixture.
6. Stir in oats, nuts, and raisins.
7. Drop teaspoonfuls of cookies on a baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 10 minutes.

I'll be back. *raWr*

Oh my lovely blog, I have not forgotten about you! Life has simply occupied my time. I have recipes waiting to be published...Please be patient!

Keep it Simple. [Cinnamon Raisin Pretzel Sticks]

Raisins are delicious healthy morsels that I can't get enough in my baked goods. I love the sweetness and chewiness they provide. I already have a default raisin bread recipe that my family enjoys. I don't care much for it, because it contains whole wheat. Bleech. Today I decided to make something for myself instead of catering to my family's taste buds.

Wow. This creation was right up my alley. Chewy pretzels with yummy raisins and a hint of cinnamon sugar. What more can I ask for? Actually, there is one thing. This creation certainly isn't as moist as the original recipe. I suspect it's because the raisins weren't rehydrated so it absorbed all the moisture from the dough. In the recipe below, I suggest that the raisins be given time to rehydrate.

Cinnamon Raisin Pretzel Sticks
adapted from SugarLaw

Note: These pretzels are chewy with a hint of cinnamon. It's not overwhelmingly sweet so if you have a sweet tooth, double the amount of sugar/cinnamon mixture for sprinkling. 

Ingredients
1 tsp active dry yeast
pinch of sugar
1/3 cup warm water

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP white sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP canola oil
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup of raisins, sprinkled with water and allow it to sit for 30 minutes

1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp sugar

3 TBSP baking soda
3 cups hot water

Directions:

1. Dissolve yeast in water and pinch of sugar for 10 minutes.
2. Mix flour with cinnamon until evenly distributed. Add sugar, salt, canola oil, vanilla extract, and yeast. Knead until combined, a few minutes. 
3. Make a ball and flatten it into a pancake. Sprinkle half of the raisins on there and fold the dough several times to incorporate the raisins into the dough. Repeat this step one more time with the rest of the raisins. 
4. Let the dough rise in a greased bowl until doubled in size, approximately 1 hour.
5. Preheat oven to 425°F.
6. When dough has risen, pinch into 6 portions and roll into a long strand.
7. Dissolve baking soda in boiling water. Stir baking soda until dissolved. Dip Pretzel in mixture for 15 seconds. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar (mix 1/4 tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp sugar).
8. Bake for 8 minutes or until browned.

Do you have another voice in your head? [Candied Walnuts Recipe]

Toasting walnuts.

Regardless of where I am or what I'm doing, my mom's voice is in my head telling me what to do and giving her critiques of me. She's harsh. Often times, I hear "You're not good enough" or "What's the point of that? It's useless." The voice in my head is never positive. Without realizing it, I have carried this voice with me throughout my years and I don't think it's done me any good. Yes, it's kept me out of trouble, but my confidence and self-esteem is shot. Trying activities or engaging in situations outside of my comfort zone is terrifying and my first thought is always that I'll fail. To get past that point and start chasing my dreams is difficult. I can often feel her unhappy gaze on the back of my head. I am accustomed to following my mom's shadow and I often struggle to come up with what I want and not what she thinks I should do.

I love watching sugar suddenly turn into liquid form.

My current job situation brings me joy, but she doesn't approve of it. I'm still trying to figure out how to find a happy medium for myself and for my mother. Despite the negativity, I still love her and I show it to her by making food whether is baking or cooking her a meal.

Recently, we had leftover salad ingredients so I decided to create a gourmet salad with garlic bread. I know my mom loves walnuts so I can candied it. She fell in love with the candied walnuts and said it was her favorite part of the meal.

Mom's salad: egg, onions, cranberries, candied walnuts, & mixed greens with sourdough garlic bread.

Candied walnuts.

Candied Walnuts

Note: I don't like my walnuts too sweet, but feel free to the increase the sugar up to 40g (3 1/2 TBSP).

Ingredients
50g (1/2 cup) raw walnuts
30g (2 1/2 TBSP) sugar
pinch of salt

Directions

1. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toast walnuts in a skillet over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes. Toss occasionally to prevent burning. Toast until hot to the touch and crispy.
3. When the walnuts are done, put it in a bowl.
4. In the same skillet, add the sugar and salt. Keep the heat on medium until the sugar starts melting and turning into a light tan. (A Tip: Swirl the pan so the sugar melts evenly and turns color uniformly) Lower the heat to low. When it turns into a darker shade, add the walnuts.
5. Mix well and let it take on a dark amber before pouring the walnuts onto a parchment paper.
6. Allow the walnuts to cool then break into pieces.
7. Best if used within the same day.

Can't wait for next year's camping trip! [Simple Cracker Recipe]

Our backyard for the weekend.

The damage to the cans with our arsenal.

When my boyfriend first told me about the camping trip, I was reluctant to go and I made a huge deal out of it. I was worried about bugs, safety, and being clean. My mind was on "Let's think about everything that can possibly go wrong and worry myself to death." About 2 weeks before leaving, I wasn't stressed about the trip anymore and I was ready to go. The night before leaving, I was excited and could barely sleep.

Fire in her natural beauty.

Wow. The camping trip from this past weekend was amazing. I never thought I would have so much fun outdoors. I didn't worry at all. I went with the flow and it felt great to be away from civilization. I jumped from a rock into the water and nearly froze my butt off. I started shaking like chihuahua. Now, I know why those tiny things shake so much. We also found a secluded hillside and shot at beer cans and paper targets. The best part was chopping and splitting firewood. It's a great way workout I tell ya! And there's nothing more satisfying than getting the perfect hit so that the firewood splits all the way down to the bottom so the two pieces fly in opposite directions. Gorgeous.

The food was a carnivore's dream. We had so much. There were patties, sausages, drumsticks, wings, ribs, and bacon. Meat in every single meal. The amount of meat I consumed was enough to last me 2 weeks. I certainly wasn't used to the protein intake. By the second day, I wasn't pooping right. The only veggies I had a chance to eat was a tiny bit of green beans, broccoli cheese, and a lot of salad mix.

Hamburger for lunch.

Pasta, green beans, and chicken (still on the grill) for dinner.

Sausage sandwich for lunch.

My last photo of our trip. Lake Spaulding.

On our drive back home, I was already brainstorming food ideas for the next trip like grilled corn, baby carrots, and crackers. We had four bags of chips that we killed, but I think some homemade crackers next time will also do us some good.

Simple Cracker Recipe

Note: I did not come up with this recipe. I found it online 2 years ago, but I did not bookmark the URL. Please let me know who the original author is if you know.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 TBSP olive oil
4 TBSP water
1 tsp seasoning (My favorite to use is curry powder)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Mix 1 cup flour, salt, and oil.
3. Add 3 TBSP water and seasoning. Mix well. Add more water or flour until it makes a compact ball.
4. Roll out thin.
5. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until brown.

How to cut pasta by hand (a step-by-step picture tutorial)

My favorite time of the year is August when the big back-to-school sale occurs. I love that $1 can buy me an insane amount of supplies. I have bought notebooks, filler paper, and folders for 1 cent. Today I managed to purchase two glue sticks and one 4 oz. school glue for 50 cents.

When I was in elementary school, my parents didn't buy me over priced Crayola or Lisa Franks school supplies.  Instead, I used off brands that worked just as well and I learned that you don't always need the name brand. As a result, I feel strongly about improvising to get the job done instead of buying tools for every single task.

Since I don't make pasta that frequently, I never purchased a pasta machine. When it comes to cutting the pasta, it's a painstaking task that takes between 30 minutes and an hour depending on the batch. I use a knife to cut so the dough bunches up, tears, and gets stretched out. 

One day when I was ripping paper by creasing the edges, I thought, why can't I do that with the pasta? The technique I'm about to show you is all about creasing and ripping so the process is faster and more efficient  with minimal effort and time.

Roll out the dough.

Using the edge of a pastry scraper, put pressure into the pasta dough and slide/drag the pastry scraper down to create a line in the dough. It doesn't need to go all the way through the dough.

When you have finished "drawing" lines, gently pull the noodle away from the rest of the dough. It should break away easily -- like tearing paper with a perforated edge. 

Whoo. The batch of completed noodles.