My Favorite Cookies

A few weeks ago, M and I went on vacation with part of our wonderful family pictured below:

We had a wonderful time of relaxation and memory building.  I hope we do it again next year or even the year after.

Anyway while we were on vacation I didn't have my favorite cookie recipe with me.  I don't know why I don't have it memorized, but anyway, had I blogged about it, I would have been able to access it on line.  Thus, the true reason for this post!

I have had this recipe on an index card ever since sophomore year of high school, and I really have no idea where it came from.  As you can see it has been through a lot.

Recipe:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream these ingredients together in a large mixing bowl:

1/4 cup peanut butter (spray measuring cup with cooking spray before diving into the peanut butter and the mixture will com out easily)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 egg

Combine these dry ingredients in a separate bowl:

1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

Once combined, add the dry mixture to the wet mixture one cup full at a time until combined.  Once combined, roll portions of the mixture into ping pong ball sized portions and then roll in white sugar.  I usually only bake 6 at a time to ensure that M and I don't eat them all in one sitting.

Place the cookies on a cookie sheet and bake for 6 minutes.

*1 package of Guittard Milk Chocolate Chips

Remove the cookies from the oven and place four to five chocolate chips in the center of the cookies, and then bake them for another two minutes.

Remove from the oven and place on parchment paper.

Wrap any remaining cookie dough in the parchment paper you used to let the cookies cool (don't want to waste).

I don't know how long the cookie dough lasts in the refrigerator because it is usually gone within two days, and I assume the same will be true in your household.

Enjoy!

Ms. W.

Seven Heavenly Meals

Here is a week of meals that will make you think you are eating somewhere really special every night.  Well face it, you are, your home. 

Fennel-and-Sweet-Onion Pizza 

If you think fennel does not belong on a pizza, then you would be wrong.  This roasted fennel is an unexpected delight.  The crust is also wonderful.  It is maybe the best homemade thin crust pizza recipe ever, so crispy and yummy.  

Fried Shrimp Flatbreads with Spicy Cardamom Sauce

If you like a good sandwich, this one may just top your list.  So much flavor!  Use this flatbread recipe.

Smashed Shumai with Hot and Sour Broth

This is a nice unusual soup, serve as a first course or as a quick dinner.  Just as good the second day for lunch!

Thai Chicken with Hot-Sour-Salty-Sweet Sauce

Great grilled chicken. Serve with grilled sweet corn.  Baste the corn while grilling in a mixture of 2 tablespoons brown sugar, can of coconut milk, and two bay leaves.

Crispy Corn Tortillas with Chicken and Cheddar

This is a very easy recipe, I serve it with the radish relish and with an avocado sauce (one avocado blended with 1/2 cup salsa verde)

Grilled Pork Banh Mi

This would be a really good thing to grill for the Fourth of July.

Goat Cheese Ravioli With Orange And Fennel

This is a great recipe to make right after the pizza and Shumai recipe because then you have the fennel fronds and the wanton wrappers. 

Ink....

So it has been some time since I posted.  Things have been super busy this spring :)  Anyway, M and I just got back from a wonderful vacation with my side of the family in Colorado.  It was much, much needed.

Before we left for vacation, me and some friends went and checked out Ink .  Ink is Top Chef Winner, Michael Voltaggio's hit restaurant in West Los Angeles.  We basically tried everything on the menu (except for the tasting menu), and I liked everything.  If I could describe this menu in one phrase, it would be "balanced modern comfort food."  This chef really has a knack for balancing different flavors - sweet, savory, sour, bitter etc. 

These were my favorites:

beau soleil oysters, oyster leaf, mignonette ice.
- These are probably the best raw oysters I have EVER had, and the leaf that is served with them, strangely enough tastes just like an oyster. Yummy!

brussels sprouts, pigs ears, lardo, apple
 - Brussels sprouts charred are probably my favorite of all vegetables - no kidding.  But these brussels sprouts are really something special... I mean lardo... enough said.

baja scallops, egg yolk gnocchi, mushroom hay
 - The egg yolk gnocchi... so amazing.  It has basically the same texture as the scallops, but then  you press the gnocchi against your pallet with your tongue and the egg yolk bursts in your mouth. Delightful, comforting, and filling.

wagyu beef, carrots, tendon, horseradish tofu
- This dish is somewhat reminiscent of a beef stew my grandmother used to make almost every Saturday for me, my sister, and brother, except, this dish is a bit more sophisticated.   This dish pairs succulent beef, a tendon that basically looks like Styrofoam that melts in your mouth, roasted carrots, with a horseradish sauce that is out of this world.  I could literally eat this meal every Saturday for the rest of my life.

greek yogurt, strawberry, japanese peach, coconut
- Light, refreshing, and playful.  I love desserts that have some texture and depth of flavor.  All to often dessert is just sweet.  In my book dessert should be sweet, salty, tangy, creamy.  This dish delivers all of this.  The first layer is a banana/coconut cream with pieces of graham cracker crust.  Next layer is a greek frozen yogurt, followed by peaches and whole strawberries, as well as strawberry and I think rhubarb crushed ice.  

So the next time you are longing for a good meal, check out Ink.