Sunday, December 6, 2009

Cookie Exchange






Yesterday Alex and I attended our first Cookie Exchange of the season at Jamie’s house in Nampa. Jamie is our hairdresser and has been cutting Alex’s hair since he was 1 year old (boy do I feel ancient). Normally I love to bake and cook up a storm but since the issues with my wrists and right forearm/elbow I have not been too eager to mix and chop a whole lot. Anthony saved my bacon by helping to bake the Peanut Butter Bars on Friday night. We realized late on Friday that we would not come up with the 6 dozen bars we needed. I headed back to Albertson’s Saturday morning after a visit to Eagle Island Park for more brown sugar, white sugar and butter. I used holiday inspired white chocolate chips and made a batch of Giant Chocolate Chip Cookies. We came out with exactly 6 dozen between the bars and cookies. This week I need to bake for Alex’s piano recital on Thursday. It might be time to solicit Alex’s culinary skills.

Best Big, Fat, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips


Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.



Holiday Peanut Butter Bars

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup peanut butter
3 1/2 tablespoons milk
Holiday Sprinkles (optional)


Directions
1. Cream butter and white sugar and brown sugar. Blend in 1/3 cup peanut butter, egg, vanilla, and baking soda. Add flour and oatmeal. Mix well!
2. Spread in greased 13x9 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 20 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with chocolate chips.
3. Return to oven and bake for eight minutes. Spread to smooth out chocolate chips. Cool! Mix icing and spread over bars. Refrigerate to set. Cut and eat.
4. To Make Icing: Mix together 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/4 cup peanut butter and 3 1/2 tablespoons milk until it makes a spreadable consistency. Sprinkle with Holiday Sprinkles if desired.

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