Tuesday, February 26, 2008

New Feature

I just added a cool widget to my blog -- see it on the right? Just click on the picture to see the next one. Pretty cool, eh? I never heard of a widget before, but I'm liking it!

Monday, February 25, 2008

New Recipe for the Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie

You may remember a post I made last year about chocolate chip cookies. Those were great cookies, but after watching Throwdown with Bobby Flay the other day I was inspired to make something better. Of course, the bakery cookie recipe was not listed on the episode page so I googled it. Whatever did we do before Google???? Below is what I found on someone's cooking blog. There was extensive debate and testing of the recipe before I found it so all of the kinks were already worked out for me. This afternoon I baked a batch, and they are seriously good cookies. My husband announced that I am not allowed to bake any other kind of chocolate chip cookie ever again.

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp.
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 1/2 cups AP flour
3/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
12 ounces (2 cups) good quality semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts/pecans



Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle, cream together butter and sugars until well-blended and fluffy. Add eggs and beat until well-incorporated, then add flour, salt, and baking soda, and mix until just combined. Gently fold in chocolate chips and nuts.

Transfer dough to clean work surface and divide into 12 equal portions. Place each on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake in oven 20 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Let cool on rack and store in airtight container.

Notes: For Smaller cookies (4 oz. or 1/4 cup) 15-17 minutes @ 350.

Sunday, February 24, 2008

And your chances of winning are???

The Knot is running a promotion called The Knot's Real Weddings. Basically you share your seven favorite wedding images and they pick (randomly, I believe) a couple of winning entries. The grand prize for you all is a safari. Crazy good prize (the prize for the winning vendor is a year of free advertising on The Knot -- I'd rather win a safari)! I've only had time to post three weddings (see links below) but will try to get more done this afternoon. Make sure to let us all know if you post anything (you can put that in the comments here). I would love to see what seven images you pick!

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Happy Valentine's Day

Today's a day to celebrate those you love, and these days the one closest to my heart is my dear Henry.





Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Henry at 7 weeks

It's hard to believe that Henry is almost two months old. He has grown so much from the 7 pound baby we brought home from the hospital. Henry has to be 12 pounds by now, and he has some amazing new skills, the most remarkable of which is his smile.



Sunday, February 10, 2008

Happy Valentine's Day

In celebration of Valentine's Day and all things sweet, I will send the next bride and groom who sign a contract with me a box of these gorgeous truffles from famous chocolatier Vosges. So don't wait too long to fill out that contract or you might miss out on this delicious treat!