Thursday, December 31, 2009

Great American Cookie Company Style Chocolate Chip Cookies


The first thing I made in my brand new Kitchen Aid Professional series stand mixer is a new chocolate chip cookie recipe. I consider myself a bit of a chocolate chip cookie aficianado; in fact, I've toyed with the idea of making a new blog, a la The Brownie Project, dedicated to my attempts to find the best chocolate chip cookie recipe. Alas, not enough time.

I had intended to make a double fudge cookie as my first recipe for my new stand mixer, but I misread this recipe, and somehow managed to mentally add cocoa powder when I read it. This recipe probably would do well with the addition of cocoa powder, but since it was new to me, I didn't want to alter it the first time around. They are quite tasty, especially fresh out of the oven. Nice chew to them, with a nice caramel flavor. Definitely make sure to have a gallon of ice cold milk on hand to go with these cookies! I think they come pretty close to the flavor of the Great American Cookie Company cookies, though my big cookie scoop was M.I.A. when I baked these, so the size is certainly not quite right. If you grew up on those mall cookies, you will be a fan of these, definitely.

P.S. - If you're stopping by from Bake at 350's Flavor of the Month, thank you! If you need more of a holiday cookie fix, click here to visit my collection of Christmas cookie recipes from this year's Christmas Cookie Bonanza!



Great American Cookie Company Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/4 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs
3 cups of mix-ins (like chocolate chips, nuts, peanut butter chips, M&Ms, etc.)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl with a whisk.
3. Mix butter, sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in mixer bowl until creamy.
4. Add eggs and mix.
5. Gradually stir in flour mixture.
6. Add 3 cups mix-ins; stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
7. Drop batter by tablespoonfuls, two inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
8. Bake 10 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire rack.
Posted by at 5:02 AM 13 comments
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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Tiramisu Cake

For the longest time, Husband has loved having an ice cream cake for his birthday. He grew up with the Carvel cakes, and in recent years always celebrated with an ice cream cake from Cold Stone Creamery. This year, though, I decided I needed to make his birthday cake. Perhaps because he was turning 30 and I felt this year needed to be special, or perhaps because I was sick of paying $25 for an ice cream cake that I didn't even like very much.  And I'm sorry, if a cake is coming into my house, darn it, I better like it!

Tiramisu is Husband's favorite dessert, by a mile. Nothing else really compares, except maybe peanut butter pie. When I started to brainstorm about what to make for his birthday, tiramisu was the one thing I kept coming back to, except for the fact that it intimidated the heck out of me for some reason. Then I stumbled upon Dorie Greenspan's tiramisu cake recipe on various blogs. I really was going to go that route. Until I found a copycat recipe that's even easier - it starts with a cake mix!

This cake definitely was a crowd pleaser, though it was mildly time-consuming to assemble. It was definitely NOT difficult, though, I would recommend it for any fans of tiramisu. It wasn't  much different than assembling your average layer cake. Best of all, even I liked the darn thing. And I'm not a fan of tiramisu, so that was definitely a pleasant surprise.  It combines the traditional flavors of tiramisu with some different textures that work really nicely together.  Definitely yum!


This cake got an official 9.5 Husband stars. He fully wants to start rating my cooking now, so we'll start here, I suppose. I will definitely make this cake again.




Tiramisu Cake the Easy Way
Printer-friendly recipe

CAKE:
1 (18.25 ounce) package moist white cake mix
1 teaspoon instant coffee powder
1 cup coffee
4 tbsp coffee flavored liqueur

FILLING:
1 (8 ounce) container mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur

FROSTING:
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons coffee flavored liqueur

GARNISH:
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1 (1 ounce) square semisweet chocolate

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour 3 (9 inch) pans
2. Prepare the cake mix according to package directions. Divide two thirds of batter between 2 pans. Stir instant coffee into remaining batter; pour into remaining pan
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. In a measuring cup, combine brewed coffee and 1 tablespoon coffee liqueur; set aside
4. To make the filling: In a small bowl, using an electric mixer set on low speed, combine mascarpone, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur; beat just until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
5. To make the frosting: In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat the cream, 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 2 tablespoons coffee liqueur until stiff. Fold 1/2 cup of cream mixture into filling mixture.
6. To assemble the cake: Place one plain cake layer on a serving plate. Using a thin skewer, poke holes in cake, about 1 inch apart. Pour one third of reserved coffee mixture over cake, then spread with half of the filling mixture. Top with coffee-flavored cake layer; poke holes in cake. Pour another third of the coffee mixture over the second layer and spread with the remaining filling. Top with remaining cake layer; poke holes in cake. Pour remaining coffee mixture on top. Spread sides and top of cake with frosting. Place cocoa in a sieve and lightly dust top of cake. Garnish with chocolate curls. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.
7. To make the chocolate curls, use a vegetable peeler and run it down the edge of the chocolate bar.
Posted by at 5:06 AM 10 comments
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Monday, December 28, 2009

Santa was very good to me this year...

I must say, Santa was very good to me this year. He brought me something I've coveted for quite a long time now - a brand new Kitchen Aid mixer, the professional bowl-lift model with the new spiral dough hook. I was positively speechless. Still am, to be honest. I came quite close to tears. Perhaps a picture will do it justice. It's such a thing of beauty. I can't seem to use it, though. Every time I start to make something in it, I think that whatever it is couldn't possibly be worthy of being the first thing I make in my new mixer. So, here I am, with a three day old mixer that hasn't been used. Oh, the horror! If only I could decide what to make first! BTW, I am fully accepting ideas. Give me some food for thought!


Oh yes, it's the Kitchen Aid Professional 600 Bowl Lift Stand Mixer. In the flesh.
Posted by at 5:05 AM 4 comments
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Sunday, December 27, 2009

Menu Plan Monday for December 28th


It's time for the holiday cooking strike to end - I've had a good bit of time off from major cooking, what with all the massive holiday baking, but it's time that I get back to the grind. And by the grind, I mean the going back to preparing meals that take more than 10 minutes to prepare. Here's what's on the menu this week:

Monday: IHOP Pancakes and Eggs
Tuesday: Orange Honey Glazed Chicken (a new recipe - stay tuned!)
Wednesday: Spaghetti and Garlic Knots
Thursday: Meatloaf and Onion Roasted Potatoes
Saturday: Cider Braised Pork Chops (another new recipe - stay tuned!)
Sunday: Brown Sugar Beer Marinated Steak and Baked Potatoes (yet another new recipe - stay tuned!)

I know, three new recipes in one week is a smidgen ambitious, but it's the new year, and well, I'm feeling pumped at the moment about doing things differently (surely it won't last), so I'm going with it at the moment. Stay tuned for the new recipes to be posted next week! What's on your menu this week? Need more menu inspiration? Visit OrgJunkie for a mondo list of menus from all over the blogosphere!
Posted by at 9:03 PM 2 comments
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Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas!



Merry Christmas to you all and happy holidays! Have a wonderful day and my family wishes you a safe and happy holiday.
Posted by at 5:04 AM 2 comments

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Master List of Recipes

Here are all of my recipes, sorted by category for ease of use. Enjoy, and please do come back to tell me when you try one, I love the feedback!!

Breakfast

Main Courses
Chicken with Mustard Pan Sauce
Crispy-Skinned Orange Chicken

Cookies and Brownies
Cupcakes, Cakes and Pies
Holiday
Posted by at 5:54 AM 4 comments
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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

What's on My Nighstand: December

This was a good month for reading - I just started another Jonathan Tropper book, he's my favorite author at the moment. After this one, there will only be two more of his that I haven't read, so that's a little sad, but I'll survive. I happened to read "The Firm" this month, I'm sure I'm one of the last well-read people on the planet to read the darn thing. I enjoyed it, and it reminded me that on occasion, John Grisham can write a good book. I've been disappointed by a lot of his later works, but I've heard his newest, a collection of short stories, is quite good. I'll have to try to find that one at the library.

I didn't particularly enjoy "Dear John" - saw the trailer for the movie with a friend of mine when we saw "New Moon" last month, and thought I ought to read the book. It was okay, but it wasn't something I'd necessarily recommend reading.

I enjoyed "Push" but in a way that's kind of indescribable. I will never read it again, because it was a difficult read, due to all of the violence and abuse in the book, but at the same time, I'm glad I read it in a way because the growth of the main character was just astounding given her circumstances. I also went to see the movie with my best friend, and we bought cried our eyes out, it's one of the better fiction-to-film adaptations that I've seen in a while.

What I polished off this month:
1. The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper
2. Dear John by Nicholas Sparks
3. Push by Sapphire
4. The Firm by John Grisham

What I want to read next month (and this is all subject to change if Santa saw fit to bring me any books for Christmas!):
1. Plan B by Jonathan Tropper
2. 1-2-3 Magic: Effective Discipline for Children 2-12 - I started this recently and just haven't finished it, though I need to, as Baby's hitting the terrible two's early with a vengeance.
3. My Life in France by Julia Child
4. Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby
Posted by at 5:01 AM 4 comments
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Monday, December 21, 2009

Wilton Cake Class One: The Results


While I may bake a mean cake, I sure suck at decorating them. Always have. Husband was better than me at frosting a layer cake for a really long time. Recently, my best friend and I decided to take the Wilton cake decorating class, at the beginner level, naturally. It was a lot of fun - in part, because she and I are prone to get the giggles over silly stuff, but also because the class was just fun. Our instructor, Maureen, was a hoot - she's been doing this a long time, and her style of teaching was definitely from the school of hard knocks.

I did several practice cakes, at first with cake mixes, because I was making cakes so often that I just didn't have the heart to make a cake from scratch every darn day. But they taste so bad! Especially with the class buttercream frosting (a.k.a. CriscoCream). Yuck. Then I made a cake for Thanksgiving as a practice cake, with the Beatty's Chocolate Cake recipe (also known as the end-all-be-all chocolate cake recipe), and it tasted so good, I couldn't go back. From that point on, I made the cakes from scratch. I still have a plethora of box mixes in my pantry that I ought to donate.

The last class was definitely the hardest - roses are not my friends. I had a super hard time figuring out how to large make the rose base, and then how to pipe on the center of the rose. However, I totally rocked at piping rose petals, definitely. My roses didn't look perfect, by any stretch...in fact, they looked a bit more like carnations, with rough edges to my petals and all. I fully intend to try again on Husband's birthday cake this week, so stay tuned. My best friend on the other hand was kicking out cabbage roses like nobody's business, so I suppose I may call her to pipe a few roses on Husband's cake.

I still can't make my frosting look as smooth and perfect as a wedding cake, but I'm way better than I was when I started, that's for sure. I'd definitely recommend this class to anyone who enjoys decorating their baked goods, I've used a lot of the techniques I learned in cake class on my holiday cookies this year. Here's a few snaps from the cakes I practiced on and class itself:






Posted by at 5:00 AM 7 comments
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Friday, December 18, 2009

Christmas Cookie Bonanza: Easy Cookies

These holiday "cookies" are kind of a running joke in my family. The original 3x5 card that my mom wrote the recipe on back in the day has a subtitle in parentheses - Not-So-Easy Cookies. This is because, much like the Peanut Butter Balls, Mom had the hardest time making these cookies pretty. You break them apart once they've cooled, much like a candy bark, and she could never make them break into pretty pieces. I'm not much better, but I don't think the pieces are as hideous as my mother used to say they were. Plus, these things taste so good, and they really are quite easy to make.

Easy Cookies

Saltines
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
12 oz package chocolate chips and/or peanut butter chips

1. Line a jelly roll pan with foil. Layer with saltines (however many fit).
2. Boil butter and brown sugar together for 3 minutes. Pour over crackers.
3. Bake at 350 for 5 minutes. While baking, melt your chocolate chips.
4. Immediately top with melted chocolate chips. Let cool 1-2 hours. Turn pan upside down, peel foil off cookies and break apart into pieces. This is sometimes not-so-easy.

Posted by at 5:17 AM 8 comments
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Thursday, December 17, 2009

Christmas Cookie Bonanza: Peanut Butter Balls

Peanut butter balls have a special place in my Christmas memories. I can remember making peanut butter balls with my mom growing up, and the big hissy fit that usually came along with making them. They used to piss her off, because she liked her baked goods to look perfect - and dipping the peanut butter balls in melted chocolate isn't exactly easy. It tends to make a mess, which would always make her upset. We tried dipping them with toothpicks, to make getting the balls out of the chocolate easier, which then left little holes in the bottom of the balls. Mom would try to fill the holes with chocolate, which sometimes made it look worse. Another year, she tried just dropping them in the chocolate and fishing them out with a spoon. That year, the balls didn't look so beautiful. These days, I either drizzle chocolate on top and skip the dipping altogether or use toothpicks. If you've got another method, I'm all ears!


Peanut Butter Balls
Printer-friendly recipe

16-18 oz peanut butter
4 c powdered sugar
1 cup soft butter
12 oz chocolate chips
1/2 cake paraffin wax

1. Mix peanut butter and sugar well. Freeze overnight.
2. Roll into balls.
3. Melt chocolate and paraffin together and mix well.
4. Dip the rolled balls in chocolate and place on wax paper to cool.
Posted by at 5:07 AM 4 comments
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