April 20: Radium Chip Pistachio Cookies

Radium Chip Pistachio Cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups (10.1 oz) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 (3.4 oz) box instant pistachio pudding mix
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup quick-cooking oats (not instant)
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup pistachios, toasted, unsalted, roughly chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Have ready two ungreased baking sheets.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium-size bowl; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until creamy, scraping the sides of the bowl often. Beat in the pudding mix, and then beat in the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract, using the medium-low speed of the mixer. By hand or using the lowest speed of the mixer, add the flour mixture to the batter and stir until it is almost fully mixed in. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips, and pistachios.
4. Scoop up tablespoonfuls of dough and shape into balls about 1 inch in diameter (about 42 balls). Arrange about 2 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Press down slightly so that tops are even. Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are nicely browned and the cookies appear set. Remove the cookies from the oven, and while they are still warm, using the tip of a spatula, gently nudge the edges of the cookies inward to add some crinkles and folds. Let cool on the baking sheets for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dry ingredients

Addition of pudding mix

Addition of eggs

Addition of vanilla

Addition of flour mixture

Addition of oats

Addition of chocolate chips

Addition of pistachios

Thoughts: Pistachios are expensive! I mean nuts in general are expensive but pistachios in particular! I almost bought a bag that yielded 1 1/2 cups for $8. I ended up finding them in bulk so I got the amount I needed for $4. Reading over this recipe again, I realized that I didn't use the tip of the spatula to make crinkles and folds...oops. I love pistachio flavored things like custard, milkshakes and pudding but I don't like actual pistachios...so these cookies were just ok.

February 7: Fabulous Four-Ingredient Bars

Fabulous Four-Ingredient Bars

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 (10 oz) package marshmallows
6 cups crispy rice cereal, such as Rice Krispies

1. Line a 9 by 13-inch pan with nonstick foil.
2. In a large, microwave-safe mixing bowl, microwave the butter on high for 30 to 60 seconds, or until melted. Add the chocolate chips to the melted butter and stir well. Microwave on high, stirring at 30-second intervals, until the mixture is melted and smooth. Add the marshmallows. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and stir until the marshmallows are completely melted. Stir in the cereal. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread evenly, pressing down slightly. Let cool and set. Lift from the pan, set on a cutting board, and cut into 36 squares.

Thoughts: Another no bake recipe except this came out much better in consistency and taste. These are basically chocolate Rice Krispy treats. The only differences are they are not as hard (easier to cut) and they are sweeter than normal plain Rice Krispy treats. I recommend this recipe to anyone who is bad at baking.

This Week's Concoctions Ending 12/10

Sorry this is so late!!

Here are some highlights of items that I made this week other than the "Weekly Cookie"

This week I got a very nice present from my co-workers for baking all the things throughout the year.

So as a thank you gift, of course I had to bake them something. This is a chocolate chip coffee cake with a Grapenuts-brown sugar bottom.

The other thing I made this week of note was a chicken pot pie.  As I have stated in the past, pies are my nemesis. As you can see, it's ugly.

September 2: Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies

Granola Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (5 oz) all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (4 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons firmly packed dark or light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
2 cups granola, lightly crushed after measuring
1/2 cup extra-dark chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Line two baking sheets with nonstick foil or parchment paper.
2. Mix the flour, baking soda, salt together in a bowl; set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and egg and continue beating for another 30 seconds. Add the flour and stir on the lowest speed of the mixer until the flour is almost fully absorbed, then add the granola and chocolate chips. Stir well.
4. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press down to make rounds about 1/2 inch thick. Bake one sheet at a time for 11-13 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Addition of vanila

Addition of the egg

Addition of the flour mixture

Addition of granola and chocolate chips

Thoughts: Another easy straightforward recipe. I baked them for 11 minutes. The only thing I had trouble with was finding extra dark chocolate chips. I admit I didn't spend too long looking for them so I just used "dark chocolate chips". These cookies got really hard upon cooling. Patrick wasn't crazy about them and they were ok to me, however, I was starving at the time.

July 21: Double Trouble Chocolate and Potato Chip Cookies

Double Trouble Chocolate and Potato Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup (4.5 oz) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon plus an extra pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (3 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup crushed salted potato chips (about 2 1/2 oz by weight)
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate mini chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 and place a rack in the center. Have ready two ungreased baking sheets.
2. In a medium-size bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or in a large mixing bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter and both sugars at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Reduce the mixer speed to medium; add the egg and vanilla and beat for about 30 seconds, or until incorporated. By hand or with the lowest speed of the mixer, add the flour mixture and stir until fully blended. Stir in the potato chips and chocolate chips.
4. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough about 2 1/2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake one sheet at a time for 13-14 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool on the baking sheets for about 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dry Ingredients

Addition of vanilla and egg

Addition of flour

Addition of potato chips and chocolate chips

Before....

and After.

Thoughts: 13-14 minutes is too long. I put them in for about 11-12 minutes and they still browned nicely. These cookies were very good; although Patrick would've preferred them without the potato chips. I didn't really taste the chips but it was a saltier cookie.