So I'm not sure if I'm in the "nesting" phase, but there's gotta be some reason that over the last three weekends I have baked 26 dozen cookies for absolutely no other reason than just to have some cookies in the house. Even with me craving sweet chocolaty crunchiness, 26 dozen seems a little overboard.
#76 1/13/13 Chocolate Chip Butter Cookie
We just needed some cookies in the house, and I wanted some good ole' chocolate chip cookies. This was a bit different than your average chocolate chip cookie, but they served their purpose. Not much went into this cookie, just butter, vanilla, flour, powdered sugar and mini chocolate chips. Quick, easy, and tasty.
#77 1/19/13 Rosemary Honey Cookies
So I found out my in-laws are coming up for close to two weeks when the baby is born. Some may say what now? But I was always fine with them coming. Plus I'm going for the amazing awesome daughter in law prize this year. They give that out yearly, right! RIGHT?! However, my mother-in-law generously offered to make some cookies from the cookie cookbook to help me out. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I'm not sure if that counts - I feel like I have to make all 623 recipes. So I decided what I'll do instead is just continue making a batch every week up until baby and freeze some so that we'll have plenty of cookies here already and we'll have no need for more. So I guess the 26 dozen I've made isn't just for Mike and I to eat. I'll have some on hand for my in-laws and visitors to the house (I hope people come to visit me and the new baby - I'll have cookies for you if you help me from going stir-crazy).
So I really wanted to make another chocolate chip type cookie, or a chocolate gooey cookie, but I feel I should mix in recipes that don't sound as exciting. I don't want to get half way through this book and then only have unappetizing recipes left. Also, part of the purpose of this crazy endeavor is to find the best cookie. It maybe that one of those recipes that don't look that good, will actually be amazing. This one wasn't amazing to me - average, but Mike really liked it (liked it enough for 4 smiley faces). See, now I know one of Mike's favorite cookies. This recipe actually does call for dried rosemary and honey - crazy what some of these recipes call for.
#78 1/25/13 Mocha Fudge Cookies
I'm not really sure what possessed me to look at the Big Batch Bonanza chapter of the book and then to subsequently pick out an 18 1/2 dozen batch. It was chocolatey though (I have been rather obsessed lately with chocolate), but not one that I was super excited to try since there's coffee in it.
Some may find this cookie amazing, depends on how much you like coffee - to me - slightly better than average. So what's your opinion about nuts? Generally, I don't like them. This recipe called for walnuts. Sometimes I add the nuts when they're called for and sometimes I omit them. I was going to add them today, since I wasn't anticipating loving this cookie and was mostly making it for other people (who come visit me) - but then after running back to the store for the 2nd time today to get the chocolate chips that I thought I had enough of, I realized I didn't have any walnuts, so I nixed the walnuts for this recipe. Is the cookie still good without the nuts? Or are the nuts really the essence of the cookie? Did I steal the essence? (Note the vague reference to the TV show Friends).
Next week: Super Bowl Party - maybe even 2 batches next weekend (one will be brownies or bars though).
Friday, January 25, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Christmas is over and so is my effort to bake 14 batches of cookies in about 3-4 weeks; I'll probably never do that again. However, I did reach it - and only once did I sit on the kitchen floor and cry - and that was after the last batch made.
Why do we (or maybe it's just me) push ourselves so hard to make things so great and perfect all the time and especially at the holidays. I did the decorating, the shopping, the wrapping, the baking, the parties (though I didn't host any this year, thankfully). Men don't do any of that. It was Thanksgiving weekend when Mike came down and said "Okay, I'm ready for Christmas" - he only had to shop for me. Why don't men feel the need to create these perfect moments - or at least realize that women have these needs and be willing to help out?
Okay, enough of the residual feelings still lingering. Here are the next 7 batches of Christmas cookies that I made.
(All 14 batches)
#69 Whipped Shortbread
School decided to do a cookie exchange for whoever wanted to sign up. I figured, that's a good way to share me cookies and get another batch done. 26 people signed up. Did you know you're supposed to make a dozen for each person in cookie exchanges? I have never participated in a cookie exchange. Fortunately my school decided to do a 1/2 dozen per person - that's still 13 dozen cookies I needed to make. So I picked this batch that supposedly makes 16-18 dozen. I figured I was safe, that I would for sure have enough. Nope, it only made 12 1/2 dozen; I supplemented with some other cookies I made. Then of course, because I gave 13 dozen cookies, I got 13 dozen back (all different kinds), but I just don't need that many cookies. Most were donated to different places, Grandma's nursing home, neighbors, etc.
The cookie itself isn't bad (3 out of 5) - I kind of liked it more and more as an alternative to all the really sweet cookies and treats that the holidays bring.
#70 Eggnog Logs (12/19/12)
I don't have much to say about these, all the recipes are blending together. I remember they weren't too hard to make, other than they were another cookie that had powdered sugar frosting drizzled on top. Making powdered sugar frosting is messy. It's been two weeks and my counters still feel gritty, and yes I have cleaned them a couple of times now. I didn't like these cookies much, but a lot of my co-workers and other people really liked them - maybe it was the rum extract.
#71 Chocolate Mint Creme Cookies (12/19/12)
These were very good. Two chocolate cookies with peppermint (powdered sugar) frosting in between them. But I think I made the chocolate cookies too thick - would've been better if they were thin chocolate cookies with frosting in between, it was a very thick (and too rich) cookie to try and eat.
#72 Poinsettia Cookies (12/21/12)
Why is it my cookies are never as pretty as the picture in the book? This was a bit of work to do. Make a ball (after you've made the dough and dyed it red), snip the top of each ball in half 3/4 of the way down. Cut each half into thirds, carefully spread the wedges apart to form flower petals. Yes, that sounds like a lot of work, but it really wasn't too bad - I'd take these over any cookie cutter cookie. Oh, and then place a cherry half in the center of each cookie.
#73 Chocolate Snowballs (12/21/12)
These were fantastic - right out of the oven. It's basically a chocolate chip cookie ball rolled in powdered sugar. After they cooled and stored, not as good.
#74 Chocolate Pecan Thumbprints (12/22/12)
Mike was very excited to try these. Dough rolled in pecans, then baked, then topped with melted chocolate chips. Melting chocolate chips in the microwave, though faster, just doesn't turn out as well as melting them on a stovetop.
#75 Surprise Sugar Stars (12/22/12)
These sound amazing, and most people who ate them within a day or two of being made, loved them. I however did not try this cookie until almost a week after I made them - I was too sick of sugar and cookies and not in the Christmas spirit. The cookie doesn't last well. This cookie was a cookie cutter and sandwich cookie. Roll out the dough, cut into stars - or in my case snowflakes because I haven't stolen a star cookie cutter yet : ) - put cherry pie filling onto each snowflake, top with another snowflake and press edges together. Bake. Let cool and top with powdered sugar frosting and sprinkles. The cherry pie filling eventually makes the cookie bottom very soft.
So I'm throughly tired of making cookies. I might even take one more week off. Although I was thinking I should make some cookies for a former co-worker who helped me learn how to use my new camera and helped me figure out some stuff on my computer. I should bake another batch I suppose.
However, I also realized earlier this week that I am six weeks away from giving birth and that has left me feeling overwhelmed and panicked - maybe I should be focusing on getting ready for that and not baking more cookies.
We'll see.
Why do we (or maybe it's just me) push ourselves so hard to make things so great and perfect all the time and especially at the holidays. I did the decorating, the shopping, the wrapping, the baking, the parties (though I didn't host any this year, thankfully). Men don't do any of that. It was Thanksgiving weekend when Mike came down and said "Okay, I'm ready for Christmas" - he only had to shop for me. Why don't men feel the need to create these perfect moments - or at least realize that women have these needs and be willing to help out?
Okay, enough of the residual feelings still lingering. Here are the next 7 batches of Christmas cookies that I made.
#69 Whipped Shortbread
School decided to do a cookie exchange for whoever wanted to sign up. I figured, that's a good way to share me cookies and get another batch done. 26 people signed up. Did you know you're supposed to make a dozen for each person in cookie exchanges? I have never participated in a cookie exchange. Fortunately my school decided to do a 1/2 dozen per person - that's still 13 dozen cookies I needed to make. So I picked this batch that supposedly makes 16-18 dozen. I figured I was safe, that I would for sure have enough. Nope, it only made 12 1/2 dozen; I supplemented with some other cookies I made. Then of course, because I gave 13 dozen cookies, I got 13 dozen back (all different kinds), but I just don't need that many cookies. Most were donated to different places, Grandma's nursing home, neighbors, etc.
The cookie itself isn't bad (3 out of 5) - I kind of liked it more and more as an alternative to all the really sweet cookies and treats that the holidays bring.
#70 Eggnog Logs (12/19/12)
I don't have much to say about these, all the recipes are blending together. I remember they weren't too hard to make, other than they were another cookie that had powdered sugar frosting drizzled on top. Making powdered sugar frosting is messy. It's been two weeks and my counters still feel gritty, and yes I have cleaned them a couple of times now. I didn't like these cookies much, but a lot of my co-workers and other people really liked them - maybe it was the rum extract.
#71 Chocolate Mint Creme Cookies (12/19/12)
These were very good. Two chocolate cookies with peppermint (powdered sugar) frosting in between them. But I think I made the chocolate cookies too thick - would've been better if they were thin chocolate cookies with frosting in between, it was a very thick (and too rich) cookie to try and eat.
#72 Poinsettia Cookies (12/21/12)
Why is it my cookies are never as pretty as the picture in the book? This was a bit of work to do. Make a ball (after you've made the dough and dyed it red), snip the top of each ball in half 3/4 of the way down. Cut each half into thirds, carefully spread the wedges apart to form flower petals. Yes, that sounds like a lot of work, but it really wasn't too bad - I'd take these over any cookie cutter cookie. Oh, and then place a cherry half in the center of each cookie.
#73 Chocolate Snowballs (12/21/12)
These were fantastic - right out of the oven. It's basically a chocolate chip cookie ball rolled in powdered sugar. After they cooled and stored, not as good.
#74 Chocolate Pecan Thumbprints (12/22/12)
Mike was very excited to try these. Dough rolled in pecans, then baked, then topped with melted chocolate chips. Melting chocolate chips in the microwave, though faster, just doesn't turn out as well as melting them on a stovetop.
#75 Surprise Sugar Stars (12/22/12)
These sound amazing, and most people who ate them within a day or two of being made, loved them. I however did not try this cookie until almost a week after I made them - I was too sick of sugar and cookies and not in the Christmas spirit. The cookie doesn't last well. This cookie was a cookie cutter and sandwich cookie. Roll out the dough, cut into stars - or in my case snowflakes because I haven't stolen a star cookie cutter yet : ) - put cherry pie filling onto each snowflake, top with another snowflake and press edges together. Bake. Let cool and top with powdered sugar frosting and sprinkles. The cherry pie filling eventually makes the cookie bottom very soft.
So I'm throughly tired of making cookies. I might even take one more week off. Although I was thinking I should make some cookies for a former co-worker who helped me learn how to use my new camera and helped me figure out some stuff on my computer. I should bake another batch I suppose.
However, I also realized earlier this week that I am six weeks away from giving birth and that has left me feeling overwhelmed and panicked - maybe I should be focusing on getting ready for that and not baking more cookies.
We'll see.
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