It seems like each year goes by faster than the previous one. I can't believe it has already been a year since last Thanksgiving. Being this close to it has made me reflect on what was happening then.
A year ago, my mom was in the ICU, recovering from major surgery to remove part of her lungs due to a very rare form of lung cancer. The day of the surgery, it seems like we were living hour by hour, waiting for updates on the surgery and mostly waiting to hear that the surgery was over. The surgery lasted longer than we had been told to expect so our level of anxiety and anticipation was very high. The first 24 hours after the surgery are best not remembered. Let's just say that the pain management strategy was not working. My mom has an incredibly high tolerance for pain and seeing her in so much pain is something I hope I never have to see again, and more importantly, something I hope she never has to experience again. Once they finally got the pain under control, we all took a breath of relief - hers being the biggest despite her reduced lung capacity.
As each milestone passed - coming out of the ICU, coming home, increased mobility - things very slowly started getting into a routine. My sister, my nephew, and I had temporarily relocated to San Francisco to help our parents and little by little we started living more than an hour at a time. I worked while my sister took care of my mom, my nephew, and the household. After work, I took care of my nephew and my mom while my sister cooked dinner. Just when things were starting to look up, my mom had a checkup with the surgeon who immediately had her admitted to the hospital. We went back to living hour by hour for a day until she was released again. Quite a lesson in not taking things for granted! Those few weeks were full of uncertainty, and although I could see my mom getting stronger each day, I had an uneasy feeling that things could turn at any moment. Luckily, aside from that one incident, things continued to improve. Time has slowly eased this uneasy feeling.
But when I look back at Thanksgiving 2010, all of these things are not what I remember first. What I remember is our family coming together and becoming even closer. It was a tough time, for sure, but it was such a blessing to be able to be together and go through it as a family. I felt like we were all going through it and could openly talk about what was happening. We gave each other strength.
On Thanksgiving day, my mom had only been home for a week or so. She could only get out of bed for a few hours at a time, and even then, she had a hard time handling stairs and getting comfortable. My sister and I made Thanksgiving dinner with the help of my dad and brother-in-law. It was an adjustment not having our mom in the kitchen with us, but we managed. I am not sure what my mom felt, but I think she felt sadness at not being able to participate and hopefully pride that my sister and I were handling it. For the first time since she had come home, my mom sat with us at the dinner table to eat - a Thanksgiving treat and another milestone! She made it through the main course and then had to head back to bed. Since we hadn't had dessert yet - and this is definitely the most preferred course in the family - we decided to bring the rest of Thanksgiving to her: we had dessert in my parents' bedroom!
Although this was clearly an untraditional Thanksgiving, I will always remember Thanksgiving 2010 as one where we were acutely aware of how much we had to be thankful for.
It has been a year since the surgery, and I realize that we have all gone back to our normal lives. We no longer live in anticipation hour by hour, or day by day, or week by week. Now it's in 3-month increments for each CT scan. And as time goes on and the CT scans start being less frequent, it will become a more distant memory. Other things will creep up that we perceive as important in the moment. Thinking about where we were a year ago brings it back to the surface and helps me put things into perspective.
Here is what I have to be thankful for in the last year:
I am thankful that my mom's lung cancer was found by chance.
I am thankful that my mom went in for a regular check-up and that they ended up needing to take an x-ray.
I am thankful that the radiologist paid attention.
I am thankful that the surgery went well and that all of the follow-up CT scans have been clear of cancer.
I am thankful that my mom did not have to go through chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
I am thankful that my company allowed me to work remotely from San Francisco for many weeks.
I am thankful that I was able to be there for my family and that were able to go through this together.
I am thankful that I have a great family, whom I am close to.
I am thankful that this experience has enabled me to put things into perspective, even if I sometimes forget to do so.
This year, I am most thankful for my family and our health. These words mean more to me than ever.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
red as a beet
The theme of today's post is the color red. I made two Weight Watchers recipes, both quite red, and a barley recipe from my new favorite foodie blogger (Oh She Glows). Plus, see below for more red surprises.
Dessert first, as always. (This isn't how I eat, by the way. Well, not most of the time. It's just that I prefer this course!) Mahogany velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, WW style. I was very intrigued by this recipe because the red didn't come from red food coloring as in traditional red velvet cakes, but from beets!
I love the idea of using a natural colorant and adding some nutritional value at the same time.
Don't think for a minute that I was fooled into thinking that these are healthy, though.
Two disappointments: the cupcakes weren't very red (perhaps why the name is "mahogany" and not "red") and the cream cheese frosting wasn't very good. Fat-free cream cheese = no good.
Christmas cupcake liners were all I had. Must add to shopping list.
I never eat beets. I believe this is the fault of one of my school cafeterias - probably a school in France. Those suckers are really bitter - no wonder I didn't like them as a kid. Not sure I like them as an adult yet. Except in red velvet cupcakes, that is. ;-)
~~~
The other Weight Watchers recipe was skillet chicken paprika. I wish I could share the recipe, but that is probably against copyright rules. Therefore, I'll just give you the ingredients: chicken, paprika, flour, onion, garlic, red pepper, olive oil, sour cream (I used Greek yogurt instead), and a can of diced tomatoes.
You cook the chicken and set aside. Then soften the onion and red pepper.
Then you add the flour and paprika. It quickly becomes a gorgeous red mixture that is very fragrant.
The final result is delicious. Yum!
~~~
Another recipe I made this week (twice!) is Easy Creamy Tomato Barley Risotto from Oh She Glows. Have I mentioned that I love her blog? She makes vegan so easy, delicious, and attainable!
First you add the barley, oil, oregano, and basil.
Then you add the rest of the ingredients, including miso and nutritional yeast - two new ingredients for me, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
It's super easy and really tasty. I can't wait to eat this for lunch this week!
~~~
My American breakfast this morning. Yum. Added some strong mustard to the eggs and it was spectacular. Hey...red strawberries!
Very similar to a lunch the other day. Nothing red here, sorry! Actually, there is paprika in the omelet, but you can't really see it.
And a delicious red drink. Mango rum, mango vodka, grenadine, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice, with a splash of Sprite.
~~~
Speaking of red, my camera (which is red for those of you who haven't seen it) is still being fixed!! I'm lost without a camera. Thank goodness I have an iPhone!
~~~
On the running front, so far so good. I completed the first week of training and all went well. I have done the first workout of the second week and I am proud to say that I was able to run every time I was supposed to. One uphill run was quite a struggle, but I made it and recovered. I'm on my way to 5K!! :-) Stay tuned!
New sneakers!
Very sweaty!
~~~
The highlight of the week has to be winning the PSSC Spring 2011 Volleyball Championship. YEAH!! (Red shirts!)
I wish you a great week!
Dessert first, as always. (This isn't how I eat, by the way. Well, not most of the time. It's just that I prefer this course!) Mahogany velvet cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, WW style. I was very intrigued by this recipe because the red didn't come from red food coloring as in traditional red velvet cakes, but from beets!
I love the idea of using a natural colorant and adding some nutritional value at the same time.
Don't think for a minute that I was fooled into thinking that these are healthy, though.
Two disappointments: the cupcakes weren't very red (perhaps why the name is "mahogany" and not "red") and the cream cheese frosting wasn't very good. Fat-free cream cheese = no good.
Christmas cupcake liners were all I had. Must add to shopping list.
I never eat beets. I believe this is the fault of one of my school cafeterias - probably a school in France. Those suckers are really bitter - no wonder I didn't like them as a kid. Not sure I like them as an adult yet. Except in red velvet cupcakes, that is. ;-)
~~~
The other Weight Watchers recipe was skillet chicken paprika. I wish I could share the recipe, but that is probably against copyright rules. Therefore, I'll just give you the ingredients: chicken, paprika, flour, onion, garlic, red pepper, olive oil, sour cream (I used Greek yogurt instead), and a can of diced tomatoes.
You cook the chicken and set aside. Then soften the onion and red pepper.
Then you add the flour and paprika. It quickly becomes a gorgeous red mixture that is very fragrant.
The final result is delicious. Yum!
~~~
Another recipe I made this week (twice!) is Easy Creamy Tomato Barley Risotto from Oh She Glows. Have I mentioned that I love her blog? She makes vegan so easy, delicious, and attainable!
First you add the barley, oil, oregano, and basil.
Then you add the rest of the ingredients, including miso and nutritional yeast - two new ingredients for me, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
It's super easy and really tasty. I can't wait to eat this for lunch this week!
~~~
My American breakfast this morning. Yum. Added some strong mustard to the eggs and it was spectacular. Hey...red strawberries!
Very similar to a lunch the other day. Nothing red here, sorry! Actually, there is paprika in the omelet, but you can't really see it.
And a delicious red drink. Mango rum, mango vodka, grenadine, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice, with a splash of Sprite.
~~~
Speaking of red, my camera (which is red for those of you who haven't seen it) is still being fixed!! I'm lost without a camera. Thank goodness I have an iPhone!
~~~
On the running front, so far so good. I completed the first week of training and all went well. I have done the first workout of the second week and I am proud to say that I was able to run every time I was supposed to. One uphill run was quite a struggle, but I made it and recovered. I'm on my way to 5K!! :-) Stay tuned!
New sneakers!
Very sweaty!
~~~
The highlight of the week has to be winning the PSSC Spring 2011 Volleyball Championship. YEAH!! (Red shirts!)
I wish you a great week!
Monday, July 11, 2011
if everyone jumped off a bridge...
...would you?
Perhaps comparing running to jumping off a bridge isn't the best comparison, but it's kind of relevant in this instance. Allow me to explain.
As I have mentioned before, I have been reading a lot of food blogs in the last 9 months. I'm learning a lot about healthy eating and alternative ingredients. I have also noticed that a lot of the bloggers are runners. At first I thought, puh, I will learn nutrition lessons and try recipes from these bloggers, but no way will I get into running. I don't run. Been there, done that, didn't like it (in high school). That was my attitude for 8 months. Then in the last month I started thinking that running would be really convenient because all you really need are sneakers. You can do it anywhere, anytime during daylight, and by yourself. Realizing this, I decided that I wanted to become a runner. AKA, jump off a bridge. After all, everyone else is doing it!!
Great, but now what!? Oh crap, I actually have to go outside and RUN!?! What was I thinking?! I can't just run! It's too hot! My sneakers are too old! I'll get tired! I don't have time! It's going to be hard! These thoughts and many more ran through my head. I decided to get a little help and found a Couch-to-5K program that sounded perfect for me. Yes, I'm active with yoga and volleyball, but when it comes to running, I might as well be a couch potato. I just didn't know where to start. This program seemed reasonable and I liked that the first workout involved only short bursts of 1-minute jogs. I thought, I can do this!
And then a week passed and I still hadn't done it. Each day was a different excuse, mostly the same ones I already listed above. Friday I finally came very close until I realized that I would need something to time these intervals and that the most likely candidate was my iPhone. I did not want to run with my iPhone in hand and looked up running watches online. And before I knew it, it was 8 PM and the sun would set soon, and, and, and... Running didn't happen.
Saturday involved the beach and sunbathing and some discussion with a friend about wanting to be a runner. We came to the conclusion that signing up for a 5K might be the best way to get motivated. And then on Sunday, something miraculous happened: I ran!! I decided that I was allowing myself too many excuses. If I really wanted to do this, then I had to do it, running watch or not. I got up, put on some workout clothes, ate cereal, studied the 1st workout plan, and got to work on stretching. After 10 minutes of stretching and only doing one rotation of the stretches instead of two (I was only mentally prepared for 25 workout minutes, I couldn't be adding another 20 with the stretches!!), I walked out the door. Only to realize that I had nowhere to put my keys. Disaster and potential roadblock averted: I grabbed my (much less bulky) spare keys and tied them to my shoelaces. I had my iPhone in hand, the music blasting, and the stopwatch function on the screen.
And I was off! I followed the plan, but wasn't able to run every planned jog. I got tired much faster than I expected so I walked the last 8 minutes. I am so proud of myself for having finally gotten out there and tried it. It was tough, but it felt good. I was indeed hot, it was indeed hard, I was indeed tired, but it was worth it. And not just the physical part, which does feel good, but I'm even prouder of finally breaking through my mental games that were preventing me from making the first step out the door. I still have a while to go - this program is 9 weeks long - but at least I have started it now. I'm not even looking at the weeks ahead. I am going to do this at my own pace, and only move to the next workout once I feel like I can.
I did a little research about running and found a useful article titled Running 101. I'll be trying to follow some of the tips they gave.
At this point, I'm not sure that I am ready to sign up for a 5K. I have one in mind in October that I might like to try, but I am not ready to commit. All I can commit to right now, is taking it one day at a time, and listening to my body, without listening to the excuses. If I manage to run 3 times this week, I will get myself a new pair of running sneakers. It's going to be tough because it's a very busy week, but that's life.
I'm standing on the edge of the bridge now. Will I jump?
Perhaps comparing running to jumping off a bridge isn't the best comparison, but it's kind of relevant in this instance. Allow me to explain.
As I have mentioned before, I have been reading a lot of food blogs in the last 9 months. I'm learning a lot about healthy eating and alternative ingredients. I have also noticed that a lot of the bloggers are runners. At first I thought, puh, I will learn nutrition lessons and try recipes from these bloggers, but no way will I get into running. I don't run. Been there, done that, didn't like it (in high school). That was my attitude for 8 months. Then in the last month I started thinking that running would be really convenient because all you really need are sneakers. You can do it anywhere, anytime during daylight, and by yourself. Realizing this, I decided that I wanted to become a runner. AKA, jump off a bridge. After all, everyone else is doing it!!
Great, but now what!? Oh crap, I actually have to go outside and RUN!?! What was I thinking?! I can't just run! It's too hot! My sneakers are too old! I'll get tired! I don't have time! It's going to be hard! These thoughts and many more ran through my head. I decided to get a little help and found a Couch-to-5K program that sounded perfect for me. Yes, I'm active with yoga and volleyball, but when it comes to running, I might as well be a couch potato. I just didn't know where to start. This program seemed reasonable and I liked that the first workout involved only short bursts of 1-minute jogs. I thought, I can do this!
And then a week passed and I still hadn't done it. Each day was a different excuse, mostly the same ones I already listed above. Friday I finally came very close until I realized that I would need something to time these intervals and that the most likely candidate was my iPhone. I did not want to run with my iPhone in hand and looked up running watches online. And before I knew it, it was 8 PM and the sun would set soon, and, and, and... Running didn't happen.
Saturday involved the beach and sunbathing and some discussion with a friend about wanting to be a runner. We came to the conclusion that signing up for a 5K might be the best way to get motivated. And then on Sunday, something miraculous happened: I ran!! I decided that I was allowing myself too many excuses. If I really wanted to do this, then I had to do it, running watch or not. I got up, put on some workout clothes, ate cereal, studied the 1st workout plan, and got to work on stretching. After 10 minutes of stretching and only doing one rotation of the stretches instead of two (I was only mentally prepared for 25 workout minutes, I couldn't be adding another 20 with the stretches!!), I walked out the door. Only to realize that I had nowhere to put my keys. Disaster and potential roadblock averted: I grabbed my (much less bulky) spare keys and tied them to my shoelaces. I had my iPhone in hand, the music blasting, and the stopwatch function on the screen.
And I was off! I followed the plan, but wasn't able to run every planned jog. I got tired much faster than I expected so I walked the last 8 minutes. I am so proud of myself for having finally gotten out there and tried it. It was tough, but it felt good. I was indeed hot, it was indeed hard, I was indeed tired, but it was worth it. And not just the physical part, which does feel good, but I'm even prouder of finally breaking through my mental games that were preventing me from making the first step out the door. I still have a while to go - this program is 9 weeks long - but at least I have started it now. I'm not even looking at the weeks ahead. I am going to do this at my own pace, and only move to the next workout once I feel like I can.
I did a little research about running and found a useful article titled Running 101. I'll be trying to follow some of the tips they gave.
At this point, I'm not sure that I am ready to sign up for a 5K. I have one in mind in October that I might like to try, but I am not ready to commit. All I can commit to right now, is taking it one day at a time, and listening to my body, without listening to the excuses. If I manage to run 3 times this week, I will get myself a new pair of running sneakers. It's going to be tough because it's a very busy week, but that's life.
I'm standing on the edge of the bridge now. Will I jump?
Friday, July 8, 2011
cookie dough
Have I mentioned before that I love cookie dough? Remember the chocolate chip cookie dough brownie?
I have tried two new recipes involving cookie dough recently. First, let's deal with the one that didn't work out so well.
The name is super long:
I have tried two new recipes involving cookie dough recently. First, let's deal with the one that didn't work out so well.
The name is super long:
Quite a name, right!?! For me, the equation ended more like this:
Oh well! I'll try again!
The cookie dough looked great. There may or may not have been some major sampling at this point. ;-)
The recipe actually involves making cupcakes from a mix. I don't really ever make cakes from mixes because I don't like the flavors very much, but I figured it would save some time and not be as noticeable with cookie dough so I did it that way.
Still looking very promising!
And then they came out of the oven looking delicious!
The reviews of this recipe warned that the cupcakes wouldn't look done but to take them out anyway. Within a minute of being out the oven, I realized that they clearly hadn't been in the oven long enough. They had all sunk in way too much:
I still sampled, because it takes a lot to deter me from dessert, but they just weren't edible. Way underdone.
I haven't given up on this recipe yet, but next time I will make the cake from scratch and I will leave them longer in the oven.
The other cookie dough recipe I made was a much bigger success. And was much easier. And is vegan!! It's from Angela over at Oh She Glows: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough "Blizzard"
If the "vegan" description turned you off, I beg you to reconsider. You would have no idea these were vegan if I hadn't told you.
At this point, once again, there may have been some serious sampling. I couldn't even resist eating one between these two pictures. Just look at these!
Then you blend a frozen banana and a few tablespoons of cookie dough, add a few cookie dough balls and you have a blizzard!
I'm sorry for the quality of the pictures for this recipe. My camera has been acting up so I sent it in for repair. I'm lost without it and have to make do with my iPhone. (Although I do think it's doing a decent job.)
The best part of this recipe? Aside from the deliciousness of course... I got to use my Ninja blender! Still loving it! :-)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough + Cupcake = Lots of potential. But fail.
The cookie dough looked great. There may or may not have been some major sampling at this point. ;-)
The recipe actually involves making cupcakes from a mix. I don't really ever make cakes from mixes because I don't like the flavors very much, but I figured it would save some time and not be as noticeable with cookie dough so I did it that way.
Still looking very promising!
And then they came out of the oven looking delicious!
The reviews of this recipe warned that the cupcakes wouldn't look done but to take them out anyway. Within a minute of being out the oven, I realized that they clearly hadn't been in the oven long enough. They had all sunk in way too much:
I still sampled, because it takes a lot to deter me from dessert, but they just weren't edible. Way underdone.
I haven't given up on this recipe yet, but next time I will make the cake from scratch and I will leave them longer in the oven.
The other cookie dough recipe I made was a much bigger success. And was much easier. And is vegan!! It's from Angela over at Oh She Glows: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough "Blizzard"
If the "vegan" description turned you off, I beg you to reconsider. You would have no idea these were vegan if I hadn't told you.
At this point, once again, there may have been some serious sampling. I couldn't even resist eating one between these two pictures. Just look at these!
Then you blend a frozen banana and a few tablespoons of cookie dough, add a few cookie dough balls and you have a blizzard!
I'm sorry for the quality of the pictures for this recipe. My camera has been acting up so I sent it in for repair. I'm lost without it and have to make do with my iPhone. (Although I do think it's doing a decent job.)
The best part of this recipe? Aside from the deliciousness of course... I got to use my Ninja blender! Still loving it! :-)
Saturday, July 2, 2011
small kitchen appliances
Someone recently asked me if I was one of those people who gets really excited about small kitchen appliances or gadgets. First of all, I didn't realize that was a defined group of people. Second of all, it doesn't sound like a group I want to be associated with - sounds pretty silly. So my first impulse was to reply nooooo. But as I prepare to write this post, I realize that I might just be part of that group because I am truly excited to tell you about my new blender!! But first, let's talk about my new slow cooker.
I've been wanting to get a slow cooker for a long time, but I am not really sure what held me back. I finally got one. I christened the slow cooker with Corn Spoon Bread from allrecipes.com. I didn't actually know what it was, so I didn't know what to expect.
It turned out like corn pudding. I liked it when I first ate it, but as time goes on, I've gotten less thrilled with it. I froze several pieces of it, and haven't yet had the desire to defrost any. Maybe it will grow on me. Maybe not.
PS: I'm intrigued by this product. I may have to try it on its own one day. I do love corn bread!
The second use of the slow cooker was more successful.
I decided to try a Slow Cooker Stout Stew from allrecipes.com, even though that's really a winter dish not exactly appropriate for the heat we're in.
Nonetheless, I'm glad I tried it because it was delicious. Very meaty.
Slow cooker = success!
And now, ladies and gentlemen, for the piece de resistance.... my new blender!! It is the Ninja, recommended by my dear friend Alicia. It is fantastic.
Pros:
- It's very powerful. It did not hesitate to crush through frozen fruit and ice!
- Everything except the motor goes into the dishwasher. And since I have a new working dishwasher, this makes me very happy.
- The blades are at different levels in the pitcher so you don't get stuck with unblended items at the top that you have to push down.
- It's very easy to use: just push down to run it. You either push down continuously or pulse depending on what you're trying to do.
- First you put the blades in the pitcher and then you add the food. When you're ready to pour out, you take the blades out and then pour. This means that you can get everything out with minimal waste, unlike traditional blenders.
Cons:
- It's a bit more work than other blenders to add things in while blending, because you have to remove the motor and the top. Minor drawback as far as I am concerned.
The maiden voyage was Fresh Pineapple-Berry Fiasco from allrecipes.com. A delicious smoothie. Well, I think it's supposed to be a bit more like a frozen drink because you're supposed to juice the fruit, but I skipped that part and just blended all the fruits together. Delicious! It was frothy and fresh and perfect. I highly recommend it!
This blender might be a keeper! Let's hope it fares better than my last 3! ;-)
Please note: I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertiser are only used for experienced-based reviews on "the hidden foodie in me". The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Caroline C.
I've been wanting to get a slow cooker for a long time, but I am not really sure what held me back. I finally got one. I christened the slow cooker with Corn Spoon Bread from allrecipes.com. I didn't actually know what it was, so I didn't know what to expect.
It turned out like corn pudding. I liked it when I first ate it, but as time goes on, I've gotten less thrilled with it. I froze several pieces of it, and haven't yet had the desire to defrost any. Maybe it will grow on me. Maybe not.
PS: I'm intrigued by this product. I may have to try it on its own one day. I do love corn bread!
The second use of the slow cooker was more successful.
I decided to try a Slow Cooker Stout Stew from allrecipes.com, even though that's really a winter dish not exactly appropriate for the heat we're in.
Nonetheless, I'm glad I tried it because it was delicious. Very meaty.
Slow cooker = success!
And now, ladies and gentlemen, for the piece de resistance.... my new blender!! It is the Ninja, recommended by my dear friend Alicia. It is fantastic.
Pros:
- It's very powerful. It did not hesitate to crush through frozen fruit and ice!
- Everything except the motor goes into the dishwasher. And since I have a new working dishwasher, this makes me very happy.
- The blades are at different levels in the pitcher so you don't get stuck with unblended items at the top that you have to push down.
- It's very easy to use: just push down to run it. You either push down continuously or pulse depending on what you're trying to do.
- First you put the blades in the pitcher and then you add the food. When you're ready to pour out, you take the blades out and then pour. This means that you can get everything out with minimal waste, unlike traditional blenders.
Cons:
- It's a bit more work than other blenders to add things in while blending, because you have to remove the motor and the top. Minor drawback as far as I am concerned.
The maiden voyage was Fresh Pineapple-Berry Fiasco from allrecipes.com. A delicious smoothie. Well, I think it's supposed to be a bit more like a frozen drink because you're supposed to juice the fruit, but I skipped that part and just blended all the fruits together. Delicious! It was frothy and fresh and perfect. I highly recommend it!
This blender might be a keeper! Let's hope it fares better than my last 3! ;-)
Please note: I am an Allrecipes Allstar Brand Ambassador (a voluntary position) and I’m not compensated for my work with Allrecipes.com. Products received from advertiser are only used for experienced-based reviews on "the hidden foodie in me". The reviews, content and opinions expressed in this blog are purely the sole opinions of Caroline C.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
award winning
In looking back through some of my previous posts, I noticed that I have shared a lot of my cooking...shall we say, learning opportunities? Yes, learning opportunities. I think it's time to focus on some successes. In addition, I really want to share this recipe with you. It is by far the best cookie recipe I have ever made and every time I share these cookies, people gobble them up and ask for the recipe. Part of their name is "award winning" and you will soon discover why.
7. It helps to cool the batter a bit before you bake the cookies. Therefore, keep the dough in the refrigerator in between batches. It'll make the cookies better.
8. And one last tip: take these out of the oven even if you don't think they're done. When the edges are starting to brown, take them out! They will continue to bake a bit out of the oven and be just perfect. My oven is about average in temperature, maybe slightly hot, and I take these out at exactly 10 minutes. If you don't know how hot your oven runs, err on the side of caution and check on the cookies at 8 minutes.
Now I hope you're not overwhelmed. All I really needed to say about this recipe is that it is THE BEST!! You can thank me later for sharing this recipe. For now, just go make these.
(If you didn't already know this about me, you are about to learn that I love lists. If you're a list-lover too, you will like this post. If you don't like lists, hmmm, are you sure? Okay, just skip to the link then.)
Photo courtesy of my lovely sister Camille and her fantastic camera
Here is why they are great:
1. They are soft.
2. They stay soft for days.
3. The entire recipe makes a massive amount of cookies, but you can just as easily make half or a quarter of the recipe (although trust me when I say that there are never enough of these).
4. You can freeze these and reheat them in the toaster oven and they taste just as fresh.
5. You can vary the flavor of the secret ingredient (secret to be revealed below) and the kind of chocolate chips to create an infinite number of fantastic and creative variations.
Oh my goodness. Just thinking about these makes me want one right now.
Are you ready for these?
Oh my gosh, I'm so excited to share this! Really ready?
Okay, okay! Here you go:
Photo courtesy of my lovely sister Camille and her fantastic camera
Here is why they are great:
1. They are soft.
2. They stay soft for days.
3. The entire recipe makes a massive amount of cookies, but you can just as easily make half or a quarter of the recipe (although trust me when I say that there are never enough of these).
4. You can freeze these and reheat them in the toaster oven and they taste just as fresh.
5. You can vary the flavor of the secret ingredient (secret to be revealed below) and the kind of chocolate chips to create an infinite number of fantastic and creative variations.
Oh my goodness. Just thinking about these makes me want one right now.
Are you ready for these?
Oh my gosh, I'm so excited to share this! Really ready?
Okay, okay! Here you go:
Ta-da!
And the secret ingredient is........pudding mix!!! Yes! Love it! This is what makes these cookies soft and delicious! I have tried vanilla, chocolate, lemon, and banana. I also plan on trying pistachio. Lemon wasn't my favorite but my co-workers liked it - they said it reminded them of a fig newton. Suuure.
My favorite combos:
(Measurements are for 36 servings or half the recipe so you need 2 cups of choc chips total)
1. Vanilla pudding / 1 c milk choc chips + 1/2 c semi-sweet choc chips + 1/2 c white choc chips
2. Chocolate pudding / 1-1/2 c of white choc chips + 1/2 c semi-sweet choc chips
3. Banana pudding / 1-1/2 c milk choc chips + 1/2 c white choc chips
But please be creative here... and share your results with me!
Now, I don't know how much baking experience you have, so I will share a few tips that I have learned along the way:
1. The butter must be at room temperature before you start. If your home is hot, put the butter out for a while and then put it in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes before you use it. The butter needs to be soft, as in you can gently press down and leave a finger mark, but not melted. This has a high impact on the consistency of the cookies, as well as whether or not they will hold their shape.
2. You can beat the sugar and butter as long as you want. In fact, I would say that 3-4 minutes is good. You can really beat all of the ingredients as long as you want...until... you add in the flour. Once the flour goes in, make sure you are only mixing until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Over-mixing once the flour is in will create tough cookies.
3. Make sure your baking soda isn't old. This one is kind of random and probably doesn't happen too often, but it's on my mind because I recently discovered that my baking powder was no longer effective. Just something to check if you have any problems.
4. It is very important to scoop the flour out of the container and lightly sprinkle it into your measuring cup. If you use the measuring cup to scoop the flour out of the bag, you will have too much flour and your cookies will be too dense. The best way to make sure you have the right amount of flour is to change the measurements to metric and then weigh the flour. Not sure if you'll be up for that, but it's worth a shot if you any problems and have a scale that measures in grams.
Now, I don't know how much baking experience you have, so I will share a few tips that I have learned along the way:
1. The butter must be at room temperature before you start. If your home is hot, put the butter out for a while and then put it in the refrigerator for about 5 minutes before you use it. The butter needs to be soft, as in you can gently press down and leave a finger mark, but not melted. This has a high impact on the consistency of the cookies, as well as whether or not they will hold their shape.
2. You can beat the sugar and butter as long as you want. In fact, I would say that 3-4 minutes is good. You can really beat all of the ingredients as long as you want...until... you add in the flour. Once the flour goes in, make sure you are only mixing until all of the ingredients are incorporated. Over-mixing once the flour is in will create tough cookies.
3. Make sure your baking soda isn't old. This one is kind of random and probably doesn't happen too often, but it's on my mind because I recently discovered that my baking powder was no longer effective. Just something to check if you have any problems.
4. It is very important to scoop the flour out of the container and lightly sprinkle it into your measuring cup. If you use the measuring cup to scoop the flour out of the bag, you will have too much flour and your cookies will be too dense. The best way to make sure you have the right amount of flour is to change the measurements to metric and then weigh the flour. Not sure if you'll be up for that, but it's worth a shot if you any problems and have a scale that measures in grams.
5. In allrecipes.com, you can easily scale the recipe by changing the number of servings (originally 72 cookies for this recipe) and hitting the "Calculate" button. Allrecipes.com does the math for you. And if you're really averse to math, half the recipe is 36 servings, and a quarter is 18. ;-)
6. Cookie scoops are awesome. They enable you to make cookies of the same size, which is good to prevent fighting over the biggest cookies and because they will be evenly baked. I waited way too long before buying this kitchen utensil. I am in love with it and am not sure how I lived without one. Alternately, you could use a tablespoon. (But once you have a cookie scoop, you'll fall in love with it too and also wonder how you lived without one.)
7. It helps to cool the batter a bit before you bake the cookies. Therefore, keep the dough in the refrigerator in between batches. It'll make the cookies better.
8. And one last tip: take these out of the oven even if you don't think they're done. When the edges are starting to brown, take them out! They will continue to bake a bit out of the oven and be just perfect. My oven is about average in temperature, maybe slightly hot, and I take these out at exactly 10 minutes. If you don't know how hot your oven runs, err on the side of caution and check on the cookies at 8 minutes.
Now I hope you're not overwhelmed. All I really needed to say about this recipe is that it is THE BEST!! You can thank me later for sharing this recipe. For now, just go make these.
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