Tuesday, September 18, 2007

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever

The shop Ruby et Violette in Manhattan isn't there any more,
but this recipe comes via Shelterrific.com, many thanks..
and Debralee, I'm putting this here so that you don't have to
divulge your secret, but it you do ever want to spill the recipe
for those famous cookies, delete this and put yours in. ! ;-)


*Wendy Gaynor’s ‘Perfect’ Chocolate Chunk Cookies

8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
4 cups semisweet chunks (preferably imported).

1. Place the butter in a large bowl and cream at high speed until
fluffy. Add the sugars and beat until light and fluffy, about 4
minutes, scraping down sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs, one
at a time, until completely mixed.

2. In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt and baking soda. Add to the
butter mixture at low speed until just combined and add vanilla
extract. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl down, until blended. Do
not overmix.

3. Add chocolate chunks and mix till thoroughly combined. Refrigerate
batter until cold, preferably overnight.

4. Preheat a conventional oven to 350 degrees or a convection oven to
300 degrees, and line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop
heaping spoonfuls of batter 2 inches apart on the lined baking sheets
and bake, turning tray once, until golden brown around edges and soft
(but not bubbly), about 9 minutes in a convection oven or 12 in a
conventional one. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 36 to 72 cookies, depending on size.

*This recipe appeared in The New York Times on October 27, 2002.

Monday, September 3, 2007

Tastes Just Like Chicken!

And that would be because it is..muahhhhhhaaaaaa. Oh, sorry. lol
I just spent a little over a week with my daughter and family...alllll we did was eat and play. My kinda visit! :)
I found this very basic roasted chicken recipe; directions look long winded, but don't be a baby..TRY IT, you will love it. My daughter makes a similar dish often, but in my delirium, I forgot to beg for her recipe; so, for all I know, this could be the same as hers..yes, I am that good. *rolls eyes*

1- 4 lb. roasting chicken
11/4 tsp. salt, divided
3/4 tsp. pepper
4 oregano sprigs
1 lemon quartered
1 celery stalk, cut into 2 in. pieces
Cooking spray

2 TBS. butter, melted
2 lbs. medium yellow onions, peeled and cut into 8 wedges ( about 1-inch wedges)
2 lbs. small red potatoes, cut like the onions
1/4 cup all purpose flour ( about an ounce, if you are that industrious)
1 (14 ounce) can fat-free chicken broth, divided


1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees

2) Remove and discard giblets and neck friom chicken..and trim off excess fat while you're at it.
Loosen the skin from the breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers gently between skin and meat. combine 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp pepper..rub under loosened skin on breasts and legs. Place oregano sprigs, quartered lemon, and celery into body cavity of chicken. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Place chicken, breast side up, on the rack of a broiler sprayed with Non-stick cooking spray.

3) Combine1/2 tsp salt, remaining pepper, melted butter, onions, and potatoes in a large bowl..toss to coat well. Arrange onion mixture around chicken on rack. Place rack into pan; bake at 425 d. for 20 minutes Reduce temperature to 325 and bake an additional 1 hour and 10 minutes or until onions and potatoes are and tender and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165 degrees. ( NO one like chicke sushi!)

4) Cool easy clean up tip about to happen!
Place a zip top plastic bag into a 2 cup measuring cup..pour pan drippings into bag and let stand for 10 minutes ( fat will rise to the top) Seal bag. carefully snip off 1 corner of the bag and drain drippings into sauce pan, stopping before you reach the fat layer..:)

Combine remaining 1/4 tsp of salt, the flour, and 1/2 cup of chicken broth in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk; then add flour mixture and remaining broth to saucepan. Bring to a boil over med-high heat; reduce heat for 5 minutes or til gravy thickens stirring frequently.

Carve chicken, serve with the fixin's.
You will have a bone bare chicken in no time, trust me.