Lasagne and Cookies

One thing you must know about me is that when I want something I make it happen.  I don't mean to sound impatient (even though I am, a bit) or spoiled, but I usually find a way.  I've gotten more patient in the years though (I promise, Mom.)


This past weekend I wanted something, so my wonderful husband took me to the store to get sugar, butter and eggs.  Don't ask me how I didn't have these on hand, but if you did, I would tell you that I ran out of them at the same time.  That would be true, honest, I'm a bad liar!


This particular time I had to have chocolate chip cookies.  I blame Pinterest.


I wanted to try a recipe I hadn't made before, so I found one that had some good reviews.  For some reason since becoming a "baker" I have felt that if I did the bare minimum I would feel less of a "baker" (makes no sense, right?) Unfortunately this is the truth, so I had to make 2 kinds of cookies.  Don't worry, I didn't eat them all, but my co-workers like me ;)


I decided on Lemon Crinkle cookies.  They were light, chewy and delicious.

I had never rolled cookies in powdered sugar before baking before, but they gave these cookies the best texture.  I will make them again, maybe with more lemon zest though.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

Makes 2-3 dozen


Ingredients:

½ cups butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoons salt
¼ teaspoons baking powder
⅛ teaspoons baking soda
1-½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cups powdered sugar


In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla, egg, lemon zest, and juice. Scrape sides and mix again. Stir in all dry ingredients slowly until just combined, excluding the powdered sugar. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again briefly. Pour powdered sugar onto a large plate. Roll a heaping teaspoon of dough into a ball and roll in powdered sugar. Place on baking sheet and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake for 9-11 minutes or until bottoms begin to barely brown and cookies look matte {not melty or shiny}. Remove from oven and cool cookies about 3 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

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The Chocolate Chip cookies I made were very good, but not as chewy as I would have liked. I may actually make some more tonight with a different recipe.  I like them nice and soft.  If you are in the mood for a slightly crispy/chewy cookie, this is the right recipe for you.  Don't get me wrong, they were delicious, but a bit too crunchy for me.

The interesting thing about these cookies is the idea of breaking the dough apart before baking.  I'm not sure if they really made them anymore textured, but it was fun to do!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 C plus 2 T flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
12 T butter (1 1/2 sticks) melted and cooled until warm
1 cup brown sugar (light or dark)
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 C semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Adjust oven racks to upper- and lower-middle positions. Mix flour, salt, and baking soda together in medium bowl; set aside.

Either by hand or with electric mixer, mix butter and sugars until thoroughly blended. Mix in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix until just combined. Stir in chips.

*If for some reason your dough is too soft to form balls at this point, don’t add more flour.  Just cover and place bowl in the fridge until dough firms.

Take about 1/4 C dough and form into a ball.  Break ball in half and place dough on cookie sheet with broken edge facing up.  (Or just use a standard sized cookie scoop). Bake until cookies are set around outer edges start to hardenyet centers are still soft and puffy, 10-13 minutes.  Cool cookies on cookie sheets. Serve or store inairtight container.

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I also made a tasty lasagna for dinner.  It's no real recipe. I made the sauce from this recipe, however I halved it and used canned tomatoes. I then added lasagna noodles, carrots, broccoli, celery, squash, cottage cheese and colby jack cheese.  I basically put whatever I had in the house in it.  TASTY STUFF!

Here was dinner, jealous???

All in all it was a good night, and I'm pretty happy with myself.  I think I'll make tortillas tonight...

Stay tuned!

-April