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New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies

Lori Lange — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:00:44 +0000

I’ve been eyeing this famous New York Times Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe for a very long time now. First published in the New York Times on July 9, 2008, this recipe took the internet by storm when David Leite experimented with baking cookie dough that had a chance to rest in the refrigerator for a given number of hours. Leite described that refrigeration allows for the dough and other ingredients to fully absorb the liquid, resulting in a drier dough baking to a better consistency. Leite shared that even Chocolate Chip Cookie inventor Ruth Wakefield noted in her 1953 Toll House Cookbook that the cookie dough is meant to be chilled overnight (a crucial piece of information that is not included in the recipe on the bags of Nestle’s chocolate morsels). Interesting stuff, huh?

I decided to put this dough to the test for myself once and for all. I measured the flour and the sugar using a scale so that everything would be very accurate. And I baked all three versions of the cookies below on the same baking sheet lined with a silpat mat- at the same temperature- for the same amount of time. I also rolled out the cookie dough and measured it so that it was exactly 3.25 ounces. The recipe suggests 3.5 ounces, but these still yielded a very large cookie with a slightly smaller measurement. I dotted additional chocolate chips on top of each round of cookie dough (as I do w/ all of my cookies… since it makes them look prettier).

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Green Chile, Bacon and Cheese Egg Bake

Lori Lange — Fri, 11 May 2012 10:00:06 +0000

Dear Loving Family of Mine,

I’d really like a break from cooking on Mother’s Day this year. And I’d like to spend the day with you, if you don’t mind. I figure I work pretty hard all year long to be a good wife and mother, so here’s what I’d like my Mother’s Day to look like this year. I’d like to wake up in the morning and crawl out of bed whenever I feel like it. And I’d like a bit of pampering… all day long. First, I’d like to eat breakfast that has been prepared just for me… in my own kitchen. Something like this Green Chile, Bacon and Cheese Egg Bake

Then I’d like to watch a movie in my pajamas with my family snuggled on the couch beside me. Maybe I’ll choose a chick flick, maybe not. Next I’d like to go for a walk on the beach. A vigorous, long “exercise” walk to walk off that breakfast that was prepared for me. After showering at home, I’d like to relax and read my book, outfitted in yoga pants and an oversized sweatshirt. Perhaps I’ll take a nap too. Let’s meet up again later in the afternoon.

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Ginger Beer Lemonade

Lori Lange — Wed, 09 May 2012 10:00:28 +0000

First of all, you should know that Ginger Beer is not really “beer.” It took me a a couple of hours of tweeting and googling to verify that. I guess I just couldn’t let go of the fact that it’s called, “Ginger Beer.” I thought for sure it must be a ginger-flavored beer! It’s actually a nonalcoholic (gluten-free) ginger ale brewed with fresh ginger, honey, pineapple, lemon, lime and spices to create a carbonated beverage. You can put your zip code in the Store Locator to see if they sell this good stuff near you. I do know that it’s available at Trader Joe’s.

Here’s a very simple recipe I’m sharing today with a big flavor punch: Ginger Beer Lemonade

This recipe comes from a fun cookbook: The I Love Trader Joe’s College Cookbook by Andrea Lynn. Are you a Trader Joe’s fan?! If you’re lucky enough to have a Trader Joe’s near you, it’s such a great place to pick up gourmet goodies of every kind. This cookbook covers 150 Cheap-and-Easy Gourmet Recipes – turning Trader Joe’s groceries into delicious dishes.

Here’s how you make the Ginger Beer Lemonade:

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Monster Cookies

Lori Lange — Mon, 07 May 2012 10:00:37 +0000

This post should be titled, “Out of Sight, Out of Mind!” or “Hiding Cookies in Your Freezer is a Good Idea!” Or better yet, “When Cookies Are in My Freezer, I Don’t Remember They’re There!” Only I’d by lying to myself. I bake cookies and put them in little ziploc baggies and place them in the freezer for instant munching for the boys in my house. I tell myself that since they’re in the freezer, they’re totally safe. Safe from ME. Safe from my strong desire to eat something sweet at a certain time of day. That little trick seems to work at first, until my cravings turn mad and uncontrollable. I try to tell myself that frozen cookies aren’t any good. But guess what? They’re good. They’re actually better than un-frozen cookies. Here’s my latest cookie: Monster Cookies

Monster cookies aren’t anything new. They’ve been around a very long time, and this recipe was tucked into my collection sometime way back in my pre-teen years. Someone… somewhere made them up- Betty Crocker, I’m guessing. They are indeed a cookie recipe worth keeping around for decades.

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Enchiladas (20 Recipes to Share)

Lori Lange — Fri, 04 May 2012 10:00:50 +0000

Hooray for Enchiladas! I’ve decided to make an enchilada recipe for dinner tonight… one that I’ve made a zillion times and have never gotten a photo of- Asparagus and Chicken Enchiladas. My father used to make these enchiladas for me every time I came to visit. They are so creamy and delicious, and I’m excited to (finally) try and snap a good photo. Enchiladas aren’t the easiest of dishes to photograph. They end up looking like a sloppy mess most of the time, even though they are incredibly delicious to eat. Here are 20 fabulous enchiladas recipes from some of my favorite food blogs. Find a favorite and click the title to find the recipe.

Easy Beef Enchiladas by RecipeGirl- Like the title says, these are just easy enchiladas with a homemade sauce if you’re so inclined to make it. My family loves these.

White Chicken Enchiladas by The Pioneer Woman- I have heard this recipe RAVED AND RAVED AND RAVED about, so I’m guessing it’s completely worthy of trying! It’s on my list…

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Shrimp Tacos with Avocado- Chimichurri Sauce

Lori Lange — Wed, 02 May 2012 10:00:19 +0000

Countdown to Cinco de Mayo! Sure, that may not mean anything to you if you live in North Dakota, Ireland, Australia or Japan. But here in SoCal… sooooo close to Mexico, we do it up big for Cinco de Mayo! It’s really just an excuse to make some fabulous Mexican food and chow down. Today I’m sharing: Shrimp Tacos with Avocado Chimichurri Sauce

My family gets a little excited when I tell them we’re having any kind of seafood tacos for dinner. Fish tacos and shrimp tacos are a pretty big deal around here. Everyone loves them. Fish Taco Tuesday ($1 deals) are pretty common at some of the fish taco eateries around town. But we like to make them homemade.

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10 New Recipes to Try for Dinner

Lori Lange — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 10:00:00 +0000

Back in January I shared 10 new recipes to try for dinner and promised to share something like this again. These are recipes that I’ve tried that haven’t made it onto the blog to be “featured,” but they’ve been added into my recipe database. I’m sneaky like that. Just when you think you’ve tried all of my chicken recipes, I may have added something new without you even realizing it. I add recipes to various categories randomly… all year long… when they’re definitely great to share with the world, but they aren’t exciting enough visually or otherwise to be the star of a featured recipe post. Here are 10 new recipes to try for dinner that I’ve had in the last few weeks myself.

Pork Chops Alla Pizzaiola: This recipe is from Giada De Laurentiis. It comes together so easily- the chops sautéed in a pan in a little bit of oil, then removed to keep warm while you simmer the sauce. I served it over rice and it was a big hit with my family!
#gluten free
#dairy free

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