Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Bake at the Drop of a Kippah*

Frume Sarah told me I'm one of "those moms"...meaning I'll bake cookies at the drop of a kippah*, I guess;-)

I do like to bake, and my family and friends have come to expect it of me. Feeling a need for sweets? Just hint to me and I'm likely to bake you a batch of cookies. Cold Shabbat afternoon? Let's bake cookies!

How do I do this easily?
1. I always have on hand all the ingredients for this recipe of cookies (below). Anything else I might not be able to bake. I also keep at least one box of cake mix and cupcake papers handy always. I buy the cakemixes on sale when I catch them. (I also keep pudding mix on hand, helpful when you need to use up some milk.)

2. I keep my stand mixer (isn't that one over there a beautiful color? mine is white.) on the countertop, tucked behind our water filter system. It's accessible and I don't have to lift it up from a cabinet or dig it out from behind other appliances I don't use as often as I should.

3. I have perfected this one recipe. No one seems to mind that I make the same over and over again because they're *darn good*! What makes them so good? I have taken a recipe from the back of a Nestle Chocolate Chip bag and edited it...I use half butter and half margarine (although this actually depends on what's in my house), I use all brown sugar in place of the white...that's about it. Plus, I beat and beat the sugar and butter (see below) and I use parchment paper. And I made a few other comments in the recipe below.

Ingredients:

* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
* 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
* 2 large eggs
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 1/2 cups quick or old-fashioned oats
* 2 cups chocolate chips
* 1 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional - I never use them)

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat brown sugar and butter in large mixer bowl until creamy. (I find this is a key step too. I put it in my Kitchenaid mixer and start it going and then let it go and go while I sort out the rest of the ingredients. The longer the better.) Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in oats, morsels and nuts; mix well. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets - line with parchment paper for best results.

BAKE for 9 to 10 minutes. Take them out when they look slightly underdone (but not raw in the middle) and then make sure you cool on baking sheets for 1 minute or even longer, they will finish cooking nicely this way. Then remove to wire racks and trust me, they won't last long.

I also have one of these toys which I just got recently and love for its ease! Why did I never have one before!?

What works for you?


*Kippah is the Hebrew word for skullcap, worn by Jews.

22 comments:

ellen b. said...

Are there any in the cookie jar right now? I'd like one :)

Rebecca (Ramblings by Reba) said...

I'm with Ellen. Sounds GREAT!

Robin said...

Mmmm... Coooookieeeessss! (in my best Cookie Monster voice)

jennwa said...

They sound Yummy. I will have to try them. Thanks

Kristen M. said...

Sometimes the simple cookie recipes are the best. I'm coveting your Kitchen Aid. One of these days I'll have my own.

Anonymous said...

Man, I wish I knew you when I worked on the North Shore. I would have stopped by often!

Amy said...

Thanks or the recipe and for checking out my cookie recipe today!

Pieces said...

I'll have to try this recipe. I like the idea of all brown sugar. I just got some raspberry filled chips and mini hershey kisses on special at the store. This will give me something to make with them. Thanks!

Katz said...

cookies sound so yummy! i might have to try it your way.

i LOVE my kitchen-aid stand mixer. and i agree... if it's not out, i don't use it.

Crafty P said...

I was just baking Chocolate chips today! I don't seem to have the time to bake as often as I'd like anymore, so when I do have time... I mix up the batter and store it in the fridge. Then, whenever I have a few minutes (like lunchtime) I will pop a cookie sheet or two into the oven. Fresh cookies and not a ton of time spent in the kitchen!

Anonymous said...

I am envious of your mixer. I want one in Reef Blue or perhaps purple. Hopefully my husband will get the hint soon. :)

MT said...

Sounds good!

I use a 50/50 mix of butter/shortening and make sure to beat it well, too. All that air makes 'em lofty!

Great blog!

Janis Rodgers said...

Yum-oh! I LOVE cookies (or anything sweet for that matter). Thanks for sharing!

Annie-Savor This Moment said...

Yum! I'm going to have to bake a batch. Whoops, there goes the new year's diet.

Anonymous said...

I was hoping for the mixer last Mother's Day. PC thought I was kidding. When I pointed one out in the store, he commented that he couldn't imagine what I was going to do with it if I ever got one.

:(

Scribbit said...

Kippah--love it! Dipping them in hot chocolate mentally as we speak :)

Angie @ Many Little Blessings said...

Sounds tasty! I just love having homemade cookies in the house!

Karla Porter Archer said...

This sounds really really really really.... GOOD!

Blessings,
Karla

Ilanna said...

Ahh my chocolate chip cookies are famous as well.

Mine is based on the Joy of Cooking recipe - which uses only 1 stick of butter and 1 egg. My changes: I add Bailey's irish cream to the mix (and some extra flour to soak it up) - no nuts - and lately - i've been melting some of the williams sonoma hot chocolate shavings and pouring them into the batter for a chocolate chocolate chip cookie. :)

Unknown said...

Mmmm....yummy.
Thanks!

Feel welcome to visit my entry for wfm at my blog

Laane on the World

Have a happy New Year!!!

Christine said...

That sounds delicious!!! I will definitely try it...I love that it's heavy on the vanilla and brown sugar and lighter on the flour. I KNOW the texture is perfect, at least by my standards.

Thanks for stopping by my photo tips series...it is amazing how much just stepping forward can help, huh? Hope the next photo tip is as helpful.

Kristen M. said...

I'm making these today. I haven't tasted the finished product but the cookie dough is delicious. Thanks again.