Following the leaders, chocolate chip scones

I read food blogs A LOT. In fact, I pencil in an hour every weekday to check all my favorites for updates and to scroll through new finds that I inevitably come across. Through browsing I saw that Scones were pretty popular amongst bloggers. I don’t necessarily love scones and I’d usually pick a muffin or bagel over one if given the choice, but I thought that I had to make them at least once and what better time then now when I had such an array of recipes and suggestions at my fingertips. Originally I planned on making the apricot scones that I saw on "Pinch My Salt." However, when I was cutting up the dried fruit, Alex came over and made a horrible face. Apparently he does not like apricots one bit. Rather then having a pile of scones sit in the apartment that only I would eat, I decided to forgo the apricots and make chocolate chip scones instead. Alex has no qualms with chocolate or these scones.

I found Nicoles recipe to be perfeclty easy and delicious. I just substituted the apricots for chocolate chips, I'm sure any filling would be delicious!!

Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies

My valentine packages have been mailed. While I’m not entirely satisfied with the way they turned out, I’m sure they’ll be gobbled up anyhow. The dishes I decided on were chocolate chip hazelnut cookies, Jamaican banana bread, and spicy mixed nuts.

Anytime I try to cook for someone other then Alex the results are always sub par. I feel like I am doomed in that sense. Take last night for example; I decided to make spicy black bean- sweet potato burritos from the Definitely Not Martha blog sight. (This is a new blog I just discovered and am completely enthralled by. The writing is brilliant and entertaining and her recipes all sound do-able and delicious.) Anyhow, the dish DID turn out delicious and I would have been proud to serve it to just about anyone. Yet the day before when one of Alex’s friends came to dinner I made a Mediterranean vegetable pizza with whole wheat dough and of course, it burnt. The same thing happens whenever my parents come. I can be on a roll with wonderful dinners but somehow the night they arrive, after so much careful prep and planning, the dinner is just…. Eh…… edible. Well anyhow this is the way I feel about my valentine packages. Just “eh.” Maybe it’s all those high hopes.

Hazelnut cookies are one thing I do recommend. I’ve made them before and every time I do, they receive rave reviews. The recipe I use is from Giada’s Family Style Dinners Cookbook, and everything about it is divine. While I must say that these are not “pretty” cookies, they are tasty, and the aroma and texture of the roasted hazelnuts blends perfectly with oozing bittersweet chocolate. If you want something to serve alongside tea or coffee, this is it.

Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies:

1/2 cup old-fashioned oats (not instant)
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract (Trader Joe's bourbon blend is delicious)
1 cup hazelnuts (slow roasted, husked, & chopped)
1 (12 ounce) bag semisweet chocolate chips

1.) Preheat oven to 325F.
2.) Finely chop oats in food processor. Transfer the oats to a medium bowl.

Mix in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3.) Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars in a large bowl until fluffy.

Beat in the eggs and vanilla.

Add the flour mixture and stir until just blended.

Add hazelnuts, and chocolate chips.
4.) Drop the dough onto prepared baking sheers by rounded tablespoonful, spacing them 1 inch apart.

(Don't flatten the dough.)

Bake until the cookies are golden, for fifteen minutes.
5.) Cool the cookies on a baking sheet for five minutes

transfer them to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Since I was so unsatisfied with the others, I’m not going to include those recipes. However, I have to say that the idea behind the banana bread is a good one. Rum, coconut, and lime are three ingredients that belong together. Therefore, the reason this dish turned out bad isn’t the “Jamaican” component. It’s the “banana bread.” The base just was not good. The texture was really rubbery and lacking sweetness.

If I made it again, (and I plan to) I’d use the recipe that I wrote up before and give it a Caribbean twist.

Candies? Cookies? Breads? Nuts?.....

I've changed my mind at least twenty times concerning what I should send out in my Valentine Day packages. Initially I was intrigued by a Martha Stewart column in the globe that offered advice on creating your own heart shaped candy boxes. While I've never actually made candy before it did seem an appropriate and thoughtful gift. Plus, I've been meaning to experiment with different cooking methods (although I was leaning more towards homemade pasta / bread, not candy). Therefore, for a couple of days, I was set on shipping out boxes of chocolates for my valentines.

In order to get the necessary homemade-box supplies as well as the cupcake like inserts for the candies, I needed a craft store. You would think that this would be an easy task living in a city like Boston. Not so. The closest large-chain craft stores are in Natick, about forty minutes away. I suppose I could have found the necessary supplies at other stores (Papyrus, Crate and Barrel, or Williams and Sonoma) but I was trying to spend as little as possible and also looking for a large selection. Anyway, I didn't get to the craft store over the weekend. Instead we went to Russo's, a hidden gem wholesale vegetable and produce store, located in Watertown. I could go on, and on, and on.... and on about how amazing this store is (this really says a lot seeing as I'm from Rochester and the birthplace of Wegmans) but I will save that for a different day. I know that once I start, they'll be no stopping me.

After Russo's, our fridge was stocked with all sorts of fresh produce and vegetables. (All for a mere thirty dollars, but more on that later.) I had purchased bananas at Wholefoods a few days earlier and knew they'd rot before Alex or I ate them. Bananas just aren't that appealing when you have juicy, fresh cut pineapple- plump, sour grapes- and steroid size strawberries staring back at you. Knowing I had bananas on hand that needed tending to, I decided to give banana bread another go. (I'd made an attempt at banana bread on our old un-working stove and wound up with a burnt black top and oozing raw egg center. This time around, my expectations were rather low and if I was unsuccessful it's likely I'd have been turned off forever.)

To make the bread a little more unique I decided to bake it in mini-loaf tins. I figured it was more likely to be eaten this way since we could just throw it in our backpacks on the way to class. I was right! We've already eaten half the batch and I don't feel compelled to take the remainders to work. I doubt they'll go unfinished. Also, the recipe I used is low fat and contains only 1/4 cup butter. The guilt factor is pretty low.

Although I added a couple of ingredients the recipe is from Cooking Light's new book.

Traditional Banana Bread:

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

- 1/2 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup sugar

- 1/4 cup butter, softened

- 2 large eggs

- 3 cups of smashed ripe bananas

- 1/3 cup plain low-fat yogurt (I used vanilla)

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1/2 cup chocolate chips

- 1/2 cup chopped pecans

1. Preheat over to 350

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring with a whisk.

3. Place sugar and butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 1 minute). Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add banana, yogurt, and vanilla, beat until blended. Add flour mixture, beat at low speed just until moist.

4. Add Chocolate chips and chopped pecans stirring until mixed.

5. Spoon batter into pan (Large, 8X4-inch loaf pans or mini-loaf pans) coated with cooking spray. Bake for thirty minutes if using mini loaf pan and 60 if using 8x4 dish.

After my success with this recipe I thought it would make the perfect addition to my valentine box. Plus, I knew bread would ship a lot easier then chocolates and my family would be grateful for an easy breakfast. I thus changed my valentine gift box to include chocolate-orange cookies, as well as Hidden Kiss cookies and mini bread loafs.

However, just as I thought my shopping list was finalized, I woke up with a new idea. How about sending out spiced mixed nuts, caramel flavored popcorn, and mini bread loafs? It seems a more likely candidate for mail delivery and also appeases to my families taste buds. I know that my dad will love the spiced nuts and my mom will enjoy the popcorn. I think the bread is a nice addition for both my brother and my grandmother who will love a breakfast that offers more excitement then cereal. Finally, I've got it- this is the perfect Valentines gift!!

I'll let you know what actually makes it into those cute & crafty boxes come V-Day!

Killer Sweet Tooth

Lately I’ve been browsing the internet for dessert and baked good recipes. It’s a strange thing for me to be interested in because I hate having them in the apartment. Since there are only two of us we end up eating way more sweets then we should. To prevent us from pigging out, I rarely buy sweets and when I make them I take the majority to work the next day. It’s become a joke around the office and on days that I have off my co-workers truly miss “me.”

Alex has a thing for cupcakes and so the past two times I’ve baked that’s what I made. I’m more of a cookie person but haven’t made those since Thanksgiving.It actually works out good not liking the same sweets because I can bake for him and easily pass them up. I’ve been trying to stick to a healthy diet for awhile now but have major set backs when it comes to eating dessert at night. I think I inherited that trait from my dad. As soon as I finish dinner it’s like my stomach is screaming for chocolate. Sometimes I’m able to trick it by sipping on tea. Other times hot chocolate works. On days when Alex brings home Ben & Jerry’s there is no stopping me.

I have a great chocolate chip cookie recipe that I used this year for Thanksgiving. I’ve been meaning to make them again and add coconut and toffee. I think I’ll allow myself the indulgence around Valentines Day. That way I can send the rest to my parents and grandmother as a gift. Thoughtful and better for my waistline.

I wish I had a unique recipe to post but I’m a cheat when it comes to cupcakes and just use a box. I used to blame this on my oven because it was old and didn’t cook things evenly. ( The one time that I made banana bread from scratch it burned the top and the raw insides spilled all over my floor when I went to remove it from the pan.) However, we complained to the landlord and we recently got a brand new oven. It works beautifully. Come V-Day when I make those cookies I’ll let you know how the recipe turns out… until them here are some yummy ones I’ve come across: (Look at the bogs too, they are brilliant and very entertaining. I spend hours browsing through them)

Chocolate, Lime & Rum Cupcakes

Mesquite Chocolate Chip Cookies

Carrot Cake Sandwich Cookies