Cookies down with Jaundice

Okay, I won't lie. I'm no photographer even if I have a great new camera. I'm not a photographer and I'm no manual reader either, so folks, I figured out that under digital macro option, there are lighting options too. I figured this one a day too late. So, I apologize in advance for the somewhat jaundice looking Neiman Marcus cookies. I made this not 100% out of want to eat the cookie, perhaps 99% but the 1% goes to the necesscity of needing a picture of these cookies for the baking class logbook (which is a hefty pain in the butt as it took me 6 hours to fill out log sheets for 15 recipes). So really, I made this because I needed for school - let's just go with that one. ;-b

These made a HUGE amount of cookies, and truly though I do love them, to me, they are basically an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie, not worth $250 but I will say that these cookies do have the best texture, chewy, soft and crispy around the edges. Other than that, please come over and have cookies for free - I won't charge you $250. :-)

Chef said this recipe has been edited a little from the original one. I'm not sure what differences there are so I really can't say much on that but here's the recipe if you want it:

NEIMEN MARCUS'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES The All-American Cookie Book

2 C old-fashioned rolled oats
2 C all-purpose white flour
1 ts baking powder
1 ts baking soda
1/2 ts salt
1 C (2 sticks) unsalted butter, slightly softened (I used earth balance buttery sticks)
3/4 C packed light brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
2 tbs light corn syrup
2 large eggs (I used eggbeaters)
2 ts vanilla extract
2 C semisweet chocolate morsels
1 - 3 1/2 oz bar top-quality milk chocolate, coarsely grated/finely chopped
1 C chopped walnuts/pecans (optional - I obmitted this)

Preheat oven 350 degrees F (Chef said to always preheat 25 degrees above the baking temp asked for due to the heat lost when you open the door, but reduce to actual temp once the item is in the oven and you close the door). Grease several baking sheets.

In food processor/blender, grind oats to fine powder. In large bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking powder, baking sode and salt; set asid. In another bowl, on medium speed, beat butter until light & fluffy. Add brown sugar, sugar, and corn syrup and beat till well blended and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla & beat until evenly incorporated. Beat in half of the flour, beat in chocolate morsels, grated chocolate, walnuts/pecans (if using) and remaining flour mixture until evenly incorporated. Let stand 5-10 minutes or until dough firms up slightly.

Divide dough into quarters and divide each quater into 5-6 portions. Shape into balls with lightly greased hands and place on baking sheets, 3 inches apart. Using hands, pat down balls to 1 inch thick.

Bake 9-12 minutes or until tinged with brown & just beginning to firm up in the centers for oist cookies. Remember to reverse the baking sheet for even browning. Transfer to wire rack after 3-4 minutes.

My husband is finished up API this next week still, so we're still in Pensacola FL for another week before we get to finally move back into our home in Milton, an hour away. For the weekends, we are up here in Milton, and quite honestly, having to go to the grocery store so many times in a week for 2 places we stay at, gets SO tiring & well boring. Don't get me wrong, I am still able to somehow roam the aisles for a good hour or more if left to my own demise. So frankly after church today, I did not want to go to the store and buy more stuff for lunch. So I made Brandon chocolate chip pancakes instead. He didn't mind much, though his eyes tend to be bigger than his stomach. I swear, my stomach is bigger than even his eyes. I can put down food like no other, and I do. lol. That's besides the point though. I made a mini pancake for me just to try. It's the upper right hand one in the picture. This is an IBS friendly recipe.

CHOCOLATE CHUNK WHEAT PANCAKES by Valerie Adams (moi)

1/2 C soy milk
2 ts apple cider vinegar
1/2 C all purpose unbleached flour
1/3 C whole wheat flour
1 Tbs baking powder
1/2 C egg beaters
1/2 ts vanilla extract
chocolate chunks

Mix soy milk and cider vinegar in a large bowl and stir well. Then add the rest of the ingredients and whisk till blended & not lumpy. Heat griddle and spray with olive oil spray, then ladle onto griddle. Spread chunks onto top of pancakes, then flip when it bubbles and cook the other side.

Pancakes say "Pour some syrup on me!"

Sometimes I just get the urge to bake. It's like restless leg syndrome only restless baking arm syndrome. I don't feel right if I do not bake at LEAST once a week. Sometimes it's really not enough. There's no oven in our hotel in Pensacola, so you can just image the nightmare it has been the past 2 plus months. The kitchen is my haven. I stress, I bake. I'm happy, I bake. I'm tired, I bake. I just...bake.

Anywhos, I've made this recipe before for the focaccia from Recipezaar This time I used rosemary in the dough, sprinkled it with parsely, parmesan cheese and mozzarella on top. It was goooooooood.

So, considering I've been studing for the 2 midterms coming up on tuesday and wednesday, I've been baking quite a bit. Wish me luck for my first round of exams! Yikes!