Happy Valentine's Day!

I really don't think that there is a better way to celebrate Valentine's day than by making some delicious frosted sugar cookies.   You know like the ones they have in the store that are fluffy and soft and have icing to match whatever holiday is currently being celebrated?  Yeah, those.  I love them.  I think I could eat a whole container of them.

Well, last night my friend, Catherine, made some cookies that were just like those ones at the store.  She found this recipe for soft frosted sugar cookies that came from someone who also loves those cookies at the store.  Uh, hello, they were amazing.  I was glad that I was there to watch her work and help sprinkle on the sprinkles.  She made them for her coworkers, but we enjoyed the most of the extras.

I'm currently scheming for an excuse to make these so I can eat another one.  Let me know if you have any ideas.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

There comes a time when you just need to bake.  I'm convinced that mixing a few ingredients together is stress relieving/satisfying/therapeutic.  However, you always end up with a delicious combination of ingredients that you don't need to eat all by yourself. 

There also comes a time when your camera battery dies and you have to resort to using instagram. 

Neither one of these times are bad times.

I made chocolate chip cookies for the sheer satisfaction of baking and to enjoy a bite or two of cookie dough.  Ok, and maybe a cookie still warm from the oven, too.  I'm still scheming on what to do with the rest of them. 

This is a great cookie recipe.  It's from a Williams-Sonoma kids cookbook that my sister received a long time ago.  It has Crisco in it, which provides a nice crispness.  I think it's the secret ingredient in this recipe.  And, it has an above average amount of chocolate chips in it. 

I'd love for you come over and eat one with me.  Or you can use the recipe below to make your own batch.

Williams-Sonoma Chocolate Chip Cookies 

1 cup flour 

½ teaspoon salt 

1 ½ teaspoon baking powder 

¼ cup butter 

¼ cup shortening 

½ cup brown sugar 

½ cup sugar 

1 egg 

¾ teaspoon vanilla 

1 ½ cups chocolate chips 

Preheat oven to 350.  In a small mixing bowl combine butter, shortening, brown sugar and sugar.  Scrape sides with spatula.  Add the egg and vanilla and continue to best on medium speed until well blended.  Add flour, baking powder, and salt.  Pour in the chocolate chips and stir until well blended.  Place on cookie sheet by the spoonful, several inches apart.  Bake for 12 minutes.

This will make about 2 dozen cookies... depending on how much dough you eat. :)

Chili [Baked Potatoes]

Despite the unseasonably warm February we are having, my friend and I decided to make chili.  Further, we decided to serve it on baked potatoes. 

I opted for a sweet potato, and she, a good ol' regular tater.  It was kind of like chili cheese fries.  Heart attack?  Maybe.

We used my favorite chili seasoning.  If you haven't tried it or don't have a favorite, it's worth a try.

Here's a picture of it.  But, it's rather out of focus, unfortunately.

The chili reheats wonderfully.  And it tastes wonderful all by itself.  :)

Off to read Persuasion by Jane Austin.  Gotta love quiet nights at home.