Chocolate "ChipChunk" Cookies

I love chocolate chip cookies! The smell that fills the house while they're baking should be bottled. I'm completed in love with the chocolate chip/chunk cookes from Zoe's Kitchen. One bite and you have to take a moment to regain your composure. I'm not kidding. I wanted to try to duplicate them (which is absolutely impossible) but thought I'd give it a try. They were very tasty. Not Zoe's. However, my family gobbled up as many as I'd let them have!

Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.


Cream the butter and two sugars until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the butter with the mixer on low speed, mixing only until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Drop the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, using a 1 3/4-inch-diameter ice cream scoop or a rounded tablespoon. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Take about a tablespoon of the chocolate chunks and press them into the top of the unbaked cookies. Bake for exactly 14 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Mixing the butter and the sugars.
Once fluffy, mix in vanilla and eggs.

Add flour, salt and baking soda mixture to butter mixture.

Add chocolate chips. Don't overmix!

You can buy chocolate chunks, but I had a big block of chocolate I had to chop up.

I use a cookie scoop to measure out the cookie dough onto the cookie sheet.
Please, notice the silpat on the cookie sheet. It's awesome!!! A great investment.
If you don't have one, use parchment paper or a nonstick cookie sheet.

All measured out.

Lightly dampen your fingers and press the dough down slightly.

Add as many chocolate chunks as possible to the tops of the cookies.
Be generous!

Ready for the oven!

14 minutes later...cooling on wire rack.

Chocolate "ChipChunk" Cookies and Milk. Good night!

Israeli Couscous with Dried Cranberries

I've been loving anything having to do with cranberries lately. Not sure if it's the pregnancy cravings or knowing that Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but I've been looking for every excuse to incorporate them into as many dishes as possible. I love the cranberry sauce from Trader Joes! It's beyond yummy..all natural, no high fructose corn syrup, not that weird jellied stuff with can marks on it. You don't slice this stuff, you delightfully spread it.  I bought two jars a week ago and one is almost gone! It's been going on every turkey sandwich consumed in this house! I will make homemade cranberry relish for Turkey Day, but the spread in the jar is working out just fine for now. Okay, now that I've confessed my love for TJ's cranberry confection, it's time to talk about the Israeli Couscous I made to go with our Grilled Honey Glazed Pork Tenderloin tonight. I always have people ask about this recipe and have always had some trouble telling people how to make it because I just made it up and never took the time to write anything down. I'm going to give it a shot. FYI:  This is a dish packed with "super foods" such as spinach, cranberries, almonds and olive oil. It would also be delicious with roasted chicken or lamb chops! Here you go!

The ingredients minus the lemon, fresh mint, olive oil and seasonings.



Saute the shallots with 1 tablespoon of butter and about 2 tablespoons of olive oil over low heat.



Add 1 teasoon of kosher salt and 1 package (about 12 ounces) of Israeli Couscous.
Brown the couscous in the saute pan with shallots for about 3 minutes

Add 2 cups of low sodium chicken stock to the shallots and couscous mixture.
Bring to a low boil, turn heat to low and partially cover. Cook until the stock is absorbed and the couscous is tender

Add about 2 cups of fresh spinach. Stir into couscous until wilted.
Season with fresh ground pepper (about 1/2 teaspoon).

The spinach all cooked into the couscous...now to make it really happy...
Squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon into the couscous.

Remove the couscous from pan to a serving bowl.
Grate in the zest of 1/2 a lemon. Stir it up!

Chop about 1/4 cup of almonds and mix it into the couscous.

Stir in 3/4 cup of dried cranberries and chopped mint.
 If it gets too sticky, just add more lemon juice and olive oil.
Enjoy!!!
 















  



It's Good to Be Back!

It's been 8 months since I've posted anything! Shame on me. All I can say is that life got really busy. Busy in that I'm nearly 8 months pregnant with baby number three! Third time must be a charm because this little bambino is a boy!! The girls are so excited to both be big sisters and we're so excited to throw some blue into the endless sea of pink around here. My poor husband deserves the playing field being evened out a little. Baby boy is due around January 22nd. I'm officially on the 10 week countdown and could not be happier about that! Being preggers while running around after a 3 year old and a 5 year old is a bit taxing at times. Who am I kidding? It's completely exhausting, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel!! I'll keep everyone updated on all the joys and pains of the homestretch. Please, hang in there with me! Thanks for sticking around.