Extra Chocolatey Chip + Bacon Cookies

Some people claim that everything tastes exponentially better with bacon. Although I do like bacon, I'm not sure if I'm a die hard bacon fanatic just yet, but here's a recipe that merges semi-sweet chocolate and salty bacon, a taste combination that is always a winner in my book (p.s. there's also a bacon + chocolate bar out there as well).

Ingredients

6 slices bacon- chopped/crumbled (I used regular, but maple-cured would be yummy too)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup butter, softened

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups flour

2/3 cup cocoa powder (like Hershey's dutch processed)

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chip cookies

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Cook bacon on medium-high heat, until uniformly brown all over, drain the slices of bacon, and chop or crumble.

3. Beat together: eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla.

4. Stir in flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda.

5. Mix in chocolate chips and bacon.

6. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets.

7. Bake 10-12 minutes, let cool completely until removed from pan.

Yields 3 dozen cookies

Holla for Challah

My first experience with challah bread was the summer after my freshman year in college where I worked in the Poconos Mountains as a camp counselor at a Jewish summer camp. We had it at every meal Friday at dinner for Shabbat. Also, Noah's bagels had awesome challah rolls that taste delish with cream cheese and lox.

This is a good weekend baking project, as it takes two days to complete, but well worth it. It's my first experience ever baking bread, and was happily satisfied with the outcome. I used sesame seeds to top mine, you can use poppy seeds as well, or none at all.

*also note, this recipe was done using my 5 qrt kitchen aid mixer. I don't know if I'd attempt to do this without the help of one.

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups warm water

1 1/2 tbs instant yeast

9 egg yolks (I used the leftover whites to make scramble)

5 tbs vegetable oil

4 1/2 tbs agave nectar

7 1/2 cups bread flour (do not use regular all purpose)

2 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 egg white (for the egg wash)

2 tbs water (for the egg wash)

2 tbs sesame seeds (optional)

Directions

Day 1

1. Combine water and yeast in a large mixing bowl, dissolve.

2. Add in yolks, oil, agave nectar and whisk together.

3. Add in flour and salt. Attach paddle attachment for mixer.

4. Mix dough for a couple of minutes on lowest setting, let it rest for 5 minutes.

5. Switch to the dough hook and mix on low for a few more minutes.

6. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead by hand for a few minutes until the dough is soft and pliable, it should not be sticky.

7. Place the dough in an oiled bowl. (Before you do so, you can divide the dough into how many loaves you want to make. I split this into two. This recipe can make 2 large loaves or 4 minis)

8. Cover and place in the fridge. It should rest there overnight at the least, and can stay in there for up to 4 days.

Next day

1. Remove the dough from the fridge two hours before you plan on baking it.

2. Transfer to floured surface and cut into desired number of braids (three is easiest). You can also just shape it into a loaf or make rolls.

3. To braid, roll the each piece into a long cigar shape around 10 inches long. Make sure these will fit onto your baking pan.

4. Repeat step 3 for however many braids you are using.

5. Braid the ropes together and place onto pan with parchment paper.

6. Make the egg wash by combine one egg white and two tbsp of water.

7. Brush the wash over each loaf. Let the loaves rise uncovered for an hour.

8. Brush the egg wash over the loaves again, and if using seeds (sesame or poppy) sprinkle on top. Let them rise again for another hour.

9. Closer to baking time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

10. Bake for 20 minutes, rotate the pans and bake for another 15-30 minutes. You know the loaves are done when they sound hollow when you knock on them.

11. Cool on rack for about an hour before you serve.

It's amazing by itself, but also really great for sandwiches (grilled cheese anyone? and french toast)

prosciutto and caramelized onion pizza

What's better than pizza and red wine on a Friday night? Let me tell you- pizza dough made from scratch, caramelized red onions and flavorful prosciutto with tons of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese sprinkled about. YUM.

Ingredients

1 package active dry yeast

1tsp sugar

1 cup warm water

2 1/2 cups bread flour (you can use all purpose, but it's not the same, trust me)

1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, sliced (shredded is fine too)

1 cup Parmesan cheese

1 large red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 lb prosciutto

1 tbsp olive + extra for drizzling

salt and pepper

1 tbsp sugar (optional)

Directions

1. For the crust: dissolve the packet of active dry yeast in the warm water with the tsp of sugar. Let sit for 10 min. Should be foamy.

2. Mix in bread flour and salt until smooth. (I put everything in my hand dandy kitchen aide mixer with the knead hook on it until combined)

3. Let rest for 5 minutes.

4. Lay out on a flour surface and roll out enough to fit the size of the whatever pan you are using. (This dough rolled out to fill out one 9 1/1 X 11" pan)

5. Set aside and preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. Slice red onion thinly. On medium heat, heat up 1 tbsp of olive oil in a pan and coat.

7. Toss in onion, coating with the oil.

8. The key to caramelizing onions is to let it brown, but then stir around before it can burn. After about five minutes, you may want to lower temperature depending on how fast the onions are browning. This process only took 25-30 min. for me, it will vary depending on your stove.

9. Keep tossing onions. Optional: you can add in the 1 tbsp of sugar to the onions to help the caramelizing process, you won't regret it!

10. After cooking you may want to add in a little balsamic vinegar to deglaze the pan and add some extra flavor...if you don't want to..just turn off the stove and set onions aside.

11. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top of pizza crust, reserving a little for the end.

12. Lay slices of mozzarella on top of the Parmesan.

13. Distribute the caramelized onions over the cheeses.

14. Cut up the slices of prosciutto and place on top of everything else to own your own liking.

15. Sprinkle rest of Parmesan over the top. Drizzle a little olive oil, sprinkle a little kosher salt and pepper.

16. Place in oven and bake for 15-20min.

17. Open a bottle of wine and voila!

oatmeal cream pie

So, my first post, pretty exciting! (Almost) Everyone likes those oatmeal cream pie cookies you can get at the convenience store, but these are better, for two reasons:

1) they're home made (nothing beats a cookie made from scratch)

2) you actually know what they're made of (because you made them)

Recipe as follows:

Ingredients

Oatmeal Cookie:

1 cup margarine

3/4 cup brown sugar (I used golden brown, obviously they'll be darker depending on the type of brown sugar)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tbsp molasses (I omitted this in mine, again, if you use it, cookie will be darker)

1 tsp vanilla

2 eggs

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 oats

Cream Filling:

2 tsp hot water

1/4 tsp salt

7oz jar marshmallow fluff

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

Cookie

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

2. Cream margarine, both sugars, vanilla and eggs (molasses too if you use it)

3. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a separate bowl, then add to bowl with creamed mixture.

4. Mix in the oats

5. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto cookie sheet

6. Bake 10-12 min. (be sure not to let them overcook)

7. Let cool and prepare the filling

8. Dissolve the salt with the hot water, let cool and set aside

9. Combine marshmallow fluff, shortening, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Mix until fluffy (this usually means use an electric mixer and/or lots of arm strength)

10. Add the salt water mixture and mix well

11. Spread a generous amount of the filling onto one flat side of the cookie, then sandwich with another.

12. Put cooking to mouth, bite, chew, and enjoy!

changes.

So I'm reinventing my blog. I love cooking and baking and am always looking for new recipes and trying new things, oh and most importantly taking pictures of my creations.