My Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies

I really did go about the hunt for a new chocolate chip cookie recipe because I thought I was dissatisfied with my go-to recipe.  However, after various taste tests and lots of recipe hunting I realized that I didn't like any of the recipes as much as my go-to.  After testing out many recipes, I did decide to add 1 tsp. of cornstarch to help soften the cookies.

Here is my own recipe for Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies:

-2 stick of unsalted butter, softened
-1 1/4 C. brown sugar
-1/2 C. sugar
-1 egg
-1 tsp. salt
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
-1 tsp. cornstarch
-2 C. flour
-1 C. instant oatmeal
-3/4 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.  Cream butter and sugars until well combined.  Mix in the egg.  Once well combined, add in one ingredient at a time, in the order they appear.

Drop tablespoons of cookie dough on the cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.  The cookies will be very light in color; the bottoms should be a golden brown.

I scoop out my cookies using a cookie scoop. This time I tested to see if it was better so slightly flatten them or not.  I think they tasted the same either way.  When I didn't flatten them, they need 2 more minutes to bake.

These cookies have the right amount of saltiness.  I think the oatmeal adds a nice texture and flavor without feeling like an oatmeal raisin cookie.  The dough is fabulous (not that I've eaten any for about 9 months)!  They cookies remain soft, while slightly crunchy around the edges.  Let me know what you think!

As always, happy baking!

Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes

Our local paper does a cupcake contest each spring.  I have entered a recipe the last two years and have been a finalist each time.  Apparently, I haven't ever blogged either recipe...

The first year, I entered Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes.  This recipe was an original, but I severely adapted the frosting. Here's the write-up from the Herald Mail.

Last year, I entered our favorite cupcakes- Chocolate Peanut Butter and Carrot Cake.  For the chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes, I included an Oreo truffle filling.  For the carrot cake, I had a pineapple cream cheese filling.  My Loaded Carrot Cake was a finalist.  Here is the write-up from the Herald Mail.

Each year, my mom has said she thinks a Mexican Chocolate cupcake would be great. I have never made or eaten a Mexican chocolate cupcake (or Mexican chocolate for that matter).  Anyway, over spring break, I experimented and today, I submitted them to the Herald Mail's cupcake contest.  We shall see!

Here's the recipe for my original Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes.
I used my favorite chocolate cake recipe- King Arthur Flour's Favorite Fudge Cake.  I adapted it with some spices to make in Mexican chocolate.  Then I created a Mexican chocolate ganache.  Finally, I made a cinnamon buttercream.

Cupcake Ingredients:                                    

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1/4 C. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 C. hot water

1 C. all-purpose flour

2 C. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/4 C. buttermilk

1 egg

Ganache Ingredients:

3/4 C. semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

1/2 C. heavy cream

1/8 tsp. instant coffee granules

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

Cinnamon Frosting:

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 C. powdered sugar

3/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

1 Tbsp. heavy cream

For cupcakes: Preheat the oven to 350 and line 12 cupcake tins with liners.  Then mix together butter and cocoa powder until smooth.  Pour in the water and mix until well combined.  Mix in the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, chili powder, cinnamon.  Next add the vanilla and buttermilk.  Last, beat in the egg.  Your batter should be very smooth.  Distribute into 12 muffin tins and bake for about 18 minutes.

For Ganache: Melt chocolate chips and heavy cream over a double broiler.  Once melted, stir in coffee, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, and chili powder.  Allow to cool.  This will be used for the cupcake filling and to drizzle over the icing.

For Frosting:  Whip the butter in your stand mixer.  Mix in the powdered sugar and beat on high speed for several minutes.  Next, add the remaining ingredients.  Mix until well combined.

Assembly:  Core the center of the cooled cupcakes.  Scoop in about a teaspoon of the ganache.  Place the top of the cupcake back on.  Pipe on the frosting.  Drizzle ganache on top.  Enjoy!

I didn't place in the cupcake contest this year, but the recipe was well-loved and I was asked if it could be used to start off a month of home cooking recipes in the paper. Here's the link to the Herald Mail article.

Another Favorite: General Tso's Chicken

As I've mentioned before, we love Chinese food!  We make Asian style food weekly in our house.  This recipe for Skinny General Tso's Chicken comes from Carlsbad Cravings. Of course I found this recipe on Pinterest awhile make.  It is on our dinner menu regularly- well about as frequently as we would eat any of our favorites (no more than once a month).  Looking at the ingredients, yes the chicken is baked, but I do wonder is this really a "skinny" recipe?

This recipe is so full of flavor you'll be thrilled you tried it.  What you won't be so thrilled about is how many ingredients and dishes get used to make this.  Our kitchen always looks like a bomb exploded when we have finished making this.

Time after time, we forget that the original recipe has you marinade the chicken. So we usually don't do that step.  We make 1/2 of the marinade/ sauce recipe and use what we've made for the sauce.

For the Sauce:
1/4 C. soy sauce
1/4 C. rice wine vinegar
1/4 C. water
1. Tbl. sesame oil
1 tsp. Sriracha
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cloves of minced garlic
2 Tbl. freshly grated ginger (We keep ours in the freezer and use it whenever it's needed)
Sprinkle of pepper
1 Tbl. cornstarch

Whisk together all of these ingredients and wait.



For the Breading:
1 C. flour
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 Tbl. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder





Egg Wash:
1 egg
1 Tbl. water

Mix the flour breading ingredients together.  Whisk together the egg and water in a separate bowl.





Then dip the chicken (we use about a pound of chicken, diced) in the egg wash.  Next coat it in the flour breading mixture.  Place the breaded chicken on a foil-lined cookie sheet and spray with EVOO.  Bake at 375 for about ten minutes.  Then flip the chicken, spray the tops with EVOO and broil for about 3 minutes on each side to make the chicken crisp.

Caramel Sauce:
1 C. sugar
1/4 C. water

In a medium sized sauce pan, bring the sugar and water to a boil for one minute.  Stir in the sauce.  At this point we usually toss in diced peppers and onions.  Once the chicken is cooked, mix the chicken into the sauce. Enjoy!


We usually have edamame and rice with this, but during the pregnancy we've been substituting the rice for couscous.

This recipe really is worth emptying out your fridge and spice cabinet.  I'll even go as far as saying it is worth all of the dishes!