Sinful Chocolate Chip Cookies

I wish I could take credit for this recipe, but sadly, I cannot. I will however gladly share the link and give all the credit to Elizabeth Falkner (the brilliant pastry chef).

These cookies are a favorite to many friends.  I bring them to Sunday football with the boys and to anyone hosting a dinner party.  Today though, these cookies are going to a surprise birthday party for our friend Leslie.  Leslie LOVES these cookies, so I felt like I couldn't show up without a batch for the birthday boy.  

Here are the steps so you can see the recipe in action.  The only thing I change is that I don't use brown sugar, I use regular granulated sugar and add some molasses (it's cheaper and a jar of molasses lasts FOREVER).  I just eyeball how much to use, but if you want to measure you need about a tablespoon of molasses for every cup of sugar.  These cookies freeze incredibly well.  Seal them in a freezer bag to enjoy any time! I've made these cookies with gluten-free flour lots of times too (just replace 1/4 cup of flour with 1/4 cup of arrowroot starch).

The texture of the cookies is so much better when you cream the butter and sugar by hand.  It's good for your arms too ;).

I usually hate kitchen gadgets with only one use, but I can make an exception for my cookie scoop.  It makes life so much easier. 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/chocolate-chip-cookies-straight-up-or-with-nuts-recipe.html

Caramel and Chocolate and Popcorn Oh My

This tasty treat is a favorite of my friends.  Whether served at a party, or wrapped up in individual snack bags it goes FAST! I like this recipe because there is no corn-syrup and it's dairy free.

Irresistible
 

Caramel can be intimidating, but I promise it is totally manageable.  I don't own a candy thermometer or any fancy equipment.  Truth be told, I don't even measure when I make it. Here is what you need...

Caramel Sauce

1 stick of unsalted butter

1 cup of Brown sugar*

1 teaspoon of Vanilla Extract

1/4 a teaspoon of Baking Soda

1/2 a teaspoon of Salt

*A note on brown sugar: I actually don't ever buy brown sugar.  I just add a bit of molasses to white sugar and mix well (1 cup of sugar to 1 tablespoon of molasses is a good ratio).  It's way cheaper, and that way you never have to throw away a brick of brown sugar or wonder if you have any in your pantry. 

Instructions:

Melt the butter over medium heat 

Add sugar and stir until well mixed

Turn up the heat a bit until the mixture starts to boil.  You want it to boil for about 4 minutes (keep stirring!)

Take the pot off the heat and add vanilla, salt and baking soda. It will bubble up like crazy so don't get scared, just keep stirring until you have a nice thick sauce.  

I suggest making your popcorn first, so it is ready to go while your caramel sauce is warm (I make popcorn on the stove using a tablespoon of coconut oil and about 1/2 a cup of kernels).  Pour the sauce over the popcorn and mix well. Spread on two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper and bake in a 250 degree oven for about an hour, giving it stir a few times.  Remove and let cool completely.

Once it cools, I like to drizzle melted dark chocolate over all of the popcorn and sprinkle with kosher salt (this process makes a Jackson Pollock type mess, so I cover a large section of our dining room table with parchment paper and go to town).  Let it cool at room temperature or you can put it in the fridge if you have room.  Once it cools, break up the popcorn and store in an airtight container.  

Tips for melting chocolate: I have a large bag of dark chocolate chips that I keep in the freezer.  I temper the chocolate in the microwave by putting a handful of chips in a glass bowl and letting the microwave do the work.  Every 15 seconds or so I give it a stir. The whole process should take under a minute for all of the chips to be melted.