Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

When I had a rough day in college, I'd sit down in the dimly lit "underground" and buy some Otis Spunkmeyer cookies.

Maybe that's why I gained 20 lbs in college.

These cookies taste like the Double Chocolate Chip ones.

Except they aren't perfect circles.

(Yes, I used chocolate & white swirled chips in the pictured ones)

VERDICT:
Cost: Homemade (At college, I'd pay $1 for 3 little ones. I made 18 of them for $1.)
Overall: Homemade
Not only are these good for rough days, they'll quench any chocolate craving. They have a wonderfully rich chocolate taste. They puffed up in the oven. I expected them to fall when I took them out, but they retained some puffiness. These cookies are best eaten warm, yet they stay soft for a couple days. Considering the price of Spunkmeyer cookies, these were a bargain!

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies (4 dozen, 45 min)

1/2 c butter, softenend
1/2 c shortening
1 c white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 c flour
2/3 c cocoa
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 c chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In large bowl, beat butter, shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy (at least 30 seconds).
3. In medium bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add to butter mixture until combined. Add chocolate chips and mix well.
4. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 min. Cool for 3-5 minutes before removing to wire rack

Notes:
*It is easy to overbake chocolate cookies! Take them out when they appear mostly set.
*If you don't allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for long enough, they'll fall apart on your rack
*I use 1/2 c butter and 1/2 c shortening. I find it helps them retain their shape and softness, but you could sub any combination of margarine, butter, and shortening.

My inspiration

Apple Brown Betty

I love a good apple dessert. My mom has made some great pies and crisps that are stuck in my memory.

I've been craving them for weeks.

Months actually, since it started as a pregnancy craving.

And Noah is now 3 months old.

I won't settle for a "fake" apple pie. By "fake", I mean with canned apple pie filling. Whoever invented it disgraced the whole concept of apple pie.

In the middle of my apple pie thoughts, I came across this recipe. I'd never even heard of an Apple Brown Betty. But I had semi-stale wheat bread and bruised apples sitting around that were calling my name.

Do not make this if you're the only one around to eat it.

You will gain 5 lbs.

It's that good.

VERDICT:

Cost: Home

Convenience: Home

Taste: Home

Health: Home (although all that butter and sugar probably cancel out any benefits of wheat bread and apples!)

Overall:

This homemade apple dessert melted in my mouth! I had had doubts about how bread crumbs would taste, but I was proved wrong. The carmelized apples and crispy bread combined perfectly. I stood over it with a spoon. I loved how easy it was to throw together and its use of basic ingredients. Fast, easy, semi-healthy, delicious, using common ingredients? It doesn't get any better.

Apple Brown Betty (4-6 servings, 1 hour)

3 apples, peeled and sliced

7 slices whole wheat bread, cubed

1 1/4 c brown sugar (divided)

1/2 c butter (plus some for greasing pan)

4 TB water

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease pie pan with butter.

2. Layer the brown sugar, apples, and bread. Do this by sprinkling 1/3 c brown sugar in pan, topping with 1/3 of your apples, and then sprinkling 1/3 of the bread on. Do it 3 times.

3. Slice butter and place slices all over the top.

4. Sprinkle with water and 1/4 c brown sugar.

5. Cover with foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove foil for last 5-8 minutes. Take out when top is browned and crisp. Serve hot.

Notes:

*Amounts can be approximated - use up to 1/3 c brown sugar for each layer and 3/4 c butter on top if you want

*Best served hot with whipped cream or ice cream

*Don't be afraid of cubing your bread. Just stack it up and cut it up. It doesn't need to be neat.

My inspiration (Go here! Great pictures and step-by-step instructions. Note: I decreased the amount of butter and sugar from this recipe.)

Waffle Showdown Part 2: Classic Waffles

Leggo my Eggo!

I just realized what that means. Wow, 26 years of thinking it had some connection to Lego toys.

Leggo = let go.

The Waffle People claim that for exceptional waffles, the egg whites must be beaten until stiff and then added to the batter last.

Hold a mixer for 3 straight minutes, bounce a fussy baby, and sing "Lollipop"? I don't think so.

Buy me a Kitchenaid.

Otherwise this recipe works whether or not you beat the egg whites.

VERDICT:

Cost: Home

Convenience: Store

Taste: Home

Health: Home (although neither are very nutritious)

Overall:

Homemade easily wins. These were foolproof to make. They were light and tender on the inside, crisp on the outside. I had intended to make these for my husband and eat whole grain ones myself. After trying these, I had to make some for myself. While I like the texture of Eggos, the homemade ones seem much more "wholesome". Next time I'll experiment with substituting half whole wheat flour and half applesauce for the all purpose flour and oil to add some nutritional value.

Classic Waffles (12 square waffles, 15 min)

2 eggs

1 3/4 c milk

1/2 c oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 c all purpose flour

1 TB sugar

4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1. Beat eggs until fluffy.

2. Add remaining ingredients and beat just until smooth.

3. Preheat waffle iron. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour batter into iron. Cook until golden brown.

Notes:

*Only cook till light golden brown.

My inspiration

P.S. Anyone know a trick for getting a waffle to be just one color and not varying shades of brown? Look at my picture again if you need a visual.

Waffle Showdown Part 1: Whole Grain Waffles

Whole grains.

I'm trying, I really am.

I think we need to compromise.

Oatmeal, popcorn, a scoop of flaxseed or wheat germ here and there are all great.

But replacing all purpose flour with whole wheat flour is totally different territory. Generally, I've done it in moderation. Instead of 2 c of all purpose flour, we use 1 c all purpose and 1 c whole wheat.

I'm happy with that.

So I crossed the line last night and made whole grain waffles. I LOVE Kashi whole grain waffles, so I was hoping for something similar. I used a recipe with great ratings.

VERDICT:

Cost: Home

Convenience: Store

Taste: Store

Health: Home

Overall:

Kashi wins. There's a reason they hire professionals to make whole grains taste good. These homemade waffles were light and airy, but tasted like cardboard. I even tried adding cinnamon and diced apples. I ate a couple and threw the rest away. Maybe I did something wrong? If I ever feel adventurous and try this recipe again, I'd take out some of the flaxseed. The recipe had great reviews, so try at your own risk. Otherwise we have our first store-made winner: Kashi waffles!

(Note: I put chocolate chips in Anna's waffle - she ate it without hesitation. But lately she's a bottomless pit. I'm not sure she tastes food anymore.)

Whole Grain Waffles (12 squares waffles, 15 min)

2 eggs, beaten

1 3/4 c milk

1/4 c canola oil

1/4 c unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla

1 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c flax seed meal

1/4 c wheat germ

1/4 c all-purpose flour

4 tsp baking powder

1 TB sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1. Whisk together eggs, milk, oil, applesauce, and vanilla.

2. Add remaining ingredients. Beat until smooth.

3. Preheat waffle iron. Spray with nonstick cooking spray. Pour in batter. Cook until crisp and brown.

My inspiration

Pizza Crust

1,000 frozen pizzas.

That's a lot of pizza.

That's also a conservative estimate of how many my husband has eaten.

Now he's limited to 5 each month. I hit the 5/$11 deal at Woodmans and when they're gone, they're gone.

I'm a mean wife.

But I do make homemade pizza. I'm eternally searching for the perfect pizza crust. Great taste, little effort.

This recipe made 2 pizzas for us. The first night I thought the crust was just okay. The second night I liked it a lot.

Maybe I was just hungry, but it's worth a try.

VERDICT:

Cost: Home

Convenience: Store

Taste: Home

Health: Home

Overall:

Homemade wins every time in my world. Storemade wins in my husband's world. But he's an addict. I liked the ease of using the bread machine (you can make it by hand, too). The crust rolled out easily. I baked it on a pizza stone, and the edges had the perfect crisp. The honey gave it a subtle sweetness, which I liked more than traditional recipes with sugar. I'll definitely make it again, but I'm still searching for a homemade recipe that my husband will like more than frozen.

Mitch's Basic Pizza Dough (2 medium pizzas, 2 hours total)

3 1/2 c flour

1 c warm water

2 TB yeast

2 TB honey

1/4 c olive oil

1/2 tsp salt

1. Pour water, honey, and olive oil into bread pan.

2. Add flour and salt.

3. Make a well in the flour. Pour yeast into well.

4. Snap pan into bread machine, select Dough setting, and push Start! (1 1/2 hours)

5. Roll out crust on floured surface. Poke holes in it with a fork to prevent bubbles. Add sauce, cheese, and desired toppings.

6. Cook at 400 for 15-20 minutes.

Notes:

*Can be made by hand - see link below

Today's Bread Machine Lesson:

Pay attention. Otherwise you might end up dumping honey into the actual bread machine rather than the bread pan. This will make a huge, sticky mess and add an extra 20 minutes.

(yes, I did that)

My inspiration

Cinnamon Sugar

They sell this!

I've always made my own.

And ended up with a ginormous amount because I couldn't get the ratio right.

So today I looked it up. And figured I'd blog about it so I could remember it next time.

VERDICT:

Use homemade. It's cheaper, period.

Cinnamon Sugar (1 old spice container-full, 2 min)

1/2 c white sugar

1 1/2 TB cinnamon

MIX.

** 5/22 Update: We prefer our cinnamon sugar to be a bit more "cinnamon-y", so I use closer to 2 TB of cinnamon.

IHOP Pancakes

Living in one of the most segregated cities in the U.S., there are 2 places where you'll find an equal mix of people.

IHOP and Walmart.

Nothing like good deals and pancakes to bring the world together.

It's amazing that people gladly pay about $3.99 for 3 pancakes which cost pennies to make.

Not that I have anything against IHOP. I just know that for my family of 4 to eat there, it's going to end up costing us close to twenty bucks.

These homemade pancakes really do taste like IHOP pancakes. (But I won't vouch for them having any nutritional value.)

VERDICT:

Cost: Home

Convenience: Home

Taste: Equal

Health: Store (only because you'll eat fewer in the store than at home!)

Overall:

Homemade wins. I can make these in less time than it would take the waitress to serve us. It's a two-step recipe, which always appeals to me. My family devours a whole batch in record time. I don't make them regularly since they're not too healthy, but they are a good treat on a Saturday morning.

IHOP Pancakes (about 20 pancakes, 15 min)

1 c flour

1/4 c sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 heaping tsp baking powder

1 c milk

1/4 c oil

1 egg

1. Combine dry ingredients.

2. In separate bowl, whisk together milk, oil, and egg. Slowly whisk together dry and wet ingredients until combined. Do not overmix. Batter should be slightly lumpy.

3. Heat skillet to 375. Pour 1/4 c batter onto skillet. Flip pancake when edges are brown and batter is bubbly.

Notes:

*Use a nonstick skillet or griddle. Do not grease it. If you grease it, the pancakes will not look like IHOP pancakes.

*Great with chocolate chips