Tuesday, February 26, 2008

fantastical chocolate chip cookies (thank you Paula Deen!)

I watched her make these cookies on Food Network, and found the recipe on her site. I made them yesterday, and they are phenomenally wonderful. Cookie baking tip: Bake for a minute less than called for, and take them out of oven, off of pan, and cool them flipped over. These are extremely rich, so be prepared with a tall glass of cold milk.

Ingredients:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels
1 cup milk chocolate morsels
3 (1-ounce) squares bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 cup almond brickle chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.

With an electric mixer, beat butter and shortening at medium speed until creamy; gradually add sugars, beating until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.

In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in chocolate morsels and almond brickle chips. Drop cookies by 1/4 cupfuls about 3-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool for 2 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yield: 3 dozen
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 mintues
Ease of Preparation: Easy

Recipes courtesy Paula Deen

Thursday, February 14, 2008

e e cummings wrote...

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in
my heart)i am never without it(anywhere
i go you go,my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing,my darling)
i fear
no fate(for you are my fate,my sweet)i want
no world(for beautiful you are my world,my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life;which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

Happy Valentine's Day, of course!

heart

Since my own wedding anniversary falls on February 10, I get a week full of romance (well, maybe not exactly like in the movies...).

Have a happy Heart Day.

cake

Thursday, February 7, 2008

Top o' the cake!


I love this.

You can get it here, at That's My Topper (www.thatsmytopper.com).




They've got hundreds to choose from, and they are categorized for very easy browsing.