Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I've had some issues with my internet provider and have had to make countless calls to their customer service line.  I am going to make a strong statement here and say that they have THE WORST on-hold music ever.  It's like some electronic power music that hits some pretty heavy interference about half-way through, so it sounds more like a windstorm than music.  It's even worse than the overly peppy acapella groups that Loyola uses.  Luckily this morning I wasn't put on hold as long as I usually am (upwards of 20 minutes) and I only had to suffer through about five minutes worth of the electronic-power-windstorm.

Speaking of windstorms, Chicago was hit by a pretty awful storm a few days back.  It hit at the perfect (not) time when I had to drive my friends to the train station.  Thank you for that impeccable timing, thunderstorm.  We had perfect weather the next day, though, which was much appreciated because we had my grandparents over for their birthdays.  My dad made BBQ pork chops with all the fixings and then we bought an eclair cake for dessert.  My grandma can't do dairy, though, so I made her these cookies so she could eat something with us.

These are a permutation of Jessica's Brown Butter Chocolate-Stuffed Toffee Cookies.  I didn't have any toffee chips on hand, so I went with just chocolate and re-named them.  I highly recommend making these or any of the other cookies on Jessica's website.  I may or may not have made most of them repeatedly.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:


1 1/2 sticks butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg + 1 yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups + 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
chocolate chunks/chips


Directions:


Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda and salt.


In a small saucepan, melt the butter, whisking constantly.  Continue to whisk until brown bits are at the bottom.  Remove from heat immediately (butter burns fast) and let cool 10-15 minutes.


Mix the butter with the two sugars.  Add the eggs and vanilla.  Mix in the flour mixture until a dough forms.  It will be crumbly, so use your hands to mix it all together.  Roll about 1 tbsp of dough into a ball and press chocolate chip into the center.  Top with another 1 tbsp dough ball and place on baking sheet.


Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Coconut Bars

These bar cookies were truly made with love.  I had a family dinner at my grandparent's house and although my grandma is the queen of cookies (I learned everything I know from her) I volunteered to bring dessert.  

This recipe had me at peanut butter.  And chocolate chip.  And coconut.  

Yowza.

I usually keep a bit of whatever I bake for myself, but I sent the entire batch to my grandparents.  I knew that I would have about zero control with them in the house, and my last doctor's appointment showed me that I need a little control.  Like five pounds worth.

I was more than happy to bring the entire batch and share them with people that I love.  Make these pronto and share with the loved ones in your life!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Coconut Bars

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut

2/3 cup chocolate chips

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare a 8x8 baking dish.  In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt and baking powder.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, cream together the sugar, butter and peanut butter.  Add the eggs and vanilla, scraping down the sides.  Put the mixer on low speed and add the flour mixture.  Fold in the chocolate and coconut.

Pour the batter into the baking dish, smoothing it evenly.  Bake 30 minutes, or until the center is browned and the edges darken.

Source: Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

I had jury duty for the first time yesterday.

You can see my excitement.

 Truthfully, I was the opposite of excited to go and do my civic duty.  I saw it as something that took up my entire day with minimal benefits.  Surprisingly, I actually ended really enjoying myself and discovering a personal benefit that I never expected.

I have a very abstract view of what being a lawyer will be like, mostly accrued from episodes of The Good Wife and Law & Order SVU.  Jury duty gave me a chance to really see what my future as a lawyer will hold.  While most of the other jurors found the case boring, I thought it was absolutely thrilling to watch these lawyers work.  It's verbal sparring in its finest form.

This entire experience has made me even more impatient to start law school.  I can't wait to immerse myself in my studies, and to one day be standing on the other side of the courtroom.

Speaking of law school, I had lunch with my future roommate earlier this week.  We talked through many of the living-together-topics, and my baking came up.  I told her that we would always have some sort of baked good in the house, and she definitely wasn't complaining!  Let me tell you, I am going to be so happy to have someone else to eat my baking besides me.

I made these last week for a friend's housewarming party, and they were a huge hit.  I only have a few left in the freezer and am trying to ration them so I don't finish them all in one weekend!

Coconut Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 pound butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soka

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

3 cups oats (any type)

1/2 cup coconut flakes

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl mix together the oats, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugars.  Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix until blended.  Mix in the vanilla extract.

Mix the flour mixture in with two batches, mixing until just combined.  Fold in the coconut and chocolate chips.  Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto a prepared cookie sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes.

                       

Growing Pains and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending my good friend Autumn's wedding.  Autumn is my first friend to get married, and it was both a wonderful and slightly strange experience.  Friends getting married means that you are officially adults, right?  How did that happen?  I feel like it was just yesterday that I was a freshman at Loyola, anxious about making friends and navigating a new life with such horrors as shared bathrooms and laundry.

I actually met Autumn during that freshman year at Loyola.  She lived on my floor, as did the two friends who took the train with me to the wedding.  

An old picture from freshman year.  Yes, that is a Twilight t-shirt on me.  Feel free to mock.

I feel so blessed to have these friends in my life, and hope that they will continue to be a part of my life as I move on to law school.

Okay, enough schmaltz.  This weekend had me getting a bit nostalgic (and weepy) but I will spare you any additional saccharine memories.  Instead, I bring you a cookie recipe.  

These are great cookies to eat when you're feeling all weepy and nostalgic over a friend's wedding and how you are no longer eight and can't order from the kid's menu at restaurants.  They're also just really good cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

(Adapted from Annie's Eats recipe)

1 cup butter (very cold and cubed)

1 1/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup cocoa powder

2 1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp coarse salt

1 tsp baking powder

2 1/2 cup peanut butter chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in the eggs one at a time and mix until combined.  Mix in the cocoa powder until incorporated.  Slowly add the flour, salt and baking powder and mix together.  Fold in the peanut butter chips.

Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead until the dough comes together.  This won't take too long.  Divide the dough into 12 equal portions and bake 4-6 cookies at a time for 16-20 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack.

Any of you going through some growing pains?

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

I am officially done with college.  Which, you know, is sort of crazy considering that for four years I had homework and papers, and now I don't have anything.  I don't even have a summer job (although I have something in the works) so I am truly having some down time.  I am a lady of leisure (pronounced lay-sure, because I am fancy like that).

I had grand ideas of this meaning writing dates at Starbucks where I would finally hunker down and start that original novel that has been on the back burner for as long as I can remember.  I also envisioned myself working out daily.  Maybe vaccuming at some point.  Instead, I have sat on my floor with my laptop and watched half of the last season of Grey's Anatomy, all 5 season of The Guid and about half of Firefly.  I also watched the 25th Anniversary Les Miserables DVD and sang along obnoxiously loud.  My neighbors love me.

I'm giving myself a free pass for doing nothing because in three months I will be entering my first year of law school and relinquishing anything resembling a social life.  Therefore, let's dance Netflix Instant.  Our time together is limited.

In between marathon-television-watching sessions, I did manage to do some baking.  I made these cookies for my last day in the office last week.  I finished my semester long internship and wanted to end it on a sweet note.  The office liked these, and I think you will, too!  They're not overly sweet with a delectable tartness from the lemon.

Lemon Crinkle Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


In a bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.


In a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.  Add the vanilla, egg, lemon zest, lemon juice and mix together until combined.  Slowly mix in the flour mixture.  


Take 1 tbsp of dough and roll in the powdered sugar.  Place onto a prepared cookie sheet, placing the dough balls about 2 inches apart.  Bake 9-11 minutes, until the cookies are no longer shiny on top.  They will NOT be browned, so make sure to not overbake.

Source:  Mel's Kitchen Café

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

I love classic couples.  Peanut butter & Jelly.  Cereal & Milk.  Scarlet & Rhett.  I have another couple to add to the classics.

Oreos & Cheesecake.

And cookies.

I'm actually pretty indiscriminate when it comes to what goes with my cheesecake.  I love it on its own.  I love it with fruit.  I llloooveee it with chocolate.  Oreos are a no-brainer, but I'd never actually tried it before these cookies.

I had no idea what I was missing.

These cookies are buttery, sweet and loaded with cheesecake-y goodness.  So, if you happen to have some cream cheese and Oreos left over from Cookies and Cream cupcakes, then make these.  If you don't, go buy them anyway.  You don't want to miss these cookies.

Oreo Cheesecake Cookies

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, at room temperature

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

1 cup flour

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 cup crushed oreo 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.  

Crush the oreos and put them in a small bowl.

Mix together the butter and cream cheese until fully combined and creamy.  Add the vanilla extract and mix, scraping down the sides.  Next, add the sugar and combine.  Mix in the flour.  With a spatula, fold in the chocolate chips.

Make 1 1/2 - 2 inch balls with the dough, and roll the dough balls in to the crushed oreos.  Place on a baking sheet covered with either parchment paper or a silpat, and bake for 12-15 minutes.  The cookies should be browned on the edges but still puffy in the center.

Source:  Brown Eyed Baker

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

There are many reasons to eat a cookie.  Sometimes it's a pick-me-up cookie.  Work went long or that research paper that you put off is suddenly due next week(cough...don't look here...cough).  Other times it's a congratulatory cookie.  You ran your first fiver miler or finally finished that research paper after holing yourself up in the library with shoddy internet service so that you wouldn't spend half the time on Facebook.  

And then sometimes, you eat a cookie purely because it is Tuesday.  Or Wednesday.  Or any other day that you think, "A cookie right now?  Wouldn't hate it."

This is a cookie for all reasons.  All seasons.  And another word that rhymes with the other two.  An added bonus is that you probably already have all of the ingredients in your pantry!

Brown Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies

                            

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup loosely packed brown sugar

1 large egg

2  tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup flour

3/4 cup oats (not quick-cook)

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup chocolate chunks

Directions:

In a small sauce pan, heat the butter, whisking constantly until browned.  Remove the saucepan from heat and continue to whisk for an additional 30 seconds.  Set aside and let the butter cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and oats.  Set aside.

Once the butter has cooled, mix it with the two sugars until combined.  Mix in the egg and vanilla.  Add the flour mixture and combine with hands until a dough forms.  Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet.  Bake 10-12 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms are golden brown.

Source: How Sweet Eats

Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

I am in love with these cookies.

I want to write schmoopy love songs about them.  Compose sonnets.  Get on my rooftop and shout its beauty, because that is what these cookies are.  They are a thing of beauty.  And deliciousness.

Did I mention they're delicious?

Imagine your run of the mill chocolate chip cookie.  Now, add a deep and rich caramel flavor and the delectable bite of sea salt.

 Imagine yourself with an entire plate.  And some milk.  And maybe George Clooney.

Oh yeah, these cookies are the real deal.


Sea Salt Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
2 cups dark brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
2 sticks butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
sea salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


Mix together the flour and baking soda in a bowl.  Set aside.


In a mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl after each is mixed in.  Add the vanilla.  Mix in the flour mixture in two batches.  Fold in the chocolate chips.


Scoop the dough onto a prepared cookie sheet.  Sprinkle each dough ball with sea salt.  Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Source:  Eat Live Run

Chewy Lemon Cookies

I recently started watching The Chew, and while the show definitely has a few kinks to work out, it's still pretty entertaining (especially when compared to the awful The Revolution that follows). The hosts are personable and dialogue flows--something that when it's missing makes talk shows rrreeaalllyy awkward.

Monday's episode was all about guilty pleasures. The hosts talked about decadent pastas and desserts. One of them made a mimosa that had me wishing it was after five. And Clinton Kelly reaffirmed his place in my heart by coming clean with his love of ironing and Judge Judy.

What a man.

I used to love Judge Judy. When I was a wee teen, I would come home from school and hole up on the couch with my carton of ice cream and Judy.

Mom, if you're reading this you now know why we would go through so much ice cream.

I never really understood the cases Judy listened to (who cares about your stupid flower pot?!) but I liked her don't-mess-attitude, and how cool was it that she had that security guard guy bring her all the evidence? That's real power-never leaving the bench.

She also had an uncanny resemblance to my grandmother.

I haven't watched Judge Judy in years, but I would totally be open to a little quality JJ time with Clinton Kelly. Hey Clint, you can take this as an open invitation. I'll even let you iron my shirts.

What are your guilty pleasures?

Mine are cookies. All types. All shapes. Give me a cookie and I am a very happy girl :D

These cookies below were made for my Christmas cookie baskets that I give to my family each year. I'm a bit late in posting them, but thankfully cookie recipes don't go stale. Hope you give them a try!

Chewy Lemon Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups, plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 egg + 1 yolk, room temperature

2 tbsp lemon juice (preferably fresh)

2 tsp grated lemon zest (can omit if you don't have fresh lemon juice)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon extract

Direction:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and sugar. Add eggs and once combined, whisk in the vanilla and lemon extracts, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Mix in the flour mixture until a dough forms. Don't be afraid to use your hands, here!

Scoop golf-ball sized balls of dough onto a prepared pan about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the middle is set and the edges are slightly golden. Let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

These are great cookie for gifts, as they're nice and sturdy. Put them in cute little bags and share with friends!

Or eat them all yourself. That's cool, too.

Source: How Sweet Eats

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Candied Bacon

This week I was discussing what I was baking for the holidays with my brother and he jokingly suggested that I should put bacon into some of my cookies. While overtly I scoffed at the idea and said "That is just disgusting!" inwardly I was thinking:

Bacon was made to be paired with sweets. I mean--need I remind you all of the marvelous joys a breakfast of pancakes, bacon and cloyingly sweet maple syrup lends to an otherwise lacking morning?

I went straight to How Sweet Eats because when I think of bacon, I think of Jessica. She is the queen of all things bacon and delicious. Almost immediately I found the most delectable recipe for peanut butter cookies studded with candied bacon and chocolate.

Oh brother.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies with Chocolate Candied Bacon

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup peanut butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/3 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

4 slices cinnamon-sugared candied bacon

1/2 cup chocolate

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Dip the bacon into the melted chocolate and set aside to come to room temperature while you make the dough.

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together the sugars, peanut butter, and butter until fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture in two batches, mixing until incorporated. Crumble the bacon and fold into the batter.

Place tablespoon scoops on a prepared baking sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes and fool all of your family members into eating bacon-cookies.

Source: How Sweet Eats (original recipe here)

Straight-From-Heaven Sugar Cookies

Yesterday some guy used Steve Jobs to hit on me. While we waited at a stoplight. Needless to say, we did not exchange numbers.

Too soon, dude.

On a better note, I brought brownies to work yesterday and they were gone before 10 AM. I consider this quite the feat because that is a whole lot of sugar to be consumed before The View even starts. Star Jones would be proud.

I'm not giving you that recipe today. Mainly because I am sitting at a coffee shop without my camera cord. And the pictures are pretty bad, even for me. That last fact will not keep me from posting them next week. I apologize in advance.

Anyhoo, instead of brownies I am giving you a cookie recipe. Anyone know those thick sugar cookies from Dominick's? The ones so buttery that they leave a glistening sheen on your fingers after you're finished? Like 'em? Love 'em? Well, hold on to your hats. I've got a recipe.

Straight From Heaven (or Dominick's) Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

4 1/2 cups flour

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3 sticks butter, room temp

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

5 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. With a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and extract, mixing until combined. Mix in the flour mixture with a spatula. Make sure to scrape the bottom.

Cover the dough and let chill for 1 hour.

Scoop a scant 1/4 cup of dough and roll into a ball. Place on prepared cookie sheets and gently press down the center. If you are making them with sprinkles (and no frosting) press the sprinkles gently into the dough. Leave about two inches between cookies. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until set. I would recommend checking at 10 minutes because these are really ones that you don't want over-baked. The edges should only be slightly browned.

Remove and let sit for five minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

I chose not to use frosting for these because I didn't know how it would hold at room temperature. If you like frosting, though, you can make a simple frosting with butter, powdered sugar, and milk.

For the chocolate drizzle, melt chocolate and drizzle over the cookies. Let set completely before touching.

Source: Annie's Eats

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Yesterday I had five cups of coffee and looked like this:

Usually I'm pretty immune to caffeine. It doesn't give me heartburn or stomach aches. I can drink it before going to bed and have zero problem getting to sleep. I drink it more out of habit than anything else. And I kinda like it.

Yesterday, though, I felt high as a kite. Sitting in class from 4 to 9 o'clock (see why I needed five cups??) I was literally shaking. Today I will cut back.

Only four cups.

You know what goes great with coffee? These cookies. In fact, these cookies go well with just about anything. Lunch. Dinner. Wine and Gilmore Girls. They have become my favorite cookie and I hope they will become yours, too!

White Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 cup old fashioned oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

8 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled

6 tbsp creamy peanut butter, melted and cooled

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 cup white chocolate morsels/chunks

1/2 cup peanut butter morsels

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Melt the butter and peanut butter, let cool. Mix together the flour, oats, baking soda, salt and set aside. Combine the melted butters and sugars. Next, add the vanilla and eggs. Mix in the flour mixture, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom. Fold in the white chocolate and peanut butter morsels.

Scoop the dough onto a prepared baking sheet (about golf ball sized scoops) and bake for 10-12 minutes. The cookies are done when the edges have browned, but the center should still be puffy. They don't look 100% done when they are finished baking-that's fine. Take them out anyway. And then try not to eat them all in one afternoon.

Source: How Sweet It Is

Crinkle-Top Cookies

Last week I was in the kitchen a lot.

A relative of mine was in the hospital and I took it harder than expected. I've grown up with everyone being relatively healthy. At 21 years old I still have four healthy grandparents and minimum health problems with everyone else. Theoretically, I knew there would be a time when someone got sick, but these last 21 years told me, "Not yet." I still had time.

My relative did leave the hospital and is now recovering at home. I get more time. But the incident reminded me of just how quickly and abruptly time can be taken away. We don't live forever-we can't-and it made me recognize that I have to cherish every moment that I have with the ones I love.

Baking got me through last week. I find something calming in the routine tedium of measuring flour, sugar, baking powder. I like the manual labor of combining all of the ingredients with a well-used wooden spoon. It takes my mind off of everything else.

I baked these cookies for my relative and her husband, and they were a hit. While she couldn't eat them in the hospital, she did call me after she was discharged and said they were wonderful.

On a lighter note, I made them only about two hours before leaving for the hospital without realizing the dough had to be chilled. After a chorus of swear words, I plopped the dough in the freezer for a bit and then just added a few minutes to the oven time. Crisis averted.

Crinkle-Top Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

2 tsp baking powder

9 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

Combine the flour and baking soda in a medium bowl. In a separate microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Mix in the cocoa and let cool.

Once the butter-cocoa mixture is cooled, add the sugar, eggs, vanilla, and combine with either a whisk or electric mixer. Beat in the flour mixture.

Chill dough in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Or put in the freezer and say several prayers.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take out the chilled dough and pull off walnut-sized pieces, forming into balls. Roll the balls around in sugar and then place on cookie sheet. Make sure there is 2 inches between all the cookies.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are firm to touch. The top should look crinkled. Cool completely on wire wracks.

Source: The Best Bake Sale Cookbook

Love/Hate

I have a very love/hate relationship with these cookies.

Obviously they're pretty. And the royal icing is the perfect sweetness when you bite into it, the sugar cookie beneath stunningly buttery with slight undertones of vanilla and almond.

They're good cookies. It's just that they take a bazillion hours to make. Okay, that might be a slightly hyperbolic statement. But, say, five hours is not. The dough has to chill and then you have to roll it out-and anyone who has seen me rolling dough can attest that it's not a pretty sight. It usually ends with dough bunched around the rolling pin and me throwing things.

Cookie cutters get some action. 8-10 minutes and cookies come out of the oven looking so darn cute that I almost look forward to icing them. And for a bit, I actually do. The creative part of my brain (left side?) gets all sorts of happy and I plan out color blocking and detailing. It's actually pretty fun until two hours have passed and I still have more stupid detailing to finish due to my stupid left side of my brain.

And I hate them. I hate the cookies; and the crick in my back; and the way that one line came out squiggly because I squeezed the piping bag too much. And then they are finished.

And I love them. I love them all the way until I stupidly decide to make them again.

Royal Icing Cookies: the ultimate love/hate relationship.

Dream Bars

Hello friends!

I have a fantastic recipe for you today. Prepare yourself because this one is pretty exciting. And simple. And dreamy.

Being the baker of my friends, I was the one who brought dessert for our 4th of July barbecue. Being myself, I predictably waited until the last minute to bake. With only two hours before I had to leave (I really procrastinated this time) there was no way I could get ingredients for a recipe. Therefore, my pantry and I became best friends. The friendship bracelets are in the mail.

Luckily, I found some coconut and chocolate chips hiding behind my overstock of baking soda and brown sugar. Do you know what that means? If you were thinking, "Liz eats four handfuls of chocolate chips", then you are correct. However, it also means dream bars. Which translates into, "Liz eats four dream bars".

These come together in less than an hour and promote such gluttony that I'm surprised they aren't listed as one of the seven deadly sins. Regardless, make them!

Dream Bars

Ingredients:

1/2 Butter

1 1/2 cups Brown Sugar

1 cup plus 2 tbsp Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1 1/2 cups Sweetened Coconut Shreds

1/2-1 cup Chocolate Chips

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

2 eggs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix 1/2 cup brown sugar, butter, and flour. Press into a 9x13 pan and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside.

While the crust bakes, mix the eggs, brown sugar, baking powder, flour, and vanilla extract until smooth. Fold in the coconut and chocolate chips.

Spread over the baked crust and smooth evenly.

Bake for 20 minutes, until the top is slightly browned. Let cool completely before cutting into squares. Or rush it like I did and get melted chocolate everywhere.

Adapted from: www.southerfood.about.com