LINNY THE CHEF
Monday, September 15, 2008
Ch-Ch-Ch Changes!
I am going to become a first time Mom in just a little while - we are still counting the weeks, but that won't last long...it's only 23 days until the due date! And we are moving to a new city, well actually, my husband already lives there in our apartment and I still live in Tulsa with my parents to be closer to the hospital when the time comes and to continue working for another week. We have lived with them for quite a while, on the job hunt and saving money for the baby. And needless to say, I am spoiled living with the parentals! My dad takes care of the laundry and grocery shopping - he's retired. And Momma has a housecleaner who comes once a week, so I havn't had to clean the bathroom or anything else for that matter, in a long time! And the rule is in the house, that if you do the cooking, you don't have to lift a finger to help cleanup (greatest kitchen rule ever invented - Dale and I have also implimented it into our home). So now that I am having a baby, we have a place in Ponca City, and I will be moving there soon, there are many new responsibilities that I will be taking on and many responsibilities that I just haven't had in quite some time that I will be undertaking by myself once again. My husband is great about helping around the house, he does the dishes without being asked like a pro (I am definately blessed!), but there are still certain responsibilities that belong to the woman and I am proud to do for him and our family. I just am probably a little rusty...one of the things that I want to make a good habit now that I still have the time to learn, is cutting coupons and shopping wisely for our groceries. Another is cooking and planning out our meals.
So I am reading other women's blogs and am inspired...
I think that I am going to change up the way that I grocery shop and prepare meals. I want to do a large shopping trip once a month to get everything that I need for a few meals for Dale and I (little man will be just milk for quite some time). I want to get into this habit now so that whenever we do a have a larger family to feed, I can budget, cut coupons, and possibly make my in kitchen time as minimal as possible to have time to spend with the family. I am going to make a big grocery shopping trip to get everything for a few meals that we can freeze and get out when we want them for example...chili, lasagna, casseroles, sloppy joes, spagetti sauce...these are staples in our home and I know that if I can make it easier to prepare a meal in the evening, I will function a little better, especially if I have to work outside of the home someday, or if we have more kids than I have arms - both are very likely in the near future!
Thanks to these ladies for the inspiration... Holly and the Steiger's to name a few.
So do you bulk grocery shop, cut coupons, or freeze meals to feed your family? Any advice for this new mom and soon to be housewife (again)!
¶ 9/15/2008 09:13:00 AM 2 Comments
I think that I am going to change up the way that I grocery shop and prepare meals. I want to do a large shopping trip once a month to get everything that I need for a few meals for Dale and I (little man will be just milk for quite some time). I want to get into this habit now so that whenever we do a have a larger family to feed, I can budget, cut coupons, and possibly make my in kitchen time as minimal as possible to have time to spend with the family. I am going to make a big grocery shopping trip to get everything for a few meals that we can freeze and get out when we want them for example...chili, lasagna, casseroles, sloppy joes, spagetti sauce...these are staples in our home and I know that if I can make it easier to prepare a meal in the evening, I will function a little better, especially if I have to work outside of the home someday, or if we have more kids than I have arms - both are very likely in the near future!
Thanks to these ladies for the inspiration... Holly and the Steiger's to name a few.
So do you bulk grocery shop, cut coupons, or freeze meals to feed your family? Any advice for this new mom and soon to be housewife (again)!
¶ 9/15/2008 09:13:00 AM 2 Comments
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
The Seay's Chocolate Chip Cookies
I stole this recipe from Liz Seay's blog...so give credit where credit is due! Thanks Liz!! I'll definitely try this one out...often...i have a soft spot for cookie dough!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I do not know how to preface something so good, so buttery, so chocolatey...so perfect with a cold glass of milk.
They really need no introduction.
Without further ado...
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Adapted from Jacques Torres)
I will say that this original cookie recipe from Torres is rather fancy.
And as much as I appreciate gourmet, it's not practical for me...so here is the simplified version.
Still amazing- much easier made with ingredients most of us already have in our kitchens.
(Some of the measurements are weird...but make sure you follow them closely. If you need to know how to correctly measure flour in a recipe, watch this.)
3 2/3 cups minus 2 TBS. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt (I use about 1 1/4...I think they're too salty otherwise)
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (NOT melted & definitely not margarine, use real butter)
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 packages of Ghirardelli (60% cacoa) chocolate chips (or about 21 ounces)
Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk well, then set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Mix in the vanilla.
Slowly add the dry mixture and mix until just combined.
Add the chocolate chips and stir in with a large spoon until well incorporated.
Press plastic wrap against the dough and refrigerate in bowl for 12 hours or overnight.
Take dough out of fridge at least an hour before baking to let it soften otherwise it will be too hard to scoop. (Don't leave it out too long though, you don't want it too soft either)
When getting ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Use a parchment lined baking sheet or an air bake cookie sheet and scoop 6 to 8 mounds of dough onto sheet. (large scoops of dough..like 1/4 to 1/3 cup size)
They spread when cooking so make sure you space them a few inches apart.
Bake until golden brown on the edges but the centers still look soft, about 15 to 18 minutes.
Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.
This recipe makes a lot of dough, so I usually cook a few at a time or make big batches to share.
(yes, I do share my cookies even though it is sometimes hard to part with them:)
I do not know know why the dough needs to chill overnight, but it does.
I think it has something to do with the eggs incorporating and the flavors blending...
but it IS important.
If you make the dough and then immediately try to bake some, they are not as good.
I promise. I've tried it.
Be patient! Find some other chocolate to snack on while you are waiting:)
I think the dough gets a little better every day, but its usually gone by the third day around here.
Enjoy!
Wipe your face when you're done:)
I stole this recipe from Liz Seay's blog...so give credit where credit is due! Thanks Liz!! I'll definitely try this one out...often...i have a soft spot for cookie dough!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I do not know how to preface something so good, so buttery, so chocolatey...so perfect with a cold glass of milk.
They really need no introduction.
Without further ado...
Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
(Adapted from Jacques Torres)
I will say that this original cookie recipe from Torres is rather fancy.
And as much as I appreciate gourmet, it's not practical for me...so here is the simplified version.
Still amazing- much easier made with ingredients most of us already have in our kitchens.
(Some of the measurements are weird...but make sure you follow them closely. If you need to know how to correctly measure flour in a recipe, watch this.)
3 2/3 cups minus 2 TBS. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. sea salt (I use about 1 1/4...I think they're too salty otherwise)
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (NOT melted & definitely not margarine, use real butter)
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 packages of Ghirardelli (60% cacoa) chocolate chips (or about 21 ounces)
Combine flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Whisk well, then set aside.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until very light and fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Mix in the vanilla.
Slowly add the dry mixture and mix until just combined.
Add the chocolate chips and stir in with a large spoon until well incorporated.
Press plastic wrap against the dough and refrigerate in bowl for 12 hours or overnight.
Take dough out of fridge at least an hour before baking to let it soften otherwise it will be too hard to scoop. (Don't leave it out too long though, you don't want it too soft either)
When getting ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
Use a parchment lined baking sheet or an air bake cookie sheet and scoop 6 to 8 mounds of dough onto sheet. (large scoops of dough..like 1/4 to 1/3 cup size)
They spread when cooking so make sure you space them a few inches apart.
Bake until golden brown on the edges but the centers still look soft, about 15 to 18 minutes.
Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.
This recipe makes a lot of dough, so I usually cook a few at a time or make big batches to share.
(yes, I do share my cookies even though it is sometimes hard to part with them:)
I do not know know why the dough needs to chill overnight, but it does.
I think it has something to do with the eggs incorporating and the flavors blending...
but it IS important.
If you make the dough and then immediately try to bake some, they are not as good.
I promise. I've tried it.
Be patient! Find some other chocolate to snack on while you are waiting:)
I think the dough gets a little better every day, but its usually gone by the third day around here.
Enjoy!
Wipe your face when you're done:)Labels: chocolate, chocolate chips, cookies, Liz Seay, overnight, recepie's from other bloggers, Robbie Seay Band, share a recepie
¶ 9/09/2008 06:43:00 AM 0 Comments
