My first "Fundamentals of Baking" class was great!
I had done plenty of praying about the group I would be a part of for the remainder of the semester. My prayers were answered, and I love the group I'm in! We immediately had a great connection and were joking around and teasing each other within minutes. We were taught how to sanitize our station and were told to start prepping our ingredients for the first of three batches of cookies we would make that day.
Next, Chef Eddy Van Damme started his demonstration of chocolate chip cookies. He reminded us that this was a "fundamental" class and he understood that we might be a little embarrassed about baking cookies on our first day. It was as if he had read the "I already know how to make cookies" sign taped on many foreheads that morning. His demonstration was pretty quick. We were on our own for the remainder of the class.
My group worked quickly and very efficiently. We were done first and our chocolate chip cookies were perfect! They had risen and browned just as they should have. We were on to our next batch: white chocolate macadamia nut cookies. We used the 
same base recipe as the chocolate chip cookies and switched out the "chunky" parts. These cookies turned out even better than the first! Was that possible? How could you improve on "perfect?" Chef Eddy was so impressed with our second batch that he came over to our station and asked if he could "steal" 4 of them for a photo shoot. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? We were SO proud of ourselves! Next, we made oatmeal raisin cookies. Those turned out great too... maybe a little flat, but moist and chewy as every oatmeal raisin cookie should be.
I mentioned in my previous post that there were a few "know-it-all" people in the class. Would you have ever guessed that they chose to be in a group together?! It was pretty comical to watch it happen. Maybe they believed that if a bunch very smart guys (yes, they're boys!) worked together, they would be unstoppable. It took an insane amount of effort not to laugh when I heard Chef Eddy tell them to throw out 2 of their 3 batches of cookies because they were "inedible." I should not delight in the failures of others, but I had gotten sick of seeing these guys pull the Chef aside to tell him how wonderful his lectures are and how he was exactly what they had been searching for. I had tired of watching them scramble and fight to do little chores for Chef Eddy as if he were impressed by them.
Later, I helped organize all the cookies to be sold in the cafe. I found myself marveling at the different outcomes. Was it possible that we all used the same recipes? Some cookies were flat, some weren't caramelized enough, some were so strange looking that we had to argue about whether or not they were chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin!
As we were all finishing up, Chef Eddy called us in for a closing lecture. He spoke to us about the chocolate we had just used in 2 of our cookies. I find myself constantly impressed with this man. His standards for our bakery are set so high. He has revolutionized how the culinary department works at HCC. He explained why we only use good quality chocolate. He also talked about how he will only allow us to use unbleached flours in all of our baking (the only exception being cake flour). This is not only healthier because no chemicals are used, but the flavor is exceptional!
Well, I had a blast! My group was great, Chef Eddy was impressed by my group's offerings, and I got to laugh a ton. I'm looking forward to next week!
Well, I have successfully completed my first week of culinary school! The first week was simply an introduction of the classes, equipment used, and the chef instructors. I'm taking a total of four classes. Each of them dedicated to a different area of baking and pastry work.
My first class is "Food Safety and Sanitation." Not much interesting to tell about this class: it is only a lecture class. It is also my shortest class (3 hours). Every other baking class will last 6 hours at a time. I believe this Sanitation class will be very serious and so important. Comic relief should come from the cross dresser in the back row!
My second class is "Fundamentals of Baking." I expect this class to be my favorite of the semester. My instructor is incredible! His name is Chef Eddy Van Damme. He co-wrote the textbook we use, so right away, I'm impressed! As each student introduces himself, my stomach starts to tingle with excitement! I can barely sit still! Many of the students have transferred to this school because of the wonderful instruction from Chef Eddy Van Damme! It is quickly confirmed that I am smack dab in the middle of my dream! Chef Eddy will be fun to work with: he's funny, laid back, incredibly smart, has a pleasant Belgian accent, and I must say, it doesn't hurt that he's handsome! We spent about an hour or so hearing about Chef Eddy's life and career. He shared his passion for making us the best chefs possible. I couldn't ask for more. He showed us around our "laboratory" and sent us on our way.
My third class is called "Pies, Tarts, Teacakes, and Cookies." Catchy, huh? When I signed up for this class, I was informed that Chef Eddy would also be teaching this class. So imagine my surprise and disappointment when I walked into the kitchen and found a different instructor. He introduced himself as Chef Jefferey (I'm 99% sure that's how he spells it). My husband thinks I should casually call him "Chefferey" and see if he seems offended by it. It may take me a few classes to work up the nerve to try! Chef Jefferey was almost unbearably nervous because this is his first year teaching. He was self conscious about the way he was talking due to his recent jaw surgery. The only thing I noticed was the metal work in his mouth. His nervousness never really decreased. He kept his head down and read us everything we needed to know and we were done in about 45 minutes. The class was supposed to last 6 hours!
My last class is called "Breads and Rolls." I'm convinced this class will be my most difficult. Artisan bread making is very technical and easy to mess up. Even though it will be a difficult class, I'm most excited to gain this skill for the semester. Chef Becky is teaching the class. I quickly realized that her knowledge of the science of bread making is overwhelming. We spent next to no time with introduction and started talking about bread making. I wrote fast and furiously as she spoke about the many components of bread dough, their importance, and so forth. We went over the different methods of yeast fermentation and its importance for different kinds of bread. I must have written five pages (front and back) of information down. I should tell you that I wrote more than I would have on a normal day, but a Korean woman named JungA was sitting next to me panicking. So I wrote too much (being careful to use full sentences and not abbreviate). I let her copy my notes. This poor woman speaks little English and here we are talking about things she's never heard of! She continued to keep her head down, pencil going, and often used her Korean translator for unfamiliar words. Poor thing!
In each of my baking classes, we (the students) are responsible for dividing ourselves into small groups. We will remain in this group for the remainder of the semester. I've already pegged the people I don't want to work with: know-it-all individuals who nod continuously during a lecture and finish the chef's sentences under their breath. I just wanted to scream when I saw this! I believe with all of my heart that being humble in each class will be the key to my success. Seriously, in my first two baking classes, I was receiving a ton of information that I already knew. So I didn't write it down. No big deal. I was proud that I knew exactly what was being talked about, but I didn't make a big scene so everyone else knew that I knew.
I will also do my best to avoid being with immature people who have openly said they are taking a class because "it sounds fun." I am trying hard to accept that it's their choice to take a class simply because "it sounds fun," but I can't help but feel insulted by that. I have worked hard and sacrificed a lot to be in these classes. I have a hard time appreciating their outlook.
My final "written" exams in each class will actually be a portfolio. Each of us will be responsible for taking pictures and arranging them in a great-looking portfolio explaining our experience. That's right up my alley!
I enjoyed my first week, so I can't imagine what next week will be like! I'll keep you updated on what I create! We have not even baked anything and I feel like I'm in my "Heaven on earth!"
I apologize for the lack of posts lately. It's summer and I'm trying to savor every day I can with Zachary. I've been working hard trying to get into culinary school. I must say, it's been a very frustrating process. But more on that on a later post.
Recently, I cleaned out my spice cabinet. It's amazing what I had in there.... many of the spices were "one time use" purchases. That's sad. I'm gonna work hard to make sure when I clean things out next year, I won't throw out as much. By the way, did you know that ground spices are really only good for a year or so after opening? Seriously... go clean out all the stuff that's been open for a few years. It's not nearly as flavorful anymore. How many of you have a tin of ground nutmeg that only gets love during the holidays? Throw it out already!
This post is going to be a shameless plug for my absolute favorite website: www.thespicehouse.com. I'm completely obsessed with my spice vendor! Whether you like to cook or not, the information alone will keep you busy for hours. They have hundreds of different spices, extracts, salts, spice blends, gifts, and more. Not only can you purchase these spices, but you can read all about them, where they come from, and recipes that make the spices stand out. I can't get enough!
For me, few things are more exciting that high quality food/spices. Now, don't get me wrong... nothing's wrong with good old McCormick cinnamon when you want to make some oatmeal raisin cookies, but what about those cinnamon rolls? Cinnamon deserves to be the star in cinnamon rolls! So how about some organic Saigon Cassia Cinnamon from Vietnam? The Spice House is getting these spices directly from the country they are harvested from. You've never tasted cinnamon quite like this! The color is rich and the smell/taste is sweet and spicy at the same time.
A few weeks ago, I wanted to make my homemade almond poppy seed muffins for breakfast. As I was retrieving my ingredients, I realized I was too low on almond extract. Well, clearly, I needed to get some if I wanted them to be "almond" poppy seed muffins! So I threw my hair in a ponytail and grabbed my shoes. I drove to the nearest grocery store and walked to the aisle I am all-too-familiar with. I almost fell over when I saw that a 1 oz. bottle of almond extract was $4.50! My stomach sunk as I paid for it. I had never paid this much for almond extract before! I quickly ordered almond extract from The Spice House. When it arrived a few days later, I opened my new 4 oz. bottle to take a sniff. I immediately felt a sense of happiness. I had never smelled almond extract to strong, so sweet, and so wonderful. Now, if you know me well, you know one of my favorite smells in the world is almond extract. I would bathe in it if I could! But the quality of this extract was unlike anything else I had ever experienced. I knew I'd never run out of this stuff! Oh, and get this: I paid $6.69 for 4 ounces! That's about $1.67 per ounce! Remember I had just paid $4.50 for ONE ounce of much lower quality extract.
I could go on and on about all the different spices I have from www.thespicehouse.com but I'll spare you! I'll just give you my list of things I don't think I'd like to live without:
Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract: It comes with a real Mexican vanilla bean in the bottle so the flavor improves with age.
Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Bean Paste: This gel-like extract is the equivalent of using vanilla extract but has a special "wow factor" when added to light cookie doughs or cakes because of the real vanilla beans.
Pure Almond Extract
Whole European Style Peppercorns
Ground Organic Saigon Cassia Cinnamon: The only cinnamon I use!
Chipotle Chili Powder: This stuff is incredible! Add heat and smoky flavor anywhere you would add red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper.
Smoked Sweet Spanish Paprika: Add all the smoky flavor of above-mentioned Chipotle Powder without any heat.
Now, I'm not about to tell you that all of my spices come from www.thespicehouse.com. I choose to order spices I know I use often and won't throw away after about a year and a half. I don't use a lot of dried oregano, so it makes no sense for me to order any. I use kosher salt in most (if not all) of my cooking, so I would never pay a lot of money for French or Hawaiian salt.
Ok, a few more things about The Spice House: You frequently have the option of quantity and container. You can choose to order spices that come in a glass shaker jar or in a resealable plastic bag. I almost always get the zip-top bag because it's cheaper and you get more of the spice. They are very good about getting you your order within 2 or 3 days (even when choosing the cheapest shipping option!). There is always a little hand-written note from the person who packs your spices. How sweet! And their prices are extremely reasonable because they have eliminated the "middle man." (i.e. our major super market chains)
Please check out the website. You won't be disappointed. I have used them for a few years and plan to use them for many years to come.
I believe that any good recipe can be great with higher quality ingredients. So spice up your spice cabinet and let me know what you think!
On Mother's Day this year, the Korean side of my family got together for a Korean-style barbecue. Korean barbecue is some of the greatest food that will grace your taste buds. I'm grateful to have a husband with an adventurous palate. He's a real champ when it comes to the crazy stuff my family eats! As we sat outside and waited for our food to be grilled, one of my mom's friends showed up. Let's call her "Susie," shall we? Susie enjoys cooking, so she brought some shish kebabs for us to slap on the grill with the rest of our food. Her kebab concept was good: Chicken, red onion, and fresh pineapple marinated in a curry concoction. By the time Susie's kebabs were done being grilled, I was too full. So I grabbed a small piece of my husband's chicken. I wanted to be nice and at least tell her how good her kebabs were. I bit down on that piece of chicken and instantly spit it out. One chomp, and it was flying out of my mouth! I was immediately grateful that she wasn't sitting at the table when this happened. The chicken was feathery and started to disintegrate as soon as I bit down on it. It honestly was the worst piece of chicken I've ever had. I watched later as my Aunt had the exact reaction I did when she took a bite of Susie's chicken! I laughed a lot!
I thought about Susie's kebabs for the next 24 hours. It was like a nightmare I couldn't stop obsessing over. And suddenly, I knew exactly what Susie's mistakes were. She made 2 major mistakes. So I'll share with you my secrets to perfectly cooked shish kebabs.
1. Do not marinate your meat too long.
Marinating is a wonderful way to flavor and tenderize meat. But you must never marinate meat for too long. Chicken and fish especially do not need to be marinated for more than a few hours. I am willing to bet money that Susie marinated her kebabs over-night and for most of the day of our barbecue. When acid (for example: vinegar, lime, or lemon juice) comes in contact with meat, the meat begins to break down... in return, the meat becomes more tender. If meat sits in the acid for too long, the muscle fibers are destroyed. That's why Susie's chicken was like saw dust. She had let the chicken cozy up to fresh pineapple for well over 12 hours. Pineapple is very acidic. That poor chicken didn't stand a chance.
2. Rainbow kebabs are nearly impossible to cook.
When most of us think of kebabs, we think of skewers laced with beautiful patterns, right? We probably think of a shish kebab kind of like this: a piece of red bell pepper next to a piece of zucchini next to a piece of onion next to a mushroom next to a piece of chicken and so on. Isn't that a pretty picture? But let me ask you some questions: How good of a cook are you? I mean, what makes you believe that you can magically alter the molecular structure of multiple vegetables and some meat so that when they are all stabbed and placed on a grill, they will all cook evenly and be done at the same time? Does that make any sense at all? Of course not! So let me offer a radical way of grilling kebabs: Skewer only one kind of food on a stick. Chicken should be grilled with chicken. Beef should be grilled with beef. Zucchini should be grilled with zucchini. Bell peppers should be grilled with bell peppers. Now, I know what you're thinking: "But, Mandi, that won't be very pretty!" I understand your concern. Believe me, I'm a sucker for beautiful food. But would you rather have every fruit, vegetable, and piece of meat grilled to perfection? Or would you rather grill them all together and risk biting into a raw piece of chicken because you were concerned that you were going to burn an onion? If it's the beautiful array of colors your heart desires when you grill kebabs, then when you are finished grilling every skewer, empty them into a sassy serving dish. Not only do you have a cute vessel for all of the food, but you will be happy to see the pretty colors together at last!
So, friends, Summer is practically here (if you live here in Texas, it IS here!). We'll all be taking advantage of our grills. Grilling shish kebabs can be a ton fun with endless possibilities for marinades and different combinations of fruits, vegetables, and meats. But whatever you do, follow my 2 rules for perfect kebabs: Do not over marinate them. And be real with yourself: a pretty kebab is nice, but a perfectly cooked kebab is nicer! Food segregation is a great thing when it comes to kebabs. Stab your food... it's fun! But don't murder it!
It's starting to get a little hot around here to be making soup, but I'd like to share a concept with you. I cannot stress the importance of a well-stocked pantry. Mine is almost always filled with chicken/beef stock, canned or dry beans of many varieties, canned tomatoes, canned corn, spices, pasta, etc. All of the ingredients just mentioned are a great base for a soup, don't you think?! For a while now, when we are having the kind of week that requires a lot of meal creativity (Well, maybe I should just say "when you have a week with next to no money to spend..."), I'll throw together what my husband and I affectionately call "Hope Soup." Here is my recipe for "Hope Soup" :
Throw whatever you find in your pantry/fridge/freezer in a pot/crockpot and HOPE it turns out!
It's actually a lot of fun to do! We had "Hope Soup" last night for dinner and it turned out great. Here's what I had in the house already:
A large ham bone with a little meat on it (I froze it after our Easter dinner)
1 can of kidney beans
1 can of great northern beans
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of corn
frozen petite peas
bouillon cubes
garlic
onion
salt & pepper
hot sauce
Here's what I had to buy:
1 small head of cabbage
a little extra ham to dice up
How cool is that?! So I took my frozen ham bone and boiled it in some water in my soup pot to make a flavorful stock. I removed the ham bone, added onion, garlic, bouillon, and s&p and brought it to a boil so the onions could get tender. Then I added the beans, tomatoes, corn, and ham chunks. Just 5 minutes before serving, I added the peas and cabbage because I like the texture better when those things are not over-cooked. We added hot sauce to our bowls at the table.
"Hope Soup" is a great, budget friendly dinner. And it will feed an army! I hope you guys will try to be creative with what you have in you cupboards and refrigerators: again, this soup is a concept. Do not take my idea above too seriously. You only have a pound of ground meat? Great! Brown it up and use beef stock for the soup base. You grow zucchini? Use it! You have celery and carrots? Throw that in! No diced tomatoes, but you have salsa? "Fiesta Hope Soup!" YEEEHAW!!! Add some ground cumin to that to bump up the Mexican flavors.
"Hope" you guys try this!
I recently returned to Ohio (where I grew up). My husband's aunt made it possible for my son and I to fly there. And I'm so grateful she did that for us. It seemed fairly urgent to go visit my dad. My dad has been very sick recently, and I knew we had to be realistic: This may or may not be the last time we get to see him; but I'd sure hate to miss the opportunity to see him once more. So that was the reason for our visit.
But while we were there, I was struck with plenty of emotion. It had been 5 years since I had been back to the place I grew up. That's a long time considering I still have a lot of family there. It was incredibly surreal to be back in northern Ohio. I couldn't get over how strange it was to drive on the same roads I learned to drive on back when I was 15 years old. As I drove down Mentor Avenue, I couldn't help shedding a tear or two knowing that some of my best memories were made driving down it. My brother actually taught me to drive comfortably. It's confession time! My older brother had his drivers' license and I only had my temporary. We'd say we were going to run an errand. My brother would get in to drive and I'd sit on the passengers' side. When we got far enough away from home, we'd switch. He never made me tense, he never criticized my left turns, and he never told me where to go. (Why did your parents always tell you which way to turn on your way to school even though you'd been going there for years?) Late at night, my brother and I would go driving. We wouldn't go anywhere specific. We'd just turn up the music, roll down the windows, and drive down Mentor Avenue. I miss those days.
When I lived in Ohio, I was not old enough to do my own grocery shopping. But when I was back this last time, I graced a few grocery stores. I was blown away by the quality of produce, artisan breads, and meat. I almost fell over when I saw a package of meatloaf mix. I miss meatloaf mix! Why don't we have meatloaf mix in Texas? My fellow Texans, meatloaf mix is an equal amount of ground beef, pork, and veal in the same package! Now, I grew up in a Korean/Italian family. And every good Italian knows that good meatballs are made with beef, pork, and veal. It drives me crazy when I want to make meatballs and I can't find good-looking ground veal. So I buy a package of ground beef and a package of ground pork. It's not the same. I also saw Amish raised chicken. THAT my friends, is a thing of beauty: to see a package of chicken breast that are not of freakish size (Everything's bigger in Texas, right?), have no skin or fat on them, and are very reasonably priced even when they are not on sale. I found myself quite sad as I continued to walk through the meat cases: beautiful hot Italian sausage spirals were calling my name. It's been years since I've seen a spiral of sausage! And northern Ohio is filled with specialty butcher shops. I don't even know where the closest butcher shop is in Houston! I know I sound ridiculous. But what can I say? High quality meats, breads, and produce make me happy! Oh my goodness...The produce: I saw an assortment of produce that just is not available at our grocery stores in Texas. And the breads were equally impressive.
Northern Ohio is such a different culture than I'm living in now. I miss hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurants and pizzerias. My fellow Texans, did you know that in other parts of the country there are tiny little places where families create the most amazing Italian food you could ever dream to consume? I have yet to see a hole-in-the wall Italian restaurant that sells incredible food since I've lived in Houston. Most little places around here sell Mexican food: hardly the quality I grew up with. When you want comfort food, do you want a big bowl of pasta or a tamale?! If you ever ask me that question, I will ALWAYS tell you to bring on the pasta... and don't you dare over cook it! I got to visit my favorite little Italian place while I was back home. I went with my old friends Dave and Chelsea. We ate at Zappitelli's. Zappitelli's is where my brother got his first job. They serve some of the best Italian food I've ever had. And everyone in the area knows it. It's a tiny place, but they are always packed for dinner. It was surreal to be back there experiencing the place I ate at almost every week when I was growing up.
I also got to visit the place where I got my fist real job: "Yours Truly." "Yours Truly" is a family-owned restaurant that serves breakfast, salads, burgers, sandwiches, hand-dipped milkshakes, hand squeezed limeades, etc. That was the most amazing place to work. I'd probably still be a waitress there today if I still lived there. The quality of food was great, so was the service (of course!), and so were the people who owned and operated it. When I went back this time, I just wanted to jump behind the counter and start making milkshakes and limeades. It was at "Yours Truly" that I realized I had a gift for creating good food. On multiple occasions, I walked into my manager's office with an idea for a new sandwich or dessert and found it on the menu a few weeks later. I had regular customers who would come to eat late on Friday nights so I could serve them. I always closed the restaurant on Friday and Saturday nights so I could clean the place like I wanted it to be cleaned, serve my favorite people, and, of course, make extra money. I miss "Yours Truly."
Everything looks and feels different Ohio; especially in the Spring. There are so many trees, daffodils, and beautiful old homes. As I drove down my grandmother's street, I couldn't help but smile at the many daffodils around the front of all the houses and the tin awnings over every window. Every street name rung a bell. Every yard was trimmed and pretty. I even laughed when I saw the silly old lady's house: she still had her fake flowers planted in the dirt. She always has colorful, pretty flowers "growing." No watering, no trimming, just perfect neon flowers all year 'round! The memories flooded my mind continuously while I was in Ohio.
I've always said that I don't enjoy Texas. And I still don't. It's too hot, too humid, and too crowded. But I never expected the reaction I had when I got back to Texas. I was relieved. I was happy. I was excited to be back to the life I've created since I got married. All I wanted to do was be with my husband. I wanted to see my church friends. I wanted to come back to my pitiful little apartment. I've grown up a ton since I left Ohio 5 years ago. I'm a mother now, a wife, and an aspiring chef. I have no idea what state to call "home." Is "home" where I grew up? Is "home" where I live? Is it both? I'm learning that longing for where I used to live isn't healthy. Yes, I miss the weather. Yes, I miss the old grocery stores and the Italian food. Yes, I miss my family and old friends. But that stage in my life is over. God has placed me in Texas, and that's where I'm learning to be content. Texas is where I've learned the most about myself and about my marriage. It's where I've learned (and am still learning) to be the mother I am. Texas is home to the church I've always dreamed of being a part of.
Being in Ohio was an emotional experience for me. I experienced some good emotions, but also some bad. But the best emotion was when I got off the airplane and saw my precious husband waiting for me and our son. The best emotions flooded me when I got the hug I had been longing for the entire time I was in Ohio. The best feeling was laying in bed with my husband my first night home. Maybe home really is where your heart is.
I've had a cookie idea brewing for a few years now. And I'm not quite sure why it took me so long to work out my idea. It only took me about 15 minutes to figure out exactly what needed to happen. And it worked out the first time I tried. The joy and frustration was comical to say the least. It took me 3 or 4 years to "create" a cookie that was destined to be successful. Lesson learned: The next time I get a good idea about a new recipe, act on it.
This "Banana Pudding Cookie" recipe was inspired by a faint memory of a cookie I had only one time when I was a little girl: maybe 5th grade. I didn't really know much about cooking back then, so I didn't really think about what I was eating or what was in them... But I have ever since. I don't remember who made the cookie, where I had it, or if it's just a figment of my imagination all together. It's real now, though! Don't let the name fool you. It's nothing like the banana pudding we've all inevitably had at some point in our lives (You know, the mushy mess of banana slices, fake banana flavored pudding and vanilla wafers?). You will not be knocked over the head with the flavor of banana, it is not like banana nut bread, and it contains a package of vanilla pudding mix which gives it a really pleasant creaminess. They're moist and chewy... come on, who doesn't love that in a cookie?! I love them, so does my husband, and my 4 year old probably loves them more than both of us combined! I hope you'll try them and let me know how you like them!
Banana Pudding Cookies
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 ripe banana (smashed well)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix (3.8 oz)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup oatmeal (quick-cooking)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until very smooth. Add smashed banana goo and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, pudding mix, baking soda, salt, and oatmeal. Stir until combined. Add to wet mixture. Stir until well incorporated. Refrigerate dough for about 30 minutes. Drop onto cookie sheets. Bake for 10-14 minutes until golden.
*Refrigerating the dough helps the dough keep its shape a little better while baking. You may omit the refrigeration part, your cookies will just be a little flatter.
**Baking time will obviously vary depending on how big you make your cookies. I tend to make big cookies, so mine take longer!
same base recipe as the chocolate chip cookies and switched out the "chunky" parts. These cookies turned out even better than the first! Was that possible? How could you improve on "perfect?" Chef Eddy was so impressed with our second batch that he came over to our station and asked if he could "steal" 4 of them for a photo shoot. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? We were SO proud of ourselves! Next, we made oatmeal raisin cookies. Those turned out great too... maybe a little flat, but moist and chewy as every oatmeal raisin cookie should be.
