Brown butter chocolate chip cookies

 

 

 

Hello Girls! We are having a beautiful Spring here in New England!  This gorgeous bunch of white lilacs came from my parent's yard.  Aren't they pretty?  They smell even better than they look.  I had them in my kitchen but then decided to move them to the deck because the scent was so strong. I'm enjoying them as much out here though.  In the mornings I sit and have a quick cup of coffee before work.  I'll check my email and instagram and see what's going on in the world. Sometimes do a little daydreaming ♥  Mostly about pretend Hollywood boyfriends, trips to Paris, and winning the lottery - not necessarily in that order.

 

In a few weeks it will be June. How time flies. School will be ending we are going on a little mini vacation to New Hampshire. We also have a friends wedding and I'm going to see Phantom of the Opera with my Mom at the end of the month! I can't wait!  I guess I'll sleep in July ♥  And speaking of July did I mention I'm turning 40 this year?!  I can't even believe it.  How this happened I do not know.  I have many thoughts on this subject that I will share with you later - once I sort them out in my head - for now cookies are helping me cope.  Cookies make everything better, don't you think?

 

I think I may have quite possibly found the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever. I've never made anything with brown butter before.  I have to admit I was skeptical.  How much of a difference could it really make?  Is this extra step really necessary?  Let me tell you - yes it is. This is something you have to try to believe.  I am now frantically searching for recipes that call for brown butter. Thank you Joy the Baker for never letting me down!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joy the Baker's The Best Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (they really are! : )

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

1 cup (16 tablespoons) unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon molasses

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

2 1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup chopped pecans

sea salt, to sprinkle on top

 

First prepare the brown butter:  Place 8 tablespoons of butter in a medium saucepan. Melt over medium heat, occasionally swirling it in the pan.  The butter will foam, crackle, and pop. Brown bits will form on the bottom of the pan.  Once the bits are amber brown (2-3 minutes) remove the butter from the burner and immediately pour into a small bowl, bits and all.  Allow to cool for 20 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

 

In a mixing bowl, beat together the remainder of the butter (8 tablespoons) with the brown sugar until the mixture is very smooth. Beat in the vanilla and molasses.  Add the cooled brown butter and sugar.  Beat for 2 minutes, until smooth.

 

 

 

 

Add the egg and egg yolk and beat for one more minute.   Add the flour, salt, and baking soda beating on low speed just until everything is incorporated. 

 

 

 

 

Stir in chocolate chips and nuts until everything is nicely incorporated.  Scoop the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap.  Cover and flatten slightly. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

 

 

 

 

Scoop the dough in 2 tablespoon-sized balls onto a greased (or parchment paper lined) baking sheet at least 2 inches apart.   

 

 

 

 

Sprinkle the cookies with sea salt ♥

 

 

 

 

Bake for 12 - 15 minutes until they are golden brown.  Allow them to rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a rack to cool. 

 

 

 

 

You won't believe the difference brown butter makes in these cookies.  It completely changes the flavor! It's very nutty and delicious! 

 

 

 

 

Combine that with the salty/sweet combo from the sea salt and chocolate chips - I've found my favorite cookie! We are a match made in cookie heaven! : )

 

 

 

But don't worry....I'll share with you! ♥

 

 

Wishing you all a lovely day full of daydreams and cookies!  I'm taking these last days of my 30's nice and slow.  I don't want them to end! xo

 

 

Monday morning bike ride & a coffee frostie ♥

Good Morning Friends! I'm just back from an early morning bike ride.  It's such a beautiful day that I snapped a few photos along the way to show you. These trees are too gorgeous to keep to myself! ♥

 

 

 

 

I tossed my bike in the trunk and headed to a local park, about 15 minutes from my house.  The paths here are right along the water. As I was riding I could smell the ocean air and see the ferry boats heading into Boston.  What a beautiful day!

 



 

 

 

Here is one of the paths I rode.  It's a little rocky, but my legs got a good work out! The pretty trees and ocean views took my mind off it.  LOL!

 

 

 

My husband grew up in this part of town and he's the one who first took me here.  Before my son was born we used to walk miles and miles, just talking and watching the boats.  There are benches along the paths as well, so if you get tired you can stop and take a rest.  We take my son here now for picnics. He loves to watch the boats and throw rocks in the water. 

 

 

 

See those buildings off in the distance?  That's Boston! This is a perfect view for July 4th fireworks! ♥

 

 

I hope to be back here a few times a week throughout the summer.  I'm not a huge exercise person (that's for sure!) but somehow bike riding doesn't seem like exercise to me.  It's therapeutic.  I really love it!

 

Now that I'm home, showered, and all cleaned up I want to share with you a perfect treat for a hot day.  If you a fan of Dunkin Donuts this drink will remind you of their Coffee Coolata, which I am very familiar with : )

I tried this for the first time over the weekend and loved it.  Now I'm hooked.  Just put aside a cup of your morning coffee to cool.  When your ready for an afternoon pick me up - go for it!


(Recipe adapted from Joy the Baker's Coffee Smoothie)

1 cup brewed coffee, cold
1 cup milk
2 heaping tablespoons instant vanilla pudding (I put the remainder of the pudding in a little glass jar for next time)
1-3 teaspoons sugar, depending on how sweet you like your coffee
2 cups of ice cubes
2 tablespoons of chocolate syrup, optional but why not?!

Joy also suggests that you can add a teaspoon of instant coffee (to boost the coffee flavor!) or half a frozen banana to thicken it up even more.  I am definitely going to try that next time. 

 

 

Put everything into a blender and blend until smooth! Enjoy! ♥

 

If you follow me on instagram you'll know that I did some baking this weekend.  Check back soon for a delicious chocolate chip cookie recipe : )  

 

Have a great day! xo

 

 

Salted Caramel Macaroons ♥

 

Hello Friends! How was your Easter weekend? I'll tell you about our day in a minute, but first I want to share with you this recipe for salted caramel macaroons.  I just can't wait!

 

My plan was to make a coconut cake for Easter and then I saw this recipe.  It was the first time I've ever made salted caramel anything. I'm officially hooked!  I think I could drizzle this stuff on just about anything and it would taste good. No joke!

 

 

 

 

I got the recipe from one of my Favorite blogs: Shutterbean.com.  Tracy has the most amazing recipes! They are easy to follow and everything I've ever made from her blog always comes out great. Her blog is beautiful! She has a little of everything you are looking for - from delicious salads to the most decadent deserts.  She's super funny too and has an adorable little boy. She's pretty much got it all as far as I'm concerned ♥

 

Here's how to make Tracy's macaroons:

 

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 14oz. bag sweetened shredded coconut

2 large egg whites

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup sugar

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.

 

 

 

 

In a large bowl mix the sweetened condensed milk, coconut, and vanilla.  Slowly stir in the coconut and mix until well combined.  In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until very stiff peaks form (about 2 minutes).

 

 

 

 

Gently fold in the egg whites.

 



 

Using a spoon or 1 1/2 ice cream scoop (that's what I used) form mixture into balls and place them about 1 inch apart on baking sheet.  Bake 20 - 25 minutes.

Keep a close eye on them after 20 minutes.  They will turn golden brown and the edges will get nice and crispy!

 

 

Remove from the oven and let rest for about three minutes.  After that transfer to a cooling rack.  I slid the entire sheet of parchment right from the cookie sheet to the cooling rack so I would not disturb the cookies. 

 

 

 

While the cookies are cooling you can make the caramel.  Place sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat and do not touch until sugar starts to melt. It will turn clear to pale yellow and then start to darken. When it starts to boil stir rapidly until it gets nice and smooth & there are no lumps.  When the sugar turns a copper color (above) add the butter and sea salt.  Remove from heat. 

 

 

 

Working quickly, drizzle the caramel over the cooled macaroons.  When you look at Tracy's blog you will see that her caramel was drizzled nice and neatly.  Mine didn't come out as pretty, but thankfully, no one seemed to mind ♥

 

 

 

These macaroons are slightly crispy on the outside and chewy and delicious on the inside! I couldn't resist sampling one (or two) while the caramel was still hot. YUM!

 

 

 

I left a few plain (without caramel) just in case anyone preferred it.  They are just as good!

 

 

 

 

We had a beautiful day for Easter! The sun was shining brightly on our Egg Tree! My little one woke up at 6:30 am and found all the eggs the Easter Bunny hid before I even finished my first cup of coffee! He tore through his Easter basket like you wouldn't believe. It was so fast I didn't even get a picture! After inhaling a package of Peeps its amazing how fast a six year old can move! Lightning speed!

 

We got dressed, went to Church, and then off we went to our family celebration.

 

 

 

 

My Mom made a delicious turkey dinner for our family.  I enjoyed it with a glass of rosé wine ♥ 

 



 

 

 

Followed by another egg hunt and lots of candy and chocolate!  

 

 

 

 

We ended the day with a walk around the neighborhood to digest. John road his new scooter he got from the Easter Bunny. It felt really good to breathe in the fresh Spring air and see the pretty flowers blooming all around us.  Not a snowflake in sight! Spring has finally arrived! We made it ♥

 

 

 

 

I hope you had a lovely Easter holiday too! I'm still knee deep in Cadbury Mini Eggs! I keep eating them but they won't seem to go away. Every day there are more and more.  I have a serious problem on my hands (and thighs!). 

 

Bye! xo

 

Fruit salsa with cinnamon sugar pita chips

 

 

Hello Friends! I hope you are all having a wonderful week.  I'm so happy it's Friday and the weekend is finally here!!! : ) 

 

With this burst of Spring weather we're having I'm getting motivated to eat lighter and healthier.  I hate to say it, but bathing suit weather is right around the corner!! eek!!!  With all of my winter eating I can hardly bare the thought of it. 

 

For a treat this week, instead of my usual chips and dip, I opted for something a little more refreshing.  I gathered up some of my favorite fruits, mixed them with lime juice, cinnamon & sugar, and made a fruit salsa. The sweetness of the fruit hit the spot.  I also made cinnamon sugar pita chips to scoop it up with! It was a good idea.

 

This fruit salsa is so delicious you won't be able to stop eating it.  It's the perfect appetizer for Easter or your first outdoor gathering of the season!  Kids will love it and its looks very pretty on the table ♥

 

 

 

You can use any fruit that you want, but here is how I like to make it:

1 apple - cored and diced (I left the skin on)
1 pint (2 cups) strawberries, sliced
3 kiwis, peeled and diced
1/2 cup mango or pineapple chunks (I used mango)
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

In a large bowl combine chopped fruit, lime juice, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Stir to combine.  Cover and chill in refrigerator at least 20 minutes.  I left mine overnight. 

The fruit will get sweet and delicious.  You can see bits of cinnamon and nutmeg on the fruit.  It's soooo good! ♥

For the pita chips - preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut pita rounds (I used whole wheat ones) into triangles.  Arrange in a single layer on a foil lined cookie sheet.  Brush each triangle with a little olive oil.  Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake for 5 minutes.  Let cool.  (You could also season them with sea salt and pepper - click here for more ideas : )

Now you have your salsa and your chips. Get dippin'!

 

 

Leftover salsa is  yummy stirred into plain yogurt, on top of ice cream, on top of pancakes, or just dump it all into the blender and make a smoothie! So many possibilities!

 

The weather was so beautiful this week that I was able to take these photos outside on my deck!  My hubby set up the patio table and we had our first cup of coffee outdoors yesterday.  I hope to be able to take my book out there this weekend and enjoy a little fresh air while I read. It's the little things that make me happy : )  

 

I hope you all have a great weekend! Happy Friday! ♥

Hello April ♥

Happy April! We've finally made it and April has come in like a lamb!  The sun is shining and there is a comforting warmth in the air.  I'm wearing a short sleeve shirt today for the first time in months! Flowers are popping up all over the place and all of a sudden there is COLOR in the world again.  I am loving April! Here is a quick list of what life has been like for me lately.

Currently...

Watching: Flowers blooming! There is life after winter!
Reading: The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
Listening To: My son reading! Every night he reads to me. I never want to forget his little first grade voice.  I love it! : )
Making:  Home! I did Spring cleaning yesterday and boy did this house need it.  I put out some Easter decorations and even emptied out our china cabinet and shined up all the glass.  The air feels cleaner already.  Dust-be-gone!
Feeling: More motivated that I have in a while.  Thinking about bringing my bike out of hibernation and start riding it again. I need to get a cute helmet ♥
Planning: New blogs posts! Yesterday I went to the library and came home with a stack of books I'm using for research.  I'm thinking about taking my blog in a new direction. I have lots planned for the Spring!
Loving: Eating avocados! My recent obsession is avocado mashed on toast in the morning.  Yum!

I hope your April is off to a wonderful start! I'm off to get more coffee and then dive into these books while I have the chance.  Happy Monday, friends!!

Irish Bread ♥

Hello Friends! We have finally made it to March!  (I'm going to totally ignore the miserable weather and concentrate on all that is good about March : ) On Saturday night we turned the clocks ahead, which means I am no longer driving home from work in the dark.  Yay!  I feel like the nights are longer when we aren't eating dinner in the dark. I'm seeing more and more birds appearing in the yard and I'm eagerly anticipating my flowers sprouting.  My hubby said he saw some buds poking through in the backyard today but I haven't ventured back there yet.  I'm hoping to see purple crocuses!  Fingers crossed!

 

 

March also means St Patrick's Day is coming.  We'll go to my parent's house for our annual boiled dinner.  We only eat it once a year so maybe that's why it tastes so good.  I also bought myself a lucky shamrock plant at the market and I made Irish Bread ♥

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do you like Irish Bread? This recipe is particularly good.  I got it from a friend of mine at work a few years ago.  Irish Bread has a tendency to be dry, but not this one. It has sour cream in it which makes the bread very moist. The recipe also calls for a sprinkle of sugar on top before baking which adds a sweetness to it.  It's so good!

 

 

 

 

 

Here's how to make it:

 

1 cup raisins

3 cups flour

3 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 tablespoons caraway seeds

1 1/2 sticks butter, melted

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup sour cream

2 eggs

  

 

 

 

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Grease a 10 inch round baking pan. 

 

Soak raisins in a small bowl of boiled water and put aside for about 5 minutes.  Mix flour, baking powder, and salt together. Mix in the caraway seeds.  Drain raisins and add to the flour mixture. 
 

 

 

 

In a separate bowl mix the melted butter, sugar, sour cream, and eggs.  Blend alternately with flour mixture until everything is combined into a smooth, creamy batter. 
 

 

 

Pour batter into pan and sprinkle the top generously with sugar. 

 

 

 

Bake for one hour.  Cool in pan for 10 minutes then turn onto rack to cool.

 

 

 

 

I usually put a little butter on Irish Bread, but with this recipe you really don't need it.  It's perfect as is.  FYI - It's also yummy with cream cheese on it! But honestly, what isn't good with cream cheese on it?

 

Nothing : )

 

 

I'll have to make another loaf for our St Patrick's Day desert since this one is already gone. 

 

 

 

I'm starting to slowly bring out my Spring decorations starting with this sunhat (that my mother made for me ♥ ) and hung it on the front door.  I'm hoping it wards away snow and any other possible storms coming our way.  Winter, we are so over you!

 

 

 

 

So that's March! How's it going for you so far?

 

Spring is almost here! xo