NEW YORK TIMES CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES WITH PECANS

In a blind taste test of six* popular chocolate chip cookies conducted by the Houston Chronicle, the New York Times’ adaptation of Jacques Torres’ chocolate chip cookie won, hands down.  Testers included a class of 18 kindergartners from the Acorn school in San Antonio, 15 chocolate chip cookie lovers and seven food professionals, including three bakers.  No matter the group, the adapted Torres recipe scored highest, garnering such comments as, “Flavors are balanced, cookie looks great, it has a good chip to batter ratio and I like that I can taste the salt and the butter, and the right mix of crisp/soft and good flavor.”  One chef called it the perfect chocolate chip cookie. 



I decided to try the adapted NYTimes version, in which the batter must be refrigerated at least 24 hours, and up to 72 hours.  I refrigerated my dough for 26 hours.  Although the directions don’t specify if the dough should rest at room temperature after it is taken from the fridge, I found that 1/2 hour at room temperature makes a big difference.  Cookies baked directly from the fridge are fatter and don’t spread nearly as much, but cookies that rest 1/2 hour out of the fridge are more to my liking.  If the dough gets too warm, though, the cookies will spread a little too much.  The photo below shows a cookie baked from cold dough, on the left, and a cookie baked from dough that rested at room temperature for 45 minutes, on the right.



Regardless of whether the dough is baked straight from the fridge or after it rests at room temperature, these cookies are outstanding.  But I did add 1 cup toasted pecans because  I prefer nuts in my chocolate chip cookies.  I used 1 lb. Ghiradelli 60% cacao bittersweet chips, instead of the 1-1/4 lbs. called for and found that the cookies had plenty of chocolate.  The directions say to sprinkle the cookie dough lightly with sea salt before baking, which I did, using Baleine coarse sea salt.  I must have sprinkled too lightly, because I really couldn’t taste the salt.  Next time, I’ll sprinkle more. 

I was disappointed that the cookies were not as crispy as they’re purported to be, possibly because of reduced sugar content, but it won’t keep me from rating them highly.  Even without the extra crispy edges that I love, these cookies are tops on my list.  They’re very rich and filling, just sweet enough and have a strong and rich chocolate component that dominate the cookie.  The slightly crisp edges give way to a soft interior that’s studded with chocolate and pecans. 

Some more notes:  It’s best to use your kitchen scale when weighing the flours and sugars.  I found that the volume measurements did not equal the weight measurements, so I went with weight.  Set out butter and eggs for about a half hour, depending on the temperature of your room.  If your room is below 72F, you might need more time, if it’s above 72F, you might need less time.  You don’t want your butter to get too warm.

*The other five cookies tested were Original Nestle Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies, Martha Stewart’s Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, Award-Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies from allrecipes.com, Chocolate Chip Cookies by Cooks Illustrated, and Mrs. Fields Cookies.

Jacques Torres Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pecans Adapted from New York Times Rating:  9.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS:  2 cups minus 2 Tbsp. (8.5 oz.) low-protein flour (I used White Lily all-purpose) 1-2/3 cups (8.5 oz.) bread flour  (I used Gold Medal Better for Bread Flour) 1-1/4 tsp. baking soda 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder 1-1/2 tsp. coarse salt (I used Morton kosher salt) 2-1/2 sticks (1-1/4 cups) unsalted butter 1-1/4 cups (10 oz.) light brown sugar 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. (8 oz.) granulated sugar (I used 3 Tbsp. Nu Naturals Stevia + 6 Tbsp.sugar) 2 large eggs 2 tsp. vanilla extract 1 lb.  bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate disks 1 cup toasted broken pecans Coarse sea salt, for sprinkling Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and 1-1/2 tsp. coarse salt into a bowl; set aside. Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Stir in the vanilla.  reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds.  Stir in chocolate and nuts.  Press wax paper against dough tightly and cover bowl with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate 24-36 hours, or up to 72 hours.  When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Scoop  3-1/2 oz. mounds of dough onto baking sheet.  (I used somewhat smaller mounds made with my small ice cream scoop.)  For very cold dough, you can press down slightly with your fingers, because the dough will stay puffed up. Sprinkle cookies lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 12-15 minutes.  Cool in pans 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.  Makes 18 (5”) cookies.  I got 32 (3-1/2”) cookies with my smaller mounds.

DELECTABLE MARINATED CHICKEN

As we are all told, white meat is better for you and dark meat contains too much fat. Consequently, most feel that chicken thighs are too fatty to eat on a regular basis.  While it is true that chicken thighs contain twice the amount of fat of boneless, skinless breasts, it is only at a mere 11 grams of fat per 4-ounce serving. That is less than you will find in the same size serving of beef, lamb or pork.

The calories and cholesterol in skinless chicken thighs weigh in at 232 calories and 105 milligrams cholesterol per serving.  There is not much difference in the breast meat. It weighs in at 196 calories and 96 milligrams of cholesterol per serving. If you are one who gave up the dark meat of chicken thighs, take heart! You can include them in your diet again -- guilt free.

Buy skinless, boneless thighs and use this excellent recipe for grilling them.  The flavors of this marinade are perfectly balanced and make for really delectable chicken.  There’s just enough sweet, just enough hot, just enough soy.  This is in my regular rotation.

Delectable Marinated Chicken Adapted from allrecipes.com Rating:  9.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS:  1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce 1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce 1 Tbsp. teriyaki sauce 1-1/2 tsp. molasses 1-1/2 tsp. sesame seeds 1-1/2 tsp. brown sugar 1/2 tsp. hot paprika 1-1/2 tsp. minced garlic 1/8 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt 2 big pinches black pepper 2 Tbsp. vegetable or olive oil 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs In a resealable plastic bag, combine Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce and molasses.  Seal bag and massage till molasses has dissolved.  Add  sesame seeds, brown sugar, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper and oil; mix well.  Add chicken thighs.  Seal bag and marinate for 4 hours in the refrigerator, redistributing the chicken in the marinade occasionally.  Clean and oil grill grates.  Heat grill to 375-400F.   Place chicken on grill (preferably over indirect heat) and cook to an internal temperature of 165F, or till flesh is firm and opaque and no blood remains, about 12 minutes per side if thighs are left rolled up.  If you roll them out flat, cooking time is considerably less.  Discard any remaining marinade.   Yield:  2 servings (2 thighs per person) Double recipe for 4 servings.

VANILLA RICH WHITE CHOCOLATE CHUNK-COCONUT-PECAN COOKIES

This recipe, from McCormick, was supposed to use semi-sweet chocolate chips and walnuts.  But since it was a vanilla-rich cookie, it seemed to me that white chocolate would be a better choice.  I passed up the chemical-tasting white chocolate chips that don’t contain any cocoa butter at all and opted, instead, to use Ghiradelli white chocolate bars, cut into chunks. 



Ghiradelli’s white chocolate baking bar contains cocoa butter and no partially hydrogenated fats.  The flavor is rich, the texture is smooth.  These worked well in this cookie with the coconut, pecans and extra vanilla.  Everyone loves this cookie, including me.



After the cookies cool, the chocolate chunks are soft and almost gooey, and the outside edges of the cookie are crisp.  The insides are soft and almost chewy.  The cookies start to soften quickly and lose their crispy edges, but it doesn’t matter.  These are so good, no one cares about crispy edges.  These are just plain good.

Vanilla Rich White Chocolate Chunk-Coconut-Pecan Cookies Adapted from McCormick’s Vanilla Rich Chocolate Chip Cookies Rating:  9.5 out of 10 Click for PRINTABLE PAGE

INGREDIENTS:  3-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking soda 3/4 tsp. sea salt or kosher salt 1-1/3 cups (2 sticks + 5-1/3 Tbsp.)butter, softened 1-1/4 cup granulated sugar (I used 1/2 cup sugar + 3 Tbsp. NuNaturals Stevia) 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 2 large eggs 4 tsp. pure vanilla extract (I used homemade) 1 (4 oz.) bar Ghiradelli white chocolate, cut into  chunks (almost 1 cup) 1 cup sweetened dried coconut 1 cup toasted broken pecans Heat oven to 375F.  Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl; set aside. Beat butter and sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and vanilla; mix well.  Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed until well mixed.  Stir in chocolate, coconut and pecans. Drop onto baking sheets lined with parchment  by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.  (I used my small ice cream scoop.)     Bake 9-11 minutes, or till lightly browned.  Cool on baking sheets 1 minute, then transfer to  wire rack to finish cooling.  Yield:  about 28 (3-1/2”) sturdy cookies.

ROASTED BEET-FETA CHEESE SALAD

We have a friend with a vegetable garden who planted too many beets, and he's been kind enough to share the overload with us.  Guy and I are beet lovers.  We like cooked beets warm, room temperature or cold.  We like shredded raw beets on a salad.  And we're even discovering beet greens.  Yesterday I made over-the-top delicious Beet-Green Spanokopita, which I'll be posting about soon.

My simple beet salad is topped with Feta cheese and toasted walnuts for an easy and tasty dish.  Get the recipe HERE.

BOCELLI’S ITALIAN EATERY, WAYNESVILLE, NC

We were all understandably nervous about eating Italian in a mountain town in western North Carolina.  So I made a scouting trip to check the place out before we committed.  One of the owners proudly told me that Bocelli’s won first and second place in a 13-restaurant cook-off, even beating out our favorite restaurant, Chef’s Table.  Both of Bocelli's winning dishes were available on their menu.  Further, she explained, everything at Bocelli’s is homemade and fresh and they work hard to please their customers.  The place was full.  Who am I to argue with success?  Besides, the place had a charm, inside and out. 

Our party of four arrived to another full dining room, and people looked happy.  We couldn’t wait to order. 
For me, it was the #1 winning Yellow Tail Snapper topped with fresh seasonal fruit chutney, served over risotto with a side of squash and zucchini.  If the chutney hadn’t been quite so sweet, and if the fish hadn’t been so smothered with it, this dish would have been enjoyable. 


Mandy opted for Chicken Cacciatore with marinara-sauced spaghetti and said it was just okay.


David ordered Chicken Florentine Bocelli (boneless chicken breast, spinach, artichokes and feta cheese served over creamy fettucine florentine).  It had absolutely no flavor, so we asked the waitress to bring some freshly grated Parmesan.  It helped a little, but the dish was still disappointingly bland.  There was a lot of pasta, but very little chicken.


Guy decided on Beef Ravioli served over penne bolognese with tomato cream sauce.  There was too much sauce, not enough raviolis, though both the sauce and the raviolis were good.


All four of us left disappointed.  For folks that are not from areas where good Italian restaurants reign, this restaurant might be a good choice.  For us, it was not.  Our trip ended on a low note.  We said goodbye to Waynesville and headed home the next morning.  On our next trip, we plan to stay in Asheville where restaurant selection shouldn't be a problem.

12 BONES SMOKEHOUSE, ASHEVILLE, NC

Monday was going well.  A good breakfast at Huddle House was  followed by a trip to Asheville where we visited Earth Fare, then the WNC Farmer’s Market.  Then we headed to lunch to eat at the famous 12 Bones Smokehouse where the Obamas ate ribs, mac and cheese and collards.  An unpretentious building with limited inside seating, this sign says it all:


The menu is displayed outside so you can ponder your selection as you wait in the perpetually long line to get in.  You may not get a table inside, but never fear, there’s a covered picnic area outside where you can enjoy your meal, served without fanfare in pie plates.


Guy got the pulled pork sandwich with beans and coleslaw.  I tasted it but thought the pork was just a tad too salty.  He disagreed and thought it was great.


David got the smoked turkey with beans, mashed sweet potatoes and cornbread.  The turkey also tasted a tad salty to me, but David loved it.  The sweet potatoes were nicely seasoned with just a hint of sweetener, and the whole-grain cornbread was flavorful and moist with sturdy but tender texture.

I got the pulled chicken and beans, and was surprised at how delicious it was.  The chicken was seasoned perfectly with just the right amount of smokiness, and not too salty.  The beans, surprisingly, were smoky also and quite good. 


The entire bill for the three of us came to $21.00.  I have to agree with the Obamas that this place is a keeper.


We headed back to Waynesville to get ready for our dinner at Bocelli's.  We were hoping our luck had changed and it would be a good dinner.

To be continued.....

THINGS ARE LOOKING UP!

Our second day in Waynesville started better.  Clyde’s diner, our usual breakfast place, was closed, but we were pointed towards a good substitute:  Huddle House.



The restaurant appeared clean, and cooking was done on an open griddle in full view. 


Our orders arrived quickly and were cooked to our satisfaction.  Eggs were not  greasy, sausage was tasty and moist.   We were feeling better about Waynesville.


First we drove to our son and DIL's in Hot Springs.  They proudly showed us their new baby chicks that are growing faster than normal from all the TLC they're getting.


I'm not surprised that each chick has been given a name, because as David and Mandy told us, "They each have their own personality and special markings."  Hopefully, next time we visit, the chicks will have reduced the ubiquitous bug population.  We headed out to Asheville.

Earth Fare, a fast-growing grocery store chain selling mostly organic food  at less-than-premium prices, was our first stop.  This was a treat for me, since Earth Fare has no stores near New Bern.  My cart quickly got loaded up with items that are either not available in our town or at lower prices.  Steel cut oats, sea salts, farro, whole-wheat pastry flour and sesame seeds could all be purchased in small or large quantities at fabulous prices.  Callebaut chocolate was available in blocks.  Organic vinegars could be had at less than half the price we would pay in New Bern.  We limited our purchases to items that would keep unrefrigerated until our return home sometime the next day.  $41 later we carried our treasures to the car and carefully guarded the only fragile item, the chocolate, to ensure it didn’t melt in the heat. 

On to Asheville’s WNC Farmer’s Market. 


Asheville has no less than 14 farmer’s markets.  All but WNC are open only one day a week.  WNC is open daily and is the largest.  Two long enclosures are loaded with produce, meats, dairy, honey, preserves and other items.  Compared to our small farmer's market in New Bern, this one was gigantic.


So far, our Monday had put me on a high.  Things were definitely going well.  Our stomachs reminded us it was lunch time, so we headed to 12 Bones. 

To be continued….