Chocolate Chip Cookies (!!!)

I think this is perhaps the most classic recipe in my family's cookbook, although I think we could easily have a good long debate over it at dinner some day - that is, if we ever all managed to be in the same place for dinner.

My mom was a nurturer. It was just built into her nature. And one of the ways she showed love and care to people was through baking. when we were growing up, and friends came over, my mom would chat with them for a little while, learn about the things going on in their lives, and then she would disappear off into the kitchen for twenty minutes, then come back out as if nothing had happened.

And then 10-20 minutes later, a magical scent would come wafting out of the kitchen, usually brownies or these chocoloate chip cookies.

I probably had this recipe memorized not long after I had grade school, I spent so many afternoons cooking them with my mom. When I feel the need to feel a little closer to my family, this is the recipe I pull out. I have my own technique, and I'm sure each of my sisters does as well. I am not jeopardizing future bake-off winnings by sharing my secrets, so instead I will just post it the way our mom made it.

(OK, I will share one tip - I mix everything by hand, I never use a blender. I find this turns out soft, dense cookies, rather than cake-like ones.)

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 ¼ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 package semi-sweet chocolate chips



Preheat oven to 375F. In a small bowl, mix together flour, salt, and baking soda. In a blender, mix shortening, sugar, and brown sugar on medium speed until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until light and creamy. Mix in flour mixture on low speed until just combined.

Remove bowl from blender and stir to make sure there are no pockets of flour. If dough seems too sticky, add a little extra flour. Stir in chocolate chips. (Here's my mom's secret - use a butter knive so that the it doesn't get too stuck in the dough). Drop 1½ - inch balls of dough onto nonstick cookie sheets, at least 2” apart.



Bake cookies. For soft cookies, bake for about 9 minutes and remove cookies from the oven when there are just barely beginning to turn golden. For crunchy cookies, bake for about 12 minutes and remove cookies from the oven when they have turned golden. If you remember, switch the cookie sheets halfway through baking and they will cook better.



Makes about 45 cookies.

We're big fans of breakfast in this house. Every weekend morning you'll find us tucking into pancakes, waffles, or biscuits, or maybe bacon and omelets, and of course big pots of tea and coffee to wash it down. A few years ago I finally learned to make my mom's biscuit recipe, and now I make these almost every week. My mom, on the other hand, really only pulled out the biscuits on special occasions, so I never realized just how easy they are. The part of this recipe that takes the longest is waiting for the oven to get hot enough!

It's also a great use of all the buttermilk we always have lying around. My mom's original recipe called for Crisco and milk, but I have updated it with fresh butter and buttermilk, which makes a rich but fluffy biscuit perfect for slathering with butter or jam (or topping with gravy, as I am inclined to do on occasion.)



This recipe makes about 16 biscuits, so I usually do a half recipe. I have tried freezing the biscuit dough after it's been cut into rounds, but this seems to result in flat, dense biscuits, so I don't recommend it.

Buttermilk Biscuits

1/2 cup butter
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 to 3/4 cup lowfat buttermilk

Preheat oven to 475ºF. Mix together the flour, salt, and baking powder. With a fork or pastry blender (or your fingers) cut the butter into the flour. Work until you obtain pea-size bits. Stir in the buttermilk by degrees. Stop adding when dough just comes together.

Combine with your fingers just until the dry bits are incorporated, then press the dough into a 1/2 inch thick sheet. Cut into circles with a cookie cutter or small glass. Arrange side by side on a baking sheet. Bake for 5 minutes at 475ºF, then lower the heat and bake another 7-8 minutes at 450ºF. Serve hot with lots of butter and jam.

Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccata is a simple, quick meal, great for busy weeknights. When I was growing up, my dad's go-to dish when he had very little time to prepare dinner was usually something along these lines - he sauteed chicken breast in a skillet, deglazed the pan with wine or chicken broth, then added seasonings and sometimes cream to vary the flavor. I often follow the same plan, adding and subtracting ingredients based on what's in the fridge. For example, this time I sauteed a bit of onions before deglaxing the pan, for a chunkier sauce.

I also find it works well as a potluck dish for a luncheon - I just make sure there is plenty of sauce, and then serve on top of some pasta with butter and fresh herbs.

½ cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, pounded to ¼ inch thickness
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons white wine (can substitute chicken broth)
3 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons capers (optional)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Combine four, salt and pepper and use to coat the chicken breasts.

Melt butter and oil in a large frying pan and cook the chicken breasts over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side, until cooked through. Remove and keep warm.

Stir wine into pan juices. Add lemon juice and bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan and cook for about 3 minutes, until sauce thickens slightly. Garnish with capers and parsley.