Testing My Affiliate Program

My Sunday Cookie Baking Experiments

Chocolate Chip-Pretzel Cookies

Photo: Lee Harrelson; Styling: Jan Gautro, Laura Zapalowski

Bake 10 minutes for a soft and chewy cookie or up to 14 minutes for a crisp cookie. 

My version: 

1/2 whole wheat 1/2 white flour
Refrigerate the dough without the add-ins for AT LEAST 30 minutes
add-ins:
1 cup coarsely crushed pretzels
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup toffee bits 

What I've learned in my YEARS of cookie baking experience:
1. Don't over beat!  Other than the sugar and eggs creaming, try to do as much mixing by hand as possible.
2.  Let the butter sit out overnight to soften.    

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened 
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs 
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 (12-oz.) packages semisweet chocolate morsels 
• 2 cups coarsely crushed pretzel sticks
• Parchment paper

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Beat butter and sugars at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Add eggs and 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla, beating until blended.

 

2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl; gradually add to butter mixture, beating just until blended. Fold  in morsels and pretzel sticks just until combined. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto parchment paper-lined baking sheets.

 

3. Bake at 350° for 10 to 14 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.Bake 10 minutes for a soft and chewy cookie or up to 14 minutes for a crisp cookie. Remove to wire racks, and cool completely (about 15 minutes). 

Rebecca Kracke Gordon, Southern Living SEPTEMBER 2008

Five stars! 

A Pep Talk from Kid President to You

Deep Thinking

The God Who Weeps: How Mormonism Makes Sense of Life by Terryl L. Givens

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


4.5 stars. This book was so well researched and so comprehensive for a 148 page book. I loved the academic approach while appealing to the poetic. This is a must read before any mission, any lesson, any religious discussion. If anyone has any religious leanings then it shows how similar we all are in our yearnings for God's love. The world would have us believe that we are so disparate but we are very similar.

Caution: you HAVE to read this with a highlighter in hand.



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http://www.amazon.com/The-God-Who-Weeps-ebook/dp/B009GKP78K/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1358449663&sr=8-1&keywords=the+god+who+weeps

Let It Go: A True Story of Tragedy and Forgiveness by Chris      Williams

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I agree with all of the reviews below. I keep going back and forth  between 3 stars and 4 stars. It was difficult to read. I started it last June and just finished it in January. The story of what happened to Chris as a young man had a greater impact on me than did the later accident. I admire Chris and I have great respect for what he did and the story he has written. I would have liked to "feel" more of the anguish as opposed to reading that he felt pain and anguish--I hope that makes sense.  If you've gone through a tragic event and need direction, read this.



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Let It Go

Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I'm still deciding if this was brilliant or if this manipulated me--which may be a good sign either way. I liked this a lot--not loved but liked. 

I did enjoy the subplots in this story. I believe the book would have been better had it been 20-30 pages shorter BUT I will go back through this book and highlight all the names and books and events and WORDS that I should know.

I shouldn't have been surprised at the end because the author gave me clues all along but I was surprised and I was surprised that I was caught off guard and yet I still am wondering about reader manipulation. That said, I really liked the ending. Totally a book of contradictions.

P.S. This book will not be released until November 2012.



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ksl.com - Utah students accept challenge, help others, earn scholarships

ksl.com - Utah students accept challenge, help others, earn scholarships

Way to go Daysa! We're proud of you and all your great accomplishments.