Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

     Okay, so everyone has some sort of relationship with chocolate chip cookies. Mine is "Grammie Cookies" in which she would put all different kinds of chips (dark and white chocolate, raspberry, butterscotch and peanut butter) and they always came out golden brown and crispy. I didn't have said recipe in my repertoire, so I decided to find one and make it my own. Oh and by the way; it's incredible.

1 cup butter or margarine

¾ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup white sugar

1 package vanilla instant pudding mix

2 eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

2¼ cups all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 cups chocolate chips (use whatever you like, but my favourite is half dark, half semisweet)

     In a large bowl, cream together butter, sugars and pudding mix until it's smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Add vanilla.

     In a medium bowl, combine the flour and making soda. Add slowly to the creamed mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips (the dough should be stiff).

     I then used my hands to mold the cookie dough into round, flat shapes, placing twelve on an ungreased baking sheet. The cookies don't splay out or rise much, so the shape you make them is roughly the shape they will have when cooked.

     Bake at 350º. Here's the tricky part... Cookies are good for nothing if they are even one second overcooked. I hate crunchy cookies, so these instructions are for chewy ones. Put the timer on for 8 minutes, and when it goes off, sit on the floor and stare into the oven until the edges just start to brown. Depending on your oven, this could take between one and four more minutes. Take them out immediately and remove them from the cookie sheet onto a metal rack to cool, or else they will continue to cook, and they will suck.

     Makes 3 - 4 dozen cookies.

Ottawa Works!

     Quick little note to tourists coming to the big city of Ottawa. I have a list of the top six most important venues to visit while in town.

• The Works - The Glebe
• The Works - Manor Park
• The Works - Hunt Club
• The Works - Westboro Village
• The Works - Orleans
• The Works - Kanata
  

Wondering what to do about the menu? (Check it out here!) I have a few favourites to suggest:

• Beef burger is great for the unadventurous, but try the Portobello mushroom cap, or the Elk Burger, yum!
• Dead Ringer, Five Fine Herbs, Growler Five-O, Peppercorn Broiler♥, Richie's Butte Special, Roughrider's Special♥, Smokey Mountain, Three Ring Binder
• Tower-O-Rings♥, Factory Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Lumpy Mashed
• Milkshakes: banana chocolate♥, cherry chocolate, peanut butter chocolate, chocolate orange, orange coconut ... (in all honesty, I'm sure they're ll amazing, so just pick whatever flavour tickles your fancy!)

KILL-ME-NOW

Oreo Truffles

     These were an amazing discovery, and I must thank Brinny for sharing this recipe with me. I'm sure it's been printed in various places, but it is definitely worthy to share with you now.

1 box Oreos (any type of chocolate ones are fine)

1 tub plain cream cheese (fat free is a good choice)

1 box of Baker's Semi Sweet chocolate squares

     Break up the Oreo cookies into chunks with your hands, then put them in a food processor and grind until the cookie pieces are more or less crumbs. (I'm sure you could leave some chunks if you'd like, but I never have.) Mix with the cream cheese so you have a chocolatey-creamy-cheesey-pastey.

     Here is where I pretty much just did whatever; I'm no candymaker so I have no clue how to do this part properly. Feel free to comment and tell me your tricks/tips.

     Scoop out the paste with a tablespoon and make a ball, dropping them all onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. (You may have to just use a spatula to get the paste out of the spoon and drop it in a clump.) Refrigerate or freeze for half an hour so the paste is less moist.

     Meanwhile, melt the chocolate with some butter or oil in a double boiler. (If you know how, you can temper the chocolate). When the chocolate is nice and smooth, pour it into a small, deep bowl. While it's still liquidy, you want to drop the truffle balls in one at a time. I scooped them out with a fork, and held it over the bowl for a few seconds to let the extra chocolate drip off, and then carefully tip/slide them off the fork back onto the wax paper. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Keep refrigerated (or they will melt. Unless you like truffle soup, then feel free to leave them out).

     Makes about 24 truffles

Goat Cheese Appetizer Spread

     My aunt and uncle made this as an appetizer for my birthday one year, and I really love it!

1 large log of herbed goat cheese

sliced black olives

6 Tbsp olive oil

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 clove garlic

1 tsp thyme

pinch salt & pepper

1 box crackers (Triscuts are my favourite)

     Slice the log of goat cheese into thin slices, about ¼ to ½ inch thick, and lay them down on a plate. Sprinkle the sliced black olives over top of the goat cheese, as much as desired.

     Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, thyme, and salt and pepper into a dressing, and pour or spoon it on the platter, over the goat cheese and olives.

     Can be served immediately, or let sit for a short while to allow the dressing to soak into the cheese.

     Serves 6-10.

Fruit Crêpes

     This recipe marks my first attempt at crêpes. Not bad, and fairly easy.

Crêpe
1 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup water

pinch of salt

2 Tbsp butter
Filling
large amounts of berries, or fruit of any kind

sweetened whipped cream or Cool Whip

     In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour and the eggs. Gradually add the milk and water, stirring to combine. Add the salt and butter; beat until smooth.

     Heat a lightly buttered frying pan over medium-high heat. Scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately ¼ cup for each crêpe. Tilt the pan with a circular motion so that the batter coats the entire surface of the pan evenly.

     Cook the crêpe for about 2 minutes, until the bottom is light brown. Loosen with a spatula, turn and cook the other side.

     Scoop some whipped cream into the centre of a crêpe, followed by fruit. Roll it up, and top with more whipped cream.

     Makes 6 crêpes.