My Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

In the category of "Greatest Chocolate Chip Cookies," these gets my vote for greatest.

-- Dorie Greenspan, Baking from my Home to Yours

I have been craving chocolate chip cookies for a week now, but what with the holiday season and all the gastronomique wantonness that I will be indulging in very soon, I am trying to be good. However, today is the eve of my yet again 28th birthday, so I just have to indulge and do something nice for myself.

I baked two (2) dozens of these cookies (see recipe here), and 30 minutes later, this is what's left of it -- Bill and I devoured them as soon as they came out of the oven. The cookies are thin, crisp caramely and chewy in the middle... the chopped Valrhona chocolate, still warm and oozing... it really is a little piece of greatness in every bite.

Shepherd's Pie

My friend Erin is leaving to visit her family for Thanksgiving tomorrow, so I decided to make a simple dinner and have her and our other friends, Yusuke and Biljana joined us for a round of food, wine and men-bashing session before she leaves.

I am an advocate of one-dish meals... they are convenient and healthy for the most part. I usually make this Shepherd's Pie for St. Patrick's Day dinner, easy enough for me to prepare even in my drunkenness.

For the Beef Filling

3 lbs of beef

1 onion, minced

1 bottle dark (Irish) beer

1 tbsp. beef bouillon

salt and pepper

1 bag frozen vegetable medley (the one with carrots and peas and corn and green beans)

Cookies: Fruitcake, Amaretti and Nutella & Strawberry-Rhubarb Preserve Filled Linzer Sables

I have been contemplating on what cookies to make for Christmas this year for friends, and I have tons of contenders -- the anise flavored pizzelle, the all time favorite chocolate chip cookies, Bill's favorite - the amaretti, the nutella & jam-filled linzer, the holiday inspired fruitcake cookies, the classic sugar cookies and my favorite cookies of all - the crinkle top cookies. So, for the next few weeks, I will be putting all these yummies into test kitchen. Today, I present to you my first three (3) picks --

TWD: Cran-Apple Crisps

The challenge for this week's TWD is perfectly timed, what with Thanksgiving just a couple of weeks away; apples and cranberries -- two must-haves in a Thanksgiving spread in every American household. I like this recipe because it is a good alternative to the Apple Pie.

I love the combination of tart and sweet in the crisps. However, I had a couple of issues -- the coconut in the crisps overpowered everything, all I was able to taste was the coconut. Another thing is that it's way too sweet, both the crisps and the filling. Thus, if I will ever make this again, I will have to reduce the coconut and the sugar.

This week's TWD was hosted by Em of The Repressed Pastry Chef. Check her out, she's funny and she has beautiful pictures. Also, make sure to visit the other TWDers to see what's cooking in their kitchens.

TWD: Sugar-topped Molasses Spice Cookies

A good indication that the holiday season has cometh to my home is when the cookie jar appears in my kitchen counter, next to the bowl of mixed nuts in the shell.

This month, what with the Thanksgiving holiday, the TWD founders gave us the flexibility to bake any of the recipes at any given Tuesday. Since I intend to bake the Chocolate Caramel Chestnut Cake for my Birthday (it's my birthday month!!) and the All-in-one Holiday Bundt Cake for Thanksgiving, I decided to make the Sugar-topped Molasses Spice Cookies today, just because I love Pamela from Cookies with Boys who chose this recipe. Hugs, Pam!

BBA Challenge: Bagels

When I think of bagels, I think of breakfast, and breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. In this generation when everybody is always rushing in the morning to get their day started, we tend to limit ourselves to a bowl of cereal or a slice of toast. As I mature, I get to appreciate breakfast more and more, not only is it my way of making sure that I start my day right by getting proper sustenance, but it's the time of day where I have the whole world to myself, before the hustle and bustle sets in, I can contemplate my day in peace and quite.

I am not a bacon, eggs and pancakes person. I prefer lox and bagel anytime; there is something very comforting about lox and bagel -- chewy water bagel, creamy cream cheese, silky smoked salmon, succulent tomatoes and piquant capers... hold the onions -- I have an aversion to fresh onions. This is my ultimate comfort food, and I bet if I was pregnant, this is what I will crave for in the most unholy hours. Not to mention that it has all the components of a complete meal -- carbs, protein and fruit, plus it's filling minus the guilt.

These water bagels are perfect. It's a two day process, yet so worth it. I used honey instead of malt powder, but I will try to get a hold of malt powder the next time I make them. I would love to share the recipe in here, but I do not think I'm allowed that. I, however, recommend that if you want to get serious with breakmaking, The Bread Baker's Apprentice by Peter Reinhart is a very good book to own and I think is a must have in one's cookbook collection. It is on my Top 3 favorite!