We attended the First Annual Friendship Camping Trip at Collins Lake this past weekend. We have a group of friends that has been getting together for the past couple of Thanksgiving weekends to have a "Friendship Thanksgiving," and the people who started the tradition (and host the event every year) decided to give us something to look forward to in the summer, as well. The friendship part of the weekend was awesome, but the camping site itself was rather dismal (ubiquitous clay dirt, Martian landscape around the lake, and loud, drunken neighbors). We still had lots of fun, and we ate really well. Thanks to the McChesneys for arranging everything and making all the food I brought completely unnecessary. By the way, if any of you out there haven't had a camping cobbler made in a Dutch oven--get out there and do it! It was one of the highlights of the weekend. We did have to leave briefly and come down to Sacramento for Sean's cousin's wedding, but we were glad to be able to attend both events in the same weekend.
On a separate note, this week's recipe isn't new to me, but it's probably going to be new to you. It's my favorite chocolate cookie recipe, and it comes out perfectly every time. I had an urgent need to use up 6 1/2 Hershey's bars that somehow came home with me from the camping trip, and this recipe fit the bill. It came from Martha Stewart Living magazine--I don't know what issue.
double-chocolate cookies
(makes about 3 dozen)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-processed)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 pound milk chocolate (4 oz. coarsely chopped, 4 oz. cut into 1/2-inch chunks)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Melt the 4 ounces coarsely chopped chocolate with the butter in a small, heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmer water; let cool slightly.
- Beat chocolate mixture, sugar, eggs, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until just combined. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture, scraping down bowl as needed. Fold in chocolate chunks.
- Using a 1 1/2-inch ice-cream scoop, drop dough onto parchment-line baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies are flat and surfaces crack, about 15 minutes (cookies should be soft). Let cool on parchment on wire racks.
Sean said: "...." (sound of chewing and contented look on face)
Sarah said: "I think these are better than America's Test Kitchen's!"
critique
I really don't have anything critical to say about this recipe. I would only caution you to follow the instructions and take them out when directed. They may look too soft or underdone, but they firm up quite nicely and form a wonderful crunchy outside/soft inside contrast.
