chocolate

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate chip cookies are like the king of all cookies. I mean there are a lot of really good cookies out there, but I think they all are held to a standard: “is it better than a chocolate chip?” Ask a kid what there favorite cookie is; I bet nine times out of ten it’s a chocolate chip. Needless to say, you’ve got to have a chocolate chip recipe in your repertoire.

Makes 22-24 using a 2″ cookie scoop (ice cream scoops work too!)

As organic as possible:

1/2 cup shortening

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup (rounded) sugar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs beaten

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 1/4 cups flour

1 10 oz bag large chocolate chips (I <3 Simple Truth organic) or 2 cups regular choc chips

Preheat oven to 375. Beat shortening and butter in a large bowl with electric mixer (or old-fashioned muscle power works too). Add brown sugar, sugar, baking soda and salt. Beat mixture until combined, scraping sides as needed. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add flour scoops at a time. If too much for a machine, finish mixing by hand until all flour is incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop cookies onto a baking sheet leaving about 2″ of space in between globs for room to spread. We like large cookies! So to accommodate our cookie love we use a large scoop, but smaller scoops work too; just lessen your baking time. For large cookies, bake about 12-14 minutes, until edges are just starting to brown and the center is still soft.

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Baking cookies is easy! And it’s fun to do with your kids!  It’s pretty hard to mess up (unless you forget them in the oven).

Nutty Banana Brownies

These are scrumptious. They are moist, chocolaty, nutty, and sweet. They are my favorite way to use up bananas. These brownies also have whole wheat flour, so you can feel good about them. Of course, you can use all-purpose flour too and still feel good about them, because they are just that good.

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

3 Tbsp cocoa powder

1/4 cup chunky peanut butter

2 eggs

1 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 whole wheat flour (all purpose flour works just fine too)

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup chocolate chips, tossed in a tsp of wheat flour (all-purpose flour is fine)

1/2 chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9 square baking pan and set aside. In a medium sized saucepan, melt the butter. Take off the heat and let cool slightly. Add the sugar, cocoa powder and peanut butter to melted butter. Stir until all is mixed together. In a separate bowl add vanilla to eggs and beat lightly. Add eggs and vanilla mixture, along with the milk to the cocoa mixture and stir. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt to the mixture and stir until combined. Place the mashed bananas into the mix, and gently stir again, mixture will be lumpy. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 – 45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving. These brownies are great at room temperature (even better I think), and the bananas keep them moist for days (if they last that long). But if you must eat them warm, because they made your whole house smell incredible and you can’t wait… Please do yourself a favor and dab a little Nutella on the top, because chocolate and hazelnuts goes perfectly with nutty banana brownies.

Everyday Chocolate Chip Pancakes

To be clear, I am not suggesting that you should eat chocolate chip pancakes everyday. I am inferring that you can make these pancakes from everyday items you already have. Maybe they should be called Anyday Chocolate Chip Pancakes? We eat pancakes at least once a week at our house, my kids love them. Rarely do I keep buttermilk in the refrigerator, and even less often do I have the forethought to mix up a batter the night before I make them. (If I had that kind of forethought, I’d probably have buttermilk in the fridge.) These are a little sweet, so I like to balance it out by serving it with a side of sausage (don’t judge me).

Makes about 10 Medium sized Pancakes (And this recipe can be easily doubled)

As organic as you can:

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp sugar (rounded)

1 1/2 Tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp oil (I like sunflower, but you can use canola or vegetable)

Butter for your griddle

3/4 cup chocolate chips (give or take)

Okay, now I am going to be very specific about this, because I like my system and I think it saves on dishes. That said, please feel free to use your artistic license and dirty as many bowls as you’d like to clean, separate your dry from your wet, etc.

Add the dry ingredients in a batter bowl (that pours) and whisk them together. In a measuring cup, using the same whisk, beat your egg with the vanilla. (Side note: I don’t remember when I first learned about the egg/vanilla thing, but it really is a thing… and why, I don’t know, but  I do it every time.) Then dump your egg and vanilla right on top of the dry ingredients. Next, in the same measuring cup, measure your milk and pour it into the batter bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Now I like to mix the ingredients, with a wooden spoon, lightly until incorporated. (Side note: Wooden spoons seem nostalgic, but again use your creativity…) Then add the oil and lightly stir again until everything has come together. Don’t ‘over-mix’ because things get tough, but you don’t want flour pockets either. Just do it perfectly… And don’t worry about a few little lumps.

Then while that sits a minute heat your griddle (or pan) on medium heat and put a tab of butter on it. When it starts to melt, move the butter around until the surface is coated. Now if your batter seems too thick, add a little more milk and stir. If it seems thin, add a little flour. When ready, pour the batter in little round circles about 4 inches in diameter. Immediately following, sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly around the pancake. I do it this way, because that’s how my kids like it; and they eat the chocolate chips in lieu of syrup. However, if you have traditionalists who want plain pancakes (like myself) this step can be omitted completely or on a to-order basis.

When the batter starts to get those little bubbles breaking through to the top, flip them over. After about 1-2 minutes, when lovely and golden, remove the pancakes to a platter or plate and start over with the butter, batter and chips cycle. Along the way gauge your pan, if your butter is browning quickly, turn down the heat (maybe even wave your pan in the air a couple times to let it cool, just saying). If your pancakes are white and oozy, you probably need to turn the heat up. And have fun, by golly! Sneak a chocolate chip, or better yet, let your kids! (But give them a wink and a smile, or permission, so they know you see, and that way they’re not really being sneaky).Because life is too short not to enjoy yourself!

Serve right away, while warm. And if you are so indulgent, top with syrup and whipped cream. Delicious.