If It Works, Don't Fix It
My dad has a lot of sayings, but that's one of his best. "If it works, don't fix it."
Which is why it is sad that it took me about twenty years to apply that principle to a classic: my mom's chocolate chip cookie recipe.
For years I have been trying to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie--not cake-like, not greasy, just chewy. I have applied with varying degrees of success the following tips for how to bake the perfect cookie:
*use real butter, not margarine
*chill the dough before baking
*don't apply dough to a hot cookie sheet
*take the cookies out of the oven before they are fully cooked (because they'll bake a little more on their own as they cool on the cookie sheet outside of the oven)
All of these tips are great, but nothing was getting it done on a consistent basis. I'm sure a part of it is baker's error. My husband jokes with me after I turn out a good batch of anything (be it entree, salad or dessert)..."Well, you'll probably lose that recipe now" or "that won't happen again". (Spoken from years of experience, sadly!)
But this time, I hit the jackpot. I went back to my Mom's old recipe and gave it another shot. This time, I decided to do something wild and crazy; I did not veer off of the recipe. Okay, I doubled it, but I did not do the thing I've been doing for years and years. I used ALL shortening (as the recipe called for) and did not go half-shortening and half-margarine.
I really went out on a limb there.
And guess what? The cookies turned out FABULOUS. Just like Mom makes 'em. Go figure. ;)
MOM'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Cream together: *1 c. shortening *1/2 c. sugar *1 c. packed brown sugar *1 tsp. vanilla
Fold in: *2 beaten eggs *2 1/2 c. flour *1 tsp. baking soda *1 tsp. salt
Add: *1 cup chocolate chips
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes (or less).
Deeeeeeeeeeeeeelishusss!!
Thanks Mom & Dad!
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.--Ephesians 6:1
Which is why it is sad that it took me about twenty years to apply that principle to a classic: my mom's chocolate chip cookie recipe.
For years I have been trying to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie--not cake-like, not greasy, just chewy. I have applied with varying degrees of success the following tips for how to bake the perfect cookie:
*use real butter, not margarine
*chill the dough before baking
*don't apply dough to a hot cookie sheet
*take the cookies out of the oven before they are fully cooked (because they'll bake a little more on their own as they cool on the cookie sheet outside of the oven)
All of these tips are great, but nothing was getting it done on a consistent basis. I'm sure a part of it is baker's error. My husband jokes with me after I turn out a good batch of anything (be it entree, salad or dessert)..."Well, you'll probably lose that recipe now" or "that won't happen again". (Spoken from years of experience, sadly!)
But this time, I hit the jackpot. I went back to my Mom's old recipe and gave it another shot. This time, I decided to do something wild and crazy; I did not veer off of the recipe. Okay, I doubled it, but I did not do the thing I've been doing for years and years. I used ALL shortening (as the recipe called for) and did not go half-shortening and half-margarine.
I really went out on a limb there.
And guess what? The cookies turned out FABULOUS. Just like Mom makes 'em. Go figure. ;)
MOM'S CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Cream together: *1 c. shortening *1/2 c. sugar *1 c. packed brown sugar *1 tsp. vanilla
Fold in: *2 beaten eggs *2 1/2 c. flour *1 tsp. baking soda *1 tsp. salt
Add: *1 cup chocolate chips
Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes (or less).
Deeeeeeeeeeeeeelishusss!!
Thanks Mom & Dad!
Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.--Ephesians 6:1
posted by Amy Siegert | 5:51 AM
1 Comments:
Ack! I think I gained five lbs just looking at the photos of those yummy cookies!
It is funny how I have to try all kinds of recipes...even if there's one recipe that really stood out as being excellent. And guess what? I've tried so many that I can't remember what worked and what didn't! Silly!
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