Is the exact energy I’m bringing into my 45th trip around the sun. It’s my birthday this week.
I do love my birthday- and the best thing about it being on a Wednesday, is I get to celebrate for two weekends- not just one. It’s been a good week of celebrations so far- a family trip to the footy, family dinner, and a mother-son date night to go see Annie The Musical.
Who knows what fun this week will hold– but I’m sticking with the Boozy cookie theme (again)! This week, it’s Chocolate Chip Cookies with Tennesee Whiskey (Jack Daniel’s). They’re pretty good! It just gives subtle flavours- nothing too crazy but they’re good!
And in other news, I’m planning to do another dance competition…. my theme: Cookie Monster!
I’m not sure how I’ve gotten into the alcoholic cookie phase of baking but here we are yet again. I wanted to make these Tennesse Whiskey and Chocolate Chip cookies but we only had fancy whiskey in our liquor cabinet… and well, I didn’t want to risk the wrath of The Runner by using one of his good bottles or Scotch or Whiskey or whatever in a batch of cookies.
Any of you want to be in a cookie???
So I’ll save the Tennesee Whiskey cookies for next week- I’ll have to buy a tiny airplane sized bottle of Jack Daniel’s and hope that no one sees me. Not that there’s shame in drinking Jack Daniel’s but I do wonder who buys those tiny little bottles- and why? Anyway, that’s next week’s problem.
Next week’s other problem, what kind of cookies will I make for MY VERY OWN BIRTHDAY???? There are so many yummy ones I’ve made that I legitimately can’t choose! Maybe the Mexican Hot Chocolate ones?? Maybe the Van Stapele ones that kicked off this whole cookie madness??? Who knows!
This week, I made Kahlua Tia Maria Chocolate Chip Cookies. We didn’t have Kahlua so I improvised and they’re not so bad. I mean, last week’s Malibu Oatmeal Cookies were some of the best I’ve ever made. The Bailey’s Chocolate Chip ones were pretty good too…I think I’m onto something with my boozy cookie phase… I just need some more ideas for recipes!!!
Because life has been busy and I’ve been adulting. For the first time in 5 years, I’m not working from home every day- and it’s an adjustment. But we’re four weeks in and I’m starting to settle into a pattern.
A pattern that involves almost constant motion and busyness. A pattern that is forcing me to be organised about everything. And a pattern where I’m still baking- but a bit behind on my writing!
So, let’s catch up! I’ve expanded my cookie empire… well, not really but I did bring them into my new job- and they were a hit. I refuse to make it a habit….REFUSE! Famous last words !
This week I made the Double Chocolate Chip Sprinkle Cookies from the I Heart Naptime cookbook. It’s a great cookbook with lots of recipes that can be made an under an hour, and most of them are crowd pleasers!
I also made (another) Christina Tosi cookie recipe from her All About Cookies cookbook. I made the Pretzel chocolate chunk cookies and they were great! I’m a massive fan of Christina Tosi- she’s the cookie whisperer.
Two weeks ago, I made Pat McCorkle’s Chocolate Chip Cookies from the One Big Table cookbook. I didn’t love them. They had oatmeal in them and I didn’t love the oatmeal chocolate chip combo. Some people did, I didn’t.
This week is a challenge- chocolate chip cookies. There are SO many recipes, so it’s hard to choose just one. Even my favourite bloggers and cookbook writers have MULTIPLE recipes for chocolate chip cookies on their sites- so how will I choose just one???
I’m tempted to try these althought not sure about the 24 hour resting time! I do love Smitten Kitchen so these could be great too! Or maybe we stick to Christina Tosi’s super easy recipe…. Or maybe we try a few and see how we go!
Well, I’m officially a working girl again– and yet, I’m still a baking girl! Life has gotten super busy- being back to work and back to the office has been FULL ON! But we’re doing it. We’re juggling, balancing, tightrope walking, and doing it all backwards and in high heels. But we’re ok!
I’ve once again dipped into Christina Tosi’s All About Cookies Cookbook. Honestly, I LOVE IT! Once again, she has not disappointed. This week I baked Potato Chip Shorties which were unexpectedly AND unbelievably yum. I mean, they have potato chips in them, and they have sugar. They are the perfect balance of salty and sweet. I was sceptical about them – until someone suggested that they weren’t potato chippy- enough…. She even suggested using Salt and Vinegar Chips instead of plain. It’s a no from me but mainly because I don’t like Salt and Vinegar Chips…. I might try the Chocolate version– but NEVER with salt and vinegar… I also made Crunchy Confetti Cookies which were both crunchy and colourful!
I’ve promised that this week’s cookies will be more normal. Thomas specifically requested chocolate chip so chocolate chip it will be!!!
I can’t believe it’s February already- January flew by in a flurry of fun- and a lot of tennis! The United Cup in Sydney, AO in Melbourne, and the quickest trip to the US ever (that also included two tennis lessons). It was the best way to cap off my months of Funemployment. And unbelievably- and quite sadly, I go back to work TOMORROW!
It’s been over 4 months of fun, and it ends tomorrow. Not only am I back at work, but I’m back into an actual office 2-3 days a week for the first time in 5 years. Needless to say, I am NOT ok.
I’ve learned so much over these past few months and above all, I’ve developed a LOVE of baking cookies. No matter how busy the work-life juggle gets, I hope I will continue to bake now that I’m back at work. We’ll see but I’m hopeful!
Last week, I baked two versions of Christina Tosi’s Chipless Chocolate Chip Cookies- Chipless and Chipful. She calls them her Chipless Wonders and they were excellent both with Chips (Chipful) and without (Chipless).
And yes, I am obsessed with Christina Tosi and her All About Cookies Cookbook after receiving it as a gift for Christmas. Full disclosure: It was a gift to me, from me. Her cookies and recipes are amazing. She is a next level genius, I’m only sad that some/many of her quirky ingredients are based on US ingredients but I LOVE everything I’ve made from her so far. These cookies are no exception. On paper, they’re bonkers, but so so so delicious when you taste them!
I also love Mexican Hot Chocolate cookies. I made some with marshmallows ages ago that The Runner loves. He was quite disappointed that these are not those, but they’re still pretty good!
So that’s it for this week- wish me luck for my first day!!
Happy 2025- I hope this year is precedented and uneventful for everyone– although I already have a feeling that this won’t be the case.
New Year, New Cookies? Nope. Same cookies actually. This week I made two cookies I’ve made before- but only one that I’ve written about. Both are from Christina Tosi’s Milk Bar Life Cookbook. Her Chocolate Chip Cookies (with Rice Krispies- or Rice Bubbles here in OZ!) and The Greta Sugar Cookie Bars (with festive New Years Sprinkles!) My friend, Jinx, was back in Amsterdam and brought back more Van Stapele cookies for me…. Honestly, they’re so good. I need to both savour them and eat them before they go stale. The paradox of having something you truly love but don’t have often.
The Greta Sugar Cookie Bars (minus one piece)
In other exciting news, we FINALLY bought an air fryer- and we’ve used it nearly every day we’ve owned it so far. Mostly for french fries but I’m on the look out for air fryer recipes to try!
So yeah, 2025 will be the year of the air fryer and the cookie- not sure about cookies in the air fryer but I’m sure we’ll try it at some point!
Oh and we also made Sushi! Because sometimes we cook things that aren’t cookies and we really loved our trip to Japan last year !
Last week I made Chocolate Chip Cookies. You know the ones. The boring, old favorites that have the recipe on the back of the bag of chocolate chips. Tollhouse chocolate chips if you grew up in the US, no idea what recipe is on the back of the Australian chocolate chip packages because I didn’t make those.
I made Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies (minus the nuts of course!) and they were lovely. Easy to make, and just like Mom used to make. Well, not my mother per se, but you know what I mean…
This week’s are called Cowboy Cookies. I wanted to make Halloween Cookies but 1, it’s next week, and 2, I don’t have Halloween Cookie Cutters– and even if I do happy to buy them, I’m not sure I’m going to spend the time actually decorate the cookies to make them look like pumpkins or ghosts or witches. Even though I techincally have the time, I’m not sure that I actually HAVE THE TIME to decorate cookies.
So, instead of Halloween, I’m going to focus on something FAR scarrier than Halloween for the next three weeks- the US Election.
Namely, the First Lady Bake Off or Presidential Cookie Poll. It took place from 1992-2016- after Hillary Clinton’s famous “I could have stayed home and baked cookies” comment and continued until Family Circle magazine went out of business in 2019.
So, I’m going to try a few recipes out–starting with Laura Bush’s Cowboy Cookies. There are a few others that might pop up in the next three weeks before Election Day so watch this space!
He Runs, I Cook 