Sunday, August 31, 2008

Hello, Dorie!


Greetings!! I am happy to report in and give you my very first TWD post!

I was THRILLED that Stefany from Proceed With Caution chose a cookie recipe this week (Chunky Peanut Butter & Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters, page 73) because it gives me a relatively worry-free premiere week. I was concerned at first that my first week’s recipe would have been some involved recipe using baking tools that I would have to buy (not that shopping is a bad thing), or techniques that were new to me. Although now that I've had a chance to peruse the book, I realize that I have not a pinch/dash/smidgen/drop of intimidation with Dorie's recipes…I think Dorie has put my mind at ease that I am far better off for just attempting a recipe than to not try at all!

I am also thrilled that my foray into TWD coincides with the retirement of my bathing suit for the season as there are some very decadent recipes coming my way! Goodbye summer clothes—and hello Dorie and oversized roll neck sweaters!

So back to the baking…This particular recipe would have been among my own choices as I’ve always loved the oatmeal-chocolate chip combination…. I was excited to dig in and start!

Sunday late morning, I gathered all my ingredients, all revved up and ready to go—little miss homebaker---and then I heard the sudden slam on the brakes, the drag of the needle across the record album, as I read the dreaded words: “2 sticks of butter, room temperature”…Now you'd think that this would not have happened because the fact is my dear pal Cathy (who recruited me to TWD) had the very same issue with her first TWD recipe--one would assume I'd learn something there..but no...Yet there is some solace in the fact that even though these days we live miles apart (she in the South, me in the Northeast), things like this confirm we are still very much alike. So hey, if a recipe ever calls for cold unsalted butter, we're your gals apparently...(that, and if you ever need backup singers for drunk karaoke, we rock on the "mama-say, mama-sa, ma-ma-coo-sa"'s in You Wanna Be Startin' Something..but I digress...)

I took 2 sticks from the fridge, threw on my counter with 2 eggs, and proceeded to measure out all the ingredients into the 2 bowls to keep me occupied while I waited for the butter to get to its happy temperature (with some 'encouragement' from me and the microwave...)

BAKER'S NOTE, INGREDIENTS: I used Nestle Toll House semi-sweet chocolate chips, and as for PB, decided to go with ½ C chunky peanut butter, and ½ C of creamy…I’m not a huge fan of chunky to begin with, but didn’t want to abandon it altogether as it's what was recommended, so I compromised.
I did not refrigerate the dough at all--only b/c I read on TWD the issues folks had with it getting too hard/crumbly--though I did throw the whole mixing bowl+batter into the refrigerator in between scooping it out onto the parchment-paper-lined cookie sheets, baking, then cooling the sheets for the next round. I found my cookies were (fairly) even in size, thanks to the cookie dough scoop I have--which is probably between 1-1.5 TB)
My first batch at 7 min per rotation came out a darker brown than I wanted—so I cut it to 6 min per rotation and they came out perfect!! My recipe made close to 70 cookies.

The Reviews are in, and all raves!

"They're the best cookies I think I've ever had" -Dear Husband (truly, he said that--I was so happy!)

"is that cinnamon? There are so many flavors and layers to these cookies...these are amazing!" -Dear Sister
"I laughed, I cried...eating these is better than going to see Cats" - Daily Variety


OVERALL THOUGHTS:
I love 'em and know I'll be making them often. I also froze a bunch since it made so many--I'll let you know how they freeze/thaw in a month or so! I love the crunchy outer- yet slightly chewy inside!

WHAT I'D DO DIFFERENTLY NEXT TIME:
I think the cinnamon competes a bit with the peanut butter taste...if I was to do anything differently next time, I will cut the cinnamon measurement in half

Well, that's it folks! My first week done and posted! Looking forward to reading everyone's posts/experiences! I'm glad to be aboard!




4 comments:

Cathy said...

Oh, what a perfectly awesome debut, my friend! (Are you on the blogroll yet? I didn't see you! We need to make sure you are on there!) You know what --I made Dorie's pie crust this weekend, and it calls for frozen butter! Now THAT is a recipe for us!! I am so glad that your sweet hubby liked the cookies too -- he will definitely benefit from your new hobby. Welcome to TWD, Lis!

Nancy/n.o.e said...

What a great post, Lisa. You're a natural at blogging, and apparently also at baking! You and Cathy will be all set for pie crusts, when you want your butter REALLY cold. Oops, I just read Cathy's comment and she's already made that happy discovery!

Welcome to TWD. It's a lot of fun and just a little bit fattening...
Nancy

Eleganza Strings/ The DeLadurantey Family said...

Welcome to the group! Glad you liked them!

Marthe said...

Welcome to TWD! Your cookies look very nice!