Chewy, Gooey, Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Chewy, Chocolaty goodness!

Here is my absolute favorite Chocolate chip cookie recipe. I am a fan of extra soft, chewy cookies, that just melt in your mouth, so if you are not a fan, just cook longer! start by letting your butter and eggs come to room temperature. The ingredients will fluff up beautifully if you take this sometimes lengthy step.

~~ INGREDIENTS: ~~ 1 Cup of softened unsalted butter ( 2 sticks)
1 Cup of packed dark brown sugar
1/2 Cup of white granulated sugar
1/2 Cup of packed light brown sugar
2 Eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 Cups of all-purpose flour (try to use unbleached)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
16 oz. semisweet chocolate chips ( usually one and a half bags)

Ok! lets start

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream together the butter, the sugars, eggs and vanilla. work it well, getting it nice and fluffy.

3. In a seperate Bowl sift together all of the dry ingredients except for the Chips.

4. Combine the dry and wet ingredients. then stir in the chips.

(Note: I like to now chill the dough for a hour or so to firm it up, but you can start right away.)

I usually use a 2 Tablespoon scoop (a coffee scoop) to form my dough,

this size seems to work great.

Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or very lightly greased.

Bake for 9-11 minutes. Everyones oven varies! so check often.

If you want those extra gooey under-baked types ( I know theres some out there!)

take the cookies out after about 9 minutes. they will continue to bake a bit.

This recipe makes 25-30 cookies.

Looking to sell online?

Here is a great line-up of online selling venues for all you crafty entrepreneurs. Check out the article by Craftster.com HERE

Saving your seeds

I can't get my mind off of seeds! Every store I go into, I run for the freshly erected seed displays. I stand and turn the swivle display soaking up the candy colors. So here is a cute site I found that explains how to SAVE your seeds at the end of the season to be shared and re-planted next season.

THE SEED SITE

Also check out seed savers. A huge online community of seed savers and sharers.

SEED SAVERS EXCHANGE

Information about Winter sowing and Free Seeds!

Here is a great little site I found where you can send a Self-addressed, (2) stamped,# 10 Envelope and they will send you a mix of free various seeds. Please also take a moment to check out all the wonderful information they have on winter sowing. They also have some wonderful clipart of seed packets for you to print out and put your own seeds into to share with others. I love seeds around this time. They remind me that Spring is around the corner and that within a few months the tiny little gems will become amazing blooms, fruits and veggies. Here is the website, and here is the address:

WinterSown.org Six Pack

1989 School Street

East Meadow, NY. 11554

Heres another! Free Four-o'clocks seeds

Also send a double stamped envelope

Four O-clocks around the world

P.O. Box 8931

Metairie , Louisiana 70011-8931

Antiques!

If someone were to ask me "Do you collect anything?" I would probably turn bright red as I listed the many, MANY various items that I have been stashing away for years.( stashing because I do not yet have a home of my own) Not because I am ashamed, but rather because I fear sounding like a lunatic. There's Milk glass, Jadite, Antique teacups, Christmas ornaments, Fiestaware (even though I only own ONE piece!) any kind of aluminum bake ware, and my recent favorite, antique tablecloths. I absolutely cannot get enough! The first thing I look for upon entering a thrift or antique shop is cheap linens. I don’t know how many tables I expect to have some day but I apparently will be having a lot of tea parties. I am going to get some together and take a photo (for my own satisfaction) and post it here so that I can look at my happy collection all together whenever I feel the need to smile.