Cookie Monster

Did everyone enjoy my little hiatus? I do that so you crave more Food Beautiful and then when it happens there's smiles all around!

So let's talk cookies. I've been over this before and this won't be the last time, but I'm not a cookie lover. Sure I'll eat one (or many) but my heart isn't as attached as it could be. So if I blog about a cookie recipe that I dream about and would really enjoy making every weekend you know it's something special.

Miryam over at Eat Good 4 Life basically saved me from my own procrastination and provided me with cookie love. It was 2 hours before a party and I didn't have any butter softening at room temperature. (I'm a big fan of only making baked goods when I have real room temperature butter - trust me it makes a huge difference.) So I searched online and came across Miryam's healthified - and delicious - Ultimate Healthier Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Let me start here and end here....they use olive oil instead of butter! Genius, simply genius. We all know how I love olive oil and the more I can incorporate it into any cooking - and baking - the happier I'll be. I made a couple of adjustments to her original recipe and the results were outstanding. The cookies are so moist, really chocolaty and you don't feel bad eating more than one! Whenever you bring "healthy" desserts to a party and they are the first item to be devoured you know it's success. 

Can you guess what we'll be having for Valentine's Day dessert???

Ultimate Healthier Oatmeal Chocolate Chip  Cookies - adpated from Eat Good 4 Life

Ingredients
Yields 30 medium-large cookies

1 1/4 cup organic can sugar
1 1/2 cup olive oil
2 eggs
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup wheat germ
2 cups dark chocolate chips
1 teaspoon of cinnamon (optional)


Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Spray cookie sheets with olive oil cooking spray.

In a bowl, with a wire whisk, mix first 4 ingredients. Add oatmeal, flour, baking powder, wheat germ and chocolate chips. Combine until all of the ingredients are mix thoroughly.

Drop tablespoons of cookie batter onto prepared cookies sheets. Flatten them out with the palm of your hand slightly and bake for 13-15 minutes.

Cool cookie on cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

A Little Italian Easy

It's a slow, cold, yucky Tuesday today. But don't worry, I've got a little piece of Italy comfort resting over on Sutch a Delight. Go ahead and check out my guest post and I think you'll find we can turn this blah little Tuesday into a whole plate of warmth.

What the...

Shucked! As we all know I have a love of oysters. Okay maybe it's more of an obsession, but that obsession is shared by others (thank goodness!) in the new documentary Shucked. This quick read follows Erin Byers Murray's year at Duxbury's Island Creek Oyster Farm. My favorites oysters of all time.

Erin quit her day job (and quite a great day job at that) and somehow convinced Skip Bennett and others that she'd be great for a year of work. Nope, not office work but real oyster farming work at Duxbury Harbor.

Now we all know that oysters are my favorite and Island Creeks are top of the list, but this read provides more than that. Sure you get great knowledge of oyster farming (for nerds like me), but there's also tasty recipes and a deep sense of appreciation for where our oysters come from. More than that it's about life changes, hard work and beautiful beaches. After reading, I think many people would be scared far from a job in oyster farming, but for me it somehow has proved that I need to live closer to that world - some day folks, some day!

Buy it here!

In the meantime, read away and gain a greater appreciation for your next shucked oyster...yum.

Why I Cook?

Cooking for me is less about the need and more about the want. As much as it's focused around the food my goal is to keep a tradition alive. One that is focused around connection. Keeping alive the tradition that a meal - whether its bowls filled with soup or an Easter feast - is more than just eating. Food is simply the tool to bring us together to grow closer as family and friends and just be in the moment.

This started with my grandparents and was passed down to my parents and now to a bunch of cousins who know how to cook a great meal. Although we're busy with our everyday lives, and some of us live far away, we keep the tradition alive. There are texts of meals cooked, conversations around new restaurants and if given the choice our next meal would all be together.

Our goal is to remember our grandparents - one who's been gone for quite some time and our Yiaya that recently left. And to pass on the importance of family and connection through a simple meal.

It's making sure to slow down, sit with your loved ones and enjoy every moment - no matter what that meal might be.

An Oldie but a Goodie - and It's Chocolate

I have standard cookie recipes that I use time and time again because they are easy, fail-proof and really just taste so darn good. Chocolate crinkle cookies are one of these little gems that I bake every holiday season and seem to be a staple at many cookie swaps over the years. They are full of chocolate, look like they are topped with snow and moist and delicious inside.

Although you have to freeze the dough for at least an hour, I enjoy the idea of breaking up the baking process. (Allows me to throw in another last minute recipe like muffins while I'm waiting!) And although there are many variations and recipes, I always go with one that includes cocoa powder. I find the flavor to be more true chocolate than using semisweet chips. Don't these look like heaven???

Chocolate Crinkles - adopted from Good Housekeeping Cookies
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (I used Hershey's special dark)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter (at room temperature)
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 Tbsp light corn syrup - I simply omitted this
2 oz unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
2  tsp vanilla
1/2 cup powdered sugar

Directions
Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt

In another bowl beat butter, sugar, corn syrup on medium speed until well combined. Add the flour mixture in batches and mix until combined. Cover dough and refrigerate at least 1 hour

Preheat oven to 350 F

Place powdered sugar in small bowl. Shape cookies into 1 inch balls and roll in powdered sugar
Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet and bake about 8 minutes or until cookies are set.
Cool on a wire rack

Yum Yum or as my niece says Mum Mum!

Chocolate + Espresso = Cookie Heaven

If I could be any type of angel, I'd choose to be a "cookie angel." Luckily, I was granted that wish a week ago and the results were....well, delicious!

During my stint as an angel I wanted to try something new and something chocolatey. However, I was short on time and really not looking for something too difficult. Yet again, Giada came to the rescue with her Double Chocolate & Espresso Cookies. (Trust me, creating a login for her site is WORTH it!)

How cute and chocolatey are these cookies!

I love when recipes call for chocolate and any type of coffee ingredient. Many times it's not to create a coffee flavor, but simply to enhance the chocolate taste - and who doesn't want that. These cookies were that much better since they used chocolate covered espresso beans and had a mild coffee undertone. Not to mention they were extremely simple and quick to make. Check out the recipe here!

And now for the "Good Cookie" winner - Maggie from "Kitchen Coo" - thanks to everyone who participated to support this great cause!

I think we'll extend cookie as I've got some more yummy recipes to share!

A Cookie Giveaway (quick run)!!!

It's a first here on Food Beautiful but to keep the cookie baking coming this week we have our first giveaway (yeah!). And what's better than that??? The fact that this giveaway is to drive awareness for OXO's Cookies for Kids' Cancer Program.

It's cookie week here and to support all your holiday baking OXO has given me a "Good Cookie" spatula to test out and one to give away to a lucky winner. I love things that are cute and for a cause! The spatula is perfect for lifting those hot cookies off the tray onto a cooling rack. I also like to leave it on my counter so people think I've been baking all day...feel free to steal that trick.

Cute, right? Now let's talk about the amazing cause. Cookies for Kids' Cancer was born to help fight pediatric cancer through local bake sales. This year OXO will donate up to $100,000 to support research for new therapies - THANK YOU OXO. Visit www.oxogoodcookies.com to share some virtual cookies, find out how to host a bake sale or to find a retailer for the "Good Cookie" spatulas.

Don't you think this little tool could help you whip up one of these beauties???

HOW TO ENTER:
Simply leave a comment on this post with your favorite childhood cookie. I'll pick a winner on Thursday - and actually try to recreate that cookie recipe this weekend.

And for an extra entry, simply follow @foodbeautyful and RT the following to pass on awareness for this great cause. "RT Support Cookies' for Kids and enter the @foodbeautyful Giveaway http://bit.ly/ulsjwX"

Good Luck to All!!!

And if you don't win, definitely purchase one for yourself and a couple as gifts on Amazon - remember 50% of the profits benefit pediatric cancer awareness!