The Food Network is My Friend & Foe

I’ve been sick & stuck at home for a few days now which means binge-watching new favorites like The Kominsky Method, oldies but goodies like Sex and the City, and lots & lots of Food Network. Their Holiday Baking Championship is killing me slowly. It has also inspired me to give baking a go.

I’m generally good at improvising. So, when I realized that I didn’t have what I thought was a critical baking ingredient, baking soda, I didn’t give up. A few google searches & I found this recipe by Baker Bettie. Apparently I’m not alone in wanting to cut corners Ha!

So, to make my first batch of homemade cookies, I modified the recipe a bit by replacing chocolate chips with roasted coconut flakes. It is Hanukkah after all!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 stick unsalted butter, (browned if desired)
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chocolate chips (I prefer at least 60% dark chocolate)
• coarse salt for sprinkling if desired

INSTRUCTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the butter and the sugars until fluffy. Add the vanilla and the egg, and beat until combined.
Add the salt and then the flour in small amounts, mixing until just incorporated.

Fold in the chocolate chips or in my case, roasted coconut bits.

Scoop cookies onto cookie sheets. I didn’t have a large scoop so I used a coffee spoon to get the even sized mounds. Do not overcrowd them. Sprinkle coarse salt on top of each, if desired.

Bake at 350ºF for 8-12 minutes, until the edges are just set. Remove from the oven and let cool on the cookie sheets (cookies will continue cooking and finish setting.)

Arrange on your favorite holiday plate & enjoy!

Oh & I also made potato latkes using Streit’s Potato Pancake (Latkes) mix. Only tonight, I added cheddar cheese & served them with Fage 0% Greek Yogurt as dip. Yum!

Have a holiday recipe you can’t live without? Please share!

Happy 2nd Night of Hanukkah!