Cookies and Cookbooks

I LOVE cookbooks.  When I get a new cookbook, I read through it like a novel, cover to cover, immersing myself in the pictures and recipes and savoring the beauty inside. If anyone is looking for a present to give me, I accept all cookbooks.  Old, new, used...it doesn't matter.  I love them all!

 But when I am actually looking for a recipe for something, I head straight for the internet.  I have shelves stuffed with cookbooks that are never actually used for COOKING.

I am going to change that.

I am going to make a point to use my many cookbooks for their intended purpose - to actually cook out of them.  A crazy idea, I know...but I'm going to go with it!!

Today's book is A Passion for Baking: Bake to Celebrate, Bake to Nourish, Bake for Fun, by Marcy Goldman.  I have had this book for about 5 years (yes, Amazon is nice enough to tell me that I purchased it in 2007!), and the only thing I have ever made out of it is a pie crust.  I wanted to make chocolate chip cookies because we have a bunch of hot pink & black M&M's from a wedding we went to last weekend.  I saw this recipe and thought that the M&M's would work great.  So today, I am going for Tender, Buttery Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

I'll say that again, just to let it sink in.

Tender, Buttery Chocolate Chunk Cookies.

What in the world is better than THAT??!!

The Cast:
Butter
Brown Sugar
Sugar
Eggs
Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Chocolate Chips (or hot pink & black M&M's if you're fancy like me!)

This recipe starts out like any other chocolate chip cookie recipe - cream the butter and sugars...

(Action shot!)

Mix in the vanilla and eggs...and make sure you keep scraping your bowl with your cute little piggy scraper.

Then add the flour, baking soda, and salt and mix.

Mix in the fancy M&M's.

Isn't it cute??!!  I love the little pink and black polka dots!!

As any of you with kids (or siblings!) knows, two kids together - especially kids that are really close in age - will fight over ANYTHING.  As my husband says, you could be eating a poop sandwich and they would argue over who gets the first bite.  This is why I LOVE my Pampered Chef Medium Scoop.  It ensures perfect sized cookies every time!  :)

Here are the cookies, all scooped out and ready to go into the oven.

Here they are - golden brown and delicious!  I can't wait until they cool off enough to try!!

Bonus Picture!

I also made a cheesecake tonight.  This one didn't end up on the floor - big improvement over the last ones!

I hope you all have a wonderful Easter!  We are going to have a big feast - and you know I will post about it!!  ;)