Macadamia Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

Macadamia Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Can you EVEN????

OH is this a GOOOOOD one!!!!

Toasted coconut, salty crunchy macadamia nuts, and semi-sweet gooey bits of chocolate in one cookie!

This one is rich, so when you are really in the mood, a bite into this cookie is going to be an experience you will not soon forget!

Here is how I made them.

Macadamia Toasted Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies*

  • Servings: 5 doz large cookies
  • Print

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups (4 sticks) butter, melted
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 4 Tbsp. milk
  • 4 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 2 tsp. baking soda
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups shredded coconut (toasted**)
  • 1 1/2 cups macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped

Directions:

Beat melted butter and sugars with electric mixer until creamy, then add eggs and egg yolks and beat until well combined.  Add milk and vanilla and beat until well combined.  Then add salt, baking soda and flour mixing just until incorporated.  Remove bowl from electric mixer stand and stir in chocolate, then toasted coconut, and macadamia nuts with a wooden spoon until evenly distributed through the dough.

Place cookie dough in refrigerator for several hours or overnight to chill completely.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Scoop dough out and roll into golf-ball sized balls.  Place on cookie sheet or baking stone and bake for 10 minutes.  Rotate baking stone/cookie sheet and bake for 2 more minutes.  Let cool 10 minutes before removing to wire rack to cool completely.  These freeze beautifully.

**To toast coconut, spread the coconut flakes out on a sheet pan or stoneware bar pan in a thin layer. Bake at 375 degrees F. Check the coconut every 5 minutes and stir until the coconut is your desired color. It takes about 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*Recipe adapted from Mrs. Fields

Toffee Coffee Oatmeal Cookies

Toffee Coffee Oatmeal Cookies.

It’s been a little while since I posted a cookie recipe here at The Creative Life in Between. 

I tried to focus on watercolor painting for most of July in honor of #WorldWatercolorMonth – being an Ambassador and all.   < curtsy bows 😉 >

But those that know me well know that I almost always have some kind of fresh baked cookies in the house – for “just in case!

In fact…. I’m kinda known  – – in some very small, insignificant circles – –  for my creative culinary cookie craftiness.

This and my fluent grasp of the Ubby Dubby language are the talents I always say I would use if I were in the Miss America Pageant – HA!!!!

Well – I’ve been saving up and have a couple really good recipes to share!  So this week is going to be cookie recipe week.

I made this cookie recipe for a recent party at my house, and they were a huge hit!

This cookie is a wonderful chewy, but crisp on the edges dream of milk chocolate, toffee, oatmeal, and a hint of coffee for good measure!  O….  M….  G….  !!!

Get ready for a new addiction!  This is one I have trouble passing up and is dangerous to keep in my house!  Bake them if you dare!

Toffee Coffee Oatmeal Cookies*

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) softened butter
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup strong coffee (cooled)
  • 2 tsp. vanilla
  • 3 cups Quaker oatmeal (either quick or old-fashioned, uncooked)
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 8-oz. packages milk chocolate toffee bits
  • 1 cup coarsely crumbled sugar ice cream cones (about 5 cones)

Directions:

In large bowl with electric mixer, beat sugar and butter until creamy.  Add egg; beat well.  Beat in coffee and vanilla.  Add salt, baking soda, and flour until combined.  Remove from electric mixer and stir in 3 cups oatmeal with wooden spoon.  Stir in toffee bits and crumbled sugar cones just until well incorporated.  Refrigerate dough for several hours or overnight to chill.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Roll tablespoons full of dough into round balls (golf ball sized) and place on baking stone or parchment lined cookie sheet.  Bake 12-14 minutes just until golden brown.  Allow to cool on baking stone for additional 5-10 minutes.  Transfer to cooling wire racks to cool completely.  Freeze well.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

*slightly adapted straight from the Quaker Oats recipe!

A Purple Parakeet in Watercolor

Purple Parakeet Original Watercolor by Jodi McKinney 11×14

A Purple Parakeet in Watercolor.

On my purple kick this past weekend, I created a random splash of color and topped it with cling wrap to create an abstract design.

I often like to do this when I don’t have anything special in mind to paint, but just want to create!  Then I look at it – sometimes for days or longer – until I see something appear.

My oldest DIL and I were at a local event this past Saturday at Quality Gardens and Bloom Cafe in Valencia, PA with our McKinneyX2Designs art and signs, and a man asked me if I ever painted a parakeet.

I hadn’t ever thought to, but when I looked at my “blob” of paint the next day, a parakeet appeared!  Mind over matter??!!

So I painted this.  I don’t even know the man’s name (who sweetly purchased a copy each of Klaus the Mouse, and Lucas the Lucky Lion for his grown artist daughter), but this painting is lovingly dedicated to him wherever he is, in honor of the sweet parakeet he and his wife recently loved and lost.  May they somehow feel the love.  And if he ever sees this, I will surely gift him with a print!

Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Original, prints, and cards available at McKinneyX2Designs and Berry Vine Gifts!

A Patch of Purple Delphiniums

A Patch of Purple Delphiniums Original Watercolor 11×14 by Jodi McKinney

A Patch of Purple Delphiniums.

Splashing some green and purple this past weekend –
very loosely for an initial wash,
then adding additional loose detail
to somewhat resemble a patch of purple delphiniums!

This watercolor was inspired by Mary at HeartandSoul974‘s flowery blog post last week.  We are not even sure if they are delphiniums in her photo, but that is what I am calling my watercolor, because….
well….
because I can!

Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Original, prints, and cards available at McKinneyX2Designs and Berry Vine Gifts!

 

Babysitting our Grandpuppy

Trevor McKinney Original Watercolor – 8×10 by Jodi McKinney

Babysitting our Grandpuppy.

As most of you know that have been hanging around here for any length of time, I am the fortunate grandma of two beautiful granddaughters to my oldest son and daughter-in-law.  You may not know, however, that I have an adorable grandpuppy to my youngest son and daughter-in-law, and we had the pleasure of having him over for a weekend vacation when his Dad and Mom went away on a little trip recently.

Charlie was such a good uncle to his young nephew, Trevor.

He got a bit annoyed at times with Trevor’s puppy energy and enthusiasm, but he properly warned and then gently taught him when “enough was enough!”

It was so fun having sweet Trevor around.  He never left my side, and I was told he may have missed us as much as we missed him when he went home.  He often comes to visit, however, so we are sure lucky!

I just had to paint a little portrait of his sweet puppy face and eyes for his Dad and Mom.  I cropped and used a bit of artistic license from the photo above I took from his recent stay.

Love you Trevy!

Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Orange you Glad-iolus?

Orange Gladiolus Original Watercolor 11×14 by Jodi McKinney

Orange you Glad-iolus?

My Dad recently texted me an image of an orange gladiolus stem in a vase a neighbor had placed on their porch.

He thought it might make a good painting subject.

So I painted it.

And this is my loose “impressionistic” version.

I hope it makes him and Mom II smile.

Hey Dad, “Orange you Glad-iolus I did?” 🙂

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth

 

Watercolor Painting: Bicycle with Flower Basket

Bicycle with Basket of Flowers in Galway Watercolor – 11×14

Watercolor Painting:  Bicycle with Flower Basket.

I have been wanting to paint a bicycle with a basket full of flowers for a while, but I hadn’t found the right inspiration.

Then I came upon “it”  (the inspiration) at a quaint little shop in Galway on our recent trip to Ireland.

I took artistic license in changing the black bike to turquoise that was on the sidewalk outside of Judy Greene’s Gift Shop on Kirwan Lane.

It brings back sweet memories of a great trip and gave me a painting I love!

Happy #WorldWatercolorMonth!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi