Jodi’s White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

October 20, 2016October 19, 2016 / Jodi / 47 Comments

I made another trip to Aldi this past week, and was once again blown away by the great prices and quality of products. I was a skeptic, but am a total new fan. I found a super deal on a beautiful bag of roasted, salted Macadamia nuts. I also bought some of their white chocolate chips knowing exactly the cookie I wanted to bake this week!

It was so hard not to eat all of those wonderful macadamia nuts before coarsely chopping them and adding them to the cookie batter!

I can’t swear to you that the whole 10 oz. bag was used in this recipe as it is likely a bit less from my lack of willpower, but these cookies still turned out to be one of my top faves! I must give them away before I eat too many. Luckily that is not a problem this week as there are plans for these tempting treats.

Here is my simple, classic recipe.

Jodi's White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Servings: 4-5 dozen
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Ingredients:

1 lb. (4 sticks) softened salted butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 tsp salt
2tsp baking soda
5 cups flour
1 10 oz bag macadamia nuts (more or less), coarsely chopped
1 12 oz bag white chocolate chips

Directions:

Blend butter and sugar until creamy with electric mixer on high speed for approximately 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue beating. Add vanilla, then salt and baking soda. Turn mixer to low. Slowly add flour, and mix just until fully incorporated. Gently fold in macadamia nuts and white chocolate chips with wooden spoon or spatula. Refrigerate dough at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Roll refrigerated dough into 1″ balls. Place on backing stone or cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake approximately 10 minutes until golden brown.

These cookies freeze well, and defrost quickly, so I store in Ziploc bags in the freezer.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

October is #NationalCookieMonth!

Chocolate-Covered Cookie Butter-Stuffed Oreos

September 18, 2016September 17, 2016 / Jodi / 54 Comments

About

O. M. G! Have you tried the new Oreo Thins yet? If there is one store bought cookie I love, it is Nabisco’s Oreo. There’s really nothing like them.

I rarely buy them, but I have been curious about the new Oreo Thins I’ve been hearing about. Double Stufs are DIVINE, so how are the Thins?

I needn’t wonder long, because when I saw an incredible idea for Cookie Butter Stuffed Oreos from Ruthanne, the incredibly creative baker at Easybaked, I knew I had to try them.

And they are AMAZING!

But who stops at amazing, when you can make them doubly amazing by topping them with a scoop of cookie butter…

placing another on top of that…

sandwiching….

and covering with chocolate?!

I was dying to try them, but knew we didn’t need a batch of these around the house for the three of us. So when my son Nick was heading over to celebrate his future father-in-law’s birthday yesterday, I asked if I could make them for him to take over for a little birthday gift.

He offered to help, so I gave him the jobs of “hand model” and sampler to assure they were okay to send.

He approved!

I filled a little pint-sized red berry basket with a dozen, wrapped it in clear cellophane and tied with some raffia to send on it’s way.

And now we only have to worry about having eight of these decadent little buggers around to taunt us with their amazingness!

Such a fun treat! I hope you’ll give them a try. And for more cuteness, check out Ruthanne’s Emoji Oreo Pops! I’m kinda tempted!! 😉

Chocolate Covered Cookie Butter Stuffed Oreos

Servings: 20
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Ingredients:

One box of Oreo Thins Chocolate cookies
One jar of Biscof or Trader Joe’s Speculoos cookie butter
One and 1/2 bags of Wilton’s Candy melts in dark chocolate
A little bit of milk chocolate candy melts to make stripes on top (or any sort of sprinkles you’d like to add to make these for any season!)

Directions:

Place 20 Oreo Thins Cookies on a cookie sheet. Top each cookie with a teaspoon-sized scoop of cookie butter. Press a second Oreo Thin on top to make a sandwich. Freeze for approximately 30 minutes.

Melt Candy Melts in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each increment, until chocolate is melted and smooth. (It took mine about 3 increments.)

Take 3-4 cookies out of the freezer at a time, and carefully dip – one at a time – in the melted chocolate. Use a fork to tap excess off, and slide the bottom of the cookie along the edge of the bowl to remove excess. Set on parchment or wax paper to harden.

Add sprinkles (if desired) before chocolate hardens, or drizzle with white or contrasting chocolate after it hardens.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Jodi’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

September 9, 2016September 9, 2016 / Jodi / 42 Comments

If you stopped by our house, and there weren’t any cookies (in the freezer)… well….

it just wouldn’t be our house.

Nothing fancy really. Usually just some sort of chocolate chip or oatmeal raisin, but always some cookies in the house.

This week, I baked some peanut butter cup cookies. One batch with Reese’s White Mini Cups and the other with traditional milk chocolate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Minis. You could combine the two in one cookie if you like, but I think people typically take pretty firm stances on liking white or milk chocolate, so I kept them separate.

I’ll be taking these to our book club party this weekend, but if you stop by, there will be some I’d be happy to offer you.

I share my cookies with Mike the UPS man, Cliff the mailman, and Adam the bug spray guy. Most of our friends and family who stop by know to just check the freezer drawer to see what this week’s treat is and help themselves. I love that! When you are comfortable enough in my house to help yourself to whatever is in the fridge or freezer, I am in my happy place.

Here is my recipe if you are looking for a delightful treat that is sure to please. You can substitute the peanut butter cups with chocolate chips or any other type of chopped candy you love.

Jodi's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Servings: 4 doz large cookies
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Ingredients:

2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups (16 oz) miniature Reese’s Milk Chocolate or White Chocolate Peanut Butter cups, coarsely chopped

Directions:

In the bowl of electric mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars, vanilla and eggs, and continue beating until light and fluffy.

Add salt and baking soda. Then gradually add in flour, one cup at a time, and mix just until incorporated. Stir in coarsely chopped peanut butter cups.

Chill dough in refrigerator for several hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Form dough into golf ball sized balls and place on baking stone or cookie sheet. Bake approximately 10 minutes until lightly golden brown.

Allow to cool on baking stone/cookie sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack, and cool completely.

Enjoy, and Happy Friday!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Spinach Blueberry Salad & a Blueberry Botanical

July 23, 2016July 22, 2016 / Jodi / 52 Comments

blueberry watercolor 5x7 arches 140lb rough prussian blue panes gray green gold

Blueberry watercolor 5×7 arches 140lb rough prussian blue panes gray green gold

For today’s #WorldWatercolorMonth Painting, I present: Blueberries in Prussian Blue. This is a “botanical” painting of sorts and possibly one of my more “realistic” paintings. A bit of a diversion for me.

And while we are on the subject of blueberries – the yummy, nutrient-packed fruit of the gods, here is a recipe for a spinach salad I made last week with blueberries in it. DIVINE!

I tossed some fresh spinach with blueberries and blue cheese (but you could use feta or goat or any other cheese you like), toasted walnuts, and green onions, and then drizzled with balsamic vinaigrette for a really fresh, yummy salad.

Some other favorite blueberry recipes I’ve shared in the past you might want to check out are my “almost famous” to-die-for Blueberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies and melt-in-your-mouth Fresh Peach and Blueberry Streusel Muffins. Maybe not quite as healthy, but very delish!

ENJOY!

Spinach & Blueberry Salad

Servings: 4
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Ingredients:

1 lb Spinach
1 pint blueberries
4 green onions, sliced
1 cup toasted and sugared walnuts*
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/3 cup Balsaimic Vinaigrette

Combine fresh, clean spinach, blueberries, green onions and walnuts and drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette. Top with crumbled blue cheese and serve immediately.

*Melt 1 Tbsp butter in skillet over medium heat. Add walnuts, and sprinkle with sugar. Saute over medium heat for approximately five minutes until sugar has melted and walnuts have browned. Cool completely.

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Jodi’s Blueberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

April 15, 2016April 13, 2016 / Jodi / 64 Comments

I created and started baking this super yummy cookie years ago by taking my old reliable base cookie recipe and adding dried blueberries and white chocolate chips.

It has become a favorite of hubby’s and some of my other cookie-lovin’ friends. I was surprised to realize I had not posted this recipe here yet, so I’m excited to share it with you.

If you are looking for a unique and delightful treat, you really should try this cookie. I have been hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t like these!

Dried blueberries can be a bit pricey, but Trader Joe’s is a great source of delicious and reasonable ones. And they are sooooo worth it once you’ve taken a bite of this cookie!

Blueberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Servings: 4-5 dozen
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Ingredients:

4 sticks (1 lb.) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
2 tsp vanilla
4 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
5 cups all purpose flour
1 12-oz bag Nestle Premier White Chocolate Chips (or your favorite)
1 8-oz bag Trader Joe’s dried blueberries (or your favorite brand)

Directions:

With electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until completely incorporated. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat until light and fluffy. Add baking soda and salt, and mix another minute. Gradually add flour and beat until well incorporated, but do not overbeat.

Fold in white chocolate chips and blueberries. Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. With your hands, form a cookie dough ball about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Place on baking stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake. Allow to cool on baking stone for 2-3 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Cookie Butter Cinnamon Chip Cookies

March 2, 2016March 2, 2016 / Jodi / 39 Comments

Have you discovered the amazingness of Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter yet? (It’s quite similar to Biscoff spread, which I also absolutely adore!)

I knew there had to be an EXTRAordinary cookie to make with this magical spread, so I went a googling and discovered a great recipe to start with at the wonderful Averie Cooks blog.

These cinnamony, gingergread biscuity, ooey-gooey brown sugary in the center, crispy crunchy on the outside little gems of deliciousness may just be my new favorite cookie ever!

Bake them if you dare!

Cookie Butter Cinnamon Chip Cookies

Servings: 2 1/2 dozen
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Ingredients:

2 large eggs
1 ½ cups Trader Joe’s Cookie Butter or Biscoff Spread
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter (softened)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
3 Tablespoons vanilla extract
1 3/4 cup flour
4 teaspoons cornstarch
3 teaspoons cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
pinch of salt
1 bag Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips

Directions:

Cream the egg, Cookie Butter, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 4-5 mins.

Add flour, cornstarch, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until just incorporated, about 1 min. Fold in cinnamon chips.

Make 1 ½ inch balls from the cookie dough, place on a cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter. Chilling the dough is a must.

Preheat oven to 350F. Place cookie balls on baking stone or sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart, and bake for 8-9 mins, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set. Do not over-bake.

Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes before removing and transferring to a rack to finish cooling.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Best-Ever Amish Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

February 6, 2016March 3, 2019 / Jodi / 55 Comments

If you are an oatmeal raisin cookie lover……

You know – you love the ones that are crispy around the edges, but caramely chewy with plump sweet raisins on the inside…..

You are going to be in OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIE HEAVEN when you make and taste these amazing Amish Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

I honestly believe these are the BEST EVER Oatmeal Raisin Cookies on the Planet!

Earth AND Mars!

Get ready to be a Cookie Rock Star when you make these!

Now go get baking! You MUST have these!

Amish Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Servings: 4 dozen large cookies
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Ingredients:

3/4 cup softened butter
3/4 cup coconut oil or shortening
2 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1/3 cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 Tbsp baking soda
3 cups oatmeal
1/2 cup buttermilk ( you can make a substitute by adding 1/2 Tbsp white vinegar to milk or half and half and allowing to sit for 5 min as a substitute, and it works perfectly fine!)
1 1/2 – 2 cups golden raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cream together butter, coconut oil or shortening, and granulated sugar until fully incorporated. Add the egg, molasses and vanilla and beat well.

Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl – flour, salt, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder – and add to creamed butter/sugar mixture. Add buttermilk next, followed by oatmeal. When well combined, gently stir in raisins.

Drop by heaping tablespoon onto baking stone or cookie sheet. Flatten slightly. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool on baking stone/cookie sheet for additional 5 minutes, then remove to cooling rack to cool completely.

Enjoy these amazing cookies (that include some healthy ingredients)!

I cannot wait to hear what you think of them, and I dare you to challenge me to a better oatmeal raisin cookie recipe! 🙂

Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi

Anticipation – Charlie Style

January 16, 2016January 14, 2016 / Jodi / 46 Comments

Mom finally baked some cookies the other day!

It’s been weeks!

She said we had plenty of them over the holidays and needed a break.

But my brother and my Dad and I kept looking around for some and commenting about no cookies being around, so Mom broke down and made some.

YIPPEE SKIPPEE!

This is how I sit with my Dad when “we” are eating cookies. Mom calls this my look of “anticipation.” (and I have no clue what that double chin thing going on is there in this very unflattering photo! Oh Mom!!)

My Dad is very nice and almost always shares…. not as much as I’d like…. but even a crumb is worth waiting for!

Have you had my Mom’s cookies?! Though I must say, I’d wait just the same for a stale cracker, but that’s besides the point…

It is very important that I do not take my eyes off of Dad’s mouth OR the cookie, so I watch very attentively. It requires a “very particular set of skills” that I have honed. When I do this, he remembers I am there and remembers to share.

Anyway – not only are we happy, but Mom also shared some of these cookies with a couple of my best friends: Cliff the mailman and Mike the UPS man. They both stopped by to visit me the day she baked them, so they got to take some with them after our visit too. They are both so nice and always share cookies with me, so I guess it is only fair – right?! At least that is what Mom says.

And if I am smart enough to know which side my bread is buttered on, I better agree!

Woofs & Wags from your buddy,
Charlie

Christmas Apricot Kolache Cookies

December 17, 2015December 16, 2015 / Jodi / 44 Comments

Holiday baking continues this week.

The other day I shared Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread and told you how that is one recipe I bake for “me.”

Well…. Hubby, who reads my blog daily, mentioned it is one of HIS faves too.

These little treats I’m sharing today – Apricot Kolaches – however, I make for him! I know this is one of his favorites, and that is why I make them.

Yep – Grandma made these too, and I shared this recipe last year around this time also, but I just had to share again since they are such a part of our holidaying.

I cannot believe Christmas Eve is only a week away. For some reason, I am as excited as a child this year. Not sure why… Not really fussing more than usual…. Nothing particularly unusual going on….. Just feeling happy….. Just cherishing the moments…

Hope you are too! Amidst all the “stuff” we all deal with (and we ALL have “stuff”- me included) – I hope you are taking time to “cherish the moments.”

They really are precious, and they bring such joy.

It might just be a smile from a stranger, the realization of timing that protected you from a “near accident,” the beauty of a sunrise or a sunset, the sound of a bird chirping or the laughter of a child or of a senior, the taste of that first sip of coffee in the morning, the warmth of a fire, the twinkling of Christmas lights, a lick from a dog, a purr from a cat, a kiss hello or a kiss good-bye, an “I love you,” a card in the mail, a “like” on your Facebook page, an email from your boss that says “perfect,” singing a Christmas carol or a favorite hymn, the softness of your pillow, the thirst-quenching of a tall glass of fresh water.

You see – we all have an abundance of moments to cherish each day.

I cherish each one of you reading this. Thank you for giving me some “moments” of your day.

Christmas Apricot Kolache Cookies

Servings: A lot!
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2 8-oz blocks of cream cheese, softened
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups apricot preserves or apricot filling (I use Baker’s)
1 Egg, beaten
Confectioner’s (Powdered) Sugar, for dusting

Beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed of stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn mixer on low, and gradually mix in the flour until a smooth dough forms.

Knead dough on lightly floured work surface, and gently form a ball. Divide dough into fourths, flatten, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line cookie sheet or baking stone with parchment paper. Working with one piece of dough at a time (after bringing back to room temperature from refrigeration), roll out to approximately 1/8 inch thick rectangle. Trim edges and cut dough into 2 inch squares.

Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of apricot filling into the center of each square.

Fold one corner into the center, dab with the beaten egg, then bring the opposite corner into the center and press firmly to seal.

Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet, and bake for approximately 10 minutes.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar and cool on wire rack.

These cookies freeze well and thaw quickly.

This recipe makes about a million …. or at least feels like it when you are making them!

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Christmas Pittsburgh-Style Thumbprint Cookies

December 14, 2015December 12, 2015 / Jodi / 33 Comments

Christmas baking time is in full swing around here.

And those of us that live in and around Pittsburgh make thumbprints our own special way. With icing! and Sprinkles!

So for my Cookie Swap Party this coming weekend, Christmas Pittsburgh Thumbprints it is!

If you’d like to give them a try and share something different with your family and friends, try a few new thumbprints – like last week’s Twix Chocolate Caramel Shortbread version and these tasty Pittsburgh favorites.

Christmas Pittsburgh Thumbprint Cookies

Servings: 3 dozen
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Cookie Ingredients:

5 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups butter, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
4 tsp vanilla extract
Sprinkles

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour and salt. Once it is mostly incorporated, slowly increase the speed back to medium-high and beat for another minute or so until a dough forms.
Form tablespoons of dough into balls and roll in the sprinkles. If dough is a bit dry, you can add a little bit of milk or cream or put on your hands when rolling the balls to allow sprinkles to stick.
Place on baking stone about 1 – 1/2 inches apart. Make a slight indentation with your thumb or finger on the tops of all the cookies.
Bake for 8 minutes, then make a deeper indentation in the middle, and bake for an additional 7-8 minutes. The cookies should not brown much at all around the edges. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Icing:

1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbsp corn syrup
3 Tbsp milk or cream
Pinch salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp butter, room temperature
Food coloring

Stir together all ingredients until smooth, then drop a spoonful into each cooled cookie.

Enjoy!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

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the creative life in between

cherishing the moments and exploring my passion for creativity… through art, photography, food, and writing

cookies

Jodi’s White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

Jodi's White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies