Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Sorry for no TWD today ~ but we do have Gardening and Baking Giant White Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Nut Cookies


Sorry for no TWD today. The apple, apple bread pudding looks phenomenal and I will be making it. I just let myself get a little behind =(.
Living on several acres in the country and trying to make the land usable for a variety of flowering trees, bulbs, perennials and a vegetable garden has been nothing short of a muscle wrenching challenge. The garden area still contains large rocks and 6 inches down is clay. A rototiller was used on the garden spot twice but the rocks cause too much damage to the machinery. My solution is using by arm strength and an old-fashioned spade. Eventually, all the large rocks will be gone, new soil will be mixed with the old and I will have a workable garden. This year looks promising!
Yukon and red potatoes are already up, pole green beans, pole and bush sugar snap peas, heirloom tomatoes and cherry tomatoes, mesclun lettuce mix and pickling cucumbers seem to be happily growing. My Kandy corn seedlings are also just popping up. Today is rain; go ol' natural watering. I have discovered Facebook several months ago and found when the rain is out, I feel a pull to the computer which can easily use up several hours of my time during the day. Do you ever feel guilty when time is allowed to slide like this? I have so many projects planned and self-control has been lacking today. I wonder if women have a harder time with guilt then men?
Enough deep thinking! Let the white chocolate chunk cookies do the rest of the talking here:

Giant White Chocolate Chunk Macadamia Nut Cookies
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 18 minutes
Makes: 16 cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted macadamia nuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 each: large egg, large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread macadamia nuts and coconut over a cookie sheet; roast, stirring every 2 minutes, until golden brown, about 6 minutes. Set aside to cool.
2. Increase heat to 375 degrees. Whisk flour, baking soda and baking powder together in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. Cream the butter in a mixing bowl with a mixer on low speed, 30 seconds. Add the sugars and salt; increase the speed to medium. Beat the mixture until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Reduce the speed; add the egg and egg yolk. Beat until combined. Beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients; mix on low until combined. Stir in chips, nuts and coconut.
4. Scoop out about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie, arranging 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheets. Bake cookies 1 tray at a time, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking, until cookies are golden brown and edges have begun to set but centers are still soft, 12-14 minutes per batch. Transfer sheet to wire rack to cool.

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