Chewy Chcolate Chip Cookies

Here's a chewy chocolate chip recipe that Trang gave me: http://www.freestylefarm.ca/2011/04/03/the-best-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/

THE BEST CHOCOLATE CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

A perfect balance of crispy & chewy cookies, yields 3-4 dozen depending on how big you make them.

Wet Ingredients:

• ½ cup (or one stick) Melted Unsalted Butter
• ¼ cup Canola or Vegetable Oil
• 1 cup White Sugar
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Dry Ingredients:

• 2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
• 2 tsp Baking Soda
• ½ tsp Cinnamon
• ½ tsp Salt
  
• 1 cup Chocolate Chips (semi-sweet)
• 1½ cup Oatmeal

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Combined melted butter, oil and sugar in a medium size bowl. Add eggs and vanilla, beat until smooth and glossy.
2. Add whole wheat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon (sprinkle and distribute evenly) into wet mixture, and mix well. You should probably combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl first before adding, but this works too.
3. Add oatmeal and chocolate chips, and cut into the dough mixture.
4. Use two teaspoons to make ping-pong size balls, and drop onto parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Leave room in between for cookies to spread.
5. Bake for 8-10 minutes, ovens vary, so keep an eye and look for browning around the outside edge. A lighter brown cookie (slighter under done) for a chewier cookie, an darker brown for a crispier cookie. They will be very soft straightout of the oven, let them cool a bit to crisp up before handling or they will break.

December 23, 2012 update: I finally had time to bake these. Not bad... but not the best ever. I took them out early so they'd be chewy. Husband said they were fine but something was missing or... just not quite right. The search for the perfect cookie will continue.

Strawberry whole wheat muffins

Sandy. Again. Love her recipes! She gave me this one for strawberry whole wheat muffins and I've made them a few times now. A hit every single time. I've also substituted mangoes and blueberries instead of strawberries and still a hit. Thanks Sandy!

Here's the website she gave to me: http://www.alidaskitchen.com/2011/06/strawberry-yogurt-muffins.html

Strawberry Yogurt Muffins
Yields 12 muffins

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1/4 cup oil
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups strawberries, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line or grease 12 muffin cups. 
2. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside. 
3. In a separate bowl, combine eggs, yogurt, oil and vanilla until blended.  Add to flour mixture and gently mix until combined (Be careful not to over mix).  Gently fold in strawberries.
4. Divide batter evenly between muffin cups.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Let muffins cool in pan for 5 minutes.  Transfer muffins to wire rack and let cool completely.