forget homework...but never forget cookies!

posted on: Thursday, February 7, 2008


Before school started I decided that I would only post once a week so that I could spend more time with homework and less time on the internet. Since I already blew it for this week with the funny sushi video I had to post on my blog, then I might as well post about cookies!

Enzo just fell asleep and the whole time I was in the room I kept thinking about chocolate. Ever since I moved to CA (and when I was in MA) I always had a 1 lb bar of Trader Joes milk chocolate laying round. It's my favorite chocolate. I've been out and pissed about it. I've been trying to schedule in a quick trip to Trader Joes but seems pointless when all I would really get is the chocolate. Chris just went a couple days ago and I forgot to ask for it. Anyway, when I don't have chocolate I'm super grumpy and just crave it none stop. I even went to my neighbor's house today because I could smell fresh brownies. I played with her son, hung out with her, and she DID NOT offer me any. I was totally offended and will probably be mad at her for a long time. Actually the second part isn't true BECAUSE I have the WORST memory EVER!!! It's true, ask my husband. I only remember people's birthday's but other than that I pretty much forget everything. INCLUDING the fact that I had made oatmeal chocolate chip COOKIES last night and they were right there in my kitchen. When I went downstarirs to asnwer the phone I happened to also get a drink of water and right on top of the microwave were the cookies I made. YAY! I seriously feel A LOT better now that I've had a few (a lot).

Here is a funny cookies story for you. For those of you who went to MHC remeber Chef Jeff cookies? For those of you who didn't go to MHC Chef Jeff cookies were/are the BEST chocolate chip cookies in the world. They are huge and very, very, very chewey. They prettty much melt in your mouth. When I was an undergrad I worked in the dinning hall helping the chefs and one day I was given the most important job of all, making Chef Jeff's cookies. I was trilled. This would mean access to the coveted secret recipe. I made the cookies and stole the recipe. I never got around to making it because all the measurements were in huge quantities, like 5 lbs of butter kind of deal. I kept hyping up the cookies to my friend Mariko and one day her husband Jake and Chris asked to see the recipe. They looked at the recipe and did the math so that I could make the recipe in a sane amount. It turnes out that the secret recipe is exactly like the Original Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe!!! If you know Jake and Chris you can imagine how funny they thought the whole thing was. I felt totally betrayed. How could Chef Jeff's cookies be the Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies, they tasted so different. To redeem myself I made the recipe following Chef Jeff's directions and there is ONE thing that is different and I will argue that it makes all the difference. You beat the butter with the sugars and vanilla for TEN MINUTES! That's right! The rest of the recipe is the same.

So here is the famous Original Nestlé Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies with cheff Jeff's chocolate chip cookies recipe variation.

* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
* 3/4 cup granulated sugar
* 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 large eggs
* 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
* 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

PREHEAT oven to 375° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl for 10 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in morsels and nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets.

BAKE for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

(sorry so much of this post was written in caps...must be the sugar high)

3 comments:

  1. I can't believe it! The recipe from the back of the bag... jeez, Chef Jeff. What a cheater. I'll have to try that 10-min trick.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Liz I knew you'd be upset. Christian thinks I should write an article about it to the Alum quarterly but I think it would create mass chaos. What would happen to M&C's?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Cheater....ouch that hurt's! This is CJ (Mariko, if you're reading this, "Aloha"!) and I can assure everyone that the CJ cookies are not Nestle's (however it's no secret all drop cookie are made with essentially the same ingredients and methods).
    It might also be of interest that I have left Mt. Holyoke to start my own cookie company with Joe Jeresaty, the former owner of the Thirsty Mind. Check us out at zuzzys.com!

    See Ya!

    ReplyDelete

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