Dinner At Sheila's

Tomorrow I’m taking these Crisp and Chewy (Big) Chocolate Chip Cookies to my sister’s for Memorial Day weekend.  I baked them for the first time a couple of months ago.

I had seen the recipe in a recent issue of Martha Stewart Living magazine.  The crisp and chewy part is what caught my eye, and decided to try them. 

It wasn’t until I was about to put them on the cookie sheet that I realized the recipe was for giant cookies, using a large ice cream scoop for each cookie rather than the generous teaspoonful usually called for.

It actually made me laugh because I’m always stressing to others the importance of reading through the complete recipe before beginning it.  Ha! Well the joke was on me, but in this case I was rewarded with the most delicious and largest soft in the middle, slightly crunchy on the outside chocolate chip cookies imaginable.

On this second go round of baking them I doubled the recipe to make about 40 cookies. I also used half semi-sweet chocolate chips and half dark chocolate chips (these are larger than the original semi-sweet Nestles chips).

They freeze beautifully wrapped well.  I will be taking them to our Barbeque tomorrow evening along with my Vermont Potato Salad which should go great with the ribs my sister is planning to serve! 

Happy Memorial Day, and take time to remember the veterans, and the gift of freedom they’ve given us.

Crisp and Chewy Big Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from Martha Stewart Living) (makes about 20 large cookies)

2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 and 1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 and1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1 and 1/4 cups dark brown sugar

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 extra large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 and 1/2 cups chocolate chips (half semi-sweet and half dark chocolate)

1.  Sift together flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.

2.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Beat butter and sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Beat in eggs one at a time.  Add vanilla.  Reduce speed to low.  Add flour mixture; beat until combined.  Mix in chocolate chips.

3.  Using a 2 and 1/4-inch ice cream scoop (about 3 tablespoons) drop dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.  

Bake until gold around the edges but soft in the middle, about 15 minutes.  Let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely.

Note:  MAKE AHEAD: Dough can be refrigerated for up to 5 days.  Cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or frozen.

I’ve been making variations of this Mushroom Barley Soup for as many years as I can remember.  This hearty soup is a meal in itself when served with a loaf of crusty bread.  This  particular version is made with chicken broth, but vegetarians could substitute a vegetable broth or stock.  It’s a simple soup to make, not requiring much time, nor fancy ingredients, but one that I think you will want to add to your repertoire of winter soups. 

This is a recipe I’ve developed myself as I tried to duplicate the taste of the mushroom barley soup I remember eating as I grew up.  Here it is…

Mushroom Barley Soup

2 tablespoons butter (may substitute canola or vegetable oil, but I like the flavor butter imparts)

2 cups chopped onions

2 cups chopped carrots

2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped leeks (white and light green parts only)

1 pound mushrooms, diced

8 cups chicken broth (low sodium)  or homemade chicken stock

1 mushroom bouillion cube (such as Telma mushroom soup and seasoning cube)

2 cups boiling water

1 cup pearl barley

1 teaspoon salt, or to taste

freshly cracked black pepper to taste

fresh dill, leaves only, chopped

fresh Italian parsley, leaves only, chopped

In a large soup pot saute the onions, carrots, celery, and leeks in the melted butter over medium-medium high heat.  Cook for 10- 12 minutes until vegetables are soft and transparent, but not browned.

Clean the mushrooms by wiping them off with a damp paper towel, before dicing them.  Add the diced mushrooms to the vegetables and cook another 5-8 minutes.

Stir the mushroom bouillion cube into the 2 cups of boiling water.   Add this with the 8 cups of chicken broth to the soup pot.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer.

Add 1 cup pearl barley and some fresh chopped dill and parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.  Continue to cook on simmer, with the pot partially covered for one hour until the barley is tender.

Note:  The soup will thicken as it sits because the barley tends to absorb the broth.  When reheating the soup you may want to adjust the consistency by adding some water.

Serve with a little chopped fresh dill or parsley on top.