I'm emerging out of my writing cave today for COOKIES! And also, for being a NaNoWriMo WINNER!
*cue Rocky Balboa's victory music*
BOOYAH!
Whew. Now I can actually go to bed at a decent hour and take a shower in the morning. Also, sort the laundry that's already wilting in the basket, scrub the toilets, DO MY CHRISTMAS SHOPPING, and yeah, get more sleep.
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Proof of my crazy November! Yeah! |
I will post about my NaNo journey sometime later...er, mucho later. For now, you all get to drool over COOKIES! because my lovely and uber sweet friend,
Angela V. Cook of
The Starving Novelist (how appropriate!) is hosting a
Virtual Cookie Exchange.
So, perfect timing for a celebration, no?
Here are the links to other blogs participating in this Cookie Fest:
The Starving Novelist
A Book, A Girl, A Journey
By Anna Banks
Publish Novels or Bust
I'm not a baking guru. Heck, I hardly bake pastry confections or bread or cookies or pies because while I can cook meals, baking, with its precise measurements and tedious methods, sometimes make me twitch an eye or two. So I generally leave the baking to the pros--like my mother, my sister, and my mother-in-law--and settle for those easy cut-and-pop-into-oven cookie dough available in your grocery aisle. Usually located in the cold shelves with the butter and eggs (at least, it is in my local grocery store).
But! That would not be good enough for this cookie fest. At the very least, Cookie Monster will stalk me and shove cookies in my mouth while I sleep if I don't give you a good cookie recipe.
So, what to do? What to do? I turn to my trusty and beloved cooking idol:
Ree Drummond of
Pioneer Woman Cooks. If you haven't heard of her, you need to get acquainted ASAP! Because of her, I made my very first Flat Apple Pie (with homemade crust! And to think I don't bake!) with great success. So this woman clearly is a guru, and she makes everything look so easy to make with her step-by-step photos accompanying the instructions.
Therefore, I share with you her
website so you can peruse all the delicious meals she features there, and also a recipe that is simply to die for:
Cleta Bailey's Toffee Squares
From: Ree Drummond aka Pioneer Woman
Ingredients:
- 2 sticks Butter
- 1 cup Packed Brown Sugar
- 1 whole Egg
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 2 cups All-purpose Flour
- 2 cups Chocolate Chips (milk Or Semi-sweet)
- 3/4 cups Finely Chopped Pecans
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and flour and mix until combined. Spread on cookie sheet with an offset spatula until thin. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle on chocolate chips. Return to oven for 1 minute. Remove from oven and spread chocolate thinly over the cookie layer.
Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Cut into squares.
*******
I have her cookbook, and let me tell you, I use it all the time. My kids will happily eat anything I serve them if I tell them it's from the Pioneer Woman cookbook. Crazy, eh? And I sound like a telemarketer. Believe me, I don't get paid to endorse her or her product. I'm just simply a big fan.
Do you have favorite cookies you bake for the holidays? Care to share? If you want to participate, go ahead and post your favorite cookie recipe, but let me know so I can add you to the list of links!
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15 comments:
ooooo, yummy! I think I need me some pioneer woman in my life :) Congrats on the Nano win!!
Congrats to you, too! I saw your "WINNER" caption on your Nano profile.
Yes, Pioneer Woman is awesome. I have to warn you though, if you ever get her cookbook, there is the possibility of gaining 10 pounds...maybe more. Her food is soooo good.
Go Cherie! Congrats on finishing :)
I don't bake well but I eat baked goods like a pro!
I like this recipe. I will definitely try this! THANK YOU and congrats on Nano!
Yay!! Congrats on Nano!!
Those toffee squares look AWESOME! I am a toffee freak! YUMMY! Will definitely have to try those ;o)
Funny you should mention Ree Drummond--I just watched the "Thanksgiving Throwdown" she did with Bobby Flay a couple of weeks ago. ;-)
Thanks for participating in the fest!
I agree, the toffee looks amazing! Congrats on being winner!!
I can't think of a favorite cookie for the holidays, I love pumpkin bread, lol!
Yummers!! (Did I hear the rumor correctly? Cookie Monster is now VEGGIE monster?! WTF?! The pussification of America in full effect!)
So glad for you and your laundry that you can take a break ;)
Congratulations on winning NaNoWriMo! :D
Yum, and congrats on winning! Woohoo!
I love the Pioneer Woman! I have her "Black Heels, Tractor Wheels" book. Congrats on finishing NaNo--but give yourself a couple days to enjoy life before you start cleaning toilets. You deserve it!
Congrats on winning! You rock! Enjoy the cookies :D
whoa. Those cookies look amazing. And super congrats for finishing Nano! You rock~ :o) <3
Congrats on being a winner!
Now I'm going to go raid my "goodies" cabinet and imagine nothing I eat will taste as good as those toffee squares look.
I heart Pioneer Woman. And cookies. And congrats again on winning NaNo!
Fantastic! BTW you've won an award. Check it out here.
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