Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Recipe: Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies & OXO Illuminating Digital Hand Mixer

· Narrative, Sweets

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I haven’t had a hand-held mixer since a million years ago before I got married. Back then, I used it ALL THE TIME, but then soon after I got married I got a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer and never looked back.

Until now.

When the good folks at OXO ask if I wanted to try their new mixer, I jumped at the chance.

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Mostly because my hand-held mixer of yesteryear was LONG GONE, and there many times during the week that I look at the Kitchen-Aid on my counter and really want that counter space back.

I have it there because if it’s out in plain sight, I will use it more.

FACT.

But when it’s out in plain sight … well, it’s out in plain sight.

You get my drift.

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When I was initially reading the details on this new mixer, I noticed that it featured a headlight.

What the…?!

Yes, a headlight for your mixer.

And I will be quite honest, I thought that was a little bit ridiculous.

What could you possibly need a headlight for?

But then I used it.

And, like, WOW.

You need a headlight for your mixer.

Trust me.

I even took a short ten second video for you, so you could see how illuminated the inside of my mixing bowl is:

Although I was doing my baking in the early afternoon and it was sunny outside, you would think the headlight feature wouldn’t have been that big a deal.

You would be wrong.

I could suddenly SEE everything in my bowl. It’s like you don’t even realize how dark your bowl and batter is until it is suddenly all lit up.

It was the coolest thing ever, and I was instantly a convert.

There are, of course, other highlights to this mixer. It comes with the standard beaters, and also pastry hooks, and a handy little thing on the front where you can attach the beaters to the mixer. Very convenient, although I did secretly wish it came with a little case or even just a bag to keep it from getting dusty when stored.

The other thing I noticed … you know when you’re mixing, sometimes you feel like being a rebel and don’t hold the bowl … and then you’re sorry you didn’t because there is batter everywhere?

No need to worry with this one. The motor is slow and steady and even with me not holding the bowl, the mixer didn’t get all crazy and my bowl stayed put.

It’s the little things, what can I say?

Now … what did I make with my first foray with this mixer?

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies.

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So good.

Nick had a holiday party tonight with his Leaders club, and this was the perfect thing to make for a crowd of teenagers. With the Andes candy chunks throughout, and the mint extract, no denying the flavor.

Fresh out of the oven? Amazeballs.

I will admit, the green color is a little off-putting at first. The kids said the cookies looked like they were sick. My mom said she was hesitant to take one too. But once they bit into them… all bets were off. And you could, of course, skip the green food coloring, but where’s the fun in that?

Two quick notes and then I’m off … WATCH THE BAKING TIME CAREFULLY. Can you tell which cookies are overdone?

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And two, don’t use the mixer when you’re mixing in the chocolate pieces – that will make your batter a gross muddy color, and ain’t nobody got time for that.

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Recipe: Traditional Scottish Shortbread

· Narrative

Everything you want from a traditional Scottish Shortbread recipe … and with just four ingredients.

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If you’re going to make shortbread, it should be legit.

Like an authentic Scottish version.

And the fact that we can do it with only four ingredients?

Even better.

Because this is that.

When the kids were with their Dad this weekend, I made good use of some quiet time and tackled a huge file of recipe clippings. Many were recipes I haven’t made yet, and many headed to the recycling bin, but I stumbled upon a handful of tried-and-true recipes that haven’t made it here.

Which means they only exist on a little scrap of paper.

And, well, that just won’t do.

So here we are.

I got this recipe years ago from a Scottish friend of the family, and honestly, it could not be simpler to make. And it tastes just the way shortbread should. Buttery, slightly crumbly, a bit of sweet, and all ’round perfection. Awesome to dunk in a cup of coffee or just eat as is.

It’s a recipe that you’ll find yourself making again and again and again.

Ready, set …

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Recipe: Loaded M&M Cookie Bars

· Narrative

Leftover Halloween candy gets put to good use in these Loaded M&M Cookie Bars.

Loaded M&M Oreo Bars

We donated a large amount of our Halloween candy, and I’ve been working on being creative with what we have left ever since.

You know, so we don’t eat.it.all.

Last week, I made a cookie that was stuffed with Butterfingers, Kit-Kats, and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. Although I didn’t have any myself, I’d have to say that given the speed in which they disappeared, they were a hit.

Big time.

Today’s recipe used up the four small packages of Oreo cookies that were in the Halloween stash, along with many, many packages of the M&M’s.

The rest of the M&M’s, keeping the peanut ones separate, I emptied into sealed containers and popped them into the baking cabinet for future baking pursuits.

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Using a blondie bar recipe as the base, roughly chopped Oreos are mixed in, and then once the batter is in the pan, ready for baking, M&M’s are sprinkled on top.

I love that the recipe is for an 8×8 dish, the perfect size to save a few bars for the kids and share a few with some friends. I also love that no mixer is needed and it’s all in one bowl. Recipes like that totally get made more often because I’m all over anything that keeps my kitchen becoming less of a disaster. Mostly because I feel like I’m always fighting the good fight to keep up with dishes.

Even with a dishwasher.

Less than thirty minutes from start to mouth, the kids declared this one a keeper. Good texture, a slight crispy bite from the Oreos, and little bits of chocolatey goodness sprinkled in with the M&M’s.

If YOU have leftover Halloween stash you want to put to good use, or odds and ends in your cupboards, get to baking!

Tomorrow? A Baltimore restaurant review.

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Straight from the Cookie Jar: Butter Crunch Cookies

· Narrative

Butter Crunch Cookies

The Husband made a roast pork last night for dinner, and I took care of the rice and salad.  Since it made for an easy night in the kitchen, it was the perfect opportunity to hit my stack of to-try recipes and tackle another one.  The glass cookie jar on the counter was getting dangerously low and it was time to rectify that situation.

This recipe comes from a special Cookies magazine that Taste of Home put out around the Christmas holidays, and although I’m not a big fan of rolling cookies into little balls (I usually give that job to Nick, who luckily not only loves it, but is a pro at it), it was in the oven in under fifteen minutes.  Even with a minor substitution in the recipe, the end result is just short of an OMG cookie.  Seriously rivaling my current favorite, those Cinnamon-Nut Spice Cookies, they are buttery, crispy and downright addicting.

Have a few minutes?  Go on and fill up your cookie jar with these babies … you won’t be disappointed.

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