I have had the absolute pleasure of sharing February 14th, Valentine's Day with my sweet hubby for thirty-nine years. The whole fancy restaurant with cloth napkins, tablecloths and candles is a thing of the past. I've discovered what makes my hubby happiest is his favorite meal, meatloaf and mash potatoes.
[I make the best mash potatoes. If you want my simple recipe, let me know in comments.]
With dinner, my gift this year will be my hubby's favorite sweet, Heaven in a Cookie. Homemade cookies take so little time to put together and bake, and they are so wonderful. If you don't want to eat a whole recipe, drop scoops of dough onto a cookie sheet and set in the freezer. Once they are frozen, place them into a freezer storage bag and freeze up to six months. Yeah, they'll never last that long, but this method also works for muffins, sweet breads and even cake batter.
I hope you're give this recipe a chance. Here's what you need to know:
I start with a basic cookie recipe, but adapt the ingredients. 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda pinch of salt 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened--let sit out on the counter for 30 minutes 3/4 cup granulated sugar 3/4 cup packed brown sugar--packed just means smash the sugar down flat. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 2 large eggs 2-3 cups Nestle Toll House White Chocolate Morsels. [I like this brand because the morsels are so creamy] 1 cup coconut [I love Baker's brand because it's so moist] 2 cup chopped pecans [He's a Texas Man] 1 cup dried cranberries [The sky is the limit: red hots, sprinkles, mini candies like M&Ms--anything that you've ever seen in a cookie] Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in flour, salt and baking soda. Stir in remaining ingredients, but don't over beat. I use a cookie scoop to drop rounded tablespoon onto an parchment-lined baking sheet. [I love the pre-cut parchment paper.] BAKE for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Every oven is different.
I would like to say I wrap them in a sweet box like the one in the image above, but I married the Cookie Monster. He'll eat half a tray before they even cool. That's okay. I love the guy.
So what do I want for the special day? Books, books and more books. And if my sweet hubby has a magic wand that will alter time so I can read them, that would be awesome!
Happy, happy, happy Valentine's Day!
Hugs to all,
Nancy C. Weeks
Watch for Chapter Two next week.
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For my past blog post, please Click Here.