Chocolate Chip Cookies, currently

My lifelong favorite cookie and recipe, chocolate chip cookies feature regularly on the treat rotation around here. Although they act like an easy going staple, I find them to be slightly fussy and very changeable. I prefer my cookies to be soft and slightly chewy, with semisweet chips and plenty of salt. I only use real butter (I prefer Costco's) and "good vanilla and chocolate". If that sounds like Ina Garten, so be it. She's still my favorite human being I've never met.

Friends always ask me exactly how I make my chocolate chip cookies so I'll do my best to lay out the ingredients and techniques, because even a little change makes a big difference.

Brown Sugar- I use dark brown exclusively and prefer the Target or Safeway brand

White Sugar- C & H (I get the 10 lb bags at Costco- they perfectly fill my canister as shown above)

Butter- I exclusively use regular salted butter from Costco except when I can get Land o' Lakes or Challenge inexpensively  over the holiday baking season

Vanilla- I always buy Costco's pure vanilla extract. I love the flavor and they finally added a pour spout (I never measure and always dump in extra). This stuff is expensive and delicious. I always mean to make my own but haven't gotten to it yet. My friend gave me a bottle of homemade vanilla for Christmas a while back and I just store it in my pantry and admire it whenever I see it. I love good vanilla. This bottle costs $29.99 at my Costco right now which is a significant improvement from when it reached $38 last year but still a lot more than when I paid $17 a bottle a few years ago. It's expensive but I don't know of a decent substitute. Please leave a comment if you have a source or suggestion. I live in Arizona but Mexican vanilla isn't really my jam due to it's inconsistency, although some varieties are great.

Salt- I use Diamond Kosher Salt for everything at my house except making homemade playdoh (I break out the Morton from the back of the pantry for that!). It's really inexpensive at my local Kroger store.

Kosher and sea salts have a different shaped crystal and softer taste than iodized salt so recipes usually call for varied amounts. For me it works fine to interchange kosher or sea salt but not regular iodized salt. I use 2 teaspoons of kosher salt in this recipe but if you use regular salt you'd want to reduce to probably 1.5, according to taste. I used to use several kinds of salt in my cabinet but space is at a premium and Diamond Kosher tastes great and works well. So I use that for almost everything now. I do have a jar of Maldon I sometimes sprinkle baked goods with. Again, if it's good enough for Ina Garten it's good enough for me.

Baking soda- I buy Arm and Hammer and keep it in this functional and attractive air tight container I found on clearance at the grocery store years ago. When I dropped mine on the tile a few years ago and broke it, I replaced it full price on Amazon right away.

Flour- I use Gold Medal all purpose flour. I like to use freshly ground whole wheat flour for pancakes, waffles, rolls, etc, but for cookies I stick to the classic. I'm not pretending it's healthy magical white flour. Makes a good cookie though. I keep several bags in my spare fridge so I never run out. I buy the standard 5 pound bag and it fits in the same canister I use for my sugar (as seen above). I like using the smaller bags and storing them airtight so my flour is always fresh.

Chocolate chips- I like to use semisweet chocolate for at least half of the add ins. Sometimes I'll add some mint chips, M&Ms (I get the big canister of plain ones at Costco and store it hidden away in the corner of my pantry with the baking stuff), toffee chips, milk chocolate chips (my kids favorite), etc. My personal favorite combo lately is semisweet chocolate chips and M&Ms. That's probably the most common cookie in my Instagram feed. I prefer Ghirardelli, Guittard, Trader Joe's, or Costco (Kirkland) brand chocolate chips (only available in fall/winter at my Costco so I stock up) and don't generally buy Nestle. Everyone has a favorite and it will effect the taste of your final product. My favorite is Kirkland, or TJ's when it's off season.


All that to say- there's a million ways to make a chocolate chip cookie. They're generally delicious regardless of how you make them. This is my (current) method and it will probably continue to evolve. Leave a comment if you have a special tip or favorite kind of chocolate I should try.

One last thing about method- a lot of recipes call for chilling the dough and I appreciate that. However, I usually have lots of kids clamoring for cookies so I generally skip that step.

Anne's (Current Favorite) Chocolate Chip Cookies
by Anne Strawberry
(Printable version)

1.5 cups packed dark brown sugar
3/4 cup white sugar
3 sticks barely softened butter (1.5 cups)
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
3.5-4 cups flour
1.5 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cups of chocolate chips or M&Ms

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cream sugars and butter until light and fluffy (takes 1-2 minutes in my stand mixer depending on the temperature of the butter). Mix in eggs and vanilla for another minute. Scrape down sides of bowl to make sure everything is evenly incorporated.

Add in the flour (reserving a half cup or so), baking soda, and salt. Pulse mixer slowly until combined. Add the rest of the flour if the dough seems too tender. I usually use all 4 cups but your measuring style, temperature, etc will impact the amount needed. The dough should be pretty strong and able to hold its own, otherwise the cookies will be too fragile and a little greasy. Mix in chocolate chips gently, just enough to incorporate.

Scoop cookies on to Silpat lined baking sheet and bake for 9-10 minutes, until they look just about done and are starting to barely golden on the edges. Enjoy. Cookies freeze beautifully in airtight packages. I think they also taste best on the second day.



A note about scooping cookies- it's quite easy and worth it for the uniformity alone. I usually put 12 cookies on a regular tray but if I'm in a hurry (or trying to minimize oven on time) and the cookies aren't too "spready" I'll put 15 on a tray (3 by 5 pattern instead of the usual 3 by 4). I always use my Pampered Chef Medium Scoop to portion out the cookie dough into "regular" size cookies. I got this scoop in 2003 and have made approximately three million cookies with it and it's still going strong. Big advocate for the real deal here, if you know someone. I do have several other sizes of scoops I've bought in person, on Amazon, etc. Some hold up well and some don't. My nearly 20 year old Pampered Chef scoop is still trucking. Little cookies are fun for kids or for parties when people want to try lots of things or not look like they're eating big dessert (looking at you, bridal and baby showers). Big cookies feel extra special for big day- I just bought the large Pampered Chef scoop to replace mine from the local big box store.

If I have any leftover cookie dough I scoop it with my small scoop and freeze the balls on a plate or in a flat plastic food container. Once they set I transfer them to baggies and store them in the tiny nonsensical shelf on the top of my side by side freezer. My 4 year old calls these "ball cookies" and prefers them to the finished product. I regularly see my hungry 12 year old walking by to snitch them. He doesn't think I know. I know. I also know he's happier when he's not hungry and I don't mind him sneaking a little cookie dough occasionally.



Thanks for sticking with me on this ridiculously long cookie treatise. Leave a comment with your big feelings about chocolate chip cookies. We all have them.

Affiliate links used and theoretically support my expensive vanilla habit, although you should definitely post more than once every two years if you're looking to successfully monetize a blog. Now that I think about it I don't think the affiliate links even pay the hosting bills around here. So let's say "used affiliate links kind of keep this neglected food blog running."

Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies

I might not make time to blog anymore but I find myself in the kitchen more than ever, with four growing children and a hungry husband. This year we moved to a new home a few minutes down the road. We're closer to family, closer to work, and have a beautiful new kitchen. There's a big bar for the kids to sit and eat at (this alone has simplified my life). I have lovely solid surface counter tops that make rolling out pie crust an absolute joy. We also have a little more counter space to spread cookie sheets out on. My oldest daughter is eight now and has become my perfect sous-chef, stirring, spreading, and chopping along the way. It's wonderful to share the kitchen with someone eager to help. I remember that feeling of excitement as I learned to create something delicious and try hard to encourage her. Lately we've watched the Great British Bake Off together in the afternoons then we head into the kitchen to make a treat or work on dinner together, often incorporating their "theme" into our projects.

Cookies are a perennial favorite around here and this new recipe is moving straight into my cookbook of tried and true recipes. I've never been much of an oatmeal cookie fan- truthfully, I've only learned to appreciate oatmeal at all as an adult and very recently. But these cookies came highly recommended from a trusted source and had the words "salted caramel" leading the title. So I shrugged my shoulders and said as Ina does, "How bad can that be?" In shocking news, butter, sugar, and caramel are absolutely delicious. The edges are a little crisp, the center soft and chewy, and the unexpected burst of caramel and salt make for a perfect cookie.

I've made this recipe a couple of times now and expect it to stay on permanent rotation. Thank you to Kelly Gordon from my favorite podcast Sorta Awesome for the great recommendation. 2017 has also been the year of podcasts for me. I started listening a couple years ago but this year we prepped our old house to sell and moved into our new home- which meant a ton of time to listen as I packed, painted, unpacked, and reorganized our lives. Podcasts have brought me laughter, learning, and even a little companionship as I plow through another sink full of dishes or load of laundry. Are you a podcast fan? I'd love to hear what you're listening to!

I know my phone camera shot isn't up to 2017 food blogger standards, but this little corner of the internet is also my personal resource for saving and accessing my recipes. I also thought this delicious recipe needed to be shared asap with all the impending holiday baking and didn't want to hold out while I made another batch and took another photo. I hope you'll give it a try.

Caramel chips are available at my local grocery stores near the chocolate chips (usually on the bottom shelf). These tiny balls of caramel can be subbed into any cookie recipe just like chocolate chips. I've started to keep several bags in my pantry because they really up the ante with your basic cookie recipe. Try them in your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe next time. You can buy them on Amazon as well.

I'm not around here too often anymore but can find me on Instagram. I'd love to see you there!

Salted Caramel Oatmeal Cookies
adapted from LoveWellBlog.com

Note: It's absolutely necessary to line your baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Wait to make these if you don't have those on hand.

1 cup butter, softened
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups old fashioned oats
1 packaged (11 ounces) Kraft caramel bits

Preheat oven to 375. Cream together butter and sugar in mixer until light and fluffy.

Mix in vanilla, then eggs.

Gently mix in the dry ingredients (flour, salt, soda, oats) until just barely incorporated. Stir in caramel bits. (Optional- 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in addition is delicious as well!)

Scoop onto parchment or silicone lined cookie sheet and bake about 8-10 minutes, until they barely start to brown on the edges. They should look a little bit under done when you remove them from the oven. Sprinkle a tiny bit of kosher or sea salt on top of each cookie and enjoy.

Affiliate links included.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye Cookies

The other day I needed to bake a chocolate and peanut butter treat for a friend. I whipped up a recipe of my favorite chocolate cookies and topped them with Ina's amazing peanut butter frosting. Then I spread on a little semisweet chocolate that I had melted together with a little butter. The end result was delicious and pretty too, in an imperfect way.

For me half the battle of good cooking is planning ahead. I often double my cookie recipe, scoop it all out with my trusty cookie scoop, and freeze half of the dough in a big baggie. Then I can grab and bake them whenever I need to without even messing up the kitchen (or sneak a bite of cookie dough out of the freezer during the witching hour when I'm trying to make dinner and keep wild babies happy and safe in between driving kids back and forth). There's not any dough in my freezer right now and that situation needs to be addressed.


Chocolate Peanut Butter Buckeye Cookies
from Anne Strawberry

Yields 3 dozen standard size cookies

1 3/4 cups Flour (Be sure to level off- you don't want too much)
1 1/4 cups Cocoa powder (Half regular cocoa powder, half Hershey's Special Dark if available)
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Butter, softened
1 extra large Egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking sheets (Grease or line with silicone baking sheet or parchment paper).

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set dry ingredients aside.

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes in the KitchenAid). Add egg and beat well. Add vanilla and mix until well combined.

With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry mixture, stirring until just incorporated. Scoop onto the prepared cookie sheet and squish slightly if flatter cookies are desired (I think the cookies look prettier if they are squished about half way down before baking).

Bake for about 8 or 9 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost with peanut butter frosting and then chocolate. Serve with milk and store in an airtight container.


Peanut Butter Frosting
inspired by the lovely Ina Garten (aka Barefoot Contessa) 

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3-4 cups powdered sugar (as needed)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream (as needed)

Cream the peanut butter and butter in a stand mixer. Mix in half the powdered sugar until smooth. Add vanilla and salt and mix until combined. Add in additional powdered sugar and cream as needed until desired consistency is reached. If it's difficult to spread the frosting on the cookies, thin it with a dash of cream.

Chocolate Topping

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli or Guittard- chopped chocolate bars are even better here)

4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) butter

Melt together over a double boiler or in glass bowl in a microwave on low power (I usually use 30% power and stir ever 30 seconds or so). Pull off heat when about 90% melted and stir by hand until totally smooth. Spread a tablespoon or so over the frosting on each cookie. Let set on the counter or place in the fridge for a few minutes until chocolate is set. Enjoy!

Strawberry Pie for Pi Day

Happy Pi Day! Did you make or eat a pie to celebrate? Making a pie feels so therapeutic to me that I really appreciate the excuse. I love to roll out the crust, concoct a filling, and crimp the edges. The long baking time only adds to the anticipation. Yesterday my little blondies helped me make a pie in honor of Pi Day. I needed something the whole team could eat, and with the food allergies around here that means no dairy and no eggs (we have a few others to contend with but they aren't typical pie ingredients.) 

So fruit pie won out and a dairy free crust (no egg wash of course!) Strawberries are on sale around here this week so I turned to my Pie Pinterest board and took inspiration from this gorgeous Strawberry Balsamic Pie. I used my beautiful Emile Henry pie pan I scored at TJ Maxx for a traditionally shaped pie. I followed my mom's all shortening pie crust recipe so I didn't offend the non-dairy team, made an imperfect lattice crust (my kids LOVED weaving it) and brushed it with almond milk. I sprinkled sanding sugar on top and baked it. It came out juicy and fragrant with red color that can't be beat. 

Strawberries and balsamic vinegar make a delicious combo. I like the mix some sliced fresh strawberries with a shake of vinegar and some sugar to form a syrup- then I serve them with whipped cream (add a sprinkle of black pepper if you're adventurous). You can't pinpoint the vinegar flavor but it really enhances the strawberries. The same is true of this pie. I didn't use as much as the inspiration recipe called for because my bottle ran out, but it really enhanced the strawberries.

I usually prefer a fresh strawberry pie but this was a fun change and a good change to walk my kids through the whole pie making process. I don't want them to grow up afraid to experiment in the kitchen. I've certainly made my share of imperfect pies and desserts, but as Ina says, "flour, sugar, butter, how bad can that be?" Even messy pies are usually delicious- especially topped with a little vanilla ice cream. You can always use a crust from the store, too, and experiment with fillings. Pie making is a lot of fun and doesn't have to be stressful! Local friends- if you'd like to come over and make a pie and have a play date, let me know. I promise it's fun and the experiment is always delicious.

PS- I finally started a foodie instagram account as @anne.strawberry . I'd love to see you there! 


Pie making can be pretty messy with the flour and everything so I always double my recipe to make four single crusts, shape the dough into disks, wrap in saran wrap, then in a labeled baggie (I had a helper do this last time, they look so happy in her kindergarten hand!) and into the freezer it goes. The next time I want to make pie I move them into the fridge the night before or set them on the counter for a little while and all I have to worry about is the filling. Plus, a pie of ready to go pie crusts in my freezer makes me feel all put together, and doesn't take any more time. Dorie says one month in the freezer but I've kept mine, properly wrapped, for a few months with no problem. 

One last pie tip- Dorie suggests crushing up a graham cracker or two into the bottom of the crust before adding the filling to help absorb some of the extra liquid. Even with juicy strawberries my pie came out just right (and the graham crumbs totally disappear so you have no idea it was there!)

Strawberry Pie

1 double pie crust (easy dairy free crust here, or butter crust recipe below. Use whatever crust you prefer!)

3 pounds fresh strawberries, quartered
1 apple, grated (I used a gala, any kind should work)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon Ultragel or 2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
dash of kosher salt

2 graham crackers

Preheat the oven to 425. 

Combine filling ingredients in a large bowl. Line pie pan with one crust. Crumble up graham crackers and sprinkle into the pie crust. Pour in and smooth filling. Top with additional crust (whole or lattice, whatever you prefer. Either way make sure there's holes to vent the pie). Crimp the edges as desired. Brush with a beaten egg or milk and decorate as desired- with additional pie crust shapes cut with cookie cutters, sprinkled with sugar or sanding sugar, etc.

Bake for 10 minutes, reduce heat to 350 and bake for 45-60 more minutes. Watch the crust and add a foil tent if it starts to brown too much (usually about half way through). Let cool and serve with vanilla ice cream.


Good for Almost Everything Pie Dough
adapted from Dorie Greenspan

Ingredients3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks very cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
3/8 cup very cold (frozen is even better) Crisco (plain, not butter flavored), cut into 4 pieces
About 1/2 cup ice water

Put the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade; pulse just to combine the ingredients. Drop in the butter and shortening and pulse only until the butter and shortening are cut into the flour. Don't overdo the mixing—what you're aiming for is to have pieces the size of fat green peas and others the size of barley.

Pulsing the machine on and off, add 3 tablespoons of the water—add a little water and pulse once; add some more water and pulse again; and keep going that way. Then use a few long pulses to get the water into the flour. If after a dozen or so pulses, the dough doesn't look evenly moistened or form soft curds, pulse in as much of the remaining water, or even a few drops more, to get a dough that will stick together when pinched. If you've got big pieces of butter, that's fine. The dough is ready and should be scraped out of the work bowl and on to a smooth work surface. (be careful not too add too much water- if the dough looks dry after adding most of the water, pinch it with your hands to check if it's coming together, and finish combining it by hand)


Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it. Refrigerate the dough at least 1 hour before rolling. The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 1 month.

Favorite Things List

Christmas is almost here! It's snuck up on me again this year because they weather stayed warm for so long. I wanted to make a list to share of things that we've loved at our house this year. I would love to hear your favorite things, too.

KIDS

Magnatiles

Whenever someone asks for toy suggestions, Magna-tiles come to mind first. They are fun and easy to use, quick to clean up, and don't have any small parts for babies to choke on. My kids have made structures taller than them! Ours are stored in two clear plastic shoe boxes and only take a minute to clean up, while still building enormous and varied structures. We have the clear colored sets (they also come in opaque colors). These are a toy investment but it's easy to add on more sets if you want to start small. These would also be a great idea for the grandparent's that aren't sure what to get. I've watched kids from ages 2-12 build these for whole afternoons at a time. My kids are hoping for the clear set this year (my daughter wants them to build Elsa's castle).

I love Legos as much as the next mom but the first time you accidentally step on a Magna-tile, you'll see one of the reasons I prefer them to Legos most of the time. These are available on Amazon and at Target. There are a lot of knock off brands but I haven't tried them. I will say we've used our Magna-tiles almost daily for a few years, on hard tile, with push toys and books and kids all over, and none have chipped or broken.

Nose Frida

It's actually not gross at all. After my baby had Pneumonia and RSV last winter, I buckled down and bought one. I wish I had had this with each of my babies! Easy to use, easy to clean, makes a big difference. It's so scary when baby is congested and sick and for me it always seems to happen in the middle of the night which makes it extra stressful. It's not as fun as a new outfit, but I'm sure the new mom in your life would get a lot of use out of this weird but useful thing.

Bonus-

Priddy Baby makes our favorite board books. The pictures are vibrant and clear. We keep the Treasure Hunt books in our car and every kid wants to look at them.

BOOKS

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

I don't consider myself an artist but I love how Elizabeth Gilbert's book Big Magic shows how creativity is within each of us. She encourages growth, learning, and living true to yourself- all mixed in with inspiring stories and beautiful words. Her podcast is a lot of fun, too.

Habitat by Lauren Liess

I got this for my mom's birthday and she actually squealed when she opened it. Lauren Liess has classy and distinctive style that is a pleasure to behold. I've only flipped through this book (because my mom is still hoarding it) but it's absolutely beautiful and inspiring.

Design Mom by Gabrielle Blair

I met Design Mom on her book tour and was blown away! I've read her blog for years but she was just so smart and authentic at her signing. Her book is lovely and features so many practical and beautiful suggestions for living with kids (her blog series is my favorite thing to read each week, too).

Secret Paris Coloring Book

I really hope Santa brings me this coloring book. The drawings are beautiful and varied (look at the reviews!) I love to sit and color or draw after the kids go to bed while we watch a show on Netflix (Psych lately, what are you watching?) Are you into coloring? My mom's been buying me geometric coloring books since I was in grade school and I love that it's getting to be such a thing now, with new beautiful books coming out every day.

I just got some Prismacolor Colored Pencils for myself and can't believe how smooth and nice they are. I love the color selection, the nice trays and tin, and the blendability. My kids know that these are "mommy's pencils" and use their crayolas. I used to think theirs were just fine but my eyes have been opened. So maybe you shouldn't buy these...

BEAUTY

Stila Stay All Day Eyeliner

I felt so validated the other day when I saw that this is Sephora's top eyeliner. I've recommended it before and keep going back to it. The marker type applicator makes a good cat eye a breeze and works just as well for a subtle line with its tapered tip. It also comes in a lot of colors but I've only tried black (give me all the black eye makeup! And clothes! And furniture! It's a problem.)

The other product I am consistently asked about is my blush. I resisted trying this for years because I didn't think it could live up to the hype but it does. Strangers stop and ask me about my blush frequently.

CND Vinylux Nail Polish

I am inappropriately into nail polish. I've tried to give it up and not care but I love it. Doing my own nails takes most of the cost out of it so that's how I make my peace. I've tried a lot of things but recommend CND Vinylux to anyone. It's much easier than Shellac (I have this gel system and love it, but it takes a lot of time). Vinylux doesn't even need a base coat and the polish lasts a week on fingers- even with persistent dish washing that takes a toll on my hands.

You can also use the topcoat with any brand of polish. It keeps my girls' nail polish on so much longer than others I've tried, even among professional brands.

Hair- The Wet Brush & Biolage Shine Milk

My best friend does hair and got me hooked on both of these products. I keep recommending this brush because moms keep talking about hair brushing battles with their children. One of my darling blondies has sensory issues and cannot deal with having her hair brushed or washed. A few sprays of shine milk on the ends and she doesn't even  mind having her hair brushed when its wet. If you have a sensitive child, I can't recommend the Wet Brush enough.

I also use it for myself (I prefer the paddle brush) because it works well and feels good. I keep a mini brush in my bag and in the bathroom as well because it's just the right size for little hands and fosters independence. They come in a lot of fun prints and colors and are also available at Target.

Note about knock-offs: I bought a few small off brands at Sally and while they feel good, they haven't held up nearly as well as my Wet Brushes. The bristles bent over and the handles got gummy.

Biolage Shine Milk is a great, lightweight detangler. It smooths and tames fly aways and dry hair and does a great job refreshing my girls bed head. My friend recommends it for all hair types and uses it on all of her clients after washing their hair. I may or may not have five bottles of this stuff hoarded in my cabinet.

Wool Dryer Balls

This is a random one, I know. But- these cut my drying time by about 20% and broke my dryer bar habit! We haven't gotten into the driest time of winter yet so I'm not sure how they'll do for static then but as of now, we have no static, no chemicals, and less energy used. Plus, my baby thinks these are the best toy in the house and loves to play with them. Maybe Santa had better buy another set. I've heard you can make them, too, but I've been so happy with this reasonably priced set I found on ebay.

Twirl Dresses

I can't make a list of our year without including the Lularoe Dot Dot Smile Twirl dress- the ultimate twirling dress for little girls (click on this link for a 5 second video of the twirling). I mentioned sensory issues above-  this dress has single-handedly eliminated clothing battles with my daughter. She picks a dress, I pick a bow, she's dressed and darling. She wears Playground Pals shorts/bloomers under them so she even wears them to the park and PE. She also wears leggings underneath when it's cold and a cardigan or jacket on top when necessary (we live in Arizona so these are definitely suitable for about 11.5 months of the year here!)

We buy from Lularoe with Lauren but there are consultants all over the country, check out instagram and facebook. These dresses cost more than I normally spend on kids clothes but they are made in the USA and definitely support my new less is more, becoming minimalist policy. I could throw away 95% of the other stuff in their closets and they would never notice. They also broke my 2 year old's Princess Dresses Only Habit that got old after about five minutes. I do laundry so often that having just a few of these works fine- machine wash and hang to dry. Watch the rest of your kids clothes languish (is that good or bad?) I love the Cassie pencil skirts and happy patterned baseball tee's for myself.


This is a decidedly un-cooking list, but if you are looking for recommendations I have lots of posts for my favorite kitchen tools. What's on your list this year? I love reading people's recommendations!

*some affiliate links used. that means you pay the same price but a portion of the sale price comes back to me to help support this sorely neglected blog and my Trader Joe's habit.*

Delicious, Hold-Their-Shape Sugar Cookies (with Raspberry Dust)

You guys, can we still be friends if I only take photos with my phone? I hope so. Blogging time is short right now, but still have a lot of requests for recipes and love being able to access my favorites here, so quick posts it is. 

I have a tried and true sugar cookie recipe here but love trying new ones. This one from Nicole Gerulat did not disappoint. She's my favorite photographer and perfect taste. Check out her site and instagram feed sometime- so much inspiration! These buttery, chewy cookies have no chemical leaveners (baking soda or powder) so they hold their shape beautifully- perfect for complex cookie cutters.

The topping on these cookies isn't a sprinkle or glitter but raspberry dust! Trader Joe's Freeze Dried Raspberries, crushed and then sprinkled right on top. I love the pop of beautiful color and the tart taste perfectly compliments the buttery cookie and sweet frosting. Nicole uses a delicious strawberries and cream frosting. I made my basic favorite whipped cream cheese frosting and added a few teaspoons of frozen berries pushed through a sieve. The subtle pink color and berry flavor was lovely.

One last word on sugar cookies- with such simple flavors, quality ingredients make a world of difference. Spring for real butter, good vanilla (I love Costco's), etc. Your tasters will thank you! I also like to mix things add by adding in citrus zest to the dough or flavorings to the icing.

This cookie recipes works well for royal icing, as well. Let the cookie cool completely and frost as desired (you can see my method here. I am far from a pro but they come out cute enough for my kids- the Queen was so excited about these dresses that I had I hard time keeping her cute little two-year-old hands off them.) Check out this instagram feed if you want some really beautiful cookie inspiration! For now I settle for delicious and pretty, if not perfect!

{Friendly Frankenstein's for Baby Strawberry's school Halloween Party, imperfectly iced in the middle of the night to meet a tight deadline, no perfect cookies here!- with Wilton Candy Eyeballs. My kids LOVE these.}

Hold-Their-Shape Sugar Cookies 

AnneStrawberry.com

adapted from NicolePhoto.com

2 1/4 Cups (4 1/2 sticks) Butter, softened to room temperature

2 1/4 Cups Sugar
3 Eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
6 cups flour

Preheat the oven to 325ºF. 

Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until well-combined and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until combined. Mix in vanilla. Add salt then add flour a few cups at a time, mixing very gently and slowly until it's just barely combined. Overmixing will result in a tough cookie.

Divide dough into two batches. On a floured surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll out dough to 1/2” thick. Cut with a cookie cutter. Place cookies 2” apart on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking sheet (silpat). 

Bake at 325ºF for 10-13 minutes, depending on size of cookie, until thoroughly cooked, but not browned. Let cool completely then frost as desired. These cookies keep and freeze very well.

Black and White Chocolate Chippers

Black and White Chocolate Chippers... just like the mall but even better.

Another day, another cookie recipe, complete with quick instagram photo. I have nothing amazing to report except that everyone loves these. People ask for the recipe all the time so I figured it was time to repost it. The chocolate dough is absolutely delicious and very flexible. My brother in law always requests these with chocolate chips instead of white. I prefer white chocolate, Andes mint, or peanut butter chips in these. Reese's pieces or chopped up Reese's would be delicious too. Or mint M&M's. You can't go wrong here.

To get the beautiful black color, use at least half Hershey's extra dark chocolate cocoa powder if you can find it (they carry it at my grocery store and it has a red label). I'm all for kitchen short cuts but don't forget to sift, or at least stir together with a fork the whole dry team in a bowl so it's evenly distributed. The cocoa powder is always lumpy for me.


Black and White Chocolate Chippers
from Anne Strawberry

Yields 3 dozen standard size cookies

1 3/4 cups Flour (Be sure to level off- you don't want too much)
1 1/4 cups Cocoa powder (Half regular cocoa powder, half Hershey's Special Dark if available)
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Kosher Salt
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
1 cup Sugar
1 cup Butter, softened
1 extra large Egg, at room temperature
2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
2 cups white chocolate chips (I prefer Ghirardelli or Guittard)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare baking sheets (Grease or line with silicone baking sheet or parchment paper).

Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set dry ingredients aside.

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes in the KitchenAid). Add egg and beat well. Add vanilla and mix until well combined.

With the mixer on low, slowly add in the dry mixture, stirring until just incorporated. Fold in white chocolate chips. Scoop onto the prepared cookie sheet and squish slightly if flatter cookies are desired (I think the cookies look prettier if they are squished about half way down before baking).

Bake for about 8 or 9 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve with milk and store in an airtight container.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Please see this newer post of my current current chocolate chip cookie recipe)

My kids keep growing up- my little man is in third grade now and Baby Strawberry started kindergarten! That leaves me at home with a baby and a toddler now that school has started. It's unbelievably quiet around the house now that my Chatty Kathy is back in school! I'm trying to get into a good routine and that includes more cooking and baking. Summer heat will end around here soon I hope (haha) and I am already pinning away baking recipes. I've delved into podcasts and try to read grown up books occasionally but seem to spend more time cleaning up after kids than I ever anticipate.

While I wash dishes and after I drop the kids off, I'm currently listening to:

Hope*ologie
Spilled Milk (Molly Wizenburg- I LOVED her book Delancey. This podcast isn't suitable for kids!)
Sorta Awesome
Edit Your Life (from the creator Parent Hacks)
Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert
Ted Talks Audio
Bon Appetit (don't miss the episode with Ina Garten!!)


My kids (and I) love:

Story Nory
Sparkle Stories

Do you have any podcasts to recommend? I have The Mystery Show and This American Life on my queue but haven't gotten to them yet.


My current and always struggle is the perfect chocolate chip cookie. This is the first recipe I ever made on my own and one I always come back to. I've had a few friends ask how I make mine so I'm recording my current method. I like my chocolate chip cookies chewy, chocolaty, and salty. Lots of brown sugar and evenly shaped through a cookie scoop. Temperature of dough, pans, and kitchens also seem to make a difference. I use a half sheet pan with a silpat. Has anyone tried the Amazon brand silicone mats? I have several name brand Silpats and a couple knock offs and have been pleasantly surprised. I would definitely recommend one with the cut off corners so it fits nicely in your sheet pan. If you end up using the same pan again, make sure it's cool before you scoop the dough onto the pan (sometimes I run mine under cool water once they've cooled to the touch).

A note about the butter: I used to soften my butter until it was super super mushy. Recently I've decided that my cookies turn out better with cooler butter. My kitchen runs hot (Arizona problems) but I only set it out for five or ten minutes and then go for it. It's soft enough for the KitchenAid to make swift and thorough work of the butter but it still completely holds its shape.


Do you have an ultimate chocolate chip recipe? I've made and posted them so many times but I'm always hunting for the elusive perfect one. I keep telling myself that even if they don't come out perfectly, they're still delicious (remember, "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!") My kids never object to a fresh batch!


Anne's {current favorite} Chocolate Chip Cookies
from Anne Strawberry

1 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated (white) sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter- barely softened
1 egg
2 teaspoons good vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher/sea salt + more for sprinkling
2 1/4 cups flour
2 cups chocolate chunks or chips (I prefer semisweet or a mix of milk and dark chocolate, whatever you have)

Preheat oven to 350.

Cream sugars and butter in mixer for one minute. Beat in egg until thoroughly combined. Mix in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and slowly mix for about 30 seconds until combined. Mix in chocolate for about 10 seconds (or by hand with a spatula). Be careful not to over mix the dough once flour is added.

Scoop cookies onto cool cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone mat. Sprinkle with a bit of salt. Bake 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies to cooling rack and enjoy.

Last Minute Christmas Gift Ideas

 Stainless Steel Scoops, $5- $15

One of my favorite parts of the Blogosphere right now is all the holiday gift lists. Here are a few of the random things I'm loving lately. Do you have an amazing product you want to shout from the rooftops? Let me know! I still have a few people left on my list!

I've posted about these before but I know there are people out there that still don't use these scoops. These are one of my favorite kitchen tools. I use them to scoop out even cookies, portion batter into muffin tins, make even and round pancakes, and more. They're kind of addicting and even though I'm trying to become a kitchen minimalist, I still want a few more sizes of these. This multipack is a great place to start and useful to any kitchen. I never make cookie or cupcakes without a scoop. It's just so easy and they look like a million bucks.

 Magnatiles, from $50

Are you still looking for the perfect present for your kids? There are the toy of the year at our house- beloved by all from ages 1-8 (and everyone who comes to play). They are easy to pick up, have no little painful pieces to step or choke on, and encourage a lot of creative building. My kids love to make tall 3D structures and come up with something new every time. They're expensive but well made and really encourage the kind of play that we want. We have the 100 piece set and hope Santa will double that this year. No report on the knock offs but my kids have played hard with these- building and destroying towers, with helpful toddlers stepping on them all along the way. Not one has broken so way to go Magnatiles. We've heard great things about Magformers, too.

Right now my toddler is mauling the screen while pointing at the Magnatiles picture and asking for more. They really are that good.

 Biolage Shine Milk, $13

My best friend does hair and got me hooked on this product a couple of years ago. She uses it as a detangler on all of her clients and recommends it for every hair type. It's a lightweight spray with a subtle, fresh smell (I am really anti smell and we have lots of sneezy people are our house and this is highly approved). I spray it on the ends of my hair right out of the shower before brushing. I also use it to style my girls hair. "Baby Strawberry" has curly-ish hair and this adds moisture and defrizzes her hair. It also makes mean work of bed head and keeps their hair soft and nice while reducing the tears and drama of doing little girls hair. Find it on Amazon or at Ulta. CVS even carries it but they charge an arm and a leg.

 Wet Brush, $5- $12

I can't mention shine milk without thinking of my Wet Brush. This is my go to brush for wet or dry hair. Maybe you already have one but it's come to my attention recently that some people still haven't tried them. They are amazing- even my ultra sensitive daughter can have her good morning rats nest tamed with this brush without a tear. My favorite is the paddle brush and we also have the little baby brushes for my girls to use and to go in the diaper bag and car. They're available on Amazon, at Target, and I find them sometimes at TJ Maxx. There are tons of knock offs out there but I use the real deal. Has anyone tried both? We tried the Knot Genie which came highly recommended but it was not nearly as soft or effective as this. Not impressed.

Trader Joe's Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce, $4

I usually make caramel sauce but you can't beat this one from Trader Joe's. It's only a couple dollars for the cute little glass jar and it's delicious. We like to dip apples in it or drizzle it over ice cream and brownies. I mixed it with powdered sugar and milk to make a caramel glaze for my apple pie at Thanksgiving. No we don't eat it with a spoon out of the jar straight from the fridge that would be ridiculous. Find it at Trader Joe's (see the link here on Amazon). This would make a sweet neighbor gift with a few yummy apples or on it's own.

Revlon Colorburst Balm Stain, $7

I love the look of lipstick but can't handle it too often. Too many monkeys helping and touching me all day to worry about that! These Revlon Balm Stains are easy to apply (they look like a giant crayon) and last well. You can layer the coverage for a subtle or bolder look according to your needs. I keep this in my bag and can slip a little on so I look less like the sleep deprived mommy that I am or put on a nice thorough layer for a really bold lip for date night (or girls night, make up is for the ladies really. I think my husband would prefer if I never wore lip color ever again.) At around $5-8 it's easy to experiment with colors (this one is my favorite).

They last a really long time, too, unless your toddler decides to copy mommy. Find them on Amazon or at Target.

Embroidered Puebla Tops & Dresses, from $25

I love my embroidered Mexican shirt from Flor de Luz's shop. It's so happy and pretty and I wear it every time it's clean (much to my Mom's chagrin). I have a few for my girls, too, and have been known to bribe my oldest daughter with a chocolate chip to wear her's at my whim. Look at this fancy one! And I love these black tops too.

I want Santa to bring this one for my toddler!

Stila Stay All Day waterproof liquid eyeliner, $20

People tell me all the time they're too scared or klutzy for liquid eyeliner. This Stila Stay All Day waterproof liquid eyeliner is my favorite. It's so easy apply- it feels just like you're using a marker. It wears well and lasts all day without flaking and doesn't make my hypersensitive eyes water (I don't use it on the waterline but use a pencil liner there). This makes a great cat eye or a simple subtle line and comes in a ton of colors. It also comes off easily without tugging or pulling on your eye.

Marc Jacob's also makes an amazing liner (with even sexier packaging) called the Magic Marc'er and it's even blacker. I love it but it costs A LOT and the applicator wears out before the product runs out so I wouldn't recommend it unless you have eyeliners to burn and can afford to replace this every month... which is ridiculous. Don't forget Sephora has a great return policy if you really don't like what you buy.

Scotch Laminator, $17

I love this Scotch laminator. It doesn't take up much room and is really useful to have around the house if you're a little OCD like I am. I've used it for kids crafts, organizing, church projects, and more. My son is always asking me to laminate a bookmark from school or favorite drawing. It's quick and easy to use (just put your paper inside the plastic sleeve and run it through the feeder) and I love not having to run to the store to laminate something. It comes with some sheets to get you started and you can buy refills at Target or at Michaels (with a coupon) or on Amazon of course. This has really come in handy at my house and doesn't take up much room to store. Win win.

 CND Vinylux Weekly Top Coat, $6

Nail polish gets better every year! I love hearing about new types and testing them out. My favorite brand is OPI but my special splurge is Gel or Shellac nails. I share the CND Shellac System with my mom and sister in law and it makes for an absolutely gorgeous manicure. It's a more time involved process, though, and removal requires soaking. My new go to happy medium polish is the CND Vinylux. It wears well for a week without chipping and has awesome and reasonably priced colors. It will keep your pedicure looking perfect for weeks, too. I have some of the colors but usually cheat and just use this top coat over my OPI.  When I don't have time for color I just my favorite base coat- OPI Nail Envy. It strengthens your nails and helps them grow in nicely. It also fills the natural ridges and will protect your nails from discoloring over time from polish so I use it as a base whenever I paint my nails. When I do this for my girls it helps their polish stay on longer, too (are my kids the only ones whose nail polish just chips right off?!) On it's own the Nail Envy dries in just one minute so I can have shiny clean nails in a hurry.

The last one isn't a gift exactly but will give you a little pocket change to get yourself something nice after all your online shopping. I've been using Ebates for years and it's a totally free website that gives you a percent back of your online purchase. All you do is sign up and sign in and when you go to buy something online, search their site for the store you're looking for. Almost every site I use is there- Gap, Target, Sephora, Macy's, Nordstrom, WalMart, Kohl's, etc. Cash back typically ranges from 3-10 percent and over black Friday weekend I got cash back from each of these places up to 15%! They record your purchase and credit your account after your order is processed. It takes about two seconds of extra work and then you receive payment a few times a year via check or PayPal. It's always a pleasant surprise to see a PayPal credit in my account amidst all the withdrawals! I also use ShopatHome which is a similar free service and compare who offers the better cash back percentage that day (they vary). Give it a try- it really adds up if you shop online!

What are you asking Santa for this year? Le Creuset and All Clad? I'm trying to de-highmaintenance-ify myself but let's be honest they are always, always on this cooks wish list. Do you have any awesome products to recommend?

*some affiliate links used. that means you pay the same price but a portion of the sale price comes back to me to help support this sorely neglected blog and my Trader Joe's habit.*