Levain Cookie Copycats

Again, I made the Levain cookie recipe, but this time I used walnuts and chocolate chips in addition to chocolate chunks.  I'm obsessed with massive cookies and I want to try the real version of these cookies,

Levain Chocolate Chip Cookie Clone

from vanilla sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, cold
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon salt (I used sea salt)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
12 ounces (2 cups) good quality semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate (In addition, I used 2 squares of chopped Baker's chocolate)
1 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts) (I used walnuts)

If using dough right away, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and both sugars just until creamy. Don’t overbeat. Add the egg and vanilla and beat just until incorporated.

Stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. When thoroughly mixed, add to batter and stir just until blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Divide dough into 12 big 4 oz lumps. Bake on ungreased cookies sheets (one sheet at a time).

Bake times:

Put the cookies in a 375 degree oven and set timer for 8 minutes. When timer rings, without opening oven or removing cookies, reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until cookies appear set.

Pumpkin Party!

Today I had a pumpkin party that consisted of pumpkin macaroni and cheese, pumpkin quesadillas, pumpkin pie bars, and Heidi's sweet potato casserole.
The pumpkin quesadillas were soooooo good (executed by London)!

Pumpkin Macaroni
Adapted from Aquired Taste

Ingredients:

1 Box Macaroni Noodles

1/2 Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin

1/2 cup Milk

1 bag Shredded Mozzarella
1/3 cup Pumpkin Puree


Directions

1. Cut the top off like you would if you were carving a pumpkin and set it to the side after cutting a bit of the flesh and guts/seeds off. Take a spoon and spoon out the stringy stuff and the seeds out and rinse it out. Cut half the pumpkin into chunks and put on to a cookie sheet to roast for about 20 - 30 minutes on about 400F in the oven.

2. Cook a box of macaroni noodles till they are al dente (about 10 minutes). Mix with 1/2 a cup of milk, and bag of shredded mozzarella.

3. At this time the pumpkin should be about done, take out the chunks and with a fork scoop out the fleshy part from the skin. Mash up the flesh and add it to the pan with the noodles, cheese, and milk. Mix them well and salt and pepper to taste. To enhance the pumpkin flavor, I added about a 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree to the mixture.

Pumpkin Quesadillas
made by London: 


Ingredients:
1/2 Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin, oven roasted
1/4 cup Black Beans
1/4 cup Canned Corn
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 bag Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese


Directions:
1. Use the other half of the pumpkin pie pumpkin from the previous recipe and cut into chunks.  Put on a cookie sheet to roast for about 20 - 30 minutes on about 400F in the oven.
2. Mix the pumpkin, black beans, corn and puree.
3. Place a tortilla in the pan and top with the pumpkin mixture, the cheese and the remaining tortilla.
4. Fry until both sides are golden brown and the cheese has melted.


Pumpkin Pie Bars
(Made previously on blog)





Sweet Potato Casserole
by Heidi 

2-1/4 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 cup half-and-half
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tea. salt
2 tea. vanilla
2 eggs
Cooking Spray

Topping:
1-1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 tea. salt
2 TB chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted

1.  Preheat oven to 375
2. Place potatoes in large pot and cover with water. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until very tender. Drain, cool slightly.
3. Place potatoes in large bowl. Add half-and-half, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 tea salt and vanilla. Beat with mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add eggs, beat well (mixture will be thin) Scrape mixture into 13 X 9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
4.  To prepare topping, sprinkle mini marshmallows over top of potatoes. Combine flour, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/4 tea salt in medium bowl. Cut in butter with 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. (move knives criss cross each other) Stir in pecans and sprinkle over potato mixture and marshmallows. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 16 servings.