Thanks David . . . So Many Posts! - Peanut Butter Coconut Chipsters

I asked my friend David Knowles for feedback on my blog, and the first thing he says is, "I like it, but it could be better. Basically you need to make more of a "story" and write more about each piece. you need to think about how they can be "linkable" so that when you refer back to PB&J cookie or whatever in the future, it is its own set piece - a complete story." Check. So now, seperate entries (even though I feel like being lazy, and yes, I knew this before I started but figured since I was not posting recipes, it wasn't necessary), and a story.

This cookie turned out to be my least favorite, at least from a making it stand point. I had a long day on Monday, and didn't much feel in the mood to bake. I am an emotional baker, if I am happy, good cookies, if I am distracted / sad / upset, bad cookies. In addition, these cookies seemed to have something in the recipe off. Not enough coconut in it for me to be able to taste it over the chocolate and the peanut butter. And super dry. I had to add an extra half of a stick of butter and an egg to make the dough come together and spread. Lesson learned. Taste is ok, but nothing to knock your socks off. I would give it 3 stars on a 5 star scale (5 being the highest).

Gonna Go Blind from All This Master Baking - Chocolate Chip Pretzel Bars

I had made these as cookies from a different recipe some time in December, but clearly I didn't have my act together enough to get them out and on my blog. I like the bar version much better, it had more aesthetic appeal, they are easier to eat, the cookie dough browned really nicely. I dig the whole salty / sweet combo, it does it for me. I was thinking that next time I might try it with peanuts in addition to the pretzels, but that might be overkill. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I Was Master Baking All Weekend! - Snickerdoodle Blondies

I love Snickerdoodles, I dig on the cinnamon goodness with the sugar cookie in a major way, so when I came across this recipe, I thought it would be fun to try it in bar form. To me, it didn't quite taste like a purist snickerdoodle, but it was certainly yummy. It had more body and more complexity in the flavors. Probably due to the addition of the nutmeg and the cinnamon to the actual cookie dough, as well as the brown sugar. I wouldn't call it a snickerdoodle, I'll need to come up with a new name, but whatever you call it, it makes the mmmmmmm sound when you eat it. 4 out of 5 stars.

Baking for the Baby - Chocolate Surprise Cookies

My friend Deb is having a baby, which is what instigated this baking extravaganza this past weekend. I gave her a list of 12 or so cookies and bars to choose from, and these are the ones that got baked. Amongst them, this delectible cookie - a great soft chocolate cookie with a Rolo center, dipped in sugar and nuts, and drizzled with white chocolate. They turned out perfectly, I mean, as perfectly as they could. I don't think I would change anything about this recipe. 5 out of 5 stars. (A special shout out to my friend Jay Meyer who I believe made a similar cookie while we were working at Walgreens in 2006 or 2007)

More Shenanigans from the Weekend - Cinnamon Toffee Crunch Cookies

Boy oh boy did this recipe make a ton of cookies! It was easily 5 dozen, easily. Nice crunch to the texture, I decided to roll these bad boys in cinnamon sugar to give them some extra goodness on the outside. More sugar, that's what cookies need. So randomly, I was listening to NPR over the weekend to a show called The Splendid Table and they asked the question: How many pounds of sugar does the average American consume in a year (fruits, alcohol, etc. all included)? The answer killed me. 140 pounds. That is like making a sugar person of myself, and then eating it slowly over the course of a year. No wonder my team members at Walgreens called me the diabetes fairy! 4 out of 5 stars.

Busy Weekend Baking Adventure - S'more Cookie Bars

I really had no idea how this cookie / bar was going to turn out. It was strange, you made this graham cracker cookie dough, press it into the bottom, then put down a layer of chocolate (hershey bar), and then an entire jar of Marshmallow Fluff, and then another layer of craham cracker dough. It ended up pretty darn amazing. Not exactly a S'more, but pretty darn close. And it looks as yummy as it tastes! 4.5 out of 5 stars.

British Holidays (not quite Boxing Day)

So my dear friend Fitz missed out on the holidays this year (he works for a pub in Phoenix, and they were open on Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day, and Boxing Day - whatever that is). I was so sad for him that I dedicated myself to making everything his heart desired, which meant Treacle Tart, Victoria Sponge, Custard Tart, and Bakewell Tart. I feel like British desserts are all the same, a lot of sugar and butter. But they were a big hit for the most part. Not the world's greatest pictures, but here goes.

Treacle Tart - I have now made this twice, and this time I got the crust right, but the inside apparently didn't 'taste' like a treacle tart (too much lemon). So I need to combine the inside from the original recipe with the outside of this recipe, and I will have a hit on my hands.

Victoria Sponge - So this looked beautiful, but the cake was too dry. I think that it was baked at too high of a temperature and for far too long. Next time I need to take it from 375 degrees to 350 degrees, and go for 25 minutes vs. 35 minutes.

Bakewell Tart - Yummy, as far as the taste, but Fitz felt that it needed more jam, which I will add the next time I try this one. Got the tart shell spot on. Made me feel good about me. I think the only other thing to change would maybe be to toast the almonds a bit more before I put them on top.

Custard Tart - By far the favorite at the shindig. The crust really was amazing, and the custard turned out perfectly. Fitz felt there was too much nutmeg on top (which I will have to take his word on, since I have absolutely no point of reference).