Cookie Contender?

For years, my mom and I have attempted to make the perfect chocolate chip cookie. We have scored countless cookbook and blogs trying to find that allusive perfection. We learned tricks from different recipes. Some said to use bread flour, some said to add pudding mix. Dori Greenspan  says that cookie dough should be refrigerated overnight. (Actually, a person should pretty much always do what Dori says regarding baking. She's usually always right). Or, from the NY Times "best chocolate chip cookie" recipe that claimed it was all about adding salt.

Anyway...I baked up another batch today and I think these may be contenders for the title. I went back to a very simple recipe from Toll House and adapted the ingredients. I know...seems too easy right? Here's the recipe...if you make these, it's very important to use the exact brand of ingredients recommended, I think that's why they came out so good. If not, I can't be held responsible!

I doubled my recipe which is why the quantities are so huge. I mean, if you're going to spend the time, do it once right?!

4 1/2 cups of King Arthur all-purpose floor
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. of sea salt (not regular table salt)
4 sticks of Land o'Lakes Light Butter
1 cup of granulated sugar
3/4 cup of dark brown sugar
3/4 cup of light brown sugar ( I think the different brown sugars is the secret...)
2 tsp. of vanilla (not the cheep stuff from grocery store but from Penzys)
4 extra large eggs
Milk Chocolate chips (Ghiredelli is yummy. I just put in about 2 cups)
Nuts (if your husband will let you add them. Mine won't)

I beat the butter, sugars, vanilla and eggs together for at least 5 minutes on high until creamy. Then dumped in all the dry ingredients slowly.

Love an ice-cream scoop for the batter

Put in the fridge overnight and then preheat oven to 375 degrees and back for 12 minutes. Add a tiny  pinch of sea salt on the top. They come out a bit chewy, a bit cakey, crisp around the edges but soft in the middle.

Let me know what you think!

Hurray for Root Pouches!

I received a few new roses this week and several of them are bare-root. I ordered a Dortmund, Tausendschon, a second Quadra and Tess of the d'Ubervilles. Yesterday I dumped them in some water to soak over-night and today got ready to plant. David kindly went to Home Depot last night and bought some potting soil. He's busy protecting the townfolk at the St. Patty's Day parade today so Winnie and I are on our own to plant up the roses.

When I mix my potting soil I dump 1 whole bag in a tub and then mix in about 2 cups of Alfalfa. After this process I smell like a horse stall and of course there is some wind today so it's going all over.

All mixed-up and Winnie approved!

I can't plant my roses right into the ground this year since we have the renovation on the horizon. I'm trying not to think about all of the roses I'm going to have to dig up and pot around the house. Maybe the siding guys could work around them?? Here's hopin'....

I don't use plastic pots for my baby roses to grow up in. Instead I use biodegradable Root Pouches. These things are great. I have a ton of them in all different sizes. The 5 gallon ones usually work best for the new bare-roots. The Quadra had to go in a 7 gallon since his roots are already so big.

I love the handles on these things and the fabric allows the roots to move around and grow. Also love that you can plant these right into the ground when you're ready and they biodegrade or they are washable and reusable. Fantastic!

Give them a little water and ready to go!

14 Water Towers

This is kind of a strange post, but I thought I would share the piece of NY skyline I see everyday. As I was taking a mental break and eating my lunch, I thought the view was pretty cool. The cloud cover was just the right shade of grey to make the buildings look straight out of a movie, so I snapped some quick pics.

If I count, I can see 14 water towers from my chair. I love NY water towers. There is something about them that shouts NY, a hundred years ago. Supposedly you don't have any water pressure at all if you don't have one, so if you're looking for an apartment in NY, make sure there is a water tower!

About a month ago, they took this one down and we all watched it be re-built from scratch. I don't know why this was so fascinating to those of us in my building, but there you have it.

I also hadn't realized that the Freedom Tower had finally reached a height for me to see it over the buildings. The Tower will stand 1,776 feet tall and open in 2013. It has been amazing to watch it get taller and taller every day.

Salt Lake City for the day

I was in Salt Lake City, Utah for the day for work and it was absolutely beautiful. There was not a cloud in the sky. I stayed the night at the Grand America hotel which was stunning. It has the feel of a very old hotel with a marble entry and a versailles-looking garden in the courtyard.

Stargazer Lilies greet you as you walk in

These shots are from my balcony. Since the weather was perfect I slept with my balcony door open all night. It was quiet and relaxing. It was nice to get out of the city for the day.

This was my first time flying into Salt Lake City and I didn't really realize that the city sat completely adjacent to the mountains. It's no wonder that the skiing is unparalleled. Looking around all directions you see mountains. Flying in you land in a beautiful valley with majestic peeks all around. Pretty spectacular.

We had a minute in between sessions to walk up to Temple Square which was lovely.

Salt Lake Tabernacle

The Temple is so impressive in real life, I had only seen photos. You have to stand directly under it and look up to get a really good shot.

Next time will bring David and spend quality time....but for now I'm tired and heading home. Goodbye Salt Lake.

The Barn...I mean shed

Let me introduce you to our garden shed a.k.a The Barn. I call it a barn because it is a bit bigger than we originally thought it was going to be. David built this structure last summer and it's not quite done.
Tell you what though...this thing made it through Hurricane Irene and the October Snow Storm of 2011 without batting an eye. You can see how well David put it together from the below shots. When we have to move out this summer for the second story addition, don't think I didn't think about just living in the barn....

Life got too crazy and we couldn't finish painting it before it got too cold. I can't wait until it warms up so we can finish painting and adjust the doors. I'm planning on planting a few climbing roses on either side to scroll over the top. I was thinking of a big 'ol rambler..maybe Paul's Himalayan Musk? Peggy Martin? I have a Quadra that is coming along nicely but I think the red will clash with the red paint. I have 3 Compassion's but they are for the front pillars....any other ideas?

New roses are here!

My first order for 2012 came today. Hurray!

I ordered a few new David Austins from Chamblee's Rose Nursery. Love this nursery for own-root roses. They always arrive really healthy and happy. I have to keep them inside for a few more days until it warms up. Really cold today!

They are wrapped up in thick brown paper and completely protected.

I ordered Jude the Obscure, Tradescant, Sharifa Asma and The Prince.

So healthy...Sharifa already has a bud.

Lots of new growth on Tradescant...



Rose in Focus: Playboy

I thought I would focus on 1 rose today to cheer me up on such a rainy day. I love this rose and always look forward to the first blooms. It is pretty disease resistent for me and blooms consistently through the summer. It is a floribunda that blooms in red, orange and yellow.  I purchased 3 of these as bare-roots a few years ago.

The semi-double buds look like they are on fire when the sun hits them.

As the blooms fade they turn to a bright pink.

Playboy's origins come from Scotland.  The hybridizer, Cocker, also produces "Alec's Red" rose, a hybrid tea and "White Gold" a floribunda. I just purchased "Remember Me" this year from Edmund's Roses and am looking forward to seeing if it gives the same performance as the others.