Chocolate Chip Cookies. . . .

First, a link to the Science of Chocolate Chip Cookies

Next, a recipe. . .
Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies


One day, I'm gonna have to develop my own. . . . .

Canadian Delicacies

Beaver Tails

1/2 cup warm water
5 teaspoons dry yeast
1 pinch sugar
1 cup warm milk
1/3 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil
4 1/4-5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
oil ( for frying)
cinnamon and granulated sugar ( for dusting)

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the yeast, warm water and pinch of sugar.  Let stained 5 minutes before stirring in 1/3 cup sugar, milk, vanilla, eggs, 1/3 cup oil.  Add flour to make a soft dough.  Knead 5 - 8, adding additional flour until dough is smooth and elastic.
 

Place in a greased bowl.  Cover, and let rise about 30-40 minutes.  Gently deflate dough, then pinch off a golfball-sized piece of dough. Roll out into an oval and let rest, covered with a tea towel and repeat with remaining dough.

Heat about 4 inches of oil in fryer to about 385F.  Stretch dough into beaver shaped tails, then fry in hot oil, turning so both sides are brown.  Remove, drain on paper towels, and toss with cinnamon and sugar (if desired). 

Butter Tarts

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
1/4 cup lard or butter, cubed
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vinegar
Ice water

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1 egg
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp vinegar
1 pinch salt
1/4 cup currants or raisins or chopped pecans or shredded coconut

Pastry: Whisk flour and salt together, then cut butter / lard in until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces.   Whisk egg yolk with vinegar; add enough ice water to make 1/3 cup. Sprinkle over flour mixture, stirring until pastry holds together. Press into disc; wrap in plastic wrap chilled, about 1 hour.

Filling: In bowl, whisk together brown sugar, corn syrup, egg, butter, vanilla, vinegar and salt until blended; set aside.

On lightly floured surface, roll out pastry to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 4-inch round cookie cutter cut out 12 circles, rerolling scraps once if necessary. Fit into 2-3/4- x 1-1/4-inch muffin cups. Divide currants among shells. Spoon in filling until three-quarters full.

Bake in bottom third of 450 F oven until filling is puffed and bubbly and pastry is golden, about 12 minutes. Let stand on rack for 1 minute. Run metal spatula around tarts to loosen; carefully slide spatula under tarts and transfer to rack to let cool.

Links. . . .

A bunch o' recipe links:

How to make a Chick-fi-a Sandwich at home:

http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/07/the-food-lab-how-to-make-a-chick-fil-a-sandwich-at-home.html?ref=obinsite

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2011/11/chocolate-peanut-butter-cupcakes-buttercream-recipe.html

Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/06/strawberry-shortcake-cupcakes-recipe.html

Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes:
http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/01/chocolate-raspberry-cupcakes-recipe.html

Radio Plays

http://www.artc.org/topic/podcast/

Playing with your food:

http://us6.campaign-archive1.com/?u=d21f4cde24b4f812f156d3b52&id=88c3b2efd1&e=b8a6616bba

Summer Reading Book List suggestions:

http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/27/living/anna-quindlen-raising-readers/index.html?hpt=hp_bn11

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/book-lists-and-recommendations/ages-8-10

http://www.goodreads.com/list/show/835.Books_for_eight_year_old_children

http://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/book-lists-and-recommendations/ages-8-10

 http://www.scholastic.com/parents/resources/book-list/more-book-lists/book-every-type-ages-8-10