Pistachio White Chocolate Chip cookies and some Kale Slaw

 

I made these cookies for my family's picnic this summer, and they were some of the best cookies I've ever made! So I wanted to share them with the world. I got them from Maggie's blog, and thought they'd be different from the usual chocolate chip cookies that I make. 

I never used to like pistachios, but in the last few years, I've grown to love them! Of course they are not the cheapest nut and take lots of time to shell, but they do have out of the shell ones if you're short on time.

Soft Batch White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Pistachios

Source:  From Mag-Pie's & more, adapted from recipe found on Apple-A-Day

Yields:  approximately 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (1 1/2 sticks)

3/4 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup granulated sugar 

1 egg 

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 cups all-purpose flour 

2 teaspoons cornstarch 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

1/2 teaspoon salt 

1 cup white chocolate chips

1/2 cup pistachios (Trader Joe's sells them shelled and ready to go!)

Sea Salt, for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars until fluffy and light in color. Add egg and vanilla and blend in.

Mix in flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt. Stir in white chocolate chips and pistachios.

Using a standard-sized cookie scoop or tablespoon, drop dough onto a prepared baking sheet.  Sprinkle with sea salt before baking.  Bake for 8-10 minutes, until barely golden brown around the edges.  The tops will not brown.  I took mine out at about 9 minutes and the result was a perfectly soft, chewy center!

Let cool, on the sheet, on a wire rack for five minutes.  Remove from baking sheet and let cool completely.

So there is a new restaurant called Doc B's Fresh Kitchen right across the street from work, and I am obsessed with their Kale slaw. How can kale be so tasty? I think I could eat this every day for lunch. It just has some chopped up mint mixed in, and a light semi-creamy dressing that makes it soooooo good. I know kale is good for you, but I wonder if this stuff is healthy with the dressing? I sure hope so, cause I'll be eating a lot of it in the near future.

This morning we went to Stanley's for the brunch buffet, where they have fried chicken, mac and cheese, an omelet station, waffle boats, and other brunch-y stuff. Now I don't think I can move I am so full. And then last night we went to the Bad Apple and I had an Elvis burger with peanut butter and bacon on top. I need to definitely workout soon, but first an episode of Downton Abbey.

It's chilly out there

 

Uh oh, it's starting to get cold outside! Noooo! Summer needs to stay a little longer.

 

I've had a pretty busy last few months, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down either. I haven't been baking and bringing in treats to work in forever! Today I even bought some Maple Leaf cookies from Trader Joe's and put them out at work because it's been so long, and everybody needs an afternoon snack. 

I got to attend a WITS Reading in the Schools lunch the other day, and they had the cutest meal! Ants on a log are my favorite, and the little ice cream containers with the wooden spoon were just like I remember. We even got chocolate milk! 

 

I usually eat instant oatmeal in the morning when I get to work, just because it's fast. Trader Joe's Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal is really good, but I've really only been wanting Steel Cut Oats!  Jamba Juice actually has really good steel cut oats, and I get brown sugar and bananas in it, yummm. 

I love this Bow Truss coffee also. They have it right across from my work now, and it's only $1!!! I couldn't believe it.

 

Today I signed up for the Pastry Chicago Brownie Competition! Now I just have to come up with a good brownie recipe that has coffee in it. Any ideas? I want to win so badly!!

 

My niece and brother came up to visit me for my birthday/labor day weekend, and we had a blast! We went to the Lincoln Park Zoo, Kuma's Corner (she loves heavy metal, ha!) and then my work had a big picnic with rides and games, so she loved that. When they left though, I was wornnnn outtttt.

 

I also went to visit my friend Amy a few weeks ago in Phoenix, and we climbed Mt. Camelback! It was a lot harder than I thought, cause the top part was pretty much rock climbing without a harness. But we survived, and I had a nice, warm relaxing weekend.

 

Ahh the sunset there was so beautiful! Pictures are never as good as the real thing though. I leaned out the window while she was driving just to take this without any glare!

So of course I'll end this with food. I saw BopNGrill on DDD a while ago, and have been wanting to try the Kimchi burger. It was pretty good, but a little soggy since I brought it home. Food is always better when eaten right away. Kind of like fries, if you take them home and close the bag up really good so they stay warm, they loose their crispiness and get kind of soggy. I know... I shouldn't be eating fries anyway!!