It's hard to believe that after about five months from my last post, I'm finally back here. I've probably lost all my readers by now, so anything I write now could be going into some void or jumbled with all the other distractions the internet has to offer. Just a collection of random thoughts (pretending I can write) and experiments with baking, and hoping that there would be others out there who could find a little amusement in my deliberations and pretty pictures (if anyone bothers to read more than the recipe).
At some point, I lost any inspiration and motivation to continue, and started to think about what this was really for, especially since I didn't have too many readers. There were a few somewhat significant events (some really cool, some not as much) that diverted my attention, but I think I fell off the wagon on a few things, not just this blog. For example, I used to be a little bit of a runner, and ran a 10K last year--I might've written about it (I can't remember, it feels so long ago). And then the latter part of last year, one week off turned into two weeks, then a month, and then it was the holidays--and no running or working out ever occurs during that time of the year. But it appears last week was my week to get back on it. There was no particular reason, it was just a choice--kind of like when you feel unhappy, but if you make yourself smile even when you don't feel like it (though that can be very hard), you might feel a little happier after all. I baked up some cookies, started running again, even felt a little bit of renewed vigor at work, and knew it was time to channel some creative energy back into this site.
So here I am, back in the saddle at the beginning of a new year--hopefully for a while. I'm not much of a New Year's resolution type of a person, but I do have a few thoughts for the upcoming year that I hope to live by: (1) give more--Nicholas Kristof recently wrote in the New York Times that helping others really ends up helping ourselves (and I wouldn't mind a little help); (2) pray more--prayer in and of itself may not solve problems, but prayer to a God who loves us infinitely can give us the strength to endure; and (3) no regrets--I'd like to be able to say that I did everything I could in any given situation or circumstance. I'm sure I won't live up to these, but there is a goal to work towards. Oh, and what is this blog really for? I guess I decided it was enough to blog for no real reason at all.
On that note, here's a recipe for what is now my favorite oatmeal cookie EVER. Hope you try it because it's pretty awesome.
Chocolate [Chip] Oatmeal Coconut Cookies
Adapted from epicurious.com
Makes about 36 2-1/2" cookies
Preheat the oven to 375F degrees.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
1. Cream together with an electric mixer:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter
- 1-1/4 cup brown sugar
2. Mix in the following, one at a time, on medium-low speed:
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/2 t. vanilla
- 1/2 t. baking soda
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3. Stir in by hand:
- 2-1/4 cups oats
- 1-1/2 cups shredded coconut (unsweetened)
- 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped pecans
4. Roll balls of cookie dough around 1-1/2" in diameter and arrange on the baking sheet about 2" apart. Press down on each lightly to about 1/2" thickness. Bake for about 11 minutes, until lightly brown. Cool cookies on the sheet for about a minute, then transfer to racks.
Graduation season has just passed and the kids are all on summer vacation. I'm long out of that period of my life where I would be looking forward to graduating from an educational institution, but this time of the year does make me look back with some nostalgia. There was always so much excitement and anticipation, a world to discover, and I was in some ways eager to grow up, which would be marked by graduating from elementary school, junior high, and so on. Now I kind of wish I savored those days more.
About two weeks ago I went to my cousin's graduation party. He was graduating from junior high, and when I saw him, he was cool with hair like Adam Lambert and designer frames. When I was his age, I was geeky with braces, teased bangs and large round glasses that were more functional than stylish. Sometimes thinking about it makes me cringe, all the awkwardness of growing up and "finding yourself". (Although...I think I still haven't outgrown my awkwardness.) But despite that youthful blundering, the earnestness and hope seem to dissipate with age, often replaced by cynicism, and I wish I could recapture some of that innocence.
So what does coconut have to do with graduating and growing up? Not a whole lot except that one of the guests brought the most amazing coconut layer cake I had ever tasted. She said she got the recipe from Martha Stewart's (there she is again!) website--the Ultimate Coconut Cake, and it really did live up to its name. She (the guest, not Martha) told me she spent two days making it, which was a bit discouraging.
However, craving something coconutty, I settled with making coconut cupcakes, also from Martha Stewart. But I made the cardinal mistake that every baker should know not to make, and that was: I didn't read the recipe beforehand. This resulted in an extra half stick of butter mixed into the batter, which made it taste like a pound cake--not too bad, certainly denser. I made one or two other (intentional) variations, like adding almond extract instead of vanilla to complement the coconut, and it did well to satisfy my craving to have another piece of the cake. Definitely not the same, but close enough.
Coconut Cupcakes
Adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe
Makes about a dozen cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and line cupcake tin with liners.
1. Sift together in a bowl:
- 1-1/2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 t. baking powder
- 1/4 t. sea salt
2. In a separate bowl, using an electric mixer on medium, cream together until light in color and fluffy:
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup sugar
3. Continue beating in the following, one at a time:
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 t. almond extract
4. On low speed, mix in the flour mixture from #1, then add in:
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
5. Distribute batter evenly among the cupcake wells, and bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely on a rack.
To make the frosting:
Cream together the following:
- 8 oz. cream cheese
- 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
- 1-1/2 cup powdered sugar
After frosting the cupcakes, sprinkle shaved or shredded coconut on top.
This one's going to be kind of a quickie. With Christmas having come and gone, I feel a little spent. It seems to happen every year--all the anticipation and preparation for the holidays, and the next thing I know, it's over, and everything goes back to normal, and I'm wondering what just happened, like I didn't savor the moment enough. It doesn't help that I have to go back to work tomorrow--although it does help that this week will be a short work week with New Year's just a couple of days away! But what a reminder of how quickly time goes by.
Right before I left work for the Christmas holiday, my department had a cookie exchange. Each person was to bring 2 or 3 different batches of cookies to swap and bring home. I had never done this before, and apparently, there is a website devoted specifically to the cookie exchange, with rules and everything! I don't know if we necessarily followed any rules, but it was still fun, and next year I might try it with some friends. One of the cookies I decided to make were coconut macaroons. I love their almost crunchy outside and chewy inside--and how incredibly easy they are to make! I found the recipe in The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper by Lynne Rossetto Kasper and Sally Swift, which is based on NPR's food show (a fun cookbook to read!). This was my first time making coconut macaroons, and I wondered why I had never made them before. I'm considering making them again for an upcoming New Year's Eve party (and maybe dip them in chocolate!) so I can have time to savor the last moments of 2008 instead of spending them in the kitchen (although, I might be tempted to try a cheesecake brownie recipe I came across recently--which didn't look difficult either--instead...hm...).
Coconut Macaroons
(adapted from the recipe for Sally's Coconut Macaroons from The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper)
makes about 40 small cookies
2 large eggs
3/4 cup white granulated sugar
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla extract
3 cups shredded coconut
Preheat the oven to 350F degrees, and grease the baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Beat the eggs in a large bowl with a wire whisk, then add the sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Whisk all the ingredients together until combined well. Mix in the coconut. Using a regular teaspoon (not the measuring kind), spoon mounds of coconut mixture onto baking sheet (or you can be a little fancy and pipe them on to the baking sheet with a pastry bag and star-shaped tip--but I didn't bother). Bake the cookies on the second to the top rack of the oven for about 20 minutes or until they turn a toasty brown (mine could have been just a little browner), then cool on a cooling rack. (So easy!)
It's hard to believe that after about five months from my last post, I'm finally back here. I've probably lost all my readers by now, so anything I write now could be going into some void or jumbled with all the other distractions the internet has to offer. Just a collection of random thoughts (pretending I can write) and experiments with baking, and hoping that there would be others out there who could find a little amusement in my deliberations and pretty pictures (if anyone bothers to read more than the recipe).
On that note, here's a recipe for what is now my favorite oatmeal cookie EVER. Hope you try it because it's pretty awesome.
