Things I typically do when driving on my own include plotting what to bake and cook when I get home, mentally inventorying my pantry to see if I need to make a stop at the grocery store (most times I don't need to, but do anyway), telling myself I need to improve my lighting for nighttime food photography, typing up future blog posts in my mind (such as this one), sing along to 90s hits, try to call into the radio stations, create elaborately heart-wrenching conversations in my mind with the guy I'm currently gaga over, call my family members and ask them what they're doing, read a chapter or two of whatever book I have handy (this week it's A Woman in Black, bless thin books), and trust me, the list goes on.
Forget driving and texting, I've got bigger things on my mind.
When stuck in situations like I was yesterday (read above; bad traffic, growing urban population, people suck, etc), I feel like I HAVE to bake or cook, or generally tinker in the kitchen. It's either that, or bug my siblings half to death with my rolling over them, begging for love and attention. Baking is my number one method of relieving stress and heartache, it's something bigger than me, you know? *sounds like a hippie* It's not about the eating of cookies, cupcakes or the such (usually, when I stress eat, it's pasta based), it's more of the method and being in this other world where I am the queen of the kitchen, and nobody can touch me.
Last night, I came home with a reusable bag of fresh ingredients, and still clad in my confining corporate clothes, I went to work on these happy little bundles of love: Strawberry Chocolate Chunk Cookies. I just took a whack at it really, googled a recipe real quick and found this one on Baking Bites. Only thing is, I may have overdone it with the beating in of strawberries...
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 cup lightly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp white clover honey
- 2 cups freeze-dried strawberries, chopped into 1cm cubes
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- Preheat the oven to 180C and line your cookie trays.
- Sift into a medium bowl and set aside
- In a larger bowl, beat using your electric mixer on medium speed, until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time
- Stir in vanilla and honey, beat until just incorporated
- Add the strawberries and chocolate chunks
- Drop onto your baking sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden around the edges and the top springs back when pressed lightly with a finger. Cool for 5 minutes of the tray before removing onto a cooling rack
Guaranteed to have your entire house smelling of love and cookies! I love using freeze-dried strawberries as the flavour is so much stronger, and it's more sweet than tangy like fresh strawberries. I don't know, you can probably give fresh ones a shot if you've got plump and sweet ones in season.
Much love,
Nabs
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