I wanted to express my appreciation to my friend Debbie's son for paving the way towards a potential caboose aquisition to complement the 1890s railroad passenger car tea room where I serve breakfast, so I baked some chocolate cookies and boxed them up with some homemade marshmallows. To complete the gift and write a message to the recipient, I chose a card with a recipe for "The Perfect Hot Chocolate" on the card's front. My daughter, Jessica, has made this recipe six times since I shared it with her two months ago. She likes it because it's quick and it uses standard ingredients in your pantry, so the cookies are ready in a snap when the chocolate craving hits.
Triple Chocolate Cookies from the Food Network Channel's "Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger"
¼ c butter, softened (I used 2 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce.)
½ c ¼ c dark brown sugar
¼ c white sugar (I use evaporated cane juice sugar.)
¼ c 2 tbsp oil (Buy "cold-pressed" organic oil. Conventional oil goes thru a caustic refining process that creates some trans fats.)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
½ c unbleached white flour
½ c whole wheat pastry flour
¼ c cocoa (I use Ah!Laska organic non-alkaline cocoa. If it isn't sold in your local coop or grocery store, you can order it online.)
¼ tsp salt, optional
1/3 c semisweet chocolate chips (I use 1/4 c Ghirardelli brand.)
1/3 c milk chocolate (I use 1/4 c Ghirardelli brand.)
2/3 c ½ c chopped pecans or walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter, applesauce, and sugars. Add oil, egg, and vanilla. Beat until creamy. In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, cocoa, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix well. Stir in the chocolate and pecans. Using a tablespoon, scoop the batter onto an unbleached parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Bake for 12 minutes. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack.
