Life

Two Random Pictures + Other (Slightly) Less Random Things

Hi! Let’s start this post off with a really random picture!

Comotomo teething toy teether in orange

I sent this picture to my mom on Sunday and just noticed it in my photos and was cracking up when I really looked at it.

Jimmy and I came home from church and received an Amazon package of this teething toy (the orange thing I’m holding) that my mom had sent to us. Jimmy was bending over to unlace his shoes, Malcolm was just casually resting on his back, and Sadie was relaxing in her carseat on our side table. This is our life. Sadie loves the teether, by the way!

Aaaand here’s one more random picture from my camera roll, just for fun.

Fresh Thyme Peanut Butter

Another picture I sent to my mom! I took her to a new grocery store by our house called Fresh Thyme Farmer’s Market on a Friday. I bought some of their freshly ground peanut butter and sent her a picture of the empty container on Tuesday. Peanut butter eating is my specialty 😉

Okay, onto other (slightly?) less random things. I am still plugging away at reading and editing my book so I can get. it. done. I even took Sadie on a date with me to Dunkin’ Donuts so we could work together!

In reality she was having a cranky morning, I needed coffee, and we both needed to get out of the house, so Dunkin’ it was!

Dunkin donuts coffee and book editing with Clopette baby toy

Jimmy, his brother, and I spent Saturday afternoon taking pictures of my sister-in-law and her fiancé for their save the dates!

She originally asked me to photograph them, but I don’t think I’m that proficient with my DSLR camera, so I told her I’d pose them if my my brother-in-law could take the pictures. Here are a few snaps from my phone.

Winter engagement pictures for save the datesWinter engagement pictures for save the datesWinter engagement pictures for save the dates

I think our little photoshoot was a success! My sis-in-law even asked me to be a bridesmaid, which I’m really excited about. Sadie and I are watching her try on wedding dresses this weekend, which should be a lot of fun!

Other thoughts and life updates
-I’m currently reading this book and can’t put it down.
-I’m pretty sure Sadie is going through a growth spurt, teething, and the four month sleep regression all at once. If you can read this: send coffee!
-I bought and changed the lightbulbs in our microwave! This was big for me because I’m so unsure of myself with stuff like this, haha.
-I’m still figuring out how to style my shorter hair, but here’s a (not great, lol) photo of the length. And Sadie with her teething toy, haha.

Mom and baby daughter with teething toy

Tell me something random from your life!

The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies I’ve Ever Baked

I know, this post has quite a lofty title to live up to, but I think it does!

The best chewy chocolate chip cookies recipe

I’m continually tweaking recipes. I spent about six months perfecting my malted milk chocolate chip cookies, honed my butter browning skills to create my mint dark chocolate chip cookie recipe, and won’t tell you how many batches of black bean soup I made before I felt confident enough to post that recipe.

All this to say, baking and cooking science fascinates me. Different flours have varying protein contents, adding air in increments to butter and sugar mixtures changes the texture of a cookie, smoking meat with different types of wood chips totally changes the flavor, and various spices bring out different flavor notes in a soup.

The best chewy chocolate chip cookies recipe

The ratio of white sugar to brown sugar, types of flour, and amount of butter and vanilla extract are what makes these chocolate chip cookies the best I’ve ever baked.

I like a soft, chewy chocolate chip cookie, so here was my approach:
-2 sticks of butter (more butter results in a thin cookie, and less makes a more “cakey” cookie)
-More brown sugar than granulated (more granulated than brown makes a crisp cookie, and less sugar in general makes a light and airy cookie)
-Bread flour helps to make the cookies chewy
-Cake flour helps to make the cookies have a soft texture
-Two teaspoons of vanilla extract highlights the sugars in the cookies

Okay, enough science. Let’s get to the recipe!

The best chewy chocolate chip cookies recipe

Ingredients
1 cup bread flour
1 1/4 cup cake flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions
1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk flours, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until fully combined.
3. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.
4. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
6. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
7. Drop tablespoon-sized balls of dough about 2 inches apart onto baking sheets and baking for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are golden but still soft.
8. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool and enjoy!

What’s your ultimate chocolate chip cookie like?