The absolute PERFECT chocolate chip cookie!!!

So first I have to give credit where credit is due. My friend, Amber, introduced these cookies to me and I honestly thought they were bakery/or store bought. I had never had such a wonderfully perfect homemade chocolate chip cookie. I asked her for the recipe and she referred me to The Sisters Cafe, one of my favorite cooking blogs. I was so excited I ran home and looked up the recipe that week only to find that this recipe is VERY PARTICULAR! ( I had never baked with bread flour and didn't even know what cake flour was) although it is easy- it is TIME CONSUMING! (meaning- plan ahead, if you want your cookies tonight do not use this recipe!) If you want perfect cookies though, this is the PERFECT recipe!


2 cups minus 2 TB of cake flour (leave the 2 TB if you live at a high altitude)
1 2/3 cups bread flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 tsp. course salt
2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 TB white sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. natural vanilla extract
1 1/4 lbs. chocolate chips ( I ALWAYS choose a semi-sweet over milk)

Sift together dry ingredients and set aside. Cream butter and sugars together- FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES. Next add 1 egg at a time to butter/sugar mix. Stir in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Mix in chocolate by hand. PRESS PLASTIC WRAP AGAINST DOUGH AND CHILL 24-36 hours.Preheat oven to 350. Press dough into just about 1/4 cup ball and bake on parchment paper lined cookie sheets until golden. About 12 minutes.Enjoy the best cookie you will ever labor over!

Our favorite summer salad

Chicken Curry Salad

Ingredients:

4 cups chicken, cooked, cooled and cut into bite-sized pieces.
4 cups red grapes.
3 celery stalks, diced.
1 can water chestnuts.
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted until light brown in oven.

Dressing:

1/4 cup sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 tsp. curry seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. lemon juice.

1 head of iceburg lettuce, chopped or shredded.

Combine dressing ingredients and set aside. Combine all other ingredients and then dress right before serving. * this makes more than our family can eat in one night as a main dish, so we combine all the ingredients except the lettuce and dressing and then just make individual servings at dinner. That way nothing goes soggy if there are leftovers.