Tour:Smart - Martin Atkins at Avant Garden Tonight.
H-Town Rock
Missed Connections: November 2 - 5
Daily-ist Thursday: River Oaks Theater 70th Anniversary Celebration
Get sticky at Lawndale's Sugar Skull workshop
Houstonist spends December either crazy busy or stupid tired, what with all of the parties, shopping, home decorating and general Christmas season ilk going on. We discovered these, "on accident" and even though we are pushing all of our limits, we simply cannot bring ourselves to endorse pre-cut, refrigerated cookies that come with their own icing. There is something so wrong with it, our sensibilities are offended. We may kill ourselves, figuratively, but the cookies are made from scratch! I'm sure they are just fine and all, however, at the very least, please, we are begging you - bust out your own cookie cutters and make some icing - make it look semi-homemade - where is your dignity?
While Houstonist is all busting on the pre-cut, pre-mixed "cheater" cookies, we'd like to make a suggestion to alleviate killing yourself, again figuratively, to have some cookies of various and sundry types to leave for the fat man in the red suit on Christmas Eve (next to that frosty cold class of organic 2% milk - we cook with whole - we drink the two). Rather than baking during every spare moment that you are not trying to stay on that ladder, fighting the crowds (nunchucks help - especially if you are seeking a Wii or PS3) or wrapping presents - host a "cookie exchange" at your humble abode. Invite a few friends or neighbors to come over for a couple of hours and bring a batch of their favorite cookies to share. The host/hostess (hey - we are all about "equality" so - don that man-apron and get busy) should provide some nice paper boxes or zip top baggies that can go into a cute (yeah- re-use the ones you got last year - provided they're in good shape) gift bag. Mull some wine, nog some eggs and/or spike some cocoa and offer your guests a selection of cheese platters, cheese ball or charcuterie - or some such snacks - like, say - summer sausage, rat cheese and saltines (you can get fancy and scoop some cream cheese on a ritz and decorate it with some pimiento for color - presentation is everything - kidding, that sounds nasty). Being a good Southerner, we suggest any serving of egg nog, made for 8 -12 people have nearly a fifth of good bourbon in it - take heed - and drink responsibly.
Here's a version of our personal favorite cookie for you to try.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
1/2 cup butter
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans or other nuts - optional - we think they are better "nutless"
Powdered Sugar (confectioner's sugar)
Preheat oven to 350, unless you are "making ahead" and baking the following day or two.
In a large bowl (we know - you would never guess what "vessel" to use), cream together butter and sugar - add vanilla (real stuff - see Penzey's or Fiesta) and beat in eggs and melted chocolate. Stir in dry ingredients, in thirds, alternating with milk. You want nuts, add them here, fold them in - don't beat with mixer.
Shape into one inch balls - or refrigerate until ready to bake (we find that the dough gets sticky - so we advocate 1/2 - 1 hour of refrigeration to firm things up), roll the ball into the powdered sugar to coat and place two inches apart on a lightly greased (spray with cooking spray) cookie sheet. Now, the instructions we have say to bake 14 - 16 minutes, we bake ours 8 - 10 minutes so they are nice and chewy and not dry, hard and begging to be dunked into some milk so they are chewable and Santa doesn't break a tooth. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar, if desired.
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