Compost Cookies with Neal Brother's BBQ chips

I’ve never been much of a chip eater. I’ll eat it at parties or if my friends and I order nachos at a restaurant, but I rarely buy a bag of chips because they’re too addictive. I cannot allow myself to eat just a few and it's worst if there are 5 flavors, I’ll want to try them all. My fingers uncontrollably reach for the chip bowl bringing pristine crisps to my lips, their crackly sensation is like crack to me, absolutely irresistible, not to mention how their salty, sweet, spicy coating blows up all the dopamine neurotransmitter synapses from my tongue to my brain telling me to EATMOREEATMORE!! The struggle is real, I’m sure you can relate and that’s why I don’t buy chips lest I go all Hulk-like on them.

And somehow when it comes to cookies or chocolate, I can exercise some self-control. Nonetheless, when Neal Brothers contacted me to offer samples of their latest flavours, I could not decline. 

So that’s how I ended up combining one of my favourite foods (ie. Cookies) with chips. I chose the popular Compost Cookies recipe from Cristina Tosi of Momofuku’s Milk Bar and for the potato chips, used Neal Brothers's sweet and salty BBQ kettle chips. When I threw the chips into the batter, I loved hearing them crunch and break apart, a sign of good things to come. The cookies contain a combination of milk chocolate, butterscotch chips, coffee grounds, rolled oats and chips, the idea behind it is to use up leftover ingredients that’s been hanging out in your pantry. 

I’ve made cookies from Milk Bar before, and though I enjoyed those cookies, I like these Compost Cookies more. The sweet and salty flavours work well here and I love the idea of using up whatever you have in your kitchen, it makes them unique and memorable. Neal Brother’s kettle chips are a great compliment to these cookies, the chips are delicious on their own, they’re sweet, salty, and lip-smackingly good, and yet their flavors are not overpowering. And as a bonus, their thick texture doesn’t disintegrate into the batter so you still get hints of BBQ in each cookie.

I love that Neal Brothers's chips are all natural and organic. I've tried other chips from them and they're all bold in flavor yet not overwhelming. I will definitely buy other products from them, like their Srirachup Chips or Honey Mustard Pretzel Nibblers!

My dad was skeptical about the addition of chips in these cookies, but he was so pleasantly surprised at how they turned out he polished off two in immediate succession and managed to mumble “MMMHMHMHMHHHMMM!” So yeah, I guess they’re pretty good. Thanks to Neal Brothers for the chips!

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Recipe here!

Momofuku's Blueberry and Cream Cookies

About a month ago I went to Momofuku's Daisho on University Avenue here in Toronto. My bestie and I had made reservations weeks before, talking on the phone about what we would order and how excited we were and again. Sadly, after our meal, we decided it didn't meet our expectations and agreed the food was overpriced. On the plus side, we still had a great time together.

We didn't visit the Milk Bar, though I've read plenty about it and have bookmarked recipes for the popular Compost Cookies and Crack Pie. I did however, make these blueberry and cream cookies. Isn't that fun to say aloud? Blueberry and cream cookies. Its name practically beckons for you to try them. 

They are buttery, chewy and crispy cookies dotted with dried blueberries and "milk crumbs". I just happen to have an old bag of dried blueberries kicking around in my pantry, I rarely use them because they taste are too sweet, almost medicinal if you eat them alone. But thrown into the cookie batter and left in the fridge overnight for the flavours to meld, the butter sort of tames the sweetness. 

The "cream" component of the cookies are homemade milk crumbs, a combination of milk powder, butter, salt and flour. I love this concoction, it's addictive and any leftover crumbs could be sprinkled on top of ice cream. These are best fresh out of the oven, the edges are crisp and the middle has that chewy denseness that I really enjoy. I saved some for a friend who ate three in one sitting, the best nonverbal compliment any baker could receive.

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Peanut Butter Sandies

If you asked my boyfriend, Jacques what his favourite cookies were, he’d say “Peanut Butter Cookies!” with the enthusiasm of a six year old. He’s very good at dropping hints for what I should make for my next baking project. It was his birthday last week so instead of making them alone, I thought it would be more fun to boss him around make it together.

Most of the peanut butter cookies I've had are crisp and dry, not that it’s a bad thing, but they’re predictable. These cookies on the other hand, will blow your mind. Dense and buttery, they are reminiscent of shortbread. The marriage of brown and granulated sugars gives it a sandy texture and the peanut butter adds a wallop of flavour. Not to mention the sprinkle of salt on top makes them freakingly irresistible. For those who live for sweet and salty desserts, these are for you.

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Neiman Marcus $250 Cookies

I had a craving for chocolate chip cookies. I knew exactly what kind I wanted: thick, chunky, cookies riddled with generous pieces of dark chocolate and a little sea salt on top to off set the sweetness. The kind that of cookies that makes you lick your lips right before biting into them, the kind that is so full of chocolate, it melts between your fingers. Finally, I made these and viola, my cravings were settled.

I picked up work at another nursing home a few months ago. The staff are great, I'm finally starting to learn people's names (though my eyes still linger over their name tags when in doubt) and the best part, the commute is the shortest compared to my other nursing homes. I brought a box of these cookies to work and everyone loved them. I offered them bright and early at 7am to my coworkers, word spread like wild fire and they came barging into the office for more. Are these the legendary cookies with the legendary hyperbolic title? My coworkers certain think so. 

These cookies are similar to the NY Times version I blogged about here and the whole wheat version here, the main difference is the use of oat flour in this recipe, which gives it an extra textural mouthfeel. There's also grated chocolate, for extra chocolatelyness, which is never a bad thing. I used the NY times tip in leaving the dough overnight in the fridge which improves the flavour and is highly recommended.

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Speculoos Ice Cream

I realized the other day I’m constantly surrounded by food. At work, I help feed seniors in nursing homes, giving recommendations to help them stay healthier, sometimes I revise their menus too. On the commute home, I usually have one hand on the wheel, the other hand dusting off the cracker bits on my lap from my afternoon snack. Even after dinner I snuggle on the couch flipping through cookbooks while watching Chopped or Top Chef. Before bedtime, I nibble on chocolate or a little fruit (depending how healthy I want to be). I just really like food.

Sometimes my mind gets obsessed with a particular food that it begins to evade my dreams. I had a craving for donuts recently and during one restful sleep, a giant fried cruller appeared, taunting me with its cinnamon-crusted sugar and juicy apple flavor. I blame Donut Showdown, the furious rush to create outrageous, over-the-top donuts with unpredictable flavor combinations are bound to seep into my bedtime consciousness. I kept planning to go to Tim Horton’s for a chocolate-glazed donut but refrained. Finally, I walked into a grocery store and a thick waft of fried dough hit me, a kiosk that made sizzling hot donuts was set up strategically at the store entrance. That did it for me. I bought a small box of plain donuts dusted with only icing sugar, splitting the loot with my friend. It was awesome. Melt-in-your mouth awesome. Donuts stay out of my dreams now. 

A dessert I’ve been brainstorming for months now involves my all time love, Speculoos. I’ve tried to remake them in cookie and cake form, and thought it was time to up the ante and use it in ice cream. If I could use adjectives to describe it, I’d use profanity, specifically a four letter word starting with F. Not only is the flavor well preserved, its texture is irresistibly silky. It's hard to find anything wrong with it.

I used a basic peanut butter ice cream recipe and substituted the peanut butter with Speculoos. The technique couldn’t be easier, you just cream the spread with sugar, slowly add cream and then more cream. Chill it till it’s cold enough and pour it into an ice cream machine. I’ve long been a fan of cookies and cream ice cream, and applied that same idea in this ice cream, adding plenty of crushed Speculoos cookies. The result isn't cloying sweet, the flavours of cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves are pronounced. I helped myself to a generous bowl after taking these photos and proceeded with a second serving, I don't regret it.

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Homemade Oreos

I dreamt about my maternal grandma the other night. She had a fall or a hemorrhage, something serious. Then, there was a blur of my parents hurriedly packing a suitcase, announcing they were flying to Hong Kong to see her. I rarely see my grandma in my REM sleep, we were never close.

My strongest memories of her were the way she rapped her chopsticks on the dinner table, scolding me for holding mine improperly, or how I could never understand anything she said, her Cantonese masked in a thick village accent. I got into trouble when she asked a question that required a detailed answer, like, “What time is it?” I’d look at her dumbfounded, begin to nod hesitantly, as if I knew what I was doing, but she'd get angry because a bobbing head had nothing to do with the time. She gave up, threw her arms up in the air and let out a sigh of exasperation (in my defense, my dad also couldn't discern what she said either and got the same punishment).

I’ve been working in nursing homes for the past months and I love love LOVE it. The older age group is enjoyable to work with, their gratefulness and big smiles make my day. Even though sometimes they act like children, (picky with their food, refuse to sit with so and so, call each other nasty names, require a nurse to spoon feed all their meals and drinks), there's also the heartbreaking stories of families who dump their parents into a nursing home--against their will--or the seniors who rarely get a visit from their families and stay in their room, alone with a TV. It bothers me that some people could treat their parents with neglect and disrespect.

There are a few patients that I spend extra time with, they have a great sense of humour and I know how lonely they are. One lady always looks like she just came from the hairstylist, envious grey curls sit on her head and twinkly blue eyes that sparkle when she talks about her husband. She flashed me by accident once and giggled, “Oops! Didn’t mean for that to pop out!” Other days, she weeps, complaining about her pain. I know it’s not only physical pain, but loneliness too, so I take her hand and soothe her with some hot tea. Spending time with old folks makes me think of my grandparents. My grandpa died young with a sudden bout of pneumonia and my grandma suffers from Alzheimer’s disease that is so advanced, she barely recognizes my mom. I like to think being at the nursing homes make up for the time I didn't have with my grandparents.

On a happier note, I have a soft spot for Oreos: Oreo cheesecake, Oreo milkshake, crushed Oreos in my McFlurry, a plate of Oreos with milk while watching reruns of The Big Bang Theory. I’ve tried making homemade Oreos before but they ended up looking like monster whoopee pies, the cookie was too fluffy and lacked that signature snap. These cookies however, are crispy and intensely chocolatey and make a fine accompaniment to creamy vanilla filling (or a chocolate filling for a double chocolate threat).  

The filling by itself is too buttery and cloying sweet but slathered between chocolate cookies, they are perfect. My favourite part is the oozing filling with each greedy bite. They make spectacular Valentine’s Day treats too; use heart-shaped cookie cutters or add a few drops of red food coloring to the filling to make pink-filled Oreos. If I brought my grandma a few of these, she'd interrogate me, "What kind of cookies were they? What was in them? How did I make them? When did I make them?" I'd just tell her to give them a try and without a doubt, she would love them and eat two or three all at once, her blood sugar skyrocketing.

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Recipe here!

Peanut Butter Cookies with Marshmallows

Happy new year dear readers! I hope the new year is treating you well. I planned to post this weeks ago, but was hit with severe back pain, the flu, a stomach bug, and a stubborn dry cough that makes me feel like I'm retching out my lungs every.single.time. I've finally toughed through it, though there were moments where I cried myself to sleep, the back pain was too much to bear and yet, I'm here! And I brought peanut butter cookies! BIG WHOOPS!!

Sometime last year, I was flipping through Instagram and came across another foodie's afternoon treat: peanut butter cookies dotted with marshmallows and mini chocolate chips. It struck me how beautiful a marriage it was, oozy sweet marshmallows with nutty peanuts and bits of chocolate, really I couldn't think of a better combination. So sometime before The Week When I Thought I Was Going to Die I baked a batch of these lovelies. The first batch came and I struggled to stop myself from each two, three, four cookies all at once. The marshmallows leave a crusty, burnt top and melt into a puddle of sweet pillowyness, adding serious oomph to the cookies. They kind of remind me of s’mores, minus the chocolate, making them ten thousand times better.

To prove my point, here’s a picture of me with a plate of cookies, alone, nibbling away. When I uploaded these photos to my computer, I couldn’t stop laughing at how my nose twists to the side when I eat. It makes me wonder if I’m like that only when I’m dissecting cookie flavours in my head, or is it only a thing I do for the camera. Whatever the reason, I'm sure you'll enjoy these as much as I did.

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Recipe here!

Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies

I once knew a boy who would prepare breakfast for me. As I roused from my lazy slumber, he carried a tray of food up the dark, winding staircase, bringing an odd mishmash to the bedside table: cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, and a bowl of rolled oats swimming in a pool of cold milk. We sat cross-legged on the bed, still in pjs, and lapped up the food as bright rays of gold light slipped through the blinds.

I haven't met anyone else who eats oats cold and I didn't mind (why complain when someone makes you food?). Besides, I don’t care for warm oatmeal, there’s a funky starchy scent that lingers and the mushy, congealed bits of gnarly grains turns me off. My nose scrunches up every morning my mom makes it.

The only places I approve of oats in my food is: granola, granola bars, and oatmeal cookies. I had a hankering for cookies a few weeks ago. I ached for crispy edges, chewy middles and dark, sensuous chunks of chocolate. I wanted something like these chocolate chunk cookies or these whole wheat cookies; thick mounds of baked dough that deliver sure promise of satisfaction. After mixing the batter, I bid it good night and kept it in the fridge, letting the flavours to develop before baking them the following day. When the first batch was done, I sneaked a bite, the chocolate still hot and melting from the oven, making it very hard to share.

I packaged these beauties in tin foil, gifted them to a friend who later told me they did some serious damage to her purse, perfuming it with sweet butter commingled with chocolate and how she couldn't stop taking deep whiffs of her purse. 

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Chocolate Cinnamon Gelato with Speculoos

When I was young enough to only appreciate the flavours of toffee candies and M & M’s, my parents made the hard decision to move from Toronto to my birth place, Hong Kong, this was already my second move across the Pacific, something I had to learn to get used to. My dad got a new job in Hong Kong and my mom couldn’t leave her work in Canada, so my dad, grandpa and I packed up to go back to Asia. In the past twenty four years, I’ve endured too many painstakingly long flights, eaten bad airplane meals more times that I’d like to remember, but little did I know this would be the toughest move ever. 

We were all packed and ready to go, having arrived at the airport early with plenty of time to kill before boarding. We ate some breakfast, I double-checked that my toys were packed safely in my carry-on and went to the bathroom for the umpteenth time at my mom’s insistence. Finally, with my dad’s rough hands clasping mine and my other arm suffocating my stuffed animal, we walked to the departure gate.

I looked back at my mom behind the barrier, she looked sad, lonely and far away, questions ran through my mind: What if she forgot to lock the door? And the house got robbed? My mom would be in danger. Who would take care of her? What would happen? Who would buy me white frilly socks then? The thoughts were too much to bear, I couldn’t help but burst into tears.

But this was no ordinary crying. Oh no, I had a meltdown. It started out as trembling then tears spilled out, progressing into deep sobs and as I strugged for breath, loud, obnoxious screams exploded, “Mommmyyyy!!! MOMMMYYY!!!! Don’t go!” I was uncontrollable, my dad tried to pull me towards the horrified customs officer, but I glued myself to the rail, proceeding with hysterical and desperate cries. This went on for minutes before my dad finally pried my hands apart and my mom disappeared behind the partition.

My grandpa bought me an ice cream cone to calm me down, apparently this worked, my sobbing slowed, I found my breath again and was soon licking the ice cream dripping down my fingers, my broken heart healed. My parents love telling me this story just to prove how much I love ice cream and all things sweet. It’s still holds true, give me a box of chocolates and I’ll crown you my best friend.

I’ve been very good at bookmarking ice cream recipes but not so good at making them. With the hit of two heat waves in Toronto, nothing seems to tame the humidity but greedy scoops of milky gelato. This recipe uses only six ingredients: cream, milk, sugar, chocolate, cinnamon and cookie crumbs. It comes together in a breeze, you will wonder, like I did, why you don’t make ice cream more often and resume eating spoonfuls straight out of the container.

As you know, I’m a big Speculoos fan, it’s warm, spicy flavours of cloves, ginger and cinnamon marry well with chocolate. It’s much more subdued in this ice cream though the cinnamon helps to heighten its flavour. This is very thick gelato, much less airy than your traditional ice cream, but if you like flourless chocolate cake or chocolate mousse and other  intense chocolatey desserts, this will sure to win your heart and cool you down lest another heat wave strikes.

 

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Chocolate Biscotti and Giveaway!

One food fantasy I have is skinny dipping in a chocolate lake. I would tentatively dip my toes into the edge, testing the temperature, then I’d walk to the edge of the dock and take in a deep breath before dive bombing into the chocolate bath. I’d swim a few laps but don’t think I’d get very far because the chocolate would be too thick and besides, I’d get distracted by the gulpfuls of chocolate in my mouth. I’d be better off licking my fingers like a cat.

In real life, if I do have chocolate on hand, I’m usually fully clothed and nibbling on a sliver of Lindt dark chocolate, preferably the sea salt or roasted almond kind. If they're on sale, I'm tempted to buy the whole box, just in case a serious chocolate craving strikes, surprisingly however, a bar will last me two weeks, I stop myself from having more than 2 squares per day, anymore and I’d feel guilty.

I already feel bad about my embarrassingly long list of recipes saved under the Must Make folder in my computer, I’m seriously behind, but at least I can cross off this chocolate biscotti off (yay, one down, only 165 more to go!). I’ve made plenty of chocolate desserts lately: cake, brownies, cookies, but they never lasted long enough for me to write and photograph, save for these biscotti which are really something to talk about. Your teeth will break under the mighty strength of these biscotti, making them suitable for some hardcore dunking in coffee, milk, tea, or all the above.

I’m not Italian, so I feel like it’s not culturally correct for me to comment on how biscotti should be, but I do know I prefer mine leaning towards the crispy side. I’ve had softer biscotti and even tried the Starbucks white chocolate almond biscotti. It was depressing, chemical-tasting and lacked that wow factor, even as I ripped apart the plastic wrapping, I should have stopped right there, knowing that I would only taste disappointment, so from now on, I only eat homemade biscotti, preferably teeth-breakingly hard biscotti. 

Texture aside, biscotti can be customized to your favourite flavour combinations, like the way pistachios and cranberries make my heart sing or the unexpected-but-it-works Parmesan and Black Pepper Biscotti. But here, I give you an uber chocolately cookie, where chocolate is the star of the show, the better the chocolate, the stronger the flavour. I used a mixture of almonds and filberts because that's all I had, and I promise these will please any kind of chocolate-lover out there. Someday my chocolate lake will come true, meanwhile, all I can do is keep baking my heart out.

And for the best part of this post, my friend Lisa had an extra set of measuring spoons and so kindly suggested I give them away here. They're super cute, each spoon have their own little saying and there's nothing like a little spoonful of love in your baked goods. All you have to do is leave a comment, sharing your favourite chocolately dessert, then on Wednesday July 11th, 2012, I'll randomly select a winner. So comment away people!

Giveaway results! So, I had some difficulty configuring the randomizer so that the random number I chose would show, but when I clicked it the number 9 showed up which means...Mandy is now the owner of a new set of measuring spoons! Thank you all for commenting, it was fun reading your favourite chocolate desserts.
 

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Brown Sugar Sandwich Cookies

In case you haven’t been following me for long, I’m a registered dietitian. I graduated about two years ago and went through a somewhat tough time doubting if what I chose as a profession was suitable to me. I knew from my internship that I love seeing patients, I love food, and I love that immense sense of reward knowing that I was helping people in need, but sometimes it's hard to control where you can release those feel-good vibes.

I’ve already vented about my unhappiness before, but I recently landed a new job and I’m happy to say I love waking up to it. You know how there are jobs out there that eternally drain you as if someone pulled the plug from a swimming pool? The job slowly and painfully tugs at your insides, exhausting you from head to toe till you don’t have the energy to do anything else when you get home. That’s the kind of job I used to have. It’s kind of a haunting, sickening feeling at the pit of your stomach.

When I graduated, I was chosen by my classmates to speak at our ceremony. At my low point a few months ago, I retrieved the speech I reminded myself: Have passion in what you do. When you love what you do, time flies by, but it also gives you a great sense of satisfaction that makes your life easier and so much better (by the way, though I’m a dietitian, the recipes and food I blog here don’t necessarily reflect my diet nor what I recommend to clients. Buttered Up is a place for me to share, explore and showcase my passion for food and all things sweet).

Anyway, enough of my preachyness. I was browsing through Heidi’s blog for interesting cookies and stumbled upon these lovelies: brown sugar sandwich cookies. The initial game plan was to ditch the chocolate filling (ridiculous, I know) but when I nibbled on a cookie and realized they were better smeared with chocolate, I hopped on the chance to chop up some dark chocolate. 

These cookies, made with spelt flour and all-purpose flour aren’t sweet at all, they carry a hint of sweet butter and graininess and the poppy seeds give it an itty bitty crunch that despite sticking between your teeth, is actually quite fun and make them very special. I imagine these would make perfect gifts for your friends, seeing as how my colleagues swooned when I brought them into work. You can make them in any shape, but it's hard to say no to heart-shaped cookies, especially when Valentine's day coming up...hint hint! 

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Cranberry and Pistachio Biscotti plus Other Adventures

I’ve wanted to share this recipe for a while, it’s very dear to me because it was one of my first loves when I was in Montreal. I had browsed through recipes on Epicurious and baked my first of many batches at my cousin’s apartment, wrapped in layers of cotton and wool since the kitchen lacked heat and the best way to stay warm was bake with the oven on at full force. 

 

 

But lately, there hasn’t been much need for that. If you’re like me, live in Toronto, you will know that the winter has been unusually warm. We got a day of furious snowfall right after Christmas, but it’s already starting to melt into little rivers on the streets and given the remarkably good weather, I’ve been doing some exploring.

I couldn’t stop staring at the ROM. It’s a beautiful building that sits on Bloor and Queen's Park, with crystal like structures spilling on the street, its design inspired by the museum's collection of gemstones. I’ve passed by many times but never really took it in till this last week. 

 

 

On the same day, exhausted from hours of walking up and down Bloor street, my friend and I stumbled into Carole’s Cheesecake Café tucked in a little nook on Cumberland street. Their cheesecake has been named the best cheesecake in the city and boy, does it live up to that title. 

I ordered a Taffy Apple cheesecake and oh lordy lord, the filling was fluffier than clouds and as light as whipped cream, but the best part was the topping. There was crunchy toffee and crystallized apples to contrast against the soft filling and then just when your tongue can’t handle the sensory overload, there are slivers of soft cooked apples with a hint of cinnamon. I polished it off my slice in record time. This is serious cheesecake people. 

Later in the week, I discovered a shop that sells imported Dutch products including Speculoos (!!!!). If you remember my love letter, you would know about my mad love for all things Speculoos.  A very kind blogger from across the border also sent me Trader Joe’s version of Speculoos aka Cookie Butter (I love that name) for Christmas. I’ve been scooping it out of the jar with my finger spoon everyday...whoops! So much for making ice cream out of it. 

 

There’s also been a lot of lobster. Lobster bisque, lobster soup, lobster hot pot, and lobster cooked in soy sauce. You should see my parents attack lobster, it's as if it was the end of the world, in other words, hilarious. My mom has the biggest grin and my dad turns into a kid in a toy store.

 

In between meals and finding little gems in what is now my hometown, I’ve been nibbling on these dynamite biscotti. They are insanely addictive, crunchy, crumbly in all the right places, and intoxicate your mouth with the sweet smell of baked eggs and butter. They are undoubtedly festive cookies and would make wonderful treats to ring in the new years say at a potluck. I bet you will have people fighting to get the recipe from you. I certainly would. 

Happy new year and thanks for reading, drooling, commenting and stopping by. May 2012 bring us more luscious and saliva-inducing sweets!

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