Recipe: Dark Chocolate Chunk Espresso Shortbread

Posted on May 22, 2013 by

Last month my mother-in-law broke her ankle. Poor thing. Thankfully she was cleared for surgery quickly and got it all bolted up. The weekend after her surgery we headed down to New Jersey to look after her. One thing she and I have in common is that we love sweets and cookies. I couldn’t expect to cheer her up without a special treat so I made Smitten Kitchen’s Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies (with a few tweaks of my own).

Domestocrat’s Dark Chocolate Chunk Espresso Shortbread (makes 15 big cookies)
2/3 tbsp. espresso powder
2 sticks (8 oz.) butter
2/3 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups AP flour
2/3 cup dark chocolate chunks (chocolate chips would work fine here too)

This recipe is super simple: in a stand mixer or big bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and espresso powder.

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Slowly add in the flour.

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The last step is to mix in the chocolate chunks. Snacking = mandatory.

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This next step is key and bless Smitten Kitchen for passing it along.

Load all of the shortbread dough into a large ziploc bag. A 1 gallon freezer bag works really well.

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When the dough is in the bag use a rolling pin to roll out a nice even layer inside. This sounds hard but trust me, it’s super easy. Just make sure you got all the way to the edges and get in the corners. When this is done stick the bag in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This would be a great make ahead recipe because you could do this overnight too. Don’t worry about the dough sticking to the bag, once it chills it definitely will not stick. When the dough had chilled remove it from the ziploc bag. I found that the easiest way to do this was to simply cut it off with my kitchen shears.

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Roughly mark the size of your cookies and cut into squares with a pizza cutter. If you don’t have a pizza cutter a big knife will work just fine.

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Prick each cookie with a fork on the top. Bake on a parchment paper lined baking sheet at 325 degrees for 15-17 minutes, rotating the pans once at the halfway point.

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Gently transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely before eating.

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These cookies were so good – buttery, rich, and sweet.

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The dark chocolate adds the perfect warmth and the espresso powder lends that bakery perfect touch.

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On Marriage: Two Years In

Posted on May 21, 2013 by

Two years ago today John and I got married.

Nothing has changed and yet, everything has changed. It’s a strange feeling. I can’t describe 100% what’s it’s like to be a wife (I have the rest of my life to try) and I probably can’t put it into words as eloquently as I’d like. But I’ll make an attempt…

For the first time in my life I feel complete. I feel at ease, safe, walls down, grateful, humbled. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying a man or husband completed the lowly life I had been leading. What I’m saying is that marriage feels like the piece I was missing. I think I’ve led a lot of my life, as we all do, hoping other things will make me feel whole: a good job, money, better self esteem. And striving for more of those things: a raise, to lose a few pounds, to learn a new skill, to make more friends. But this new feeling of fullness has erased those superficial wants and desires.

I still obviously have personal goals and work very hard to achieve them (my career and my health being two huge examples). But being married, and the subsequent ways it has led to me being more comfortable in my own skin, has made me feel more confident and special in ways I could never have discovered by myself. John’s endless support has taught me that I am deserving, worthy, and entitled to being my best self. It’s such a cliche but he really has made me a better person. I could have gotten there on my own, maybe eventually. But for the first time in my whole life, what I have feels like enough. I feel blessed to be able to thank John for that. Happy anniversary, sweetie!

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The Monday Mix

Posted on May 20, 2013 by

Here’s The Monday Mix for this week! To visit past mixes, click here.

MondayMix

SNew

Rachael McKenna has spent 6 months in NYC taking photographs to put together a book called the New York Dog Project. The book will be a collection of dogs, their owners, and all of the places important to a New York Dog. Can’t wait for the book? You can check out tons of amazing dog photos right now on her blog.

SDelicious

Blueberry Muffin Ice Cream? The How Sweet It Is blog is killing me.

SBrain

A government lab (Los Alamos National Labs in New Mexico) recently revealed that they have been using a quantum network internet connection for two years. Not familiar with the quantum internet? Here’s a good explanation. It’s basically the most secure type of connection based on an applied quantum physics theory come to life. Fascinating stuff, and super important to the future of secure information technology.

SFun

As you’re reading this John and I are currently on the San Francisco leg of our CA to OR road trip so this is extra appropriate for today. Check out this interactive map of San Fran to read all about the history of why streets, landmarks, etc. were named the way they were.

SCrafty

Photographer Alan Sailer uses a high speed camera to capture images of an air rifle shooting pellets into things. Sounds obscure and a little crazy but the photographs are beautiful and intriguing. You can check out his work here and here. I’m completely in awe!

SReal

Check out this year’s Doodle 4 Google! It’s an annual contest for kids grades K-12 to create their own Google Doodle. The winners received educational grants and scholarships for college. I love looking through the finalist gallery – these kids are seriously creative. Check out the winner this week (on 5/23) – they will be featured as the Google Doodle for the whole day!

Posted in The Monday Mix | Tagged | 2 Comments

Restaurant Review: Life Alive in Cambridge, MA

Posted on May 17, 2013 by

Life Alive is a small neighborhood restaurant that has hooked almost everyone I know that’s eaten there. John’s a convert, Nicole‘s a fanatic, and I go there at least once a week. In fact, I’m surprised I didn’t write this review sooner!

Life Alive has locations in Cambridge (my go-to location), Salem, and Lowell. I’ve been to the one in Lowell and it was great, as expected – but I love the Cambridge location the best.

Life Alive boasts a full menu of wholesome, organic, therapeutic, and vibrant food. They want you to experience what true nourishment feels like – with a combination of whole foods and ethical practices.

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Don’t mistake this for a hippy dippy vegan restaurant serving flavorless sprouts over wilted vegetables and cardboard-like tofu. It’s anything but. Every ingredient – whether it’s beets, avocado, legumes, quinoa, or kale – is expertly prepared with the minimum amount of fussing, cooking, or modifying to promote the most flavor and maximum health benefits to each customer.

Life Alive makes the most healthy meal you could possibly get that is also the most delicious, most filling, and has the best value. I love making restaurant recreations at home but I’ve stopped short of trying to copy Life Alive. It takes time to prep all of the many ingredients they incorporate into each dish; I will happily pay $10 to leave it to the professionals.

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Life Alive also makes fantastic flavor packed sauces that top each dish featuring ginger, soy, flax, and many other super foods. They also have a juice and smoothie bar with a huge menu, full of vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.

The only negative thing I can think of is that the lines tend to get long. Still, service is as fast as they can be. And there is an abundance of additional seating on their downstairs level, which alleviates some of the crowded feeling upstairs.

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My go-to meal at Life Alive is The Adventurer:

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See?!

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On top of all that, Life Alive also has an Appreciation Card program. I’m so close to getting my free meal!

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Life Alive is a place to eat consciously. I am mindful of how I feel before and after I eat here, and afterward I always feel amazing. I always say to John that Life Alive is the type of place that if we found on vacation and didn’t have at home, I would be so bummed. If you are in the area it’s a must try and if you’re from out of the area it’s a must visit.

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Recipe: Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies

Posted on May 15, 2013 by

There are certain seasonal things I never tire of throughout the year. Molasses cookies are customarily reserved for the winter holiday months but I just couldn’t resist despite it being Springtime. These cookies are soft, chewy, buttery, and the perfect amount of spicy.

Domestocrat’s Chewy Molasses Spice Cookies (makes 20 cookies, inspired by Brown Eyed Baker)
3/4 cup (12 tbsp.) butter
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup molasses
2 cups AP purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. cinnamon (I use King Arthur’s Vietnamese cinnamon)
1.5 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground clove
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt

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Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Next, add the molasses, egg yolk, and vanilla. When those ingredients are mixed together, add in the spices and baking soda, and then slowly mix in the flour.

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Scoop the dough into 1” balls with a spoon or small disher (I use my handy dandy #20 ice cream scooper).

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Measure out 3 tbsp. of granulated sugar and place in a small bowl or dish. Roll in your hands to make the shape as uniform as you can then toss each cookie dough ball around in the sugar until the entire surface is coated.

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Place the dough balls on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake on 375 degrees for 12 minutes, rotating once at the halfway point.

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Cool on the pan for a minute or two, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

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I can’t get enough of these cookies! They were similar to my Gingerbread Cookies but lighter and more flavorful. They are spicy, warm, and full of that perfect molasses flavor. Not to mention they were so good paired with a big mug of ginger tea. Yum!

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Off To The West Coast!

Posted on May 14, 2013 by

It’s finally here – vacation!!! John and I are off to the west coast bright and early tomorrow morning. After nine long months of planning, we’re finally embarking on our next road trip – San Diego, CA to Portland, OR.

While we’re away I have some great posts scheduled for you – the regular Monday Mix, a few recipes, a restaurant review, and a whole post on workout music. I can’t wait to come back with even more awesome posts for you – expect a ton of photographs, an extensive recap of our experience at The French Laundry, touristy attractions galore, and everything in between.

If you want to keep up with our adventures in real time, feel free to follow me on Instagram and/or Twitter.

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The Monday Mix

Posted on May 13, 2013 by

Here’s The Monday Mix for this week! To visit past mixes, click here.

MondayMix

SNew

Dan Brown’s new Robert Langdon-centric book, Inferno, comes out tomorrow. I know some people now think these books are campy but I’m still totally obsessed with them. I can’t wait to read this one!

SDelicious

Did someone say Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie Cupcakes?

SBrain

Calling all bicyclists – there is now research that supports laws that require bicyclists to wear helmets. Protect that brain!

SFun

I love these photos of famous artists with their cats. I think the Edward Gorey photograph is my favorite:

SCrafty

I’m in love with this super simple Stitched Photo Art Project from A Beautiful Mess! Black and white photography is so timeless and I love the pop of color. The best of both worlds!

SReal

I love Lush as much as the next gal but I don’t love that their bath bombs cost $6+ a pop. Check out this DIY Bath Bomb tutorial – your feet, and wallet, will thank you!

Posted in The Monday Mix | Tagged | 2 Comments