Bastille Day/Housewarming Parties/Birthday Baking Extravaganza

In honor of Bastille Day and my friends' housewaming (and birthday) I made a series of dishes. For Bastille Day, I attempted to make canales, which I had never tried before but just sounded too good to be true (and a little less dicey than other French pastries for your relatively inexperienced baking heroine to attempt). For Kelly, Sam, and Invisible Steve's housewarming/Kelly's birthday shindig I made my much requested oatmeal chocolate chip walnut cookies & rosemary spiced walnuts.


Canales:

I got this recipe by comparing recipes from 2 food blogs that I really enjoy -- Tartlette and Chocolate & Zucchini. To see their recipes, just click on the links.

This experiment was only partially successful. I took Clotilde's recipe from C&Z, but shortened the baking time and lowered the temp in an attempt to accommodate for my oven and muffin tin size.

My oven is a strange beast that runs super hot, consequently I have a thermometer inside and I regularly check the temp to prevent burning. I also usually adjust recipes by shortening the cooking time. However, one recipe said not to open the oven, and as I am unfamiliar with making canales I tried to adhere to the directions. I did open it on occasion (in order to ensure it was the right temp...or even vaguely close to the right temp), but the canales were still a more burnt than I would have liked. Tasty, but burnt. I think some more trial and error will be needed to sort out the baking specifications for canales in my oven.

I just didn't feel like they were good enough to bring w/ me to a party (sad!), so I put on my "J'aime Paris" t shirt instead. Nothing says libertie, egalitie, fraternitie quite like a tee from Old Navy. Damn I'm stylish.


My Much Requested Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies:

While I love these cookies too, frankly I am not entirely sure why it is such a big hit and folks keep requesting it. I make a lot other more interesting cookies, but this is the one people seem to really like and I can take zero credit for it. It's a really easy recipe adapted from the Betty Crocker cookbook my mom gave me when I left for college. I love oatmeal cookies, but I've never liked raisins, so I've always substituted chocolate chips (I prefer dark or bittersweet for this recipe). This may go without saying, but just in case it does not, always use high quality butter (unsalted) for baking (I prefer plugara, but sometimes buy whatever is on sale). It really makes a big difference. I also always use organic, free range eggs. Because I like chewy, just barely done cookies, I use baking sheets with pockets of air for baking. If you prefer crisper cookies, you'll want to use a different kind of baking sheet. Also, I always line the baking sheet with waxed paper b/c it helps puff up the cookies and makes for easier clean-up.

These cookies are good, in a homey, old-fashioned kind of way. There's a reason the good folks behind Betty Crocker gave this recipe their seal of approval. Given the popularity of the Betty recipes, it's entirely likely your mom or grandma (or dad or grandad) uses the exact same one.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

2/3 c granulated sugar
2/3 c brown sugar
1 c butter, softened
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 lg eggs
3 c old-fashioned oats (you can get these in any bulk section of a supermarket, do not use instant oatmeal)
1 c all-purpose flour
approx 1/2 - 2/3 bag chocolate chips, depending on your zeal
approx 1 c chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F
2. Beat all ingredients except oats, flour, chips & nuts in a large bowl. When well blended, stir in flour & oats w/ a spoon. Stir in chips & walnuts.
3. Drop dough by rounded spoonfuls onto the baking sheet.
4. Bake 9-11 min, or until just browned on top and when a toothpick can be removed cleanly.
5. Let sit for a few min, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely
   

Rosemary Spiced Walnuts:

I first made this recipe for Burt's going away bash. Her roommates, amazing foodies that they are, planned a whole menu and Kelly and I were enlisted as sous chefs for the occasion. I loved these walnuts, and since the recipe was really simple, I write it down when I got home. When I made it for Kelly's bday, the nuts were a lot spicier than I had remembered (but still tasty). I was at the bookstore today picking up some materials for my summer reading project (maybe more on that later...), so I thought I would check out the big Gourmet cookbook, which I covet but do not own, to check on the recipe. Sure enough, I inverted the proportions for 2 ingredients! Ah well...

Ingredients:

8 oz walnuts (approx 2 c)
2 1/2 Tbs butter
2 tsp rosemary (if using dried rosemary, crush w/ mortar & pestle, a step I totally forgot -- not a huge deal, but better not to have to pick out twiggy bits)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (I used 1 tsp)
1 tsp salt (I used 1/2 tsp)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F
   
2. Melt butter
3. Add spices to the butter
4. Toss walnuts to coat
5. Place on a single layer on a baking sheet (for this I used a heavier baking sheet and lined w/ heavy duty tin foil for easier clean up)
6. Bake for 10 min and let cool

In other news, in addition to my Paris tee (which has the Eiffel Tower on it), I also wore adorable silver shoes that just come to a point and have some folder fabric on the front that vaguely resembles a bow (but is not a proper bow, like on my Mother's Day B/W Bow Flats). I bought them a few weeks ago at Marshalls and had not had a chance to give them a spin. Comfy, cute, and silver -- what more could you ask for?

This was also my first opportunity to use my new cookie tin, which is painted gold and has a white crescent moon design on the lid. I found this, and a number of other goodies, at Salvation Army in Golden Valley. I had a great afternoon a few weekends back when I saw the Waitress and then purchased a number of 50 cent or 1 dollar tins that are just perfect for transporting baked goods. Obviously will still use the tupperware, but some occasions call for a bit more. Also got a turquoise belt for a dollar. Love the thrift.

In closing, as I was walking the 2 blocks from the apt to my friends' new place, I received a text asking "U coming?" Now, the real question is, was I missed, or was it the cookies people wanted? I think it was the cookies...