I bake cookies all the time, but somehow it’s been a long time since I’ve made biscotti. Lately Brad has been reminding me of that fact, telling me more than once that I really need to bake some biscotti sometime. The other morning I had a few extra minutes and felt like playing around in the kitchen, so I mixed up the dough for these cranberry almond biscotti. Biscotti are very easy to make. You bake the cookies twice- first the dough is shaped into two logs and baked, and then you bake the cookies a second time after slicing the logs into individual biscotti.

These cranberry almond biscotti are a wonderful treat for breakfast or a snack. They are crisp on the outside and slightly soft in the center, which is just how I like my biscotti. If you want yours to be crisp all the way through, you can bake the sliced biscotti for a few extra minutes. You can try other dried fruits in place of the cranberries. I think dried apricots or cherries would work really well.

Cranberry Almond Biscotti

Printable Recipe

Makes about 18 biscotti

Ingredients:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 6 tbsp. (¾ stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• ¼ cup milk, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. almond extract
• ¾ cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup slivered almonds

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the egg and mix until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in the milk, vanilla, and almond extract.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Then, with the mixer on low, briefly mix in the cranberries and almonds.
5. Divide the dough into two equal parts on a well-floured work surface. Form each part into a round ball, and then, using well-floured hands, shape each ball into a log that is about 8 inches long, 2 ½ inches wide, and 1 inch thick. Place the logs on the parchment-lined baking sheet, with about 4 inches between them.
6. Bake the logs for about 20 minutes, until they are lightly golden and gently spring back when touched in the center. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
7. Using a large serrated knife, slice the logs on the diagonal to form ¾-inch thick biscotti. Place the biscotti, cut sides up, on the baking sheet. Bake for 12-15 more minutes, until just golden. Cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring to an airtight container to store at room temperature.

Source: Kristine’s Kitchen.

I’ve mentioned before that we make pizza at home about every other week. It’s much healthier (especially with whole wheat crust) and more budget-friendly than ordering out. We’ve gotten pretty good at putting together a homemade pizza around here, and it really doesn’t take long at all. Last time, I happened to have some BBQ sauce and Gouda cheese in the fridge that needed using up, as well as leftover grilled chicken from the previous night’s dinner. While I hadn’t had it on the meal plan, I think this BBQ chicken pizza was meant to be!

If you haven’t tried making your own pizza crust yet, don’t be intimidated by the thought of it. It is so easy! I use my stand mixer and the dough comes together in about 10 minutes. One recipe yields two balls of pizza dough, so you can use one and freeze the other for next time. Here are a few of my other favorite ways to top a homemade pizza:

Pear, Gorgonzola, and Walnut Pizza

Pizza with Portobellos, Spinach, and Goat Cheese

Spinoccoli Pizza

Greek Pizza

Pizza with Pesto and Tomatoes

BBQ Chicken Pizza

Printable Recipe

Makes 1 pizza

Ingredients:

• 1 ball white or whole wheat pizza dough
• About ¾ cup BBQ sauce, divided
• 4 oz. grated mozzarella cheese
• 2 oz. grated Gouda cheese
• 1 cup cooked chicken, sliced into bite-size pieces
• ½ small red onion, thinly sliced
• Sliced green onions or chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Preheat oven with a pizza stone inside to 500 degrees for 30 minutes.
2. Roll out the pizza dough to a 12-14 inch round and place on a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet (for easy transfer to the baking stone).
3. Spread a thin layer of BBQ sauce over the crust. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the sauce.
4. Place the chicken in a small bowl and toss with about ¼ cup of the BBQ sauce. Evenly distribute the chicken pieces over the pizza, and then the red onion. Sprinkle the Gouda cheese evenly over the top.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 425 degrees. Transfer the pizza on the parchment paper to the baking stone in the oven and bake for about 8-10 minutes, until the cheese and crust begin to brown. Remove the pizza from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Top with sliced green onions or fresh cilantro, slice, and serve.

Source: Kristine’s Kitchen.

You have to try this recipe. Unless you don’t like salmon, in which case you probably wouldn’t enjoy this so much. Or just maybe this Asian grilled salmon might help you discover that you can in fact enjoy salmon. It is really that good.

This is one of the easiest ways I’ve ever prepared salmon, and I have to say that it is also my favorite. I cook it in my grill pan on the stove, and it turns out beautifully. (Just be sure to then clean the grill pan really well when you’re done, and even rub a lemon over it, or the next day’s grilled cheese sandwich will taste a little fishy. No matter how much you like salmon, this is not a good thing.)

Thank you to my sister for sharing this recipe with me. She’s always sending me great recipes that she’s discovered, and I’ve posted a number of them on my blog. Thanks, Karen!

Asian Grilled Salmon

Printable Recipe

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 pieces fresh salmon (about 1 pound total), skin on
• 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 ½ tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced

Directions:

1. Pat salmon dry and place in an 8×8 baking dish. Whisk together the Dijon, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl. Reserve half of the marinade for serving, and drizzle the other half over the salmon and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.
2. Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan over medium heat. Brush the grilling rack or pan with oil to keep the salmon from sticking.
3. Place the salmon skin side down on the hot grill; discard the marinade the fish was sitting in. Grill for 4 to 6 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and grill for another 4 to 6 minutes, or until cooked through.
4. Transfer fish to a clean plate, skin side down. Serve with the reserved marinade, if desired.

Source: Slightly adapted from Ina Garten, via foodnetwork.com.

Did you enjoy the weekend? Mine was a nice balance between chores and relaxing time. I was able to get a little bit of shopping that I needed to do done on Saturday, as well as get my hair done. I just about finished working on end-of-the-year report cards.  There was the usual grocery shopping and a trip to Costco. The best part of my weekend, though, was Sunday morning: a walk with William in the stroller, coffee, family time, and these strawberry pancakes.

I made these pancakes with a mix of whole-wheat and all-purpose flours, and also added in some ground flaxseed for another nutritional boost. I folded pieces of sweet, organic strawberries into the batter and topped the pancakes with pure maple syrup. Next time I will also slice up some extra strawberries to serve on top of the pancakes. William and Julia loved their strawberry pancakes, and Brad and I did too! They are not too sweet on their own, but are just perfect drizzled with maple syrup.

Whole-Wheat Strawberry Pancakes

Printable Recipe

Makes about 18 three-inch pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole-wheat flour
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp. ground flaxseed (optional)
• 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 ½ cups strawberries, chopped into small pieces
• Additional sliced strawberries, for serving, if desired
• Pure maple syrup, for serving

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, flaxseed, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk, melted, cooled butter, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until just combined. It’s ok if a few lumps remain. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the strawberries.
3. Heat a large non-stick griddle or skillet over medium heat. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Scoop 1/4-cup of batter onto the pan for each pancake. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, until bottom side becomes golden and small bubbles form on the top of the pancake. Flip pancakes and cook until second side is golden, about 2-3 minutes more. Repeat with remaining batter until all pancakes are cooked. (You can keep the pancakes warm in a 200 degree F oven if desired until serving.)
4. Serve pancakes with pure maple syrup and additional sliced strawberries, if desired.

Source: Kristine’s Kitchen Original.

Looking for healthy lunch ideas that will also keep your tastebuds happy? Quinoa Salad with Grapes, Celery, and Chicken is a great option. I made this for dinner one night and the leftovers were perfect to pack and take with me for lunches at work over the next few days. I added chicken to the salad to make it more substantial since I planned on serving it as a main dish. You can leave it out if you prefer a vegetarian meal. The quinoa itself is high in protein, which helps to fill you up and keep your energy level going strong for the next few hours.

I love how this salad keeps it simple. There aren’t too many ingredients or complicated steps, so that the flavors of each component can shine through. The grapes and celery provide a nice crunch to balance out the quinoa, and the orange dressing complements the salad really well. I will be making this again, and soon.

Quinoa Salad with Grapes, Celery, and Chicken

Printable Recipe

Makes 6 main dish servings

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked and cooled quinoa
• 2 cups red grape halves
• 3 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
• 2 cups cooked, cubed chicken
• 1 tsp. orange zest
• ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 1 ½ tbsp. honey
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine the quinoa, grapes, and celery.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the orange zest, orange juice, olive oil, honey, and salt and pepper. Pour over quinoa mixture and stir until evenly distributed. Add chicken to the bowl and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
3. Serve cold.  Enjoy!

Source: Adapted from Rachel Cooks.

Do you have a local frozen yogurt shop that you like to visit? We certainly do, and it’s often a fun way for Julia and I to spend some mother-daughter quality time. We sample a few flavors before deciding on what we want, and then each choose our toppings. Julia’s favorite? Vanilla yogurt with mini M&M’s and rainbow sprinkles. Mine? Vanilla yogurt with roasted almonds and Heath bar. Then we sit down at a table and enjoy some quiet time together. She’s growing up so fast, and I love to savor these little moments with her.

Sometimes, it can be just as fun to enjoy a treat and some family time at home. We even let Dad and little brother join in (sometimes). It is remarkably easy to make frozen yogurt at home, and it doesn’t take much longer to make than it would take you to travel to your local yogurt shop. This Vanilla Frozen Yogurt tastes quite different than the yogurt you find at the shop, but in a very good way. It has a little bit of the tang that you find with real yogurt, but also the sweetness that you expect in a frozen dessert. The best way to describe it is that you can tell it is made with real ingredients- just yogurt, sugar, and vanilla. I do wonder sometimes what exactly the yogurt shop yogurt is made of, and I like knowing that only natural ingredients go into this homemade frozen yogurt.

We like to eat this frozen yogurt immediately after churning and topped with some fresh berries. It is best enjoyed the day you make it, as it does freeze up pretty hard in the freezer by the next day. I make mine with 2% Greek yogurt, and it is sweet, tangy, and just plain delicious.

Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

Printable Recipe

Makes about 1 quart

Ingredients:

• 3 cups plain Greek yogurt*
• ¾ cup granulated sugar**
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, and vanilla until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate for 1 hour. (I have skipped the refrigeration step with good success. Sometimes you just can’t wait that long for your frozen yogurt!)
2. Freeze the yogurt in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. The frozen yogurt is best enjoyed the day it is made. It will still taste good after that, but will need to soften on the counter for a few minutes in order to be scoop-able.

*You can also use regular plain yogurt (not Greek-style), but it is more sour so you may want to increase the sugar to 1 cup.

**You can experiment with the amount of sugar to achieve your preferred level of sweetness. I sometimes use less than ¾ cup.

Source: Slightly adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz.

Why is it that around one year of age kids suddenly start to get picky about their food? There are those few months before the one year mark where little ones are open to trying (and usually liking) just about anything, and then all of a sudden that all changes. You put some broccoli or scrambled eggs on the high chair tray and are thanked with a face that says, “Really, this is what you expect me to eat?” If you’re a parent, I’m pretty sure you know what face I’m talking about. William, as was Julia, is all about the bread, fruit, and dairy when it comes to eating, with a little meat thrown in for good measure.

Still, I make sure to offer him a variety of foods, and we all eat the same thing as a family. There are no special kid meals made in this house. Mac and cheese, however, is a dish that the kids and adults in our house both love. I know that it’s not necessarily the healthiest meal, but I don’t worry about that because we don’t eat it every day, and life is all about balance. Plus, I use whole wheat pasta in my mac and cheese and always serve it with a vegetable, usually broccoli.

I have a couple of different macaroni and cheese recipes that I rotate through, and this is my latest find. I like this recipe because it’s made in one pot on the stovetop, making clean-up easy. It’s also a great dinner to make during the weeknight rush because there is no pre-boiling of the pasta, making a roux and cream sauce, or baking of the assembled mac n cheese. You cook the pasta in milk on the stove, mix in the cheese, and that’s pretty much it. This One Pot Stovetop Mac and Cheese is fast, easy, and happily eaten by the whole family.

One Pot Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 8 oz. pasta shapes
• 2 ½ cups lowfat milk, plus more as needed
• 1 tbsp. butter
• ½ tsp. dry mustard
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar works well, as does as a mixture of cheddar and fontina)*
• Freshly grated black pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Place the dry pasta in a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain and place in a medium saucepan.
2. Add the milk, butter, dry mustard, and salt to the pan with the pasta. Heat over medium heat, stirring often, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and, stirring constantly, cook for 15 to 20 minutes until the milk is completely absorbed. Test the pasta for doneness and add more milk as needed if the pasta is not cooked.
3. Once the pasta is cooked through and all of the milk has been absorbed, remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper; stir. Serve immediately.

*Note: Do not use the pre-shredded cheese that you can buy at the grocery store, as it contains additives that prevent it from sticking together, and it will not melt properly.

Source: Adapted from White on Rice Couple.

Have you made a trip to your local farmer’s market yet this season? I have not, but I can’t wait. Maybe this weekend we’ll make our first trip there. Visiting the farmer’s market definitely makes me think of summer, and I am so looking forward to the summer months filled with lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, days spent at the park and pool, and evenings spent relaxing outdoors. Plus there will be my summer break from teaching. I’m really ready for that, too. It will be nice to have more time to spend with the kids and to just not feel so rushed all of the time.

I wish I had made these muffins with fresh blueberries, but instead I made them with frozen because that’s what I had available. They are delicious either way, but frozen can’t compare to a plump, fresh juicy berry. I love to use Greek yogurt in my muffin batter because it provides a little tang and creaminess and helps keep the muffins moist. These Blueberry Yogurt Muffins have a hint of lemon, and are a treat for breakfast or a light snack.

Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Printable Recipe

Makes 18 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups (11 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (I like 2%)
• ½ cup milk
• 2 tbsp. lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
• Zest of 1 medium lemon (about 1 tsp.)
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 8 tbsp. (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin tins with paper liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, milk, and lemon juice. Set aside.
4. In another small bowl, use your fingers to blend the lemon zest with the sugar until fragrant.
5. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and lemon-sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
6. Add in the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the yogurt mixture and beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined. (The batter will be quite thick.) Use a rubber spatula to gently fold in the blueberries.
7. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling almost to the top. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Cool in the pan for about 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Kristine’s Kitchen.

What a title!  This cake deserves every descriptive word in that title, and it was the perfect cake to celebrate my sweet boy’s first birthday.

A few weeks ago William turned one, and we celebrated with a relaxed party at home with family and a few close friends.  I thought and thought about a party theme, and nothing seemed quite right, until I settled on a color theme.  I kept things simple, with a few colorful decorations and an easy menu of burgers and salads.  And of course, cake!

I found this cake recipe just two days before the party, and although it was a new recipe I just knew it would be perfect.  The cake was incredibly light and fluffy, and the frosting was sweet and full of delicious flecks of vanilla bean.  I doubled the cake recipe and was able to make a 2-layer, 8-inch cake, a smaller smash cake for William, plus 8 cupcakes with the leftover batter.  I also doubled the frosting recipe, but would have had plenty had I only made one-and-a-half recipes.

The big cake (above)…and William’s smash cake (below)

We had warm weather on party day, which was great for grilling and eating outside in the backyard.  The menu included burgers, this pasta salad, fruit salad, and a green salad.  After dinner William opened his gifts, although he was more interested in playing with his toys than opening presents.  Big sister Julia did not mind because that meant she got to do lots of helping!

I printed out a photo of William from each month of his first year, starting with 2 days old and ending with a picture of him on the day of his first birthday.  Our guests enjoyed looking at the photos of William from his first year.  This was one of my favorite party decorations!

I just loved how this colorful birthday banner turned out.  I die-cut the letters out of red construction paper and cut squares out of cute patterned paper and solid color construction paper.  I rounded the corners of the squares and then attached it all together with double-sided tape.   I used mini clothespins to hang each piece of the sign to the ribbon- so easy!  I highly recommend this method as I’ve used the mini clothespins for every birthday banner I’ve made now and they are cute and very easy to work with.

To decorate the tables outside, I filled colorful buckets with sand and then placed a few pinwheels in each.  They were fun and festive!

I also added color to the party with colorful balloons and mason jars filled with a first birthday candle and M&M’s.  I found this cute idea on Pinterest.

I’m so glad I chose a colorful party theme, and William loved looking at all of the colorful decorations.  He dug right in to his smash cake, and very much enjoyed it!  (Don’t worry, we didn’t let him eat it all, even though it looks that way in the picture.)

Happy Birthday, William!  You are our little joy, full of so much personality and so many smiles.  We love you!

Fluffy Vanilla Cake with Whipped Vanilla Bean Frosting

Printable Recipe

Makes one 2-layer, 8-inch cake

Notes: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients by weight. Also be sure to allow time to let the eggs and milk come to room temperature.

Ingredients:

For the Vanilla Cake:

• 5 large egg whites (150g), at room temperature
• 1 whole egg, at room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 2 ¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups (345g) cake flour, sifted
• 2 cups (400g) sugar
• 1 tbsp. plus 1 tsp (17g) baking powder
• ¾ tsp. (5g) salt
• 12 tbsp. (170g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into 24 pieces

For the Vanilla Bean Frosting:

• 3 sticks plus 2 tbsp. (375g) unsalted butter, cut into cubes and softened
• 3 tbsp. milk
• Seeds scraped from one vanilla bean
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 3 cups sifted (475g) confectioners’ sugar

Directions:

For the Vanilla Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter two round 8-inch pans, line with parchment, then butter again and dust evenly with flour.
2. In a medium bowl or liquid measuring cup, combine the egg whites, whole egg, ¼ cup of the milk, and the vanilla. Set aside.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the dry ingredients together on low speed for 30 seconds.
4. Add the butter one piece at a time, about every 10 seconds, making sure it’s cold. Continue to mix on low speed until the mixture is a fine crumbly texture. Add the remaining ¾ cup milk, and mix on low speed until just moistened. Increase to medium speed and mix for 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and begin to add the egg mixture in 3 additions; beat on medium speed for 20 seconds after each addition. Fold once or twice to ensure the batter at the bottom of the bowl is incorporated.
5. Divide the batter between the two cake pans, spreading it evenly.
6. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs when inserted into the center, about 30 minutes. Be very careful to not over-bake. Check the cake at 20 minutes, but not before, and then set the timer for 5 minute intervals. Let cool on racks for 10 minutes before loosening the sides with a small knife, and invert onto wire racks. Gently turn cakes back up, so the tops are up. Let cool completely before frosting.
7. You can store the cooled cake at room temperature for up to 2 days, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap to store. It is best eaten the same day as baked.

For the Vanilla Bean Frosting:

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter for 8 minutes on medium speed. The butter will become very pale and creamy.
2. Add the milk, vanilla bean seeds, vanilla extract, and salt and mix until combined. Add in the confectioners’ sugar and mix on low speed for 1 minute, and then on medium speed for 6 minutes. The frosting will be very light, creamy, and fluffy and is best used right away.

To Assemble the Cake:

1. Place bottom cake layer on a cake plate and spread 1 cup of frosting on top with a small offset spatula. Gently place 2^nd cake layer face down on top. Place a generous scoop of frosting on top, spreading evenly with a small offset spatula and working your way down the sides until you have a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake. Chill until set, about 30 minutes.
2. Remove from refrigerator and apply a final “coat” of frosting.

Source: Sweetapolita, who adapted the cake recipe from Rose Levy Beranbaum and the frosting recipe from Donna Hay.

The other day after lunch I had a serious cookie craving. So although I had a to-do list a mile long, I used some of the precious minutes of the kids’ afternoon naptime to bake these cookies. Like me, you were probably caught by the words “brown butter” in the title of these cookies. These are pretty much your basic chocolate chip cookie, but with a more complex flavor thanks to the brown butter. If you’re careful not to overbake them, the cookies will be soft and chewy with just a little crispness around the edges.

I was almost hesitant to post these, because I’ve already shared a number of favorite chocolate chip cookie recipes with you. But then I thought, can you ever have too many kinds of chocolate chip cookies? I think you’ll agree with me that no, you cannot, and I’m happy to add these to my growing list.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Printable Recipe

Note: Be sure to plan ahead, because you’ll need to melt and brown the butter and then chill it just enough so that it will firm up again (but still be soft). This will take between 1-2 hours.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (236 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 cup (215 grams) light brown sugar
• ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 ½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 1 ½ cups (300 grams) semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Once melted, continue to cook, stirring frequently, until it turns golden brown. Watch it closely so that it doesn’t burn. When the butter is golden brown and small flecks speckle the butter, remove it from the heat and pour it into the bowl of a stand mixer. Place the butter in the fridge until it becomes solid, but is still somewhat soft.
2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium high speed until light and creamy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each. Mix in the vanilla extract.
4. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Mix in the chocolate chips.
5. Spoon tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each. Bake until just golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

Source: Slightly adapted from Completely Delicious.