mmm, cooooookies.

So, I don't really do the recipe thing on this blog, mostly because any cooking I do never includes my own twist - I only copy other people's recipes and always by the book. What can I say, I'm boring in the kitchen.

However, the following recipe I'm about to provide you with is completely relevant. The following recipe is for the classic chocolate chip cookie.

The thing is...I have a thing for chocolate chip cookies. The people in my life know that I'm a sucker for sweets in general but when it comes to cookies, I only have one true love. Give me a chewy, buttery, decadent chocolate chip cookie over a snickerdoodle or oatmeal cookie any day.

I've tried several different recipes of my own in the past (Ok, fine, 99% of my life consisted of just sticking a roll of Pillsbury dough in the oven, but I've come a long way since then!). Most recipes are satisfactory, each one only slightly different from the other by maybe an ingredient or two.

And then I came across this recipe. It was listed in the New York Times as the best chocolate chip cookie recipe out there. I used this recipe to make M&M cookies for Nick (his one true love) and it was....delicious.

So, I'm sharing this recipe with you now in case you might be a fellow cookie lover who is in search of the best. These are it, I swear.

Enjoy.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (minus 2 tablespoons) cake flour
• 1 2/3 cups bread flour 
• (I used AP flour instead of the above two flours and it was still delicious but I've read in multiple places on the internet that these specific flours contribute to making the perfect cookie - a crispy edge with a chewy center)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter - softened
• 1 1/4 cups light brown sugar
• 1 cup (plus 2 tablespoons) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 pounds chocolate chips (I prefer semi-sweet Ghiradelli chips but really, you can put in whatever you want here - chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, etc.)

Directions:

• Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
• Using a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy - about five minutes. 
• Add eggs (I recommend adding one and mixing completely before adding the second).
• Stir in vanilla.
• Reduce to low speed and add dry ingredients slowly, mixing until just combined.
• Fold in the chocolate chips. 
• Refrigerate dough for 24-36 hours (not necessary).
• When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350.
• Drop spoonfuls of dough onto baking sheet.
• Bake for 10-12 minutes (or until they look the texture/color that you want - I prefer a light golden brown).
• Remove from oven.
• Let cool.

Well, all this sharing has been fun. I think I have to make a batch of these immediately so my mouth stops watering. Seeing as how student-teaching is over, all my homework is done, and I'm just killing time this week until I finish my last two classes....I might just bake indeed. 

kiehl's.

While some girls spend their money on shoes, manicures, clothes, or jewelry, I always make my rashest decisions when it comes to my product loyalty. I'm the girl who will buy the $20 boots that will last one season over the boots that will last a lifetime, but when it comes to my products, I will empty my wallet in the blink of an eye.

Right now, I am all about the Kiehl's. My collection started with a tinted moisturizer but has slowly been growing piece by piece into a range of skin and hair products. Yes, Kiehl's is pricier than your standard drugstore products but not by a lot and more importantly, it doesn't disappoint. My skin is consistently smooth and clear, my hair feels healthy and fresh, and my "make-up" is actually a moisturizer. While Kiehl's offers a range of products for both women and men, I have just been sticking to the basics and for now, it's enough to satisfy. If you're looking for a new product, give Kiehl's a try - I'm madly in love with it.

3 products I recommend:

1. Ultra Facial Tinted Moisturizer  - My first ever Kiehl's purchase. It's a moisturizer that adds some color and smoothness to your face for a fresh day look and even has an SPF of 15. Talk about a skincare trifecta. (I like to polish off this look with a sweep of Bare Minerals: Mineral Veil.)

2. Ultra Facial Cleanser - Pretty sure I'm a fan for life on this one. I use this about every other day and I rarely break out. It makes my skin feel fresh and not dried out and best of all, its gel-texture means you barely need more than a pinky-nail-sized amount each time you wash. This is the stuff, guys. Seriously. I follow up with two other products from the Ultra line - the toner and the moisturizer - but if you can only get one thing, get this.

3. "Lavendar" Bath and Shower Liquid Body Cleanser - this is the newest addition to the family and the smell alone is reason to purchase. Furthermore, its texture feels great when lathering up - not watery and weak but also not foam-crazy and dry.

Jonathan Adler.

As a goodbye/birthday present, Ani and Siri’s mom got me a few different gifts, all of which were supposed to remind me of my time with the girls. The most important part of the gift were these two mugs from Jonathan Adler (whose website Kathy had shown me earlier in the year – so I was already in love). These mugs are in the shape of circus animals (one elephant, one with a seal on one side and a monkey on the other) which are supposed to remind me of all the days I took the girls to the Central Park Zoo. And I am obsessed with them. 

Jonathan Adler is way too expensive for my wallet (and probably yours) but his creations are to die for. Even his kitschy stuff is high-quality and uniquely stunning. Look at this teapot. It’s amazing. Or these salt and pepper shakers. And I’m sorry, but have you seen a pillow collection like this before?

Who knows when, if ever, I’ll be able to purchase specialty items such as these (I'll definitely never need them) but I wanted to pass along his website to others who may fall in love with his stuff just as I did. Enjoy.