Lovin' From the Oven

Pecan Toffee Cookies

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So I just got mail from UCLA saying that they’re going to delete my ucla email account at the end of this month since I’m no longer a student, staff, or faculty. What the heck? I am 99% sure that they told us we had our email for life. ::tear:: Has it really been that long already since I’ve graduated? I feel so old! Time’s truly flying and there’s just not enough hours in a day. Especially with this daylight savings coming up– we’re losing an hour! 🙁 That means it’s technically 2:45 AM as I write this blog post right now. No bueno since I have work at 9 tomorrow. Ugh. I’m scheduled to work 65 hours this week on top of my homework. I’m not quite sure how that’ll go by, but hey, a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do. Right?

These cookies were de-lish. I’ve had good luck with the recent recipes that I’ve been trying because they all seem to hit the spot. No bad recipes, yet! ::knocks on wood:: I adapted this recipe from Rock Recipes. When I made the original recipe, the cookie dough just seemed really crumbly and off, so I added another egg yolk to the batter which solved the problem perfectly. I also refrigerated my dough just to make sure there was no spreading and subbed the majority of the white sugar for brown sugar. The result? A sweet and salty, soft and chewy, delight.

Any questions about well, anything? Ask me on formspring! And become a fan of my blog on facebook, if you’d like to and haven’t already. Gracias!

Ingredients

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1 full egg & 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup chopped roasted pecans
  • ½ cup toffee chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

3. Using a mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until smooth and very fluffy.

4. Beat in egg & vanilla extract

5. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

6. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and roll in sugar. Place on lined cookie sheets about 1 1/2 inches apart.

7. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned.

8. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Mini Chocolate Chip Turtle Cookies

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I think I’m finally starting to run out of fuel. Working 7 days a week + school + hanging out with friends + boyfriend + keeping up with my baking blogs = not exactly the most ideal schedule to have. As much as I love keeping busy, a girl has gotta rest every now and then! Luckily, I have an ENTIRE week off and will be heading to Big Bear in two weeks… a MUCH needed vacation, if you will. I’m excited to just sit there and do nothing. That’s what keeps me sane– little trips to far away (or not so far away) places. A day trip to San Diego? Yes, please. As long as I’m with the boy, it’s a good trip.

I saw these on Visions of Sugar Plum (by the way, how cute is she?!) and just HAD to have them. I recently had a turtle chocolate thing from Disneyland and have been craving it ever since. I knew I should have bought the bigger one! Oh, poop. Until I get the chance to go back to Disneyland to get another chocolate turtle, these cookies will have to suffice. I adapted the recipe just a smudge but they turned out perfectly. Let’s add another cookie to my all time favorite list, shall we? These definitely made the cut. Pecans, chocolate, AND caramel?! What more could a girl ask for? I used mini choco chips and made my cookies bite-sized. The cookies were amazingly chewy– kinda like the cookies that I bought from the cart in high school/middle school way back in the day(best cookies EVER!). They also resembled the mini cookies at Mrs. Field’s. yum!

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
  • Melted caramel, for drizzling
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking soda and salt. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy – about 1-2 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour until just combined; stir in chocolate chips and pecans until combined. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  2. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat cookie sheets with cooking spray.
  3. Roll dough into balls (about 2 teaspoons per ball), place on cookie sheets, and flatten using the palms of your hands. Bake 8 minutes or until set and light golden. Cool on wire racks. Drizzle with melted caramel.
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Oh, I’ve also started updating my style blog once again after a year of deadness. haha, I know.. I suck.. but check it out if you’d like!

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Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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So this… is the best carrot cake in the world. I stand by it like no other. I’ve posted it twice on my blog before as my first paid cake and with an amateur picture, but that was way back when I had a crappy camera and didn’t know much about lighting/food photography/blogging… anything, really. What a difference time and knowledge makes!

I’ve baked this many times before, yet always fail to post the recipe because it came from my aunt and it always seemed so secretive. It was actually the recipe of her wedding cake, and she loved it so much that she had to get the recipe from the baker. Ever since then, it’s been baked multiple times in the family. I finally decided to post it because it’s just too good not to share. I’ve been selfish enough over the past couple years keeping this to myself and am finally letting it out. ::whew:: That was difficult. Seriously.

So please, cherish this recipe as much as I do. If not the cake, definitely the frosting. I’ve tried plenty of cream cheese frosting recipes and this one still remains my favorite. You can use it on anything else you want– red velvet cupcakes, chocolate cake, banana bread.. Heck, just make it and eat it straight out of the bowl!

  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 cups AP flour
  • 2 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 3 cups shredded carrot
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups sugar

Mix all ingredients well with a wooden spoon. Pour into desired pan and bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes (more or less depending on pan size) until a toothpick comes out clean.

For the cream cheese frosting:

  • 8 oz cream cheese (only use Philadelphia brand!)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
  • few drops of water

Beat all ingredients well and spread on top of cooled cake.

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