Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had a hankering to do some baking today but I couldn't come up with an inspiration so I ended up just sticking with a classic. I'm not even really that much of a chocolate chip fan, but there really is something to be said about a warm cookie out of the oven on a cool, rainy day. These stayed perfectly soft and moist, and that is a necessity in my cookie rule book. No crunchy cookies allowed!

Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies via the Flick of my Wrist:

(About 32 four inch cookies)

2 sticks of butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tsp. vanilla

2 eggs

1 tsp baking soda

1 bag semisweet chocolate chips

2 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Add salt, vanilla, eggs, and baking soda. Mix well. Add flour and mix until combined. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts until thoroughly mixed. Drop by heaping, rounded tablespoonfuls onto greased, parchment-lined cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before transferring cookies to cooling racks to cool completely.

Spiced Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce is a must for the Thanksgiving season... especially for people like me who use cranberry sauce in place of gravy on their turkey! This is an excellent, kind of dressed up version of those funny shaped can varieties that most of us have becomed accustomed to. This recipe is great because it is just sweet enough, and preserves the tartness of the cranberries with the addition of the orange juice. It is also a lot cheaper to make than the recipes that require a pure maple syrup. The walnuts are totally optional. I like the added crunch. This is a great make ahead dish for Thanksgiving, one more thing you can check off your list a little early. Ends up making about 2 cups of cranberry sauce.

                                                        SPICED CRANBERRY SAUCE

adapted via Epicurious

1 12 ounce bag cranberries, washed and picked over

3/4 cup orange juice

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

3 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Combine all ingredients except walnuts in medium saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes. (Until cranberries burst & sauce thickens). Make sure all cranberries have popped. Add walnuts and stir thoroughly. Transfer to serving bowl and chill covered. Can be made several days in advance.

Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies

Can I just start by saying these are the best chocolate chip cookies EVER?! Some of you may be turned off by the thought of bacon in your cookie... well, more for me! I've always been a fan of the sweet & salty sensation. Courtney & I made these a few weeks ago to accompany us on our road trip to the USC vs. Oregon football game. Yes we lost. I don't want to hear it! The only reason I won't be making these again any time soon is because I literally could not stop eating these. I usually have much better self control, especially with cookies... but I just couldn't contain myself with these bad boys. ENJOY!

Maple Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies via Noble Pig:

http://noblepig.com/2009/12/15/maple-bacon-chocolate-chip-cookies.aspx