5:22 a.m.
That’s what time I get up on school days. Run 3 miles, dress, and drive my 4 kids to the bus stop by 7 a.m.
5:22 a.m. Bye bye for two months. School is officially out. Very good.
These cookies are also very good. I was tempted to leave out the cherries, but they really are fantastic combined with the chocolate and pistachio flavors.
Summer, sleeping later, chocolate chips. Definitely worth singing about.
Crisp Chocolate Chip Cookies with Dried Cherries and Pistachios
Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp baking soda
12 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 Tbs light corn syrup
2 Tbs milk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup unsalted toasted shelled pistachios, chopped (see tip below for opening pistachios)
3/4 cup dried tart cherries, chopped
Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the brown and granulated sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add the corn syrup and beat until well blended, then beat in the milk and vanilla. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat just until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary.
4. Using the spatula, stir in the chocolate chips, pistachios and cherries.
5. Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place them about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. With the palm of your hand or the flat bottom of a glass, flatten each ball into a disk about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 8 minutes, or until the cookies are light golden brown.
6. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let cool for 3 minutes, then transfer the cookies to the racks and let cool completely. The cookies will crisp as they cool. (The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
Makes about 4 dozen cookies.
Recipe from Luscious Chocolate Desserts by Lori Longbotham
Did you ever get a bunch of those pistachios with the shells so closed around them that it’s difficult to pry apart with your fingers? Like these:
The pointed tip of a can opener works like a charm to pry apart the shell. Try it!
Since it is officially summer, some summer songs are in order. I don’t know how much I like the idea of an endless summer now, but I sure adored it as a child.
Still Corners-Endless Summer
Check out Still Corners on Myspace.
Yes, I’m ready for a few of these (just not too hot)
Sara Watkins-Long, Hot Summer Days
You can learn more about Sara Watkins and buy her music on her website.
Cheers!
