In college, impulse buys topped out at $10 meals at Taco Bell and tickets to crappy movies starring saucy actresses of the day. But once society announces that you have "grown up" and have a "real job", everything changes. This is Justifying Appliances
Google Ads fascinate me. How a change in browsing behavior, outside all personal perception, can be announced almost immediately in any given sidebar. Never have researching appliances, shopping for gifts, and receiving scary pro-life/birther/tea party chain letters from the grandparents been of greater personal (and professional, if you forget to take "Dane Cook Butt Sex" in white/transparent font out of your sig) detriment than today, and every day future and past accompanied by Google ads!
Forgive me for potentially stating the obvious, but I am convinced that something similar goes on with the mail. 4 months ago, and I had NEVER received a Bed, Bath & Beyond coupon in the mail. Since then? I have received at least 5! 20% off any singular item!!!
But what to use them on?
Set on towels, comforters, etc. And while Stephanie can always do with more throw pillows, I have seen that episode of Seinfeld too many times to make way for that (besides, using a 20% off coupon on a $10 throw pillow is just so... bourgeois).
Which leaves us with small appliances! First and foremost? Kitchen Aid Standing Mixer! Rarely necessary, but OH so pretty, today I will justify this purpose by making chocolate chip cookies!
This recipe was taken from Cook's Illustrated:
2 and 1/8 Cups flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
12 tablespoons cooled, melted butter
1 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
2 teaspoons Vanilla
1 Egg
1 Egg Yolk
1-2 cups Chocolate Chips
Mix the flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl (w/fork, not standing mixer). I prefer to just use my 2 cup Pyrex measuring cup for this, because it is the only time I ever get to use it, but a bowl does just as well. Set this stuff aside.
Put the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and melted butter into the bowl of the standing mixer. Using a low speed, and the paddle attachment, you should get something equally pretty to this:
Once you have a nice homogeneous goo going on, add the egg, the yolk, and the vanilla. Faint of heart may prefer to turn off the mixer for this step. This will not hurt the cookies, but may hurt your ego. Use caution!
Continue on a low speed until an even blend is achieved, then incrementally add the dry ingredient mix using whatever level (/lack) of caution you are comfortable with:
No need to scrape the sides, just be patient and the mixer will do all of that for you!
Once you have again attained an even blend, add the chips. An elevated speed (medium low) may be desired at this point:
Let this go for awhile, probably 10-30 seconds after last chip has been added, and then turn everything off, and take in your amazing extraneous appliance aided accomplishment!!!
If the dough comes out kind of soupy, like in the picture above, put it in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. Divide into ~24 balls on two baking sheets, and bake at 325F for ~16 minutes. A useful trick I have found is to watch the cookies and wait for the tops to "crack", this will give you a slightly crispy outside with a soft (but not gooey!) inside.
The best part about this recipe though, is that the paddle attachment is not dish washer safe, which means you have to lick it clean :D
No comments:
Post a Comment