Midnight Crackles

These midnight crackles may look like little lumps of dough (doesn't that sound appetizing) but they really are quite tasty. I refrigerated the dough and when I took it out of the fridge, it was much too solid to work with. I let it warm up on the counter but alas, it was still hard and crumbly when I tried to form the cookies. I did the best I could, baked up a few and hoped for the best.

The best came a day or two later- once the chocolate had fully hit the cookie after some time relaxing on the shelf, these were so good. I ate some for breakfast New Years Day. Obviously, I'm not one for resolutions.

Later I took some more dough, still rock solid, and put it in the mixer with some crushed up white chocolate pretzels and candy cane bits. I beat it up and made some more cookies. Still unattractive but a great mix of salty and chocolaty.

Try the recipe, but don't refrigerate the dough for long! The Recipe.

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Paris Mushroom Soup

I love mushrooms, or flavor sponges as those in the know (moi) call them. I made this soup on sunday while half watching the Pats destroy the Dolphins and lamenting that it was my last day off before back to the grind. The soup did make me feel better.

I took a few liberties with the recipe. I added some amazing grey salt with herbs de provence that I have. I added a splash of red wine instead of white because that's what the cabinet held. When blitzing up the first half of the soup in the food processor, it seemed too watery so I took out about a cup of liquid and pureed the rest. I like the consistency better that way. I also left out the little mushroom salad you make for the bottom of the bowl.

This is a great hearty soup, perfect for winter. Not so perfect, however, for photographing. Nothing like a bowl of gray soup. I guess that's why the photo in the book is of the ingredients before they become soup!

Buy this book for the recipe.

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