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Aztec Chocolate Chip Cookies September 25, 2008

Posted by Dorothy in cookies, sweet eats.
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9 comments

Ace and I are starving college students.  Its not that we’re too poor to afford food, its that we are not able to make food.  I can make desserts fine, but Ace can’t really make anything edible (well, she’s ok with cake mixes…).  So we either have to eat out or eat desserts to survive.  One of my favorite places to eat is at Baja Fresh because I really like pico de gallo and guacamole and cheese and spicy dips.  So on one particular night we were killing time and feeding ourselves with pico de gallo and guacamole at said Baja Fresh and discussing dessert (our favorite topic).  So Baja Fresh has two desserts on their menu: churros (which we ate), and Aztec Chocolate Chip Cookies (which I made)!

So what are Aztec Chocolate Chip Cookies?!  After much investigation of the menu and advertisements on the table tents, some sniffing around the counter and even a Google search (which resulted in 0 exact matches), we decided they were just plain chocolate chip cookies with cinnamon in them.  And I guess adding the word ‘Aztec’ in the name made them Mexican and therefore worthy of the Baja Fresh menu.  Here’s my version of them:

Aztec Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour

1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened

2 eggs

1 tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 c dark brown sugar

1/2 c granulated white sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 c chocolate chips

1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

3 tbsp sugar

3 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375° F.

Mix the 3 tbsp sugar and 3 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl; set aside.  Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda and salt) in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Form dough into 2-in balls.  Roll in cinnamon sugar and place on baking sheet.  Bake for 8 – 12 minutes, until golden brown.

Enjoy!  They’re quite delicious!  Its the cookie version of a churro, with some chocolate added for more deliciousness :)

A Tribute to Shaved Ice September 11, 2008

Posted by Dorothy in information.
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11 comments

Otherwise known as How I Survived Summer in Taiwan.

Taiwan is hot.  So, so, so, so, hot.  That disgusting, nasty sticky, humid hot.  That kind of suffocating, hard-to-breath-in humid hot.  Its kind of miserable in the summer.  The moment you step away from A/C-ed protection, moisture begins building up on your skin in the form of sweat.  Don’t bother putting make-up on before you leave the house because it’ll all just melt off your face anyway.  The locals can barely stand the weather, how are the poor tourists from comfortable Southern California supposed to survive?!

 

Which is why Taiwan has SHAVED ICE!!!  Pure cold, pure delicious, pure sugar, SHAVED ICE!  Taiwanese shaved ice is composed of a generous amount of shaved ice which is topped with various toppings, from fruit to cereal to red beans or whatever else you can think of (the taiwanese are VERY creative), and then DRENCHED with condensed milk (my favorite part).  Like an advanced form of a snow cone.  And so very vital to the survival of the humid weather.  Not only does the ice cool you down and gives you (very short term) immunity to the heat, but it also hydrates your body and helps you from dehydrating into a heat stroke in the humidity.  And the high amount of sugar gives you fast energy when the weather makes you drowsy and tired.  And the deliciousness of the simple combination of ingredients gives you pure happiness.   It was like Popeye’s spinach for me. It energized me, made me stronger, AND made me happy! 

I had to have shaved ice AT LEAST once every single day of the summer.  Sometimes even two or three times a day.  I mean, this was the only way I could survive the heat, of course ;)