Mochanut Cookies

You like that word, Mochanut?

Yeah, I made it up. A LOOOONNNG season of being MIA on this lovely blog means I must come up with a new word. And the definition:

Mo-cha-nut [moh-kuh-nuht, -nuht], noun  
1. the combination of espresso powder, semi-sweet chocolate, and shredded coconut into the perfect  trifecta of awesome happiness for your tastebuds
2. Hawaii, in cookie form
3. If you don’t care for Hawaii, insert your favorite dream vacation land and add “, in cookie form”

But enough about definitions and textbooks and whatnot….let’s make some cookies!


Proof that I didn’t eat ALL of the cookie dough..
 mochanut cookies
barely adapted from Annie
makes 3 dozen small cookies
not too sweet, not too rich. these cookies are breakfast-worthy with a little coffee. they’re also perfect for a grab-and-go sweet treat.
3½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
3 tbsp. espresso powder (or fine coffee grounds…no joke)
1 stick margarine + 1 stick butter at room temp
¾ cup brown sugar (not packed)
¾ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. coconut extract
1 1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup shredded coconut  (I used unsweetened)
step one: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine first 4 ingredients (flour to coffee). Set aside.
step two: In a second bowl, combine butters, sugars and eggs. Use a mixer if you like. Stir well, until all combined. Add in the two extracts.
step three: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until combined. Lastly, add the chocolate chips and coconut. Stir! 
step four: Drop by rounded tablespoons on a non-stick baking mat or cookie sheet. 12 will fit on a sheet. If you’d like giant cookies, get out an ice cream scoop. Either size, flatten cookies down with the back of a fork so they’ll cook more evenly. (This dough will be thick, friends.)
step five: Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes, or until cookies are cooked through but soft to the touch. Try not to burn your fingers or mouth while devouring. Unleash your inner cookie monster! 🙂 

There you have it. A cookie recipe with the trifecta. Be sure to share with others. And now for some updates…
1. We moved. It’s a fun old house on a church campus. And a new job came with it that I’m really enjoying. And the wonder that is Oregon means that it’s sunny, hailing and rainy all at the same time. But it’s okay…I’m totally distracted by the AMAZING SPRING BLOOMS everywhere! I don’t know what most of the plants/flowers/trees/shrubs are called, but I’m thoroughly enjoying them. Every day I see a new bit of pink, purple, white or yellow that is a new bloom in our neighborhood. Here are a couple of recognizable ones right outside my door…
 2. My mom took me to Israel. Our group was amazing, and it was truly the trip of a lifetime. I’m ready to go back with Matt! It is the only trip I’ve taken that I don’t have words to describe it…a pilgrimage. Yes, that works. I’ll tell more later. And it was beautiful. Here’s the Sea of Galilee (outside of our hotel room): 
Shamrock Shake? Yeah, I had 1/2 of one…those things are huge! Happy (belated) St. Patty’s Day! 
 Okay, that’s enough updating. Bye for now, friends! It’s great to be back.
 

Happy eating! 
Laurel

~Laurel~

Mocha Granita

Ever had a granita?

The Italians’ version or our snowcones (who invented it first?), granitas are an iced treat made with a simple syrup (sugar and water) and a featured flavor, like watermelon, orange, or mint. Funny, the texture of the granita varies from region to region in Italy, much like snowcones (coarse ice) to Hawaiian shaved ice (melt-in-your mouth, finely shaved) here in the states. I’ve never made a granita, but turned to Bon Appetit for a little help. Not only is it incredibly easy to make, you can get really creative and really healthy with your recipes. You can insert coffee, fruits, even vegetables, and add as little/no or as much sugar as you like. I followed Bon Appetit’s recipe, and it is DELICIOUS! Next time, I’ll tone double the coffee; it’ll tone back the sweetness and double the amount because it’s so tasty.

Jeweled texture, fully frozen, and ready to become granita.

Mocha Granita

from Bon Appetit

2 cups (16 oz) hot, strong coffee

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1) In an 8X8 inch glass pan, pour hot coffee, sugar and vanilla. Stir gently until sugar dissolves, then freeze for one hour.

2) After the hour, stir slightly again. Freeze for 2 more hours, until fully frozen. (Silly me, I left it in the freezer for 3 days.)

3) Put the pan on the counter and, using a fork, scrape the ice mixture until all is fluffy bits of flavored ice. Serve in a glass and top with heavy whipping cream (whipped cream) and chocolate shavings (Use a veggie peeler to make chocolate shavings.) Serve and indulge! 

~Laurel~

Perfect Iced Coffee

 
Iced coffee is a norm in New England, and I used to tease my yankee friends who would walk out of Dunkin’ Donuts into 2 feet of snow with their ritual daily giant cup of iced coffee in their gloved hands. I teased them…until I tried it…then I joined them.
Coffee is an incredible crop that allows thousands of farmers to live around the world. It brings equality among all types of people, from CEOs to retail cashiers to the chronic homeless. Coffee is one of very few things that a great diversity of people around the world can enjoy. People can come to the table and make business decisions, gossip, study for their LSAT, or pour their hearts out while sipping the distinctive-tasting brew. That said, let’s make some iced coffee!

Bitter? Gross
Tangy? Disgusting
Creamy, slightly sweet, a little spice? Perfect!

This is my version of the perfect iced coffee. In one of the 30 Dunkin’ Donuts near my Boston apartment, I’m pretty sure I was one of few to order iced coffee with a shot of coconut syrup, but it reminded me of tropical, warm home. Iced coffee, by definition, is brewed roughly twice as strong as regular coffee. A little goes a long way! But, once you add ice, spices, and a little milk or cream, everything balances out.

Perfect Iced Coffee
1 TB shredded coconut
1/4 cup chocolate soymilk (or cow milk or almond milk) 
3 ice cubes
1 1/2 cups strong coffee, room temp or cold
Whipped cream (optional)
Dash of cinnamon


Directions:
In a tall glass, add coconut, milk, and ice (in that order). Add ice cubes next, and pour coffee over ice. 


Top with whipped cream and cinnamon. Add a straw to keep your lipgloss intact. 🙂

 

We all need a little pick-me-up sometimes!
~Laurel~

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