GIVEAWAY : FROM ME TO YOU -3

Where did July go?! Do you all feel time flies fast these days or is it just me and Amma? Remember our school days when we longed for the Summer holidays to arrive? It would take forever!Now, it's just the opposite! Well, the last month was quite a busy one for me with the packing and re-packing and then flying half  way across the globe to come to my nest :-)

I am enjoying every bit here. So while I get busy conducting the Let's Bake  (baking class) , let me give you all a chance to win some awesome CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES . These cookies will be baked by me and will be sent to any Indian address! Just in case you live in another country but know of someone who would love to get some cookies in their mailbox, leave a comment for a chance to win! I'll be picking up a winner on 31 August :-)

The winner for the last month's giveaway CINNAMON ROLLS  is Divya Kudua. Congratulations!!! Please send me your postal addy to airmathew AT gmail DOT com and the rolls will be on it's way!! :)

WHOLEWHEAT FRUIT & NUT COOKIES

Ilove cookies and I'm just looking for an excuse to bake a batch of 'em.The Food Blogger Bake Sale gave me a reason to bake to my heart's content and I took these cookies along with my Indian Curried  Puffs & Lamingtons. I saw this recipe on Swapna's wonderful blog and I knew I would be making it as soon as possible since she called it 'healthy' cookies!
I cannot tell you how good these cookies are, you will absolutely love it as they are tasty,chewy (in a good way) and butter-less! I made 4 batches in less than a week's time and they disappeared as soon as they were baked and hopefully they don't make an appearance on my waist! ;-)

The bake sale was so much fun! I got to meet many talented food bloggers that I haven't met before at other events and the highlight was meeting Amanda of I Am Baker. She is so wonderful and talented! Kate is a great organiser and she chose the perfect venue which was Kitchen in the Market. (It'sAmanda & Stephanie in the picture above, Kate in the picture below)

Now back to the cookies...the original recipe calls for a portion of flax seeds which makes it healthy but I didn't have any of it, so I substituted it with oatmeal and also used cashews & raisins ! These cookies are so so good,go bake a batch of 'em and fall in love with it!

WHOLEWHEAT FRUIT & NUT COOKIES
Recipe source: Eat Good 4 Life

Ingredients:
3/4 c wholewheat flour (I used Ashirvad Atta)
3/4 c oatmeal (I used Quaker oats)
1 c dry fruits (I used cashewnuts & raisins)
1/2 c chocolate chips
1tsp baking soda
1 egg
2/3 c packed brown sugar
1/4 c canola/vegetable oil
1 tsp Vanilla


Method:
Pre-heat oven to 350F/180C and line your cookie sheet with baking parchemnt.
Whisk together eggs,sugar,oil and vanilla in another bowl.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix it in with a rubber spatula.
Drop level tablespoons of dough onto the cookie sheet and bake for 12-14 mins.
Cool on the tin for 2 mins and then on the wire rack till cooled completely.
Store in an airtight tin.

Verdict: Absolutely delicious! Jobin is not a cookie person but he said these cookies were 'Incredible'! I am addicted to it and I am sure this cookie is going to be a regular in our home,whenever the cookie craving hits me! It's so simple to make! I guess I'm starting to fall for wholewheat products,they are a lot more healthier than refined flour.

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES...for the cookie monster

' I don't drown my sorrows; I suffocate them with Chocolate Chip Cookies. '

~Author Unknown~

Iam a cookie monster, yes, I really am! I love cookies,especially Chocolate Chip Cookies. Not those that you get in the packaged form, but the freshly baked ones. The ones which have a soft centre and caramelised edges. The ones that have melted chocolate chips inside. The ones that are so good that you can eat a bagful in one go! These cookies are exactly all that I just described above.

There's a cookie shop in the Skyway close to our apartment. I've tried their cookies once and that was when I went Christmas Shopping for Jobin , a few hours before we took off to Virginia to celebrate Christmas .I knew I would be late and he would be home by the time I got home with the gift and he would see it in my hands...but I had no choice, so I bought a cookie & munched on it while I shopped .

When I reached home, I tried to open the door as quietly as possible but he was right there...as in right there...standing there right opposite to where I was standing! I put on the best acting suit that I had and pushed the gift into the closet and closed the door.He smiled a very broad smile and acted as if nothing happened. Later he asked me where I had been all this while. I told him that I just went for a walk in the Skyway (and he knows how much I hate to walk!) and ate a cookie. He smiled even more this time and said,' You walked all the way for a cookie? Someone went to buy me a gift!!'. Uh-oh! He knew it! Ummm...it's okay...it was obvious! I couldn't help it :-)

Since then that Cookie Shop fascinated me and I wanted to bake those cookies at home.Therefore the hunt was on and almost after a month, I found these cookies and didn't let them go. I tried it and was very pleased with the results. No more Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe hunt for me :) If you like the slice and bake types, you can try my Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookie...those were really good too!

CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
Recipe Source: Alice from Sweet Savoury Life
(I halved the recipe and got 9 large and 9 medium sized cookies)

Ingredients:
1 c unsalted butter
1/2 c sugar
1 1/2 c brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 3/4 c (12 oz) all purpose flour. Please weigh if possible.
1/2 tsp table salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 1/4 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

Method:
Pre-heat the oven to 360 F and line 2 cookie sheets.

Cream the butter and sugar on medium high (for Kitchen Aid) or high (for hand held mixer) for 3 mins.
Add both the eggs and vanilla and beat for another 2 mins.
Add the dry ingredients and beat well to incorporate.
Add the chocolate chips and mix till well distributed.
The cookie batter should be somewhat thick, that is, you can shape it with you fingers easily.
Drop about 2 tbsp of cookie dough on a parchment lined cookie sheet with 1.5" gap between each .
Bake for 12-14 mins until the edges are nice and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let the cookies be on the sheet for 2 mins. After that transfer them to a cooling rack to cool.
Once cooled, store in an airtight container.

Verdict: I think everyone should give this recipe a try, it's really good. The brown sugar plays an important role in the taste and texture of this cookie. As I said before, this cookie has a soft centre and caramelised edges which makes you want one more, everytime!

Just wanted to tell you guys how happy I am with my Christmas Gift, my camera, that I have not been editing photos at all! Is it just the camera or is it me taking better photographs? Whatever it maybe, I'm happy :) Happy Friday!