the french love ... peanut butter chocolate chip cookies!

A couple months ago, I received a package in the mail for my birthday with all my favorite american goodies-- including Annie's macaroni & cheese, cheetos, nerds, reese's peanut butter cups, and best of all...
STEPH'S HOME-MADE PEANUT BUTTER CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES. mmmmmm...

Even after traveling over 9000 kilometers, the cookies were still incredibly chewy and scrumptuous and absolutely divine.

Soooooo. Here I am. About to say goodbye to Paris and my coworkers at AREVA -- and I decided to take the risk and share the pleasure of these cookies with them for my "pot de depart".

I say "take the risk" - because French people are quite wary of peanutbutter. They find it strange and / or ... repulsive.

And I knew that I couldn't mess up - otherwise, they would confirm their beliefs about "that weird chemical american paste".

So after slaving over 4 batches with Mick (ok, it wasn't such a miserable experience as we were eating half of it raw - so much better than cooked by the way - and watching "the graduate" at the same time), we found the perfect touch...

And my coworkers loved them! I didn't even get to eat one they disappeared so quickly (ahem, faster than the cheesecake and the fondant au chocolat to give you a point of reference).

The secret - "undercook" them. As in, take them out before they look ready (thanks to Steph for the tip). Instead of 10-12 minutes, I would say more like 6-8 minutes.

Et voila!

The recipe is quite easy too so if you're in the mood for some yummy cookies, here you go.....


Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Submitted By: Clarice Schweitzer
*****
Read Reviews (2) | Rate/Review this recipe


* Prep Time: 20 Minutes
* Cook Time: 10 Minutes
* Ready In: 30 Minutes
* Yields: 12 servings

"'Here's a different version of the traditional favorite cookie that I think is especially good,' notes Clarice Schweitzer of Sun City, Arizona."

INGREDIENTS:

* 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars; beat in peanut butter, egg and vanilla. Combine flour, oats, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute before removing to a wire rack.

fun food pics (jan-march 2011)

What: Cheese for home-made fondue (beaufort, comte, ...)
Where: Savoie (somewhere near Annemesse)
When: December 31, 2010 (New Year's Eve)

What: Fresh home-made pasta with mushroom tomato sauce
Where: Laura's house
When: February 6, 2011

What: Birthday burritos
Where: Chez moi
When: February 7, 2011



What: Home-made padthai
Where: Chez moi
When: February 20, 2011



What: Irish tart with veggies
Where: Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland
When: February 27, 2011



What: Vegetarian thalis (oops, I didn't manage to take a photo earlier)
Where: Jardin de l'Inde, 92 passage Brady, Paris 75010 (BYO)
When: March 2, 2011


What: Jamon, chorizo, manchego cheese
Where: Madrid, Spain
When: March 12, 2011



What: Argentinean steak
Where: Unico, 15 rue Paul Bert, Paris 75011
When: March 16, 2011



Yea, about that "diet". :)

le jardin d'en face

yes. another restaurant post!

just a quickie.

basically, if you find yourself in montmartre looking for a good restaurant, le jarden d'en face is a great bet.

it was so simple.

but everything a restaurant should be. good food. super charming atmosphere and decor. and a really friendly and funny waiter.

and couple that with on a monday night at le bordel club, a relaxed and easy-going comedy club, and you've got yourself a pretty awesome evening.

le jarden d'en face
29, rue des trois freres

it seems they also have another restaurant across the street:

le potager du pere Thierry
16, rue des trois freres

let's also remember that rue des trois freres is the street that amelie POULAIN* lived on. :-)

* if you leave out the poulain, it's apparently a clear indication that you're not french.

les cocottes

ah - P nu YEr !!

so... why is it that the coolest tastiest restaurants i go to in paris always happen to be with the rogoz bunch? (ya know, our tri-annual birthday celebration for ellen)

the latest is a place called les cocottes. i define this type of restaurant - "hip-chic".
(yes, alki alone has coined this term).

delicious dishes all served in "cocottes" (a crock pot? crap, what do we call this in english?)

according to wordreference, "cocotte" also means "honey"... or "loose woman".

anyways....

the restaurant belongs to christian constant (a michelin-starred chef), oooooh!

and though some dishes are kind of pricey, you can easily enjoy a tasty and affordable meal (my fish cocotte which was absolutely delicious was only 17euros!).

(yea, i only managed to get a photo towards the end of my pleasure feast)

so if you're in the mood for something tasty, and a bit different, flirt with les cocottes.