Isabel's Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2/3 c. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 c. granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. instant espresso powder
• 1 1/2 c. semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 c. coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, toasted

Cream the butter until very fluffy, then cream it a little more.  Add the sugars and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Beat in the eggs, on e at a time.  Beat in the vanilla.

Whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder.  Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three installments, beating well each time.  Stir in the chocolate and nuts.  If you are patient and have the time, refrigerate overnight.

When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop tablespoons of dough onto the cookie sheets, 2 inches apart.  Bake for 11 to 13 minutes until the cookies are firm and lightly colored. Coool on a rack and store in a cookie time for up to one week.

Yield: about 3 dozen.

VERDICT:  I really tried to follow the recipe exactly, because I was promised the best chocolate chip cookies ever, but these still came out super flat.  They have good flavor, but are not structurally sound.  I stand by my position that chocolate chip cookies should only be purchased, not made.  Toss.

Peanut Butter

• 1 pound unsalted roasted peanuts, shelled and skinned
• 2 T. oil, preferably peanut

Put the peanuts and oil in a food processor or blender and grind until you have a creamy paste.  Add more oil if necessary to thin.  Make this peanut butter a little thinner than you think it should be, as it will firm up a lot in the refrigerator.

Salt to taste.  Store in a jar in the refrigerator for several months.

Makes 2 c.

VERDICT:  I made a half-batch using some leftover lightly salted peanuts from a jar.  Maybe if I'd shelled and skinned my own, it would taste better, but nothing here convinced me I needed to be making my own peanut butter.  A little grainy, and a lot of scraping peanut butter out of the food processor.  Toss.

Butterscotch Pudding

• 2 1/4 c. milk
• 3/4 c. heavy cream
• 4 large egg yolks
• 3/4 c. dark brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 c. cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 T. unsalted butter, cut into bits
• 1 T. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. Scotch or bourbon

In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a boil.  Remove from the heat.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the cream, egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt until well-blended.

Pour a splash of hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly.  Gradually whisk in the remainder of the milk.

Pour the mixture back into the pot and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it begins to thicken, 3 or 4 minutes.  Do not let it boil.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, vanilla, and Scotch.

Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into seven 4- to 6-ounce ramekins.  Chill for at least 4 hours until firm and cold.

Makes 3 1/2 c., to serve 7.

VERDICT:  This went swimmingly until it came time to strain the pudding through a fine-mesh sieve into tiny little ramekins, at which point it turned into a disaster of pudding all over said ramekins as well as the countertop.  I will make this dessert-y pudding again, but think I will either strain into one large bowl and then redistribute, or skip straining altogether.  Keep.