Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 Cup Unsweetened coconut (ground up or left as is will add chewieness)
1 1/2* cup All purpose Flour (If deleting Coconut, use 2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped Walnuts/Pecans (optional)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 or 2 cups Hershey semi-sweet Chocolate chips or better brand. (Toll House cchips are terrible in recent years!) I like to enjoy the dough part of cookie so I use less chips but use more if you wish.

Preheat oven to 375° (400 if you use CHILLED dough). Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl till creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Then add coconut and beat. Gradually mix in flour mixture by hand or using slow speed on mixer. Over mixing will make cookies tough. Stir in morsels. Drop by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

*Use less flour on first tray, as it depends on size of eggs you are using, humidity and age of flour. The normal recipe calls for 2 1/4 cups.
ut too much like pancakes add another 1/4 c of flour OR chill for 1 hour in fridge or 15 minutes in freezer and bake at 400. bake about 8 minutes or longer. You want them to be browned on edges and no longer pale in center. Using less flour makes them richer and chewy inside, a little crunchy on edges.

**If you use SWEETENED coconut, the cookies will be too sweet and different texture. There is an anti-caking product used in sweetened coconut so it makes a huge difference in finished product.


The cookies look a little different than the traditional Toll House Recipe looking cookie. The top has texture from the coconut & lower amount of flour I think. Click on any photo to see them full sized & check out cookie texture.

Almost Mardi Gras Time, Again!

EDIT: FINALLY did another show on Blogtalkradio.

Rather than go there, with tons of ads & clutter just click on the right of this blog and play the BTR Player in the blue & black box. 35-40 minutes of uptempo tunes to help you work, cook, or clean house. Or just lift your spirits. Had a nice guest in the chat room who enjoyed the tunes and I hope you will, too.

Thanks for stopping by, ~Sophia

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/sophiasplace/2010/01/26/midday-with-sophia

Sloppy Joe Recipe from 1950's

Sloppy Joe Recipe from 1950's

2 lb's ground beef (whatever grade, drain fat as needed)
1/3 cup diced onion
19 oz tomato puree (tough to find can this size, I know. Measure & freeze extra to throw in soup later.)
1/2 cup Heinz Ketchup (never used another brand)

2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 Tablespoons Water
1 Tablespoon Vinegar
1/4 c. br sugar, lightly packed
salt & pepper to taste

Brown ground beef and drain fat. Add diced onion and cook a few minutes, until transparent before adding rest of ingredients. This steps helps keeps the onions from tasting undercooked, watery and squishy. Add remaining ingredients and simmer 30 minutes before eating. Stir sometimes to keep from scorching or sticking to pan.

For comfort food purposes, I like to serve these on small Wonder hamburger buns from the bread store, 12 to a package. If you choose a larger bun, you may want to eat open-faced with fork or wear clothes of which you are no longer fond. I eat with with a side of wavy potato chips.

*Notes, original recipe called for 1/3 bottle of Heinz Ketchup but many sizes today.

Snow pics 2010, song written 1917

So the photos and song are almost a 100 years apart. Course the song is performed by Lagniappe via 2009. Some snow photos of male and female Cardinals, Junco's (black & white snowbirds) & Downy woodpeckers (striped birds, one with red dot in back of the head is the male) If you aren't a bird lover, this will bore you but the Dixieland tune is an oldie but goody in my opinion. :)

Snow Photos with critters

It was cold outside and a little snowy. Birds really gather round on these days to eat and I took a boatload of photographs. Thought I would share some here. I loved the sliding female cardinal on the birdfeeder. :)