Back in Action

Sorry, fellow bloggers. I’m sure you’ve been lonely and depressed wondering where the rants of Marla &Tracy have been. Graduation tore the best friends and roommates into two different states (thankfully still on the time zone) — and our lives have taken us in two very different, yet exciting directions.

While Marla is off teaching the next generation, I have abandoned everything I know to follow my lifelong dream. I, Tracy Michele, the ultimate foodie, am beginning culinary school in only a few days. Words cannot express my excitement to begin to sauté and julienne my way through New York City.

Of course, living in one of the most crowded cities in the world can happen to be quite lonely. Although my iPhone maps app can take me anywhere I want to go, I’ve be spending my days getting adjusted to my new kitchen. Which is what brings us to my latest recipe.

I decided to come up with a copy-cat-recipe of one of my childhood favorite treats. I used to eat these with my best friend while waiting for our parents to pick us up from the mall. They promise to bring a smile to the most solemn face with their endearing colorful toppers and whimsical frosting.

Recipe:

2 and 1/4 cups organic, unbleached white flour (no one ever said these were good for you)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup organic earth balance butter, softened
3/4 cup organic, unbleached cane sugar
3/4 cup organic brown sugar
2 tsp organic, fair trade vanilla extract
2 large eggs*
2 cups Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips
*feel free to sub Ener-g Egg Replacer in order to make the recipe cruelty free

Preheat oven to 375F, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt into a small bowl, set aside. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat together the butter and both sugars until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs*, one at a time. Mix until fully incorporated. Gradually blend dry mixture into creamed mixture until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Using a pre-greased, mini cupcake pan, place about 2 teaspoons of cookie dough mixture into pan, roughly 3/4 full. Bake for about 8-10 minutes until golden brown.

Cool in pan for about 10 minutes and then pop out of cupcake pan. Wait until fully cooled before frosting and placing your favorite candy on top!

Play On,

Tracy Michele