Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Trying something simple yet so delicious.  I couldn't resist Martha Steward's Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.  I added an extra ingredient, pecan to the recipe. Taste soooo amazing.  I'm in heaven again!

Ingredients

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (about 12 ounces) semisweet and/or milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter with both sugars; beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low; add the salt, vanilla, and eggs. Beat until well mixed, about 1 minute. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
2. Drop heaping tablespoon-size balls of dough about 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
3. Bake until cookies are golden around the edges, but still soft in the center, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cool on baking sheet 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and let cool completely. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Green Tea Cream Puff

My first attempt at making green tea cream puff...

Making the dough:

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

5 large eggs

egg wash: 1 yolk mixed with 1 tbs milk or cream

In a medium saucepan, bring the butter, milk, water, salt, and sugar to a gentle boil. Remove from the heat and add the sifted flour and baking powder all at once. Stir energetically with a wooden spoon and return to the heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until a dough forms and the excess moisture evaporates, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a Kitchenaid equipped with the paddle. Beat the mixture on medium for 15 seconds and start adding the eggs one by one. Mix until the dough (paste) is smooth and shiny.

Spoon the batter into a pastry bag with a large round tip, pipe into mounds that are about 2 inches across onto a lightly greased baking sheet or a silpat. Leave about a 2-inch space between mounds. Brush the tops with egg wash and make them even with the back of a spoon or fork.

Bake at 350°F for 30 to 45 minutes, until puffed and golden-brown..

Green Tea Cream Filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup icing/powdered sugar
1 tsp. green tea powder (can add additional 1 tsp. of green tea powder for stronger taste and color)

Beat the above until thick and use as filling. Place filling in a piping bag and poke a hole either at the bottom of puff or top or side and fill it with filling. I like to freeze my cream puffs to enjoy later, as mentioned above