The Barbershop, Whole Foods, and a Prize-Winning Cookie!

Congratulations to one of this blog's faithful followers, fellow blogger Colleen Barber,  the proud winner of Whole Foods' "Your Best Recipe with Pecans" contest!  The Whole Foods tester wrote that Colleen's "...pecan-studded cookies have incredible flavor and are so easy to make. The balance of textures in this recipe is spot on, and I loved the bright pop of the cranberries..."

 As the contest finale drew near, Colleen kept us notified that her cookie, Pecan Cranberry Cinnamon Chip Cookies, was still in the running.  Then, it was down to the final two!  And yesterday, Friday the 13th was Colleen's lucky day as she announced that her cookie was the winner! 

This is especially exciting in blogging/baking world!  Colleen is an inventive baker, and her blog is very interesting.  She takes simple, every day ingredients, and combines them in new and non-traditional ways.  She makes a salty-sweet cookie with cake mix and Pretzel M&Ms.  She continually tries new things and in her writing you can hear her passion for baking.  Outside of baking and blogging, Colleen has very full life; in addition to her full-time career, she is a devoted runner (more than burning up any calories from taste-testing!) and is planning her wedding this coming fall.

I'd been reading Colleen's blog for a while (What's Baking in the Barbershop) and later we became facebook friends.  Only then did I realize that she is a fellow Skidmore College alum, and that she has family nearby though she lives in Boston.  It's a small world!  We have yet to meet in person, but the next time she is in Saratoga Springs, I'd love to get together and talk about our shared passion - baking! 

I am so happy for Colleen, and I am sure this is just the first of what will be a collection of prize winning recipes coming from her kitchen! 

PECAN CRANBERRY CINNAMON CHIP COOKIES

 6 ounces unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
3/4 cups dried cranberries
3/4 cups cinnamon flavored baking chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the chopped pecans on a baking sheet; toast in the 350 degree oven for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove and set aside to let cool.

2. Melt the butter in the microwave and allow it to cool slightly. Using a whisk, combine the butter and both sugars together in a large bowl. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla.

3. In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. Add this flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture and fold until just combined.

4. Fold in the pecans, dried cranberries, and cinnamon chips until well-incorporated, but be careful not to overmix.

5. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop cookie dough by the tablespoonful on baking sheets, placing at least 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 - 14 minutes.

6. When the edges are just lightly golden brown, remove from oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet for a couple minutes before removing to cooling rack. Once fully cooled, the cookies can be stored in an airtight container.

Photo of Colleen's cookie, and link to Whole Foods' site:  http://raleigh.wholefoodsmarketcooking.com/recipes/12171_pecan_cranberry_cinnamon_chip_cookies/1

Mrs. London's, Saratoga Springs, New York

Today my friend Liz called to see if I'd like to join her and our friend Mary at Mrs. London's in Saratoga Springs.  When she called, Henry and I were on our way to Target in search of special new sneakers.  I told Liz that if she didn't mind my bringing a 3-year-old along, we'd love to join her.  She said, "You're talking to two Grandmas here."  Liz has two grandsons, just a bit younger than Henry and Pete, and Mary has a bunch of grandchildren, so  Henry was more than welcome.  Once Henry settled on the Spider Man sneakers (that light up with each step!) and we paid for them, we were on our way to Broadway and Mrs. London's to meet my good friends..

I ordered tomato cheddar soup and half a chicken salad sandwich on Rock Hill Farm farm bread (the very best bread I've ever had).  Both were outstanding.  I'm going to figure out how to make that soup and blog about it, soon!  Meanwhile, here are a few photos of our time at Mrs. London's today.  It was a lot of fun, and I'm very glad that Liz called!

Chicken salad sandwich on Rock Hill Farm bread, and tomato cheddar soup!

Henry and the disappearing gingerbread boy!

Breakfast at the Track

Early yesterday morning, before the work week started,  I met my friend Sue and her son Frank by the Big Red Spring at the historic Saratoga Racecourse.  At least once every racing season, which runs from late July through Labor Day, we meet to have breakfast in this gorgeous setting. The buffet is an offering of beautifully displayed hot and cold items, with a price tag of $15 per patron.  More than the food, the atmosphere and sights are the attraction.  We sat at a table overlooking the track and watched the morning workout and the people enjoying it, just as we were.  If you want to have breakfast at the track but prefer something a little less formal, you can bring a brown-bag breakfast with you and sit in the grandstands.  (The $10 parking fee is refunded on your way out if you leave before 10 a.m.).  It's the same "show" but a lot more affordable (no charge, actually), especially if you have a large group or little kids, and that fact that there's no wagering that early in the day means there's nothing to lose!  Either way, breakfast at the track is a Saratoga tradition and a memory in the making!

It was a terrific way to start the day!