Tons of Baking

I've been on vacation this week! On Monday a few friends and I went to Taitung (East Coast of Taiwan) for three days. Knowing that it was going to be a long drive I made some cranberry chocolate chip scones.  I knew that I wanted to make them, but after I had already started I realized I had no regular flour!!! Whoops!

No biggie, I just switched the flour to whole wheat.  They turned out surprisingly good.

Onto another fun recipe that is ridiculously easy: yogurt.  I have not been very happy with yogurt in Taiwan.  Then a few days ago a colleague told me that she makes her own.  She said it was really easy, so I tried it, and it is the FIRST time since I've moved here that I actually like yogurt.  I could rattle off the recipe or just put in a link to a wikihow that tells you how to do it.  Given the fact that I'm going to talk about two other recipes, the link will have to do.

How to Make Yogurt

The next recipe I made this week is actually related to the yogurt.  Long story short, my best friend had a recipe book that's just cookies (Pillsbury's Best Cookie Cookbook).  I highly recommend it.  Pretty much everything I've made from that book has been delicious.  A personal favorite and also a huge crowd pleaser is a recipe for Chocolate Chip Yogurt Cookies.  It NEVER turned out right here in Taiwan because the yogurt was too thick, or not lowfat, or I dunno what the problem was.  Now that I'd figured out how to make my own yogurt, I figured I'd try it again.  For those of you who have access to nonfat plain yogurt, just use that.  If not, just make your own yogurt!

Here goes the recipe:

Chocolate Chip Yogurt Cookies

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar (if you live in a country where the brown sugar is not great, make your own! Add molasses to white sugar until you get it the way you want it).
1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 3/4 cups all purpose-flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips or carob chips (I use regular chocolate chips.  Usually a little more than 1/2 a cup...yummier to me!)

Heat the oven to 375 F.  In large bowl, combine sugar, brown sugar, margarine and shortening; beat until light and fluffy.  Add yogurt and vanilla; blend well.  Stir in flour, baking soda and salt; mix well.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Drop dough by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake at 375 F for 8 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown.  Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets.


Yield: 3 dozen cookies.

Next up on the blog, black bottom cake! Birthday hubby's favorite!  Coming soon...:)