Okay, so this is one of the best chocolate chip cookie recipes out there. Make these. If you ever watch Good Eats, that's where I got it. Alton Brown makes some yummy cookies.
The only addition I would add would be a half bag of melted white chocolate chips to the batter, seriously, it makes all the difference. Also a cup of toffee chips gives it some crunch.
I've highlighted in bold the steps that are absolutely necessary to get the cookies right.
The Chewy
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Show: Good Eats
Episode: Three Chips for Sister Marsha
2 sticks unsalted butter
2 1/4 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoons milk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Hardware:
Ice cream scooper (#20 disher, to be exact)
Parchment paper
Baking sheets
Mixer
Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottom medium saucepan over low heat. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside.
Pour the melted butter in the mixer's work bowl. Add the sugar and brown sugar and melted white chocolate chips. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed. Add the egg, yolk, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Slowly incorporate the flour mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Chill the dough, then scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 14 minutes or until golden brown, checking the cookies after 5 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet for even browning. Cool completely and store in an airtight container.
Enjoy.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Monday, April 21, 2008
What Kicks My Butt
Youtube is a wonderful thing. Without it I'd still be wondering where to start with my workouts. Today on my favorite forum a guy wrote a review of a training dvd called The Art of Strength. The workout he wrote about goes thusly.
Round 1: 2-Handed Swing, One Arm Swing, and Alternating One Armed Swings.
Round 2: Cleans
Round 3: Chest Presses (one arm)
Round 4: Squats/Sumo Deadlifts
Round 5: One leg deadlift (I think this one may take some practice to perfect)
Round 6: Windmills into an Overhead Squat
Round 7: Clean and Press
Round 8: Flip and Squat
Round 9: Tactical Lunges (basically a figure 8 while lunging)
Round 10: Triple Crush (focus on biceps, triceps, and shoulders)
Round 11: Slingshot into Figure 8 and Hold
Round 12: Seated Press
Round 13: One Arm Row
Round 14: Pullovers, Russian Twists, and Sicilian Crunch ( hey, gotta isolate the abs too.)
Round 15: Bonus 3 Minute Snatch Challenge (just to see what you've got left in the tank)
That's alot of workout gobbledygook that translates into the word Pain. Lots of pain. I'm such a wuss.
Super Burpee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOBi3ewNNAY
Well, I got about halfway through the above workout and my body decided I was pooped, so I stopped. At the end I decided to do this little exercise trainer Anthony calls the KB Super Burpee. I did seventeen. Yes, seventeen and I quit. Oddly, I find them easier than a regular burpee since I don't have to do a pushup or jump to my feet, but it still kicked my butt and made the two burritos I had for dinner want to reenter society.
Tomorrow I'm gonna do the whole workout, but I'm planning one lowering the time of the rounds down to one minute per instead of two. That way I'll get the whole workout instead of just half.
I'm Sick of Talent Contests
I found a post tonight that sums up my feelings about all TV talent shows by a guy named Bluezerosix, who's rant follows.
WTF is it with women & the T.V. show "Dancing With The Stars"?
If I get between my wife & T.V. during the show, it's at extreme risk to my life & limbs.
All of the women I know love that show & talk about it all of the time...more than even my buddies and I talk about football and guns...
It has to be the lamest, gheyist show of all time...
End of mini-rant...you may now return to regular programming.
Yup. I hate it all. American Idol, DwtS, America's got Talent, and I'll group in The Biggest Loser and Rachael Ray's talk show, Dr. Phil, and Oprah just for fun. Blech.
Enough already. Gimme some sci-fi, some action, some horror. Just gimme something.
Round 1: 2-Handed Swing, One Arm Swing, and Alternating One Armed Swings.
Round 2: Cleans
Round 3: Chest Presses (one arm)
Round 4: Squats/Sumo Deadlifts
Round 5: One leg deadlift (I think this one may take some practice to perfect)
Round 6: Windmills into an Overhead Squat
Round 7: Clean and Press
Round 8: Flip and Squat
Round 9: Tactical Lunges (basically a figure 8 while lunging)
Round 10: Triple Crush (focus on biceps, triceps, and shoulders)
Round 11: Slingshot into Figure 8 and Hold
Round 12: Seated Press
Round 13: One Arm Row
Round 14: Pullovers, Russian Twists, and Sicilian Crunch ( hey, gotta isolate the abs too.)
Round 15: Bonus 3 Minute Snatch Challenge (just to see what you've got left in the tank)
That's alot of workout gobbledygook that translates into the word Pain. Lots of pain. I'm such a wuss.
Super Burpee
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOBi3ewNNAY
Well, I got about halfway through the above workout and my body decided I was pooped, so I stopped. At the end I decided to do this little exercise trainer Anthony calls the KB Super Burpee. I did seventeen. Yes, seventeen and I quit. Oddly, I find them easier than a regular burpee since I don't have to do a pushup or jump to my feet, but it still kicked my butt and made the two burritos I had for dinner want to reenter society.
Tomorrow I'm gonna do the whole workout, but I'm planning one lowering the time of the rounds down to one minute per instead of two. That way I'll get the whole workout instead of just half.
I'm Sick of Talent Contests
I found a post tonight that sums up my feelings about all TV talent shows by a guy named Bluezerosix, who's rant follows.
WTF is it with women & the T.V. show "Dancing With The Stars"?
If I get between my wife & T.V. during the show, it's at extreme risk to my life & limbs.
All of the women I know love that show & talk about it all of the time...more than even my buddies and I talk about football and guns...
It has to be the lamest, gheyist show of all time...
End of mini-rant...you may now return to regular programming.
Yup. I hate it all. American Idol, DwtS, America's got Talent, and I'll group in The Biggest Loser and Rachael Ray's talk show, Dr. Phil, and Oprah just for fun. Blech.
Enough already. Gimme some sci-fi, some action, some horror. Just gimme something.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Workout of the Day
So I got sick about three or four weeks ago, and it really kicked me out of my workout routine. My routine was never that set to begin with, but in the weeks since my fitness schedule has been...sporadic at best.
Two weeks ago, I went into Phoenix to grab some work supplies, and I went to the only place in town I could find cheap kettlebells. Just in case you don't know what a kettlebell is, it's basically a cannonball with an iron handle attached to it. These devices have been used since the early 1900's at least, but were brought back into common use here in America by a Russian trainer.
This is an example of KB training.
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/540_kettlebell-clean-jerk.htm
I bought one. Kettlebells aren't cheap, and my 35 pound KB cost me fifty bucks, but it was worth the cost. The 35# KB is a little much for me when I do certain exercises, but all around it's working out well. The KBs seem a little gimmicky at first blush, but you can actually do a whole lot more exercises with them than you could with regular dumbbells, although I'm gonna have to get some dumbbells as well for doing certain exercises like man-makers, for example.
A Milestone
I made it my goal at the beginning of the week to get hardcore and go one week getting a full-blown workout done every day, no matter what. I did it! Every day, at least once a day this week I worked out, and some days it was twice!. Woo-hoo!
The fact that I didn't really have any work this week helped me in getting that goal accomplished, and now I'm making it a goal to go through another week of the same, minus the necessary rest day they recommend tomorrow.
This week my schedule has been thus.
Kettlebell work for power.
Yoga for Regular Guys for cardio and flexibility.
Crossfit training for strength and endurance.
Long fast-walks for leg conditioning and meditation.
Burpees; because they suck, and I hate them.
Burpees
Burpees are the horrible creation of some long-forgotten sadist, and his intellectual heirs have expanded the pain further by introducing variations, such as man-makers, burpulls, burpee box-jumps, etc. All of them make you wish you were never born.
Burpees are known as the prison workout, because they work out just about every major muscle in the body, and can be done in a very confined space, such as a prison cell. They're called burpees because after you do enough of them, you feel like puking. Seriously. Sadly, they work. Here's a video of them for the curious. The video shows burpees, modified burpees, and burpulls. I couldn't do a burpull if my life depended on it and I was hanging over a pit of razor sharp swords, BTW.
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_Burpees.wmv
They're hard to do, and I only realized I can actually do them about two days ago. Before that I didn't think I was capable, but it turned out it was because I has always tried to do them in jeans, and jeans are to constricting. I wish I still didn't know I could do them. :P
Day one I only did about fifteen before my legs were smoked. Today I did sixteen. I think I'll do seventeen tomorrow, rest day be damned. The idea is to do one more burpee every day than I could do the day before, until I can do four hundred in 30 minutes, a feat many regular guys can do. And if they can do it, why not me?
I can feel myself getting stronger day by day. It's awesome.
The work continues...
Two weeks ago, I went into Phoenix to grab some work supplies, and I went to the only place in town I could find cheap kettlebells. Just in case you don't know what a kettlebell is, it's basically a cannonball with an iron handle attached to it. These devices have been used since the early 1900's at least, but were brought back into common use here in America by a Russian trainer.
This is an example of KB training.
http://www.expertvillage.com/video/540_kettlebell-clean-jerk.htm
I bought one. Kettlebells aren't cheap, and my 35 pound KB cost me fifty bucks, but it was worth the cost. The 35# KB is a little much for me when I do certain exercises, but all around it's working out well. The KBs seem a little gimmicky at first blush, but you can actually do a whole lot more exercises with them than you could with regular dumbbells, although I'm gonna have to get some dumbbells as well for doing certain exercises like man-makers, for example.
A Milestone
I made it my goal at the beginning of the week to get hardcore and go one week getting a full-blown workout done every day, no matter what. I did it! Every day, at least once a day this week I worked out, and some days it was twice!. Woo-hoo!
The fact that I didn't really have any work this week helped me in getting that goal accomplished, and now I'm making it a goal to go through another week of the same, minus the necessary rest day they recommend tomorrow.
This week my schedule has been thus.
Kettlebell work for power.
Yoga for Regular Guys for cardio and flexibility.
Crossfit training for strength and endurance.
Long fast-walks for leg conditioning and meditation.
Burpees; because they suck, and I hate them.
Burpees
Burpees are the horrible creation of some long-forgotten sadist, and his intellectual heirs have expanded the pain further by introducing variations, such as man-makers, burpulls, burpee box-jumps, etc. All of them make you wish you were never born.
Burpees are known as the prison workout, because they work out just about every major muscle in the body, and can be done in a very confined space, such as a prison cell. They're called burpees because after you do enough of them, you feel like puking. Seriously. Sadly, they work. Here's a video of them for the curious. The video shows burpees, modified burpees, and burpulls. I couldn't do a burpull if my life depended on it and I was hanging over a pit of razor sharp swords, BTW.
http://media.crossfit.com/cf-video/CrossFit_Burpees.wmv
They're hard to do, and I only realized I can actually do them about two days ago. Before that I didn't think I was capable, but it turned out it was because I has always tried to do them in jeans, and jeans are to constricting. I wish I still didn't know I could do them. :P
Day one I only did about fifteen before my legs were smoked. Today I did sixteen. I think I'll do seventeen tomorrow, rest day be damned. The idea is to do one more burpee every day than I could do the day before, until I can do four hundred in 30 minutes, a feat many regular guys can do. And if they can do it, why not me?
I can feel myself getting stronger day by day. It's awesome.
The work continues...
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Let the Blogging Continue
Alright, all you people out there with blogs, it's time for you to post some updates. I'm bored to death out here. Kyle's the only one posting anything lately.
Jeremy, Bonster, Amy, Steve, Tam. Nobody's updated their blog for a while, and I need something to read. So post something interesting in the next day or two. If you don't, I'm gonna start whining even more than usual. KnowwhatImean?
Now for some light entertainment.
This is probably one of the most effective TV commercials ever, especially if you watch Discovery channel. It makes me smile, and I can't get the tune out of my head.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jmtjQPMjm1k
BTW, if anybody knows how to embed videos on Blogger, for the love of all that is holy, tell me.
BOOM DEE YADDA, boom dee yadda...
Jeremy, Bonster, Amy, Steve, Tam. Nobody's updated their blog for a while, and I need something to read. So post something interesting in the next day or two. If you don't, I'm gonna start whining even more than usual. KnowwhatImean?
Now for some light entertainment.
This is probably one of the most effective TV commercials ever, especially if you watch Discovery channel. It makes me smile, and I can't get the tune out of my head.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jmtjQPMjm1k
BTW, if anybody knows how to embed videos on Blogger, for the love of all that is holy, tell me.
BOOM DEE YADDA, boom dee yadda...
Monday, April 14, 2008
Bering with the Sea
So I don't watch a whole lot of TV, and most of the TV I watch is on Discovery. My two favorite shows on Discovery are Dirty Jobs and Deadliest Catch. The good news is there are new episodes on this week! Hoody freakin' Hoo!!
There's something almost hypnotic about Deadliest Catch. Any time I watch this show I sit there with my mouth hanging open and a string of drool hanging off my lip like a three year old watching Dora the Explorer. It's weird, since I usually hate most things that come out of Hollywood, that I love this show so much.
And dirty jobs is one of the most entertaining shows anyone ever thought up. Mike Rowe is an unscripted genius! Who'd of ever thought that watching an ex-shopping network host paddle around in poo would make for better TV than all of the million dollar episodes of the latest big three network procedural medical, lawyer, or cop dramas?
Not me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOsFsMbiio
Politics
I've watched the latest of Osama Hussein Obama's retarded comments from the last few days with nothing but disgust. That fool is truly stupid and he's got diarrhea of the mouth. And the Hildebeast's attempted hoodwinking of gun owners is laughable. Good Lord, I hate this election cycle. It can't end soon enough.
How bad is it that we all are thinking that we'll actually be lucky if John Effing Mcain becomes president? Our nation is doomed, I'm telling ya.
Excuse me, but I'm going to go sit in the corner and cling to my guns and religion and antipathy to people who aren't like me and my anti-immigrant sentiment and anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain my frustrations with the beauracratic nightmare that is our government.
Screw 'em all.
There's something almost hypnotic about Deadliest Catch. Any time I watch this show I sit there with my mouth hanging open and a string of drool hanging off my lip like a three year old watching Dora the Explorer. It's weird, since I usually hate most things that come out of Hollywood, that I love this show so much.
And dirty jobs is one of the most entertaining shows anyone ever thought up. Mike Rowe is an unscripted genius! Who'd of ever thought that watching an ex-shopping network host paddle around in poo would make for better TV than all of the million dollar episodes of the latest big three network procedural medical, lawyer, or cop dramas?
Not me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjOsFsMbiio
Politics
I've watched the latest of Osama Hussein Obama's retarded comments from the last few days with nothing but disgust. That fool is truly stupid and he's got diarrhea of the mouth. And the Hildebeast's attempted hoodwinking of gun owners is laughable. Good Lord, I hate this election cycle. It can't end soon enough.
How bad is it that we all are thinking that we'll actually be lucky if John Effing Mcain becomes president? Our nation is doomed, I'm telling ya.
Excuse me, but I'm going to go sit in the corner and cling to my guns and religion and antipathy to people who aren't like me and my anti-immigrant sentiment and anti-trade sentiment as a way to explain my frustrations with the beauracratic nightmare that is our government.
Screw 'em all.
Friday, April 4, 2008
The Jaxx Man Cometh...
I went down to the hospital tonight after work and saw little Jaxx today. He's a cool little guy. I didn't get to hold him since I'd just gotten off of work and was still dirty, but I'll go hold him tomorrow. Chelcie looked just fine. If I didn't know better , I'd never think she had a human being cut out of her this morning. Taylee was having fun and seems excited about having a little brother.
Good times.
Me and Jeremy were discussing how Jaxx needs to be raised. He's going to be fun. We're going to have to go camping alot, and we're gonna have to teach him how to survive and shoot and drive and farm and knife fight. He's gonna need to know how. :)
Marines, Ooh-Rah!!!
http://www.qubetv.tv/videos/detail/3483
I found this video online tonight and thought it was awesome. Marines are some tough SOBs. The last part is great. Why we don't just let these guys loose on the terroristas and clean up the middle east is beyond me. Instead they have to ask the bad guys to show up and play, instead of going and getting them.
Good times.
Me and Jeremy were discussing how Jaxx needs to be raised. He's going to be fun. We're going to have to go camping alot, and we're gonna have to teach him how to survive and shoot and drive and farm and knife fight. He's gonna need to know how. :)
Marines, Ooh-Rah!!!
http://www.qubetv.tv/videos/detail/3483
I found this video online tonight and thought it was awesome. Marines are some tough SOBs. The last part is great. Why we don't just let these guys loose on the terroristas and clean up the middle east is beyond me. Instead they have to ask the bad guys to show up and play, instead of going and getting them.
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