Year of Cookies - February

February was another busy month. I was sick for the first two weeks, but have been making up for lost time with lots of spring cleaning and organizing around the house. And we have definitly been enjoying this amazing early spring weather we've been having in Vancouver. No jacket in February, yes please!

I'm getting used to having a full cookie jar, so is Corey. There were a few days when is was empty, he mentioned this fact a few times, and may or may not  have reached into the empty cookie jar just to be disappointed. 

Double Chocolate Cookies, Valentine Sugar Cookies,

French Macarons, Peanut Butter Cookies

Week 5 - Double Chocolate Cookies, via Reclaiming Provincial - baked for 11 minutes, made 11 large cookies

I've made these cookies quite a few times, perfect when you need a chocolate fix. The recipe hails from Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco, which we visited on our trip in 2012. We bought their book, which is half coffee history & roasting info and half recipes from their cafes - perfect for me and Corey.  These cookies are crisp on the outside, kinda gooey and brownie-like on the inside, and perfectly salt studded. This recipe calls for large flake sea salt, like Maldon - one of my favourite pantry staples, I put it on everything, and highly recommend you pick some up - I sprinkled some salt on the tops of the cookies too. I also skipped chilling the dough, I've done it both ways and don't notice a difference.

Week 6 - Valentine Sugar Cookies, via Alice & Lois - baked for 6 minutes, made 87 small heart shaped cookies
I feel like every time I make sugar cookies I use a different recipe, and this one is as good as any others I've tried. However, the icing recipe was one I've never tried before - I usually make a fluffier frosting. This one was similar to royal icing in the consistency, but without the egg whites or meringue powder. It dried completely in 24 hours, so I could put them in the cookie jar. I only have a small heart shaped cookie cutter, maybe 1 1/2'"-2". So I was up to my eyeballs in pink hearts, 87 to be exact. But my Valentine wasn't complaining.

Week 7 - French Macarons, via Professor and the Pigeon

This week was a little bit special. Kristine & Martin gifted us with a macaron class for our birthdays, and it was so much fun! I've always wanted to try making macarons, but have always been too intimidated. So glad we did this class and learned some tricks. We made 4 flavours - Salted Caramel, Earl Grey, Raspberry & Mint Chocolate. And we each got to take home a dozen cookies! Let me know if you want to try your hand at making some and I'll scan the recipe & instructions we were given, which include lots of tips - and Corey's notes!

Week 8 - Peanut Butter Cookies, via Gimme Some Oven - baked for 12 minutes, *half recipe made 16 cookies

I kind of can't believe its taken 8 weeks for me to make a peanut butter cookie! These ones are a little crispy, a little chewy, and perfectly peanut buttery. 

In other news…

I got my hair cut for the first time in nearly 14 months today. Only two inches, but it feels like five.

Corey put on Dashboard Confessional the other night while we made and ate dinner. It totally made me think of you girls. And its funny how I still know every word. My 16 year old soul was satisfied.

We bought tickets to Squamish Festival in August, with Aaron & Michelle. Four days & three nights of music and camping - artists include Mumford & Sons, Of Monsters and Men & Sam Smith to name a few off the amazing line up. So stoked!

What have you ladies been up to?

Sending love,

Xo, A