White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies

I learned something new when making these cookies, I don't really like white chocolate. So for the second half of the batch I added some semi sweet chocolate chips to the dough and those were fantastic. According to a friend of mine if you like white chocolate they taste good both ways.

White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Cookies:
adapted from ATK recipe

Ingredients:
2 c. plus 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
12 Tbsp (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled until warm
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1 large egg plus 1 yolk
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. white chocolate chips
1/2 c. macadamia nuts, chopped

Directions:
-Adjust oven racks to upper & lower -middle positions & heat oven to 325.
-Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
-Whisk dry ingredients together; set aside.
-Mix butter & sugars until thoroughly combined.
-Beat in egg, yolk and vanilla until combined.
-Add dry ingredients & beat at low speed just until combined.
-Stir in chips and nuts.
-Roll scant 1/2 cup dough into ball.
-To portion dough, I use a cookie scoop, or two teaspoons work too.
Leave plenty of space between each ball.
-Bake, reversing position of cookie sheets halfway through baking, until cookies are light golden brown and outer edges start to harden yet centers are still soft & puffy, about 12 minutes depending on size.
-Cool cookies on sheets until able to lift without breaking and place on wire rack to cool.

BBQ Sauce

I would like to say that I chose to make Saint Louis style sauce because I'm from Saint Louis, however that wouldn't be completely true, I chose it because I had all of the ingredients on hand. Either way this sauce is great, and I've already made it twice, and have a bottle of it in the fridge. From now on I plan to make our own sauce, not only does it taste better but we do not eat it enough (at home) and I regularly have to toss out half empty bottles. So far I've made put this sauce on chicken for Dan and Quorn "chicken" for myself. St. Louis Barbecue Sauce Source: http://bbq.about.com/od/barbecuesaucerecipes/r/bl80929a.htm Background information: St. Louis Barbecue Sauce is thinner and has more of a tangy flavor than its Kansas City cousin. Being at the crossroads St. Louis style barbecue has many influences, so there are a number of ways of making this style sauce.

Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:
1 c ketchup
4 T water
4 T apple cider vinegar
4 T. brown sugar
4 ½ tsp. yellow mustard
1 ½ tsp. onion powder
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. cayenne (less if you don't want it to be spicy)

Preparation:
1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat.

2. Stirring occasionally and simmer for 20 minutes.

3. Sauce should be thin, but not watery. Allow to cool.

4. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate.

5. Sauce is better if allow to sit for a day. (Personally I think it taste the same, we always eat some of it the first day that I make it.)