Browned Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies

I took a hiatus from the blog for several reasons, but one of them being that I know nothing about photography and hated posting pictures that are...well, just not good. However, I have come across several good recipes in the mean time and hate that I can keep track of them all when I want to go back and make them again. Thus, I am going to try to resume posting when I have time despite bad pictures. Maybe one day I will get motivated to learn more and go back and update my pictures. Maybe. Anyway, let's start with these cookies! I made them primarily because I had a partial bag of toffee chips in my pantry that I wanted to use up, and it had been a while since I made any treats for Nick! They turned out to be even more delicious than I expected. Now I just have to control myself that Nick actually gets to eat some :)

Browned Butter Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies (adapted from une gamine dans la cuisine)
Makes about 18 cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 stick unsalted butter
• 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoons baking Soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup dark brown sugar (firmly packed)
• 1 room temperature egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 oz  toffee bits 
• 5 oz of dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips 
• Coarse sea salt

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Brown the butter. Place the butter into a heavy-bottomed saucepan or skillet. Heat on medium heat until melted. Continue cooking, swirling pan often until butter is dark golden brown and has nutty aroma. This takes a few minutes, but when it happens, it happens quickly so keep an eye on it! Remove the pan from heat and let cool. 
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand-mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cooled butter and brown sugar for 3-4 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. 
5. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until thoroughly mixed in. 
6. Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing only until just combined.  
7. Add toffee bits and chocolate chips and mix briefly so they are incorporated but be careful not to overmix!
8. Roll dough into balls (mine were probably 2 Tbsp in size).
9. Bake for 10-12 minutes.
10. Immediately after removing from oven, lightly sprinkle with sea salt.
11. Let cool on cookie sheet to set before moving to a cooling rack

Savory Pumpkin Cornbread Mini Muffins

I can't remember when I first typed up this recipe, but I would guess at least a year and a half ago. I keep coming back to it so I decided it was finally time to take pictures of them so I could share it with you! We are having them with our new years dinner tonight, but they are also great served with chili or even eaten just on their own! I love, love, love cornbread, but it is generally not so healthy for you. I tried to lighten up this recipe by adding pumpkin and taking out butter and oil. It results in light and fluffy muffins that come in at about 55 calories each, which is a good thing because I always eat several at a time!

Savory Pumpkin Cornbread Mini Muffins (Makes 12 mini muffins)
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cornmeal 
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup pumpkin
• 2 tsp maple syrup
• 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk (I use the lemon juice + milk substitute)
• 1 egg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Combine the dry ingredients (cornmeal through pepper) in a  medium bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (pumpkin through egg).

4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.

5. Spray a mini muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray and spoon batter into pan.

6. Bake until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean- approximately 14-17 minutes.

Approximate Nutrition Facts: (according to My Fitness Pal)
Calories: 54
Carbs: 10g
Fat: 1g
Protein: 2g