Chocolate Chip Cookies with Orange Zest.

The scent of freshly mown grass filtered its way through my air conditioning system as I drove past the UW athletic fields this morning.  Though cold outside (snow having fallen in many neighborhoods around the Puget Sound last night), this scent triggered in my mind two hope-filled things: spring. and baseball. Oh sweet joy. 


Bolstered by this fragrant reminder, I made my way to University Village to spend my extended weekend wandering the eye-candy laden stalls of Anthropologie, indulging in the pre-prepared goodness of Pasta & Co., snacking on frozen yogurt from Menchies, and caking the tops of my hands with testers from Sephora (before ultimately purchasing this).  Basically Pinterest come to life before my eyes. 

I know you're jealous, but don't worry, I have something else to share with you this monday. Chocolate Chip Cookies, from the delightful and approachable cookbook In the Small Kitchen. 


Now I have to admit that we just purchased three more boxes of Girl Scout cookies from a lone girl scout outside of QFC last night, just ten minutes before the sale of cookies would end for the 2012 year. So what did I choose to do this afternoon? Bake cookies. Naturally. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Orange Zest. 
Adapted from In the Small Kitchen


Ingredients: 


2/3 cup white sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar 
2 sticks of butter (room temperature) 
1 egg
2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt 
1-2 tbls. orange zest
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 


1. Combine sugars and butter in a large bowl (and when I say large, I mean large... these ingredients conspire together to escape).  Mix with a hand mixer until creamy. Try to eliminate as many clumps of butter as possible.  


2. Mix in egg, and blend until light and fluffy. 


3. Gradually add in flour, baking soda, and salt, stirring until completely combined.
Add in chocolate chips & orange zest. 

4. Form by hand into balls about the size of a ping-pong ball.  Space on cookie sheet about 2 in. apart. 


5. Bake 6-8 minutes, rotating if you have a fickle oven like myself. 


While they bake treat yourself to the orange used for zesting.  You'll feel better about your choice later to eat several cookies.