Mocha Chip Cookies and A GIVEAWAY

For my two month blogiversary, I decided to do my first giveaway!  I've been enjoying Aida Mollenkamp's cookbook, Keys to the Kitchen, and will be giving away a copy to one reader.  Scroll down to see how enter.

Keys to the Kitchen is a great cookbook because it covers basic kitchen skills, but also includes really unique recipes with interesting flavor combinations.  Each recipe is designed to teach a certain technique, and the recipes include detailed notes about equipment, substitutions, variations, and recipes-within-a-recipe ideas.

In the back of the book are tons of helpful suggestions for menu ideas, party planning, quick and stress-free recipes, and even cleaning solutions.

I had to try a recipe for chocolate chip cookies with ground coffee.  And, if you love coffee and chocolate as much as I do, this recipe is for you!

Ingredients (from Keys to the Kitchen; makes about 2 dozen cookies):

2 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup finely ground coffee beans
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups milk chocolate chips (I used 1 cup dark chocolate chips since that was all I had)

Preheat the oven to 350.  Cover two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, coffee, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.  In a large bowl, beat the sugars and butter on high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well mixed.

Add the flour mixture, and use a spatula to stir just until combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop 2-tablespoon balls of dough onto the cookie sheets, leaving two inches between cookies (they will expand a lot--mine all ran together).  You can use an ice cream scoop, but I think mine holds more than two tablespoons, so my cookies were big.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until puffed in the center and browned on the edges.  Cool on a rack.  Cookies can be stored at room temp in an airtight container for up to a week if you have lots of self control.

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