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Do homemade cookies automatically put a smile on your face? Maybe it is the memory of being irresistibly drawn into the kitchen by the aroma of cinnamon, buttery goodness. Perhaps you recall biting into a just-out-of-the-oven, heavenly confection filled with melting chocolate chips, toasted pecans and sugar. Whatever you love about cookies, National Homemade Cookies Day is the perfect excuse for firing up the oven in your apartment kitchen.
If Mom isn't visiting or if you misplaced the dog-eared recipe from Nana, don't despair. You will find a way to satisfy your sweet tooth among the many recipes found, here. Following are a couple of suggestions that are sure to please you and impress your guests.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
You cannot go wrong with a good chocolate chip cookie. While you might save time by using a mix, available at most food stores, the homemade versions are worth the effort. The basic recipe calls for butter, brown and white sugar, eggs and vanilla mixed together; all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt are then added. Two cups of semi-sweet chocolate chips complete the recipe. Drop onto a cookie sheet and pop into the oven. Baking the cookies a little longer than suggested will create a crispier cookie, so judge baking time by your preference.
Snickerdoodle Cookies
Aromatic cinnamon really sets these cookies apart. The dough comes together easily as butter, white and brown sugar and eggs are mixed together and then joined by flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt. After mixing the dough, use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to make 1 & 1/2-inch balls. The balls are rolled in a mixture of sugar and cinnamon and then placed on a parchment-lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. As they cook, the cream of tartar in the dough makes the balls rise and then flatten out on the pan, creating a crinkled top. Chewy and yummy even after cooling, these cookies are absolutely irresistible when eaten warm with a cold glass of milk.
While enjoying cookies warm from the oven with friends and loved ones, don't forget to share the amenities and floor plans of our beautiful Chicago apartments. Give our office a call to learn more!
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If you're one of those who joyfully anticipate their first bite of freshly baked apple pie once the fruit begins to ripen in the fall, you're in luck—harvest time is here, and kitchens all over the country are filled with the aroma of apple pies baking in the oven. However, the same apple pie recipes get old after a while, and fortunately, there are many variations of this classic favorite.
Here are two tasty twists on an old tradition that residents of our apartments in Chicago can whip up in their kitchen this fall.
Fried Apple Pies
If you're in the mood for warm-from-the-oven apple pie goodness but don't want to bake an entire pie, you can quickly create an equally delicious option using a home deep fryer or a large heavy skillet instead of an oven. Simply make your favorite pie crust, or for simplicity's sake, use a frozen crust, and peel and dice your favorite apples. Place them in a saucepan with cinnamon and sugar, and cook them on low heat until they're the consistency of thick applesauce. After allowing the mixture to cool for five minutes or so, fold them into turnover shapes in small pieces of pastry—a heaping tablespoon for each one—before deep-frying for about five minutes or until golden brown.
Apple Pie Baked Apples
Apple pie baked apples provide an ideal grand finale for an elegant seasonal dinner party. Assemble them ahead of time so all you'll have to do is pop them in the oven after you've cleared the dinner plates. They only take about 20 minutes in the oven, so while you and your guests are enjoying a glass of wine by the fire, you'll also be treated to a heavenly aroma as they bake.
This dessert works best when using the roundest possible apples, so pick up some Granny Smith or Honeycrisp varieties. Make the filling the same way as described in the fried pie recipe above, spoon the mixture into hollowed-out apples, make a cute lattice crust for a topping, and bake for 20 minutes.
We've got floor plans ranging from studios to two-bedroom apartments. Please call today to find out more.
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