% (NAPSA)—Whattreats fit perfectly in a lunchbox, make easy but elegant gifts and are wellreceived at bake sales? Cookies! Cookies are also a great gift to send to a soldier stationed far away or a college student out of state. Most cookies travel well and are convenient to take to a picnic, party or potluck. Baking Basics It’s important to have the basics to make baking quick, easy and fun. The Pampered Chef, Ltd., a leading provider of highquality kitchen tools, provides today’s home cook with the right tool for the job, no matter what the occasion. Essential kitchen tools for every baker include batter bowls, measuring spoons, dry and liquid measuring cups, spatu- las, cooling racks and oven mitts. A New “Stone Age” Stoneware is fast becoming a popular staple for bakers because it duplicates the effects of bricklined ovens used in professional bakeries by distributing heat and absorbing moisture. Stoneware can be used for everything from fresh or frozen pizzas to French bread; cookies to coffee cakes; roasts to casseroles and everything in between. A baking stone minimizes the risk of burnt cookies and creates moist, evenly baked goods, crispier crusts and lighter, higher-volumebreads. Once you have your tools in place, choose a recipe. The Pampered Chef, Ltd.’s Delightful Desserts cookbookoffers this delicious, gourmet-style cookie recipe that will tempt anyone’s taste buds. Coffee House Cookies Prep time: 30 minutes Bake time: 14-16 minutes / batch Cool time: 30 minutes 1% '% \ % cupsall-purpose flour teaspoon baking soda teaspoonsalt cup butter or margarine, softened %4 cup packed brown sugar 1 egg care package to a special someoneor tuck into a picnic basket or lunchbox. 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, divided 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks, divided 2 bars (1.5 to 2 oz. each) favorite chocolate candy (see Cook’s Tips) 1. Preheat oven to 350F. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in Small Batter Bow]; mix well. In Classic Batter Bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. 2. Stir 74 cup nuts and *% cup chocolate chunks into dough. Cut candy bars into small pieces, about the size of chocolate chunks;set aside. 3. Using Large Scoop, drop 6 level scoops of dough, 3 inches apart, onto Rectangle Stone. (Cookies will spread while baking.) Flatten scoops slightly with palm of hand. Lightly press half of the remaining nuts, chocolate and candy into tops of cookies. 4, Bake 14-16 minutes or until cookies are almostset. (Centers will be soft. Do not overbake.) Cool 7 minutes on Baking Stone. Using Large Serving Spatula, remove cookies to Stackable Cooling Rack. Cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Makes 1 dozen cookies. Cook’s Tips: Chocolate candy bars with nougat and caramel or nuts are favorite choices for this cookie. Also delicious are chocolate-covered peppermint patties, chocolate-covered caramels and chocolate peanut butter cups. Use 2 packages(1.5 to 2 oz. each). To soften butter, let it stand at room temperature about 45 minutes. It should be softened, yet still firm. Using butter that is too soft will cause cookies to spread. For more information on this or other recipes from The Pampered Chef, call 1-800-266-5562 or visit www.pamperedchef.com.
