Look at that crunchy, crackly top!

It was a pretty rad week.

I set up three interviews for this week for Serious Eats NY with some ridiculously awesome chefs I’m psyched to meet (hopefullynot adding a new crush to my growing list, though… stupid men and their stupid talent with stupid food…).

I’m doing my first cookbook review for a sorta-big-deal source (hopefully good news coming, fingers crossed) of a mouth-watering book by a chef who also happens to have rheumatoid arthritis and is on the same boat in regards to adding healthful foods instead of adding layers of restriction.

And after too-many grueling hours of taxes and accidentally erasing a series of articles I hadn’t yet submitted from my hard drive, I got everything restored and to the proper people.

Which is why it took little canoodling for me to spend yesterday having lunch with my pal Ruark and then taking Mitra to visit some old friends.  I babysat these kids what feels like eons ago now, and occasionally have to take them out for a bit of spoiling.

Yup, these kids are way too cool. Love em.

And, as sometimes happens, after our afternoon out of being scrappy all over the UWS (Mitra had the time of her life with these kids), it was time to catch up with their mom.  And though the conversation started with “let’s not drink as much vino as last time”… yeah…

I’m a little dusty today.  As in, three smoothies and some bad-moving watching dusty.  As in, it’s 5:30 and I’m still in pajamas dusty.  Not so dusty that I haven’t uploaded some blog posts for my different sources or continued reading through the (crazy-awesome) cookbook, but dusty enough that it’s taken me far longer to get anything productive done than would take, maybe, a seven year-old child.

However, before all the evil shenanigans (so much fun, lady!) began, there was a stop to my friend Anthony.  To drop off some of his favorite cookies that I hadn’t made for him in forever.  I wasn’t honestly aware of the deliciousness of snickerdoodles until him, who requested them a few times when we worked together in Cincinnati.  Since he doesn’t like chocolate (I know, the horror!), I often had to have a backup for him when bringing in sweets.

So these little, easy-peasy treats were whipped up and dropped off first thing…

Going back to the couch now to watch Something Borrowed or the Sex and the City movie or something equally as horrible.  I swear, the only time I can stomach movies like that is when both my brain and my stomach are reduced to infancy or something.

Stay cool,

– Jacqueline xoxo

Snickerdoodles:

Makes about 3 dozen. Easy.

A note about snickerdoodles: the doodle in these snickers means that you have to include cream of tartar – it really gives them that special something.  These are a bit crisper than their gluten-full counterparts, which I love.  But if you’re in for a chewier cookie, head over to the amazingness of Irwin at Eat the Love.  Browse around his site while you’re there – he’s one of the good guys.

These work fine in various sizes, but I recommend keeping them on the smaller side.  My larger ones puffed up a bit too much and so the signature crackling on top was a bit uneven.  Flattening them lightly with a spatula while rotating the pans also helps get a nice, flat cookie.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick of unsalted butter, soft
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 3/4 cup white sugar, separated
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups gluten-free cookie flour (make sure your mix has 1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum in it)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375°. Line two baking sheets with parchment or Silpat.

In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.  In an even smaller bowl, mix cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar for rolling the cookies.

In the bowl of a standing mixer with the paddle attachment, paddle the butter and shortening together until smooth, about 3 minutes.  Add remaining sugar 1/2 cup at a time and cream until doubled in size and pale, about 7-8 minutes.  Add the eggs one at a time and paddle to incorporate, about 30 seconds each.

Scrape the bowl, then add the flour on low speed 1/2 cup at a time.  Paddle until it comes together and the dough is smooth.

Roll into walnut-sized balls and roll in sugar.  Bake sheets one at a time for 12-14 minutes, rotating halfway through and lightly pressing down with a spatula if desired.