Mocha Morsels

You never know where you’ll discover a great recipe. My sister once mailed a magazine article she’d clipped. I don’t remember the article’s topic but often make the cheese gnocchi pie, a cheesy side dish, printed on the other side.

The recipe for MOCHA MORSELS was published in a food magazine, no surprise there, but in an ad for a food processor. Mix up a batch of cookies in a food processor? Whatever!

While I can’t imagine cooking without a Cuisinart, the hand mixer I bought for ten bucks many years ago has served well. The Maytag man should be so lonely.

ALANNA's TIPS Toasting nuts in a pre-heating oven is a simple trick. The hot nuts will cause the chocolate chips to melt, slightly, an effect I like. If you don’t, let the nuts cool before adding. Except for exacting pastries, home cooks rarely need to separately sift or stir together dry ingredients. To counteract settling, do stir flour before measuring, however. Then pour the flour and the other measured dry ingredients into the mixing bow and stir together lightly with a spoon but without incorporating into the creamed mixture. To save time and conserve energy, buy extra sets of inexpensive measuring cups and spoons to store inside ingredient containers. My flour bin holds a half-cup measure and a tablespoon (and a butter knife for stirring and leveling), the baking powder box a half-teaspoon. If like me, you can’t keep your fingers out of the cookie jar, make a half batch (still using one egg) or deliver a plateful to thin neighbors.

Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Have you discovered a recipe in an unusual place? Send the recipe to e-mail.

MOCHA MORSELS

Mixing time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 30 – 40 minutes
Makes 4 dozen medium cookies

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1-1/2 tablespoons instant expresso powder or instant coffee granules
• 1 tablespoon hot water
• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar (reduced from 3/4 cup)
• 2/3 cup white sugar (reduced from 3/4 cup)
• 1 egg
• 2-1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups flour
• 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mini chocolate chips (reduced from 1-1/2 cups)

Set oven to 350F. Spread pecans in single layer on baking sheet and toast in oven (while still heating) until nuts are aromatic, about 10 minutes.

Stir together expresso powder and water in small dish.

With a mixer, cream butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add egg, vanilla and expresso mixture; combine well. Measure flour, baking soda and salt into batter. Use a spoon to stir together lightly, then combine all ingredients well with the mixer. Stir in chocolate chips and pecans, cooled if desired.

Cover baking sheet with parchment. Using two spoons, one to scoop and one to scrape, form cookies on baking sheet, leaving space between for spreading. Bake 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per cookie: 118Cal; 1g Protein; 7g Fat; 3g Sat Fat; 13g Carb; 0g Fiber; 37mg Sodium; 15mg Cholesterol; Weight Watchers 2 points This recipe has been 'Alanna-sized' with reductions in sugars and portion size and increases in low- or no-calorie flavorings.

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LATER NOTES

• 2007 photo update | As simple as they are, these cookies are really quite delicious, a chocolate chip cookie for grown-ups.

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