Daring Bakers: February

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The month of February is full of wonderful holidays.  Here are just a few of them:

  1. Cordova Ice Worm Day – 3rd
  2. Valentine’s Day – 14th
  3. Presidents Day – 16th
  4. Lisa’s Birthday – 19th
  5. Hoodie Doo Day – 20th
  6. National Tortilla Chip Day – 24th

All of these holidays are special and all have their own unique and special ways to celebrate.  I love my sister Lisa, so of course February 19th is my favorite February holiday.  In a close second is Valentine’s Day.  Chocolate, roses, romantice dinners…and oh, CHOCOLATE!

The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.
We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.

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I was excited to see that this month’s challenge was a perfect dessert for Valentine’s Day…a Chocolate Valentino with my choice of ice cream!  Some friends had already made plans to come to Amarillo to spend Valentine’s weekend, so the timing was perfect.

 

 

Since the ingredient list is short, the use of quality ingredients is important.  I chose to use a semi-sweet chocolate.  I used Guittard Semisweet, which was on sale at World Market!  chocolate

Now, when it came time to get wonderful eggs and butter…I went to the grocery store.  I would have gone and milked my own cow and churned some butter, and then gone out to my chicken coop and taken some free range eggs from my dearly loved chicken, Polly,…but I ran out of time!  Darn.

I was originally going to make a vanilla ice cream, but wanted to do something a little different.  I chose to make a cinnamon ice cream.  I had made it before, and so this time around was a little easier.  I thought it was an OK complement to the chocolate cake, but I wish I’d made a simple vanilla ice cream instead. 

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I did not use a heart shaped pan.  Instead I cut out a heart from some parchment and dusted the cake with powdered sugar.  

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The cake was dense and chocolately.  If you are a chocolate lover, then you will enjoy this cake.  Top with vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream…maybe add a few fresh berries as well.

Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time:  20 minutes
16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated

1. Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.

melted-chocolate
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry). 

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5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
7. Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. 
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C

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9. Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C. 
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.

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10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Cinnamon Ice Cream

  •          3 cups half and half (or whole milk)
  •          3 cinnamon sticks
  •          6 egg yolks
  •          1 cup brown sugar
  •          1 cup heavy cream
  •          1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  •          1 tablespoon vanilla

 

1.       In a medium saucepan scald milk and let steep for 30 minutes with the cinnamon sticks.  Discard the cinnamon sticks.

2.       In another saucepan, off heat, whisk the yolks and sugar together.  Gradually whisk in milk.

3.       Cook over medium heat until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring constantly.  Once the mixture coats the back of a spoon and leaves a path when your finger is drawn through it, turn off the heat.

4.       Cool this mixture to room temperature then stir in the cream, cinnamon and vanilla.  Stir until smooth.

5.       Chill this custard mixture for 6-8 hours.  It should be cold.

6.       Freeze in your ice cream maker according to manufacturers instructions.

Chicken Stroganoff

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I remember my mom making beef stroganoff a lot as a kid.  She may correct me and say she made it rarely, so maybe I just remember it really well.  Either way, I loved it.  Tender egg noodles covered in creamy sauce, and the chunks of beef and mushrooms.  My mom always used ground beef instead of the traditional strips of beef.  I don’t think I even knew that the ground beef method wasn’t the way it should be until much later in life,  I hadn’t had it in a while, and I’ve never had it with chicken.  

This recipe is courtesy of Fine Cooking.  I have been on a kick with this magazine.  It is one of the first places I look for recipes these days.  There is sour cream in the sauce, but only 1/2 cup.  I used low fat, and it was great.  I also used chicken breasts instead of thighs.  The addition of sage, plum tomatoes and roasted red peppers creates something much more complex in flavor than traditional stroganoff.  I served this with steamed asparagus sprinkled with a little parmesan cheese.  I will definitely make this again.  The next time though I won’t sneak little bites out of the leftovers in the fridge so we can eat it two nights in a row!  

Chicken Stroganoff with Mushrooms and Sage
stroganoff

4 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 8-oz. package sliced cremini (baby bella) mushrooms
Kosher salt
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh sage
Freshly ground black pepper
1-3/4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs (5 or 6), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-1/2- to 2-inch pieces
1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic (about 2 large cloves)
1/3 cup dry sherry
1 whole jarred roasted red pepper, drained and cut into thin strips (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 plum tomato, cored, seeded, and cut into medium dice

In a 10-inch straight-sided sauté pan, heat 2 tsp. of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, season generously with salt, and cook undisturbed until well browned on one side, 1 to 3 minutes. Add half of the shallot and 1/2 Tbs. of the sage to the pan and continue to cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are well browned all over, another 3 to 5 minutes.

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Season generously with black pepper and transfer to a bowl. Leave the pan off the heat.

Generously season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Return the pan to medium-high heat, add the remaining 2 tsp. oil, and swirl to coat the pan. Add the chicken and cook undisturbed for 1 minute.

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Add 1/2 Tbs. of the garlic, 1/2 Tbs. of the sage, and the remaining shallot and continue to cook, stirring, until the chicken is no longer pink on the outside, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the mushrooms, sherry, and red pepper and cook to reduce the sherry slightly, about 2 minutes.

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Lower the heat to medium and stir in the sour cream, tomato, and the remaining garlic. Partially cover the pan and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. If the sauce seems overly thick, thin it with a little water. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Serve sprinkled with the remaining sage.

Serve over egg noodles tossed with butter.

Oatmeal, Pecan & Raisin Cookies

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Oatmeal raisin is Ben’s favorite cookie, and its definitely in my Top 5.  I have tried many recipes for this cookie during our relationship, hoping to find the ultimate cookie.  I always find myself returning to the Vanishing Oatmeal Raisin Cookie recipe on the underside of the Quaker Oats container.  

I tried something a little different this time, with good results.  I like the pecans and the additional texture and nuttiness they add to the cookie.  The brown sugars add another level of sweetness that is richer than white sugar.  I am usually not a fan of shortening in a cookie, but the combination of butter and shortening works here.  

To Chill or not to Chill:  I haven’t tested this theory very thoroughly myself, but I’ve read a lot of articles and recipes recently that reccomend chilling cookie dough for 24 hours before baking.  This allows the ingredients to combine and mingle more and allows the eggs to soak in which is rumored to make a superior cookie.  Does it work?  Well, here is an article from the King Arthur Test Kitchen.  They baked a batch of chocolate chip cookies chilling and baking after different periods of time.  The results interest me, so I will probably try this myself sometime.  I chill the dough so that the cookie will spread less during baking.  I chilled my dough for 4 hours.  Here it is, right out of the fridge.  dough1 I always use a cookie scoop when I make drop cookies.  It guarantees that all your cookies are the same size and bake evenly.  They come in different sizes, so you can choose the size of your cookie.  My favorite scoop is the one I bought at Sur La Table.  I have had great results with it.  It is sturdy and has yet to stick or give me trouble even after dozens and dozens of scoops.  After releasing the dough onto the cookie sheet, I smoosh the cookie with my palm so that it bakes flat instead of domed on top.  unbaked  After baking for 9 minutes I took the cookies out to cool for just a minute, then I transferred them to a cooling rack.  They will seem undercooked and just set on top when you take them out of the oven, but they really firm up as they cool.  I prefer a cookie that is chewy in the middle.  If you like them crispier, then bake them a little longer. 

Oatmeal Pecan & Raisin Cookies

cookie

  • 1 stick of butter, softened
  • 8 T of shortening
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 1/2 cups toasted pecans (1/2 cup ground, 1 cup chopped)
  • 1 cup raisins
  1. Cream butter, shortening and sugars until fluffy and light.
  2. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth, then add vanilla.
  3. Add flour, soda, powder and salt and mix well.
  4. Stir in oats, pecans and raisins.
  5. Bake @ 350° for 9-11 minutes.

Hike, Eat, Love

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Happy Valentine’s Day!   What better way to celebrate than with big pink plastic lollipop lips?

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Valentine’s weekend was great.  Our good friends from law school made the trip to Amarillo to spend the weekend.  We began Saturday with pastries from The Village Bakery.  After breakfast we headed out to Palo Duro Canyon for a hike.  We made good use of our new Texas State Parks pass by getting all 9 of us in for “Free!” instead of $4 per person.

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It was a beautiful day.  I had never hiked in Palo Duro before, only driven through.  We all agreed that being this close to Palo Duro makes living in the Panhandle worth it!  Our dog, Ginger, all 6 pounds and 7 weeks of her, kept up with us all 4 miles of the trip and still had energy left over afterwards.  We were pretty impressed with her stamina.  Our goal was to see Lighthouse rock.  After about 2 miles on the trail the little girls were tired and we thought that we wouldn’t have time to go all the way to the rock.  So, we headed back to the car.  We checked out the trail map when we got to the trailhead and found out that we were almost there when we’d turned around!  So, Ben was right and I was wrong.  Next time we’ll have to hike all the way to Lighthouse.  It seems like an incredible formation.  After the hike, we headed back home to prepare Valentine’s Day dinner.

 

 

I must say that this meal was one of the best we’ve put together.  The company was lovely, so maybe it was partly the people we ate with, but the food…it was wonderful.  The baked brie is courtesy of my Aunt Vivie.  She made a similar appetizer at Christmas.  She used almonds, cranberries and honey inside her puff pastry so the one we made was a bit different.  The thyme and cranberry with the brie was buttery and sweet.  I’m glad we served the brie with the water crackers.  Their clean flavor did not distract you from the rich flavors in the brie.  The salad dressing and spiced pecans is a recipe from Rather Sweet Bakery.  The recipe for the entree came from Fine Cooking.  I used flank steak instead of the skirt steak, and we grilled the steak.  The steak and relish were absolutely incredible.  The flavors really complemented each other as did the textures.  The steak was delicious and tender.  The slight crunch of the vegetables in the relish was a perfect match.  The potatoes were simple.  We all agreed that a meal can be overdone if everything is complex, so the simple roasted potato was a great side.  

Valentine’s Day

Menu

Baked Brie with Thyme and Cranberries

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Salad with Spiced Pecans, Goat Cheese and Balsamic Vinaigrette

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Smashed New Potatoes

potatoes

Flank Steak with Radish, Red Onion and Carrot Relish

steak

relish

Baked Brie with Cranberries and Thyme

  • 8 oz wheel of brie with top rind removed
  • 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 2 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
  • 1 package plain water crackers
  1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425°F.
  2. On a sheet of waxed paper or parchment, roll the pastry out to a 12-inch square and cut two 6-inch rounds from it. Put one of the rounds on a small rimmed baking sheet.
  3. Sprinkle with half of the dried cranberries and thyme, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge, and gently press them in.
  4. Set the Brie, rind side down, on top of the pastry, sprinkle with the remaining cranberries and thyme, and cover with the other pastry. 
  5. Crimp the edges together to seal in the cheese. 
  6. Bake until the pastry browns, about 20 minutes. Let cool for 15 to 20 minutes and then serve.

The Lovebirds

Here are the dinner guests!  Jason and Carrie, Christian and Lisa, and me and Ben.  

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Rosemary Pecan Shortbread Cookies

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I absolutely love these crisp, sweet and savory cookies.  I found the recipe years ago in a Martha Stewart magazine and have made them quite a few times since.  The original recipe calls for walnuts instead of pecans, but I’ve found the pecans to be delicious.  So, you choose.  There is not an alternative to the fresh rosemary!  You don’t need a huge amount to make these cookies, so if you have to buy your rosemary plan to make a meal that uses rosemary, like this one, or make a few batches of the cookies and freeze them.  The only other change is the baking time.  My cookies were smaller, so I only baked them for about 11 minutes.  Keep an eye on them.  When the cookies are set, golden around the bottom and still light on top, take them out.

shortbread

Rosemary-Pecan Shortbread

 

  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup finely ground pecans (or walnuts)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Raw sugar, for decorating

 

 

  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Whisk flour, nuts, rosemary, and salt in a large bowl.
  2. Put butter and sugars into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until lightened, about 3 minutes. Mix in vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until dough comes together and is smooth, about 3 minutes.
  3. Turn out dough onto parchment paper, and pat into a round. Place parchment paper on top; roll into a 12-inch round, 1/4 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet; refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
  4. Cut out cookies using various sizes of heart-shape cutters (1/2 inch to 3 inches); transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets. (Keep same-size cookies on same sheet.) Roll scraps; cut out. Gently press raw sugar onto edges of cookies.
  5. Bake until just golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Rolled Food Part 2: Rugelach

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I was on a “roll” with rolled food…get it?  On a “roll”?  So I decided that I would follow stromboli with rugelach.  Ok, anyway…I have never made rugelach.  Traditionally this dessert is made with apricot jam, but I am not a fan of apricot, so I used raspberry jam and walnuts.  No raisins.  I adapted this recipe from Ina Garten’s rugelah recipe from the Food Network.

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I enjoyed making these cookies.  I liked rolling up the little wedges and liked the size and rich flavor of these lovely little cookies.

This recipe is easy.  The only hard part was rolling out the dough, and that won’t be a problem if you’ve ever rolled out dough before.

 

 

 

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Rugelach

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/2-pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar plus 9 tablespoons
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup walnuts, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup raspberry preserves
  • 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk, for egg wash

Cream the cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light. Add 1/4 cup granulated sugar, the salt, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, add the flour and mix until just combined. Dump the dough out onto a well-floured board and roll it into a ball. Cut the ball in quarters, wrap each piece in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To make the filling, combine 6 tablespoons of granulated sugar, the brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and walnuts.

On a well-floured board, roll each ball of dough into a 9-inch circle. Spread the dough with 2 tablespoons preserves and sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the filling. Press the filling lightly into the dough. Cut the circle into 12 equal wedges–cutting the whole circle in quarters, then each quarter into thirds. Starting with the wide edge, roll up each wedge. Place the cookies, points tucked under, on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush each cookie with the egg wash. Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon and sprinkle on the cookies. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to a wire rack and let cool.

Rolled Food: Stromboli

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This recipe is from Big Red Kitchen.  I saw the Stromboli on her blog and immediately got hungry, so this is what was for dinner a few days ago and last night.  I like the idea of food rolled food.  The layers created by rolling dough around delicious filling are wonderful!

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The first time around I made the spinach Stromboli.  I cut the dough in half instead of thirds, so I should have baked it a little longer than suggested.  The baking time should be increased to at least 35 minutes.  I used a pound of fresh spinach, sauteed it with a little olive oil and minced garlic.  Provolone and a little shredded mozzarella are layered first, then the spinach is spread on top.  The flavor of the spinach was good, but I would use a little more spinach next time and just a bit more cheese.  I liked that the flavor of the spinach was not overwhelmed by cheese, so be careful not to overdo it.  spinach1

I served this with jarred marinara sauce…don’t judge me!  I have a great recipe for marinara sauce, but sometimes you have to take shortcuts to avoid spending all day in the kitchen and doing endless amounts of dishes.  Ok, I’m a little lazy.  So sue me!  I am no Martha Stewart.

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The second attempt was provolone and salami.  I learned from stromboli # 1 that while you shouldn’t over stuff the stromboli, it is wise to make sure that you put enough filling inside so that when you roll it up and bake it someone doesn’t get stuck with a big end piece of dough and no filling.  

salami1I layered 10 pieces of the provolone on the dough, topped it with 12 slices of salami and sprinkled it with some shredded Parmesan, Pasta Sprinkle from Penzey’s and some garlic salt.  

 

Ben and I liked the provolone and salami better than the spinach mostly because it was baked more completely.  I also cut my vents a little deeper so the cheese came out and got all melty and crusty.  I sure do like baked cheese.

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The bread dough recipe is simple and good.  I was able to refridgerate what I had left over for 4 days and it was still yummy and easy to roll out.  I would think any pizza dough would work.  If you use this recipe, obviously you wouldn’t shape it into loaves but just roll it out after it has risen 

 

Simple Crusty Bread (Adapted from “Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day,” by Jeff Hertzberg and Zoë François, Thomas Dunne Books, 2007)

Time: About 45 minutes plus about 3 hours’ resting and rising

1 1/2 tablespoons yeast

1 1/2 tablespoons kosher salt

6 1/2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour, more for dusting dough

1. In a large bowl or plastic container, mix yeast and salt into 3 cups lukewarm water (about 100 degrees). Stir in flour, mixing until there are no dry patches. Dough will be quite loose. Cover, but not with an airtight lid. Let dough rise at room temperature 2 hours (or up to 5 hours).

2. Bake at this point or refrigerate, covered, for as long as two weeks. When ready to bake, sprinkle a little flour on dough and cut off a grapefruit-size piece with serrated knife. Turn dough in hands to lightly stretch surface, creating a rounded top and a lumpy bottom. Put dough on pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal; let rest 40 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough or refrigerate it.

3. Place broiler pan on bottom of oven. Place baking stone on middle rack and turn oven to 450 degrees; heat stone at that temperature for 20 minutes.

4. Dust dough with flour, slash top with serrated or very sharp knife three times. Slide onto stone. Pour one cup hot water into broiler pan and shut oven quickly to trap steam. Bake until well browned, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.

Yield: 4 loaves.

I would highly recommend reading the Big Red Kitchen blog for more detailed instructions and advice about making a perfect stromboli.  I will make this again.  It was pretty easy and very tasty.  I think this is one of those recipes that you have to learn how to make perfectly by doing it a few times.  So, roll up some dough around some yummy filling and enjoy!

Turkey Picadillo

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I like being able to cook dinner without any time constraints.  At times, I truly  enjoy preparing a meal that has more than just a few components and takes me more than a few hours to complete.  Call me crazy!  I don’t have kids (if we don’t count the puppy) so I’m able to do this every now and then.  With the ability to make a laborious dinner, I chose to make turkey picadillo last night.  The entire meal took me a measly 30 minutes from start to finish.  The only extra thing you have to do is hard-boil 2 eggs, which I think could be omitted.  The flavor was nice, sweet and savory at the same time.  The addition of golden raisins is very good; a little burst of sweetness!  It is also very versatile.  I ate it over baby spinach and my husband had it wrapped in flour tortillas.  The original recipe recommends wrapping the filling in lettuce leaves.  I think this would also be yummy on top of tortilla chips, as a tostada topping, over white or yellow rice, and maybe even folded in to scrambled eggs with some queso fresco.  Mmmm…I think that is what I will do with the leftovers tonight. picadillo1 I used a mixture of lean ground beef and ground turkey.  I also added about 1/2 cup more of the crushed tomatoes.  Other than that, I didn’t change a thing about this recipe from FineCooking.  I served the picadillo with black beans and roasted zucchini and squash.

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  • 3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
  • 1/3 cup dry red wine
  • 1 small yellow onion, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes 
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 large hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped
  • 6 Tbs. chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro
  • flour tortillas or lettuce leaves for wrapping

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat with the edge of a spoon, until done, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, onion, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the wine is almost evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and raisins and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has almost evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with 1-1/2 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the chopped eggs, olives, and cilantro.

Death by Chocolate Cookies

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These brownie like cookies are decadent and delicious.  A perfect partner for a cold glass of milk.  The chocolate cookie is packed with white chocolate chunks and buttery macadamia nuts.  

 

 

 

Once baked, the cookies have a crackly top and moist fudgy centers.  I chopped the white chocolate into fairly large chunks, so there a nice big pockets of creamy white chocolatey goodness in each bite.  

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I used dry roasted and salted nuts which is a good c0ntrast to the sweetness of the rest of the cookie.  Be careful not to overbake them or they will be too hard once they cool.

I might try these with milk chocolate chunks and pecans.  I’d think any combination that you enjoy would work with the chocolate batter as the base.

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  • 8 ounces semisweet chocolate
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup white chocolate, chopped
  • 2 cups macadamia nuts, chopped

Melt chocolate in a saucepan over low heat.  Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add chocolate and beat well, then add eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.  Stir in the flour and powder.  Add the chocolate chunks and nuts.  Drop by tablespoons (or use an ice cream scoop) onto a baking sheet.  Bake @ 350° for 10-12 minutes.  Cookies should be puffed and just set.  Let cool completely on a wire rack.

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