Summertime Chocolate Chip Cookies & July's Give-Away Apron

It's hot!  I guess after living in the South for four years I shouldn't be surprised by this week of high temperatures, humidity, and the occasional thunder storm, but it still slows me down.  Even with air conditioning, I find my baking has taken a vacation.  However, yesterday I decided to whip up some chocolate chip cookies and sit down and enjoy a new book I just got.

I first started reading Elon Hilderbrand's books several years ago when I picked up one of her first novels at an airport bookstore.  I had a long trip to Tokyo and wanted to make sure I had enough to read.  Well, it captivated me and I read it in less than three hours.  When I returned home, I purchased all she had out!  Also, a few years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer and went through treatment for this disease.  I couldn't help but feel a kindred spirit when I read her stories.

Her stories take place on Nantucket Island; one of my favorite places to go when we lived in Massachusetts.  It's about 30 miles from Cape Cod and we took the ferry, although there is a small airport that you can fly in to.  The name, Nantucket, is from Algonquian Indians for "far away land or island" and it's mostly a tourist destination with only a little over 10,000 people residing there year round. The town is small, but exploring the island is a wonderful day of viewing wildlife, especially birds, and then finding yourself back in a B & B for a good night's rest.

What are you reading this summer?

Summertime Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/3 cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cups + 2T granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla extract
2 cups King Arthur all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup chopped pecans (or you can use walnuts)
1 1/4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350F-degrees.  Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugars together until fluffy.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.  Add the eggs, one at a time and beat to combine.  Add the vanilla and beat again.

Remove bowl from the stand mixer and stir in, by hand, the dry ingredients until combined.  Add the nuts and chocolate chips.  Use a tablespoon-size scoop for the cookie size.

Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Allow to cool on the pan while you put the next pan of cookies in the oven.  Remove to a rack to cool completely.  Now grab a couple, pour yourself some Sweet Tea or Lemonade and head to a comfy place to read.  Enjoy!

July's Apron is one of my favorite flowers--Poppies!  If you want a chance to win this colorful apron, just comment on the posts this month and you could be wearing this to do some baking in August! Good luck:-)