November 02, 2010

Awards, tags and caramel filled cookies…just because!



I felt (positively) overwhelmed by the great support I have been receiving lately. If you read this blog more or less regularly, you probably know about my recent photography crisis. I’ve got so many sweet comments and emails that I don’t even know where to start from to thank everybody.


If this were not enough, I recently received an award, not once but twice. The two wonderful ladies who gave me this award are Gina @ What’s for Dinner Across State Lines Lora @ Cake Duchess. Thank you thank you thank you for the amazing award! Awards are always appreciated but when you are in a down moment about your blog they make you feel very special.



And while I was writing this post to thank these two amazing bloggers I got the award from other two fabulous ones: Cath @Dunn to Perfection and Hannah @ Minimalista. WOW! I could not feel more flattered than this! You guys are simply amazing, so again, thank you thank you thank you.

So after thanking these two wonderful ladies for the award, I have to pass it on to other 15 amazing blogger. Every day I read so many blogs that I really have a great selection to choose from. Picking only 15 though…it’s hard…so let me start by saying that in my heart I’m giving this award back to the 4 amazing ladies who just pass it to me, and to ALL the bloggers I usually follow. Everybody in his/her own way is special and has something amazing to contribute to this fantastic community. As per the 15 bloggers, I have to pick for this post, I decided I will choose randomly.

So here are the random fabulous picks:

Kim – Liv Life
Cristina – TeenieCakes
Christiane –The Mom Chef
Simona –Briciole
Chef Dennis (or as I call him THE CHEF) – More than a Mount Full

Now, not only I got the award but I’ve been tagged twice (in total now 4 times!) by Gina and by Evan @Sweetebakes. I feel I can’t answer all the questions in this post or I will start having no follower from tomorrow J So I will pick a couple of questions I haven’t been asked yet. I hope you guys don’t mind

1. If you could only keep one in your life and completely remove the other: cheese or chocolate? Well, you guys know me: cheese, definitely cheese!

2. Are there blogging skills you are working on? Photography skills are what I am still working on. And I think I will ever be, because you never finish to learn! On this topic, stay tuned cause I will be posting about my first photography class as soon as I get a chance! (Which might mean after the Foodbuzz Festival)

And finally, let’s talk about cookies! These were the inspiration:



And this was the result. I just made them up, without much thought. They were good but I have to admit that once they cooled down they were a bit too chewy. If you guys try them and get a better result, or if you have suggestions (alternative recipes or such), please let me know because I LOVE caramels.



Caramel Filled Cookies
Ingredients
Yields 15-18 cookies depending on size

190 gr (6.75 oz or 1 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
2 gr (1/2 tsp) salt
1 gr (1/4 tsp) baking powder
113 gr (1 stick or 1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
150 gr (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla extract

caramels

Preheat oven to 350F and prepare two baking pans with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, the salt and the baking powder and set aside.

In another bowl, mix the butter, the sugar, the egg, and the vanilla extract.

Gradually add the flour mixture, and mix until smooth. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and let it chill for at least one hour in the fridge.

Roll out the cookie dough on floured surface. Cut it into roughly 2” diameter circles.



Roll the dough around an unwrapped caramel and then roll it back and forth in your hands until it forms a smooth ball and place on the baking pan.



Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cookies are firm and then let them cool on a cooling rack.

Have a sweet day!

36 comments:

  1. Great list of great bloggers! But these cookies are just screaming my name.

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  2. It's so nice to see you getting all this positive feedback from other bloggers. We all think you are great at this blogging thing but I guess it's good to be reminded once in a while, right? You deserve these awards and thanks so much for including me on your list, too. I'm with awesome company! :-)

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  3. Congrats on receiving the award! And what a wonderful list of bloggers you chose. Now onto those cookies. YUM do they look amazing!!! I love the caramel in the center, soooo good.

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  4. These cookies are calling me and you more than deserve all the lovely awards!
    -Gina-

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  5. Oh my heavens, those cookies look good. And congrats on the award, you most definitely deserve it!

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  6. What do you say you and I have a little cookie exchange this holiday season?? (seriously though ha) these look great, among the other deliciousness you create here!

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  7. Very nice, I too enjoy your blog - keep it up lady

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  8. Congrats on the awards! Those cookies.....amazing....Can't wait to make them!

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  9. Congrats on the award...and thank you for your words and support in the contest! I feel honored !!!
    I sort of "envy" your photo crisis...my case is the opposite...with winter coming, taking a photo in my apartment is almost impossible =(

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  10. Congratulations for the award!
    these cookies look fantastic! :D

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  11. What a fabulous bunch of bloggers! Thank you for counting me amongst them :) I'm uber excited that many of them (and you!) will be at Food Buzz Fest because I can't wait to meet everyone in person. Speaking of, I hope you'll be bringing some of these delicious cookies to the Fest :)

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  12. Thank you so much for thinking of me with your award, and thanks so much for the title you have bestowed upon me! You are too kind, and I am deeply honored.
    Your caramel filled cookies would certainly be a good way to celebrate the occasion!!! I look forward to seeing you at the FB Fest!!
    Dennis aka THE CHEF

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  13. Awww, thanks for the award! I think the cookies are the real prize though. Wow, they're awesome. Are you sending me some?

    Congrats for winning the Lovely Blog Award. Personally, I think for you it's a twofold award; lovely blog and lovely person.

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  14. Blog people are totally the best. After a rough day, there is nothing I like better than to read comments and e-mails from all the sweet people out there (you included!). It always puts a smile on my face. These cookies would seriously do the same. They look fantastic! Definitely a must try. Thank you for the award and congrats! :)

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  15. Ooooo! Where I come from, these are called pillow cookies, and filling them with caramel is a BRILLIANT idea!

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  16. Congratulations on the awards! Many of those blogs are new to me- thanks for tagging them. :) Those cookies look fabulous- I love the caramel surprise in the middle!

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  17. Oooo - I've never made a cookie like this before, it looks so good with the caramel middle!

    Congratulations on your award and thank you so much for honoring me and the sweet mention. :)

    I look forward to reading about the FoodBuzz Festival. Have fun & pls take lotsa pics to share!!

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  18. Congrats on the award, and thank you so much for including me in this wonderful list of bloggers...you're too sweet! I absolutely love your blog, and these cookies are no exception -- chewy or not!

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  19. Congratulations on your blog award! Those cookies look wonderful!

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  20. Auguri Sara. You deserve all the awards:) Those cookies! Ay caramba! You know I love caramel. I will try these for sure as I have some leftover caramels that need to be eaten;)Have a nice weekend. Ci sentiamo sul twitter. xx

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  21. Congrats on the award!!! Thank you for including me in the list of the 15 bloggers - I feel honored. The food blogging community is filled with such wonderful people. Caramel is my complete favorite candy and in a cookie, that is over the top. A must make!!! Have fun at the foodbuzz festival - can't make it this year due to a work obligation. Next year for sure!

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  22. I'm so honored to be on this list of amazing bloggers. I am always so inspired by you and your incredible work.

    Thanks love!

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  23. Wow...these cookies look incredible. I love the caramel oozing through the middle. I would have a hard time eating just one of these!
    And congrats on all your recent awards!

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  24. I'm glad you guys stopped by to get your award!
    @Cristina @Cristina @Lisa @Christiane: so sad I won't get you meet you guys at the festival!
    @Jean @Gina @Azmina @Brian @THE Chef: looking forward meeting you instead!
    @Evan: I'm totally in for a holiday cookies exchange. We should talk and get organized!
    @A spicy perspective: pillow cookies? what a cute name? I want the recipe!!! you should blog about them. As I said, mine turn out a bit chewy so I'm looking for a better recipe!

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  25. Thank you, my dear, for the award. That was so very nice of you. I really appreciate it. Have fun at the Foodbuzz festival. I am going to miss it this year too.

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  26. Ciao Sara! Those caramel filled cookies look scrumptious... I love caramel everything. yum.
    Thank you for the nice comment at Chef Dennis's (THE Chef) blog. I look forward to reading more of your delicious posts. Have a great weekend. Michael

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  27. Michael, thanks for stopping by. I loved your guest post at Chef Dennis's and I'm so happy you did it because I discovered another amazing bloggers! I will be a new regular at your blog :)

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  28. Ohhh.... Those cookies look sinful! Congrats on your awards. Your pics are great!

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  29. First time reading your blog and now a follower on Twitter (I'm @lifeasafoodie).

    Wonderful to read such an outpouring of support and encouragement from the blogging community. I'm still very much a newb and kind of invisible to most but have accepted it takes time to find your voice and niche.

    Congrats on your award! From the looks of it it is well deserved.

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  30. Hi Kim,

    thanks for stopping by! The blogging community has indeed been very kind with me lately! I'm glad you "meet" another blogger! Looking forward sharing tweets and recipes with you!

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  31. I don't bake nearly enough, and this just reminds me of the fact. Maybe I could make these tonight - in fact, I think I will!

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  32. congrats for awards.. i loved the cookies and i d definetly give same responds with u for the questions above:D

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  33. Oooo. I hate it when I lose my comment.
    I said, I think those caramel filled cookies are genius. And I loved meeting you. We had a good table.
    AND, I will check out some of these blogs. Always need a new blog to read.

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  34. Oh yumm these look gorgeous!! Id love for the recipe of the caramels!!

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