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

Azmina – Lawyer Loves Lunch

Cristina – TeenieCakes

Christiane –The Mom Chef

Simona –Briciole

Brian – A thought for food

Kate – Scarpetta Dolcetto

THE Baking Barrister

Jean – Lemons and Anchovies

Sarah – Baking Serendipity

Chef Dennis (or as I call him THE CHEF) – More than a Mount Full

Linda - Salty Seattle

Cristina – From Buenos Aires to Paris

Lisa – Authentic Suburban Gournet

Stephanie – Per L’Amore del Cibo

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!