Love Potion #31 And A Giveaway

Oh Seattle weather, how you ruin my pictures by hiding the sun with your clouds... haha

I guess today's your lucky day because it's once again time for another Giveaway courtesy of CSN Stores. Woot! I guess this is my thank you to you for helping me out in the Project Food Blog Competion.Like I've said many times before, CSN stores has so many great products to buy. Whether you need some new Bed Sets or even a kitchen table, they've got it. Seriously, if you still haven't checked out CSN yet (even though I've said it multiple times), go and do it! ha. Plus, you can think of what you can buy with this Gift Certificate! :)

Let's get back to the giveaway a little later. This post is going to be somewhat short since I have so much work to do! lol. But, in continuation of my "Ice Cream Into Cookies" project, I decided to do another cookie. This cookie is mirrored after Baskin Robbins "Love Potion #31" Ice Cream. In honor of that ice cream, this "Love Potion #31" cookie is simply a chocolate chip cookie dough mixed with white and milk chocolate chips and is baked with raspberry jam in the center. Think of it as a chocolate chip cookie meets a thumbprint cookie.

Now, back to what you've all been waiting for, the giveaway. Like I said before, I was approached by CSN to do a giveaway. This time, CSN Stores is giving you the chance to win a $55 Gift Certificate for any of their online stores! I repeat, $55 Gift Certificate!! Here's how to enter:

You must be a follower of "AJ's Cooking Secrets" through the Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar of my blog to enter this giveaway. If you are not a follower, your entry and/or entries will not be counted.

You have FOUR chances to enter!!

1. Leave a comment stating what you would like to buy from CSN Stores with the $55 Gift Certificate, along with your email.

2. Follow my other blog, AJ's Food Adventure, and leave a comment below stating that you have become a follower. If you are already a follower of my other blog, leave a comment stating that you are.

3. Become a fan/liker of my Facebook Fan Page : AJ's Cooking Secrets and leave a comment below stating that you have become a fan/liker. If you are already a fan/liker of my FB Fan Page, leave a comment stating that you are.

4. Follow me on Twitter @aaronjohn04 and leave a comment below stating that you have become a follower. If you are already a follower of my twitter page, leave a comment stating that you are.

**If entering all four times, leave four different comments.

Important Guidelines:

-Must be a follower of this blog, "AJ's Cooking Secrets", through Google Friend Connect located on the left side bar for your entry/entries to count. Anyone who "enters" without being a follower of this blog will not be entered into the drawing.

-The Giveaway will last until Sunday, October 20, 2010 at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be drawn using Random.org. The winner will then be announced in a blog post, on my facebook page and emailed that they are the winner. From there, the winner will be contacted by CSN Stores where you will receive a Gift Certificate Code.

Results

Taste: Combination of the classic milk chocolate flavor and vanilla flavored white chocolate topped off with tart raspberry jam to cut the sweetness

Texture: Classic chewiness from the cookie but with an extra added chewiness from the raspberry jam that cooked in the oven.

Tips
-There aren't really many tips to this cookie, I guess a key tip is to not overfill each scoop of cookie dough with chocolate chips? You're probably saying to yourself, "Whaaa? You're crazy! I want my chocolate!" but seriously, it helps when you go to make an indentation for the jam.

"Love Potion #31" Cookie (Makes 1 Dozen 5 inch Cookies or 4 Dozen Mini Cookies)

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups milk chocolate chips

1/2 cup Raspberry Jam

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl and set aside.

Place the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer; cream together on medium speed until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Beat in the vanilla and eggs. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and continue to mix until a smooth batter forms. Turn off the mixer and fold in the chocolate chips using the spatula.

To form the cookies, scoop about 1/4 cup of cookie dough into your hands and roll it around into a ball; place them about 3-inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets; you should get about 4 cookies on each pan. Press down the tops of the dough slightly and make an indentation in the center. Fill the center with about 1/2 tsp of raspberry jam. Bake until the cookies are light brown, 12 minutes for chewy cookies, or about 15 minutes for crispy cookies.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough/cookie sheets.

-Aaron John

My Food Outings: AJ's Food Adventure

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