White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

Hubby's favorite cookies are white chocolate chip macadamia nut ones.  He adores them.  Any time he came home for a visit while in the Marine Corps, we'd get a couple packs of those Pepperidge Farm tahoes.  So when Christmas cookie time rolled around and I asked him if he'd like me to make any special cookies, I wasn't the least surprised at his request.   I did a quick search to see if I could find a copycat recipe for the PF Tahoes, but I didn't find one.   Instead, I came across this one, which was a winner.  

Unfortunately, during my Christmas cookie weekend, I didn't snap any photos.  No big loss, as these cookies aren't much to look at it.  But what they lack in looks, they make up for in taste.

White Chocolate  Chip Macadamia Nut Cookies

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped macadamia nuts
• 1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate   

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla and almond extracts. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the macadamia nuts and white chocolate. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

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

Cheese Scones

The other day, I made some soup and wanted to make biscuits or something to go along with it.  Unfortunately, I had no milk, so I got to play the game of "what recipe needs ingredients that I have" which is an interesting game.  I found a recipe for country scones in my Taste of Home Cookbook.  They're more like biscuits in texture, but they are beyond delicious.  So tantalizingly scrumptious that I made them again two nights later.  

 Cheese Scones
(The Taste of Home Cookbook, page 442)

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 5 tbsp cold butter, cut into squares
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 egg white

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.  Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Combine sour cream and egg yolks; add to crumb mixture.  Stir in cheese until just blended.

Turn onto a floured surface; knead gently  8-10 times.  Divide into four portions.  On ungreased baking sheets, pat dough into 4 inch circles. 

Cut each into four wedges, but do not separate.  Beat egg white; brush over dough.  

Bake at 425F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until golden.  Serve warm.


Note: when I made these, I halved the recipe.  Also, I didn't divide the dough into halves or quarters; I just patted it into an inch thick circle and cut it into 8 wedges.