Andes Creme de Menthe Chunk Cookies

Clearly my attention span rivals that of my cat because there was much more to yesterdays post that I completely forgot about until later in the day…

Yesterday, I joked about c elebrating my 200th decline over at Foodgawker , but really I was just poking fun. I have long since gotten over the sting of yet another decline or the joy of accepts on the food p*rn sites. It used to excite me when I opened my email to a fresh accept, in anticipation for the boost in hits for the day, but I have noticed a pattern that happens to the best of us when we find that magic formula that gets our images approved. We start to take the same picture over and over again. The same plate, same light, same colors – clearly they work.

Then you take a step back and look at your site – and all your posts look exactly the same, no matter what the dish is. Sure, we are all guilty of gluing some wood together for a cute backgrounds but keeping our eye fresh for new angles, options, and styles in our photography will go much further in the long run for you then the same picture over and over. Some of your pictures wont get accept, some will, but if you are snapping pictures just to get on these sites, haven’t you already kind of lost the point? Don’t let anything but your passion run your blog. You will not be the next Top Chef, I am never going to be a Rachael Eay. But on this web space, I am the king of the castle and I’m going to do things my way.

Some of my worst pictures – I’m talking serious kitchen disasters – have gotten more genuine comments, and yes, even accepts on the food sites, then when I try to set up a boring square shot. Don’t be afraid to show different images. Remember, mom’s best dishes were probably not Southern Living worthy, but they were damned tasty and meant to be shared.

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Andes Creme de Menthe Chunk Cookies

from the Andes mint chip bag

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup salted butter – softened
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 teas baking soda
• 1 teas baking powder
• 2 teas vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 10 oz  Andes® Crème de Menthe Baking Chips
• 2-2/3 cups sifted flour
• 4 oz semi sweet chocolate

Preparation:

In the bowl of your mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, blend butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs until mixed.

Stir in the Andes baking chips and the flour. Cover and chill for one hour in the refrigerator.

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F, set the rack in the oven one level above the middle, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Using a small ice cream scoop, portion out cookies on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches from one another. Bake for 8-10 minutes until golden brown. Cool on pans for two minutes before setting on a wire rack to cool completely.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 30 second bursts until smooth. Dip the cookies in the chocolate to coat the bottoms and place on wire rack until solid.

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