Neiman Marcus Chocolate Chip Cookies

An urban myth is a modern folk tale, its origins unknown, its believability enhanced simply by the frequency with which it is repeated. The NM signature chocolate chip cookie is the subject of one such myth. If you haven't heard the story, you can find it here.

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter
• 4 cups flour
• 2 tsp soda
• 2 cups sugar
• 5 cups blended oatmeal*
• 24 oz chocolate chips
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 1 tsp salt (I often omit this)
• 8oz Hershey bar, grated
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3 cups chopped nuts
• 2 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Cream the butter and both sugars.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix together the flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl.
4. Mix flour mixture with wet ingredients.
5. Add chocolate chips, Hershey bar, and nuts.
6. Roll into balls and place 2" apart on a cookie sheet.
7. Bake 10 minutes at 375F.

Makes 112 cookies.

Gingersnap Cookies

INGREDIENTS

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shortening
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1/3 cup cinnamon sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly, and sift a second time into another bowl.
3. Place the shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the white sugar. Beat in the egg, and dark molasses. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the shortening mixture; stir to thoroughly blend. Sift in the remaining flour mixture, and mix together until a soft dough forms. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls between your hands. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

Pork Spring Rolls

1 lb ground pork
1 (4 ounce) package rice vermicelli, soaked in cold water for 15 min, drain and chop
1 egg
1 green onion, minced
1 small onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, mashed
1/4 cup finely grated carrots
1/4 cup finely grated cabbage (optional)
4 large Shitake mushrooms, diced(may use white mushrooms as substitute)
3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
A few “swigs” of soya sauce
Pepper
20 spring roll wrappers (I like the fresh ones over the frozen ones)
oil (for frying)

Combine all ingredients except wraps and oil in a bowl. On a damp tea towel, place a wrap, and fill with a couple of tablespoons of the pork mixture in a sausage like shape at one end of the wrap. Fold sides in, then begin rolling spring roll at the mixture side. Seal roll by moistening edge with milk or egg.

Heat the oil over medium-high heat. Fry rolls, turning frequently until cooked through and golden, about 5-7 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and serve with Spring Roll Sauce (Nuoc Mam). Keep warm in heated oven.

Ground chicken may be substituted for the pork, and chopped shrimp may also be added for a special flavor combination.

Sauce:
1 minced chili peppers
1 clove of minced garlic
4-5 tbsp of sugar
2/3 cup water
1 tbsp of very finely shredded carrots
1 1/2 tbsp of fresh lime juice
5 tbsp of fish sauce

Boil water with sugar; allow it to cool. Combine garlic, peppers, and add to mixture. Stir in the fish sauce and carrots.