White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

My husband and I have very similar interests and tastes in hobbies, entertainment, sports, and food. However, where we couldn't be more opposite is our desserts of choice. 

When we were planning our wedding, he made the big decisions, such as date, place, and type of event. His only other stipulation was no pink. As the months of planning went by, I pretty much floated designs and ideas past him, and he didn't show much interest. This system worked well for us. It gave me freedom to have my "dream wedding" and it saved him from having to make decisions about the shade of red our pocket-fold invitations would be.  

As the RSVP period went by, we found that many of our guests were not able to attend because our wedding was out of town and in-between Thanksgiving and Christmas. While we expected this to be the case, we still had to meet a room minimum for our reception hall. When the final numbers rolled in, we were $500 below the minimum, so the plan was to add a few extras totaling $500. 

As my parents and I browsed the brochures and price lists, they thought adding a full champagne toast would be nice, or adding more passed appetizers. However, we had a full, open bar, so in my opinion champagne seemed wasteful. We also had plenty of appetizers and cheese/antipasto displays, so I wasn't sold on that. Finally, the owner told me there was an option of the chocolate fountain.

I was sold the second he said chocolate, but my parents and JJ weren't so sure. They thought it might be messy and people might not want to use it. I had a little "I'm the bride, and I'm putting my foot down" moment, and the chocolate fountain was selected.

Little did I know this would cause a whole new issue. JJ doesn't like chocolate. At this moment, I was unsure our church mandated pre-marital counseling did it's job. How did I not know this? How could I go on with this marriage. As I voiced my concern, he backtracked a little, and said he likes White Chocolate. Oh please, white chocolate is not chocolate! 

We spent the next week arguing over whether the chocolate fountain would be dark (my choice), milk (what I thought was a compromise) or white (JJ's choice). In the end, the decision was made for us because the reception hall didn't have White Chocolate in stock, and their source is in Europe, leaving us with too little time for it to arrive. Milk chocolate was our only option. Victory was mine! 

(This is literally the only photo I've ever seen with the fountain!)

Fast forward to our wedding day. When we arrived at the reception hall for photos, I cracked open the door to look before our guests arrived. I was smacked in the face with the most glorious scent of flowing chocolate. In an instant, I knew I made the right decision. And during and after the wedding, the chocolate fountain was one of the most talked about things from the wedding. And just as I suspected would happen, neither JJ or I had the chance to try the chocolate. 

So this brings me to these cookies. When I was at Trader Joe's in Cincinnati, I specifically grabbed a couple of bags of Macadamia nuts to make JJ these cookies for his birthday. I also sourced out my favorite white chocolate - Green and Black's Organic Madagascar Vanilla White Chocolate. It's seriously amazing, the only white chocolate I will eat. Hurts to say, but even better than the wonderful white chocolate my sister would bring back from Switzerland. 

I guess in the case of our marriage, when it comes to chocolate, opposites attract! 

VBS Tips and Trades:

-Green and Blacks is widely available, however if you can't find it, substitute another high quality white chocolate. If you buy baking or melting chips, the chocolate will most likely be waxy and flavorless.

-Find inexpensive, Fair Trade vanilla here!

White Chocolate Macadamia Chunk Cookies

1 c. (2 sticks) of butter, softened 

1 c. packed light brown sugar

1/2 c. organic pure cane sugar

1 tsp. Fair Trade Vanilla extract (see tips and trades)

2 free range, organic eggs

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 c. unbleached, all purpose flour

1 3.5 oz. bar Green and Black's Madagascar Vanilla White Chocolate

1 c. chopped Macadamia nuts

Preheat oven to 350*

Cream butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer.

Add vanilla, mix, add eggs one at a time, mix.

Scrape down sides of mixer.

Add baking powder, soda and salt, mix well.

Add flour, nuts and chocolate chips.

Turn mixer on low, speed up as flour is absorbed, and mix until just incorporated.

Line baking sheets with silpats or parchment.

Scoop cookies out by the tbsp. full.

Bake for 12 minutes, or until just browned.

Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then place on wire cooling racks until cookies are at room temperature.

And though JJ believed he chose the colors, my secret agenda of pushing him towards "red and silver with black accents" was really scarlet and grey. So as we embark upon the 2010 Ohio State Football season tonight, I say to all my Buckeyes, "O-H..."