Bear Crawls and Butter

Bootcamp this morning was awesome because it included one of my favorite activities: BEAR CRAWL!

Our workout
4 rounds for time

• 50 squats
• 20 kettlebell swings
• 20 pushups

My time: 13:40

2 rounds

• walking lunge w/ kettlebell pass-thru
• BEAR CRAWL w/ 15-lb. dumbbells
• 25 situps

Woot!

If, like me, you’re baking today, you might want to check out this article from The New York Times about how to manage your butter for optimal results. I’m not really into baking for reasons that should be obvious: cookies, cakes, cobblers, bread, muffins, and biscuits are in no way Zone-friendly. But even I loosen the screws a little for Christmas. And I LOVE the science of cooking. I follow recipes like gospel and take a sick amount of pleasure in measuring, mixing, and timing with precision.Which is why the story in the Times was so badass. I learned that for most cookies, the dough should be chilled just before going into the oven. Many recipes have you chill the dough before forming it into the desired shape, but then you just pop them into the oven after you’re done rolling or cutting or whatever. Wrong! Re-chill after shaping for better results (or so they say. I’ll find out this afternoon if it’s worth the effort.)

Also, this was a useful piece of advice:

The best way to get frozen or refrigerated butter ready for creaming is to cut it into chunks. (Never use a microwave: it will melt it, even though it will look solid.) When the butter is still cold, but takes the imprint of a finger when gently pressed, it is ready to be creamed.

I usually pop butter into the microwave to soften it. No more!

And butter should be creamed with sugar and vanilla for at least three minutes. I’m sure I usually do it for a shorter time than that.

This year, I’m making Russian Teacakes, Chewy Chocolate Chip, and Potato Chip & Bacon cookies, and I’m applying my new butter techniques. More on my cookie adventures later, along with photographic evidence.

Love and calories to you!