In 2000, we visited Las Vegas for the first time, and a love affair was born. No, not between me and my husband (or either of us and anyone else)--between both of us and the city. Specifically, between us and the casinos. We have been every year since then and have yet to go see any of Vegas's famed shows--not Mystere, not O, not Celine Dion, no comedians, nothing. All we need are a craps table (him) and video poker (both of us) and slot machines (me, though Fred has been known to play them despite disdainfully referring to them as "drunk monkey machines," i.e., even a drunk monkey can play them). We also don't go to any of Vegas's famed high-end restaurants, preferring to use that money for gambling. It took a few years before we even tried one of Vegas's most famed fixtures: the buffet.
Here's our problem with the buffet: we can't and won't eat "enough" to make it worthwhile. In theory, a buffet sounds wonderful--unlimited choices for a reasonable price. The problem is, a lot of people seem to focus on the "unlimited" part as it comes to quantity to consume, not choice of what to consume. Plus, if you're going to try a variety of items, then each choice needs to be small, as in, having one slice of bacon and not six.
One thing that has seemed fairly consistent in the buffets where I've eaten (not just Las Vegas), is that the desserts are plentiful (probably because they're often cheap to make). However, they rarely seem to be any good. Dessert seems like an afterthought--just throw some cookies out there and some vaguely cheesecake-looking slices of cake and people will eat them just because they want something sweet. Personally, I would rather not waste the calories on something that isn't very good.
And so we come to today's recipe: a cookie that is good and that would be worth having even at the end of a generous buffet meal. My grandmother used to make a similar recipe and her recipe card called them "Cookies While You Sleep." Basically, they're a meringue cookie with chocolate chips. Supposedly, meringues aren't good when it's humid, but I live on the Texas coast so dry days come along once in a blue moon. These probably turn out crisp instead of chewy in dry climates, but I like them either way. I adapted this recipe from one of Kathleen Daelemann's.
Cookies While You Sleep
2 egg whites, room temperature
1/8 tsp. salt
6 Tbls. sugar
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
6 ozs. milk chocolate chips, frozen
1/2 cup pecans
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.
Toast the pecans in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Put the chocolate chips in a food processor and chop up until they're basically grated but still sort of look like chocolate chips (the reason they should be frozen is so that they'll chop more easily). Remove them to a bowl. Put the pecans in the processor and process until they're finely ground.
In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites on medium low speed until frothy. Add the salt and whip until stiff peaks form. Add the extracts. With the mixer on high, gradually add the sugar until you have stiff, glossy peaks. Fold in the chocolate chips and pecans.
Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and drop the cookies by tablespoonful. Since these do not spread, it's okay to have them close to each other. Turn off the heat as soon as you put the cookie sheet in and let them sit in the oven overnight. It wouldn't hurt to tape a note on the oven door reminding yourself that they're in there, as I have preheated the oven in the past, forgetting about a tray of these.
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