Photo Worthy Cookies

I want to be in pictures! I love the Foodgawker.com site, and I soooo want to make it on. I read, and I mean read my Nikon Coolpix S60 book, all 168 pages. I have learned about white balance and pixels, f stops and memory. I was a mean photographer in the day. I also have a Canon EOS digital with a bevy of lenses, so it is not for lack of cameras. I have 2 ancient Canon 35mm SLR bodies, 5 lenses, and a dozen filters. I did everything manually in those days, including developing my own film. My college apartment bathroom had negatives hanging about every day. I moved into the world of auto focus 35mm, then the digital revolution, and now that I want super close up, crystal clear pictures of gooey chocolate, toasty nuts and snow white meringues I am lost. Point and shoot just doesn't cut it in the cut throat world of food photography. But I think I'm catching on...so I decided I would go with the Chocolate Mocha Macadamia Nut Cookies.
Because it is Wednesday, that means volleyball workouts with a group of college girls. They come for the workout, and I told them I would bring them "care packages" as a thank you. What college kids doesn't miss that home baked goodness? Little Debbie's may satisfy the sugar fix, but they don't make you long for home, or at least not for me. So this week I thought I'd do a little freezer cleaning and came across a bag of Macadamia nuts. So I went to Spago Chocolate for the right recipe. I mean Macadamia and chocolate, sounded good to me. The recipe is pretty straight forward. They were a little crunchier than I would have liked, and although they recommended chopping the macadamias, I wish I hadn't. I will also add more chocolate next time. But honestly, with a cup of coffee, these little bad boys are fabulous. So we'll see if I am yet worthy!

Mocha Macadamia Nut Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Adapted from Spago Chocolate

2¼ Cups flour
¼ cup Pernigotti Cocoa (Williams Sonoma)
1½ teaspoons espresso powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
8 oz. chopped bittersweet chocolate
1½ cups macadamia nuts (I use Trader Joe's)

Sift dry ingredients. Beat sugars and butter until fluffy. Lower speed and add eggs one at a time, and vanilla. On low speed, add dry ingredients. When incorporated add chocolate and nuts. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and chill 2-3 hours or longer.
Preheat oven to 350° and bake 1" size balls on Silpat covered sheets for about 13 minutes total. Of course move sheets from front to back halfway during baking. Cool on rack. The balls can be rolled and frozen on a sheet and then dropped into a freezer bag when firm and bakes as needed. They take a little longer when frozen.