Bored on a Monday Night So Why Not a Quickie?! - The Gay Gourmet!™

So, what does one do on a Monday night when you come off a really long weekend of work, after a fantastic week in Provincetown, MA? Reorganize your kitchen and bake cookies to get rid of surplus!

Yes folks! You heard it hear first! Although I may need people like I need air my inner homebody/Donna Reed comes out every once in a while and I just get an itch to make a cookie...or a lamb chop... Boy am I gonna make some boy REAL happy one day!

So here is my recipe for Cherry Dark Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies!


(Sorry for the lack of pictures but I've had no time to go out and buy film...yes film for my Pentax)

The List...

1 stick plus 6 TBS unsalted butter (softened)
3/8ths cup (6 TBS) firmly Packed Light Brown Sugar
3/8ths cup (6 TBS) Dark Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp good vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour 
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 TBS salt
3 cups Oats (I like Quaker® - it's yummy)
1 cup dried cherries
1 cup dark chocolate chunks

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. In a large bowl beat butter and sugar together till nice and creamy (feel free to use your Kitchen-Aid® but since I don't own one I use a fork and it works just fine!)

3. Add both eggs and vanilla. Beat well. (I switch to a whisk here for better and quicker incorporation)

4. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Mix well and using a strainer sift over wet ingredients in parts, mixing as you go!

5. Add oats, chocolate & cherries. Mix well (if you are doing this liek me, by had, switch to a rubber spatula for easy incorporation)

6. On ungreased cookie sheets drop small rounded tablespoonfuls and bake for 8 to 10 mins or until they star becoming light golden brown.

(Note: cookies keep cooking even after you take them out of the oven! So, better to be on the shy side of golden if you are unsure!)

7. Let cool on the pan for 5 mins before transferring to a rack to let cool completely!

These cookies would make awesome ice cream sandwiches!!!


Hope you like this quickie blog!

Deliciously Living,

Michael Muñoz
The Gay Gourmet!™

©2011 Michael Muñoz

It's Over! A Special Message - The Gay Gourmet!™

Well Folks, 1374 Chaucer said...

"There is an end to everything, to good things as well."

and he was indeed right! But like Dr. Seuss said...

"Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."

National Cookie Week (NCW) is sadly over and now we have 9 weeks to get our beach bodies ready for action!! So, get to your local Weight Watchers®, befriend/sleep with a trainer, do what you have to do to feel sexy!

I need to take a moment and thank many a people for their support/participation! Without these fabulous folks I would be nothing!






First off, Big Thanks goes out to Zach from Schamackary's. If you haven't tried his cookies you are seriously missing out! It was our first, introductory, meeting where that little mousie in my head got on his wheel and came up with National Cookie Week! SO thank you for inspiring me and your help! (words that are Pink = link so click and support him)






Next the thanks goes out to two fabulous men in my life! John Dolan from John Dolan photography takes a gorgeous picture and made my cookies look even more amazing! Support him & he just started blogging himself! You can check it out here.. Poor Mans Platinum You also will see a JD cookie photo recap throughout this blog post!





Gerard Conte is a fabulous illustrator that donated his time, hands & art to NCW and came up with what I think is a brilliant rendering! See his art and support him here... Not Mickey Mouse!



Many thanks goes out to Liz from Otis Spunkmeyer. This is a fabulous big time muffin/cookie company that I love! (Momma Gladys used to buy me the large packs of muffins from Costco in college) Although we connected a little late in the game, the support and tweets and love I received from them/her was more that I could ever ask for! I can't wait to hopefully have them on board next year!





I need to thank this list of fabulous people for their support and participation! These people provided ideas, dealt with many of my crazy informative emails, blogged their faces off, sent me love and much more! You folks are fabulous and I'm glad we can all gather/unite to make something so fabulous happen!

Follow them on twitter, read what they write, send them love cause they are truly fabulous!

Amber - @amrecker - theycallmeamber.com

Kimberli - @madhatrk - kimberliskitchen.blogspot.com

Anita - @madhungrywoman - madhungrywoman.com

Kim - @kimslittlelife - kim-thislittlelifeofmine.blogspot.com

Francesca - @Caterbid - www.caterbid.com

Vanessa - @yummybrooklyn - yummybrooklyn.com

Bev - @ChefBevLazo

Ms. M.O.B. - @mindovrbatterny - www.mind-over-batter.com

Hanna - @veniceestela - vanillamiamore.tumblr.com/

Christopher - @paperhearts81 - cookingveganeverday.blogspot.com

Renee Schuler - @eatwelltreats - www.eatwellonline.com

Da - @kitchencorners - www.kitchencorners.com

Trix - @tastytrix - www.tastytrix.com

Binky - @cakeb0t - www.cakeb0t.com

Annelinda - @devilishlyyummy

Steven - @letuseat - Letuseat.com

Bambi - @outimpact - www.outimpact.com

If I stupidly forgot someone, which I hope I didn't cause I checked and double checked but it's not impossible. Forgive me as I do thank you!!





My oh so supportive Geeps! (Geeps = Gays who tweet!) - I recently met these boys via twitter at a tweet up event..and they are super loving, super supportive and amazing! Thank you to my new family of gays!
The Blackout Blog - www.theblackoutblog.com
@TheNYGalavant, @Michael_psomas, @bubblejock, justin_jboogie, @cosmopaulitan, @justozzie, @lawrence_jason

Thank you boys!





Well, that's it for this segment of The Gay Gourmet!™

Till Next year folks! Get your cookies ready!


Deliciously Living,

Michael Muñoz

The Gay Gourmet!™

All photos except rainbow cookie by John Dolan Photography ©2011

NCW Image Gerard Conte ©2011

©2011 Michael Muñoz

S'mores Cookies! National Cookie Week! - The Gay Gourmet!™

It's Day 5 of National Cookie Week and we are going strong!! I just got off the phone/radio with Jill Hickey (aka @NotSoSoccerMom) and I had a blast! She is a sweetheart and a huge supporter of National Cookie Week! (Click her name to go back and hear the podcast!) Lot's of exciting things are happening!

Especially the cookie of the day!

I love the transition in NYC from Spring to Summer. Especially this year as we are actually getting a Spring! The mornings and evenings are brisk as the day warms up! I love it! It kinda makes me want to be outdoorsy and go camping. But not real camping..I want a cute cabin with all the amenities and maybe a hot houseboy. I'm too pretty to sleep in the dirt and who wouldn't want a houseboy?!?! hahah.

Well, since I don't have access to any of that here in my tiny Times Sq. apartment I figured this cookie would be the next best thing! Ladies & Gentlemen I introduce to you...

Ms. Mellow Crackers! aka The S'mores Cookie!!







A portable s'more! Who needs a campfire, ticks and poison ivy?!?! Not me! Nooo ma'am!




Her Needs..

* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup white sugar
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 1 egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 1/2 cups dark chocolate chips
* 1 cup mini marshmallows plus more for garnish

The method of seduction!

Preheat oven to 350

1. In your fancy electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (insert the I don't own one so I do everything by hand, so please send me one joke here) Beat together butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

2. Beat in egg and vanilla.

3. In a separate bowl whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking soda and salt. Then add in sections to wet ingredients.

4. Stir in chocolate chips and marshmallows!

5. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets about 1.5 inches apart. Dough should be pliable enough that you can form balls by hand! (Tip: try keeping the marshmallows on top of the cookie. It'll stick to the bottom less as the marshmallow cooks/caramelizes.)

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Once you pull them from the oven you can add more marshmallows by pressing them into the hot dough if desired!

7. Cool on sheet about 5 minutes before moving to wire racks.







They are scrumptious if I do say so myself! I hope everyone's Cinco De Mayo was faboo and gird your loins for tomorrow's crazy cookie! Only 2 days left of National Cookie week! So check out the Facebook, the Tumblr and the hashtag #NationalCookieWeek for great recipes!





Deliciously Living,

Michael Muñoz

The Gay Gourmet!™

NCW art by Gerard Conte ©2011

Photo by John Dolan Photography ©2011

Click their names & support them!!


©2011 Michael Muñoz

Gay Mexican Wedding Cookies - National Cookie Week - The Gay Gourmet!™

It's day 4 of National Cookie Week which means it's CINCO DE MAYO!!!! (Insert the Mexican Hat Dance Song here) DANCE, DANCE, DANCE, YEA! Okay enough of that. So when thinking about what I should do for both of these joyous celebrations (NCW & CDM) I felt like I had to honor my Mexican friends somehow! (P.S. I'm Puerto Rican) BUT HOW?!?!? SO, I was hunting through recipes & hunting & more hunting and finally this great idea came over me!

Cinco De Mayo is

observed in the United States as a celebration of Mexican heritage and pride, and to commemorate the cause of freedom and democracy during the first years of the American Civil War. In the state of Puebla, the date is observed to commemorate the Mexican army's unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. Contrary to widespread popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico's Independence Day, the most important national patriotic holiday in Mexico, which occurs on September 16th.

- WIkipedia

SO, no it's not an Independence Day but yes it's a celebration of victory and freedom! I'm about to get a little deep/political here... The LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) Community has been fighting for equal rights for years now and yes we have come a long way but there still is so much further to go. LGBT suicides are still happening, Hate crimes are still happening (recently in my neighborhood), and we still aren't allowed to get married just to touch on a few issues.

So In celebration of the freedom that Cinco De Mayo celebrates, in honor the ongoing fight for "freedom"/LGBT Equal Rights and for The Gay Gourmet's!™ National Cookie Week I give to you...

Gay Mexican Wedding Cookies!!!
(aka Ms. Dusty KiKi Maria Balls de la Mexi-nilla but you can call her Ms. Dusty Balls)






Her Wants..

* 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
* 2 cups powdered sugar divided into 1/2 cup & a cup and a 1/2
* 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
* 2 cups all purpose flour
* 1/8 tsp cinnamon
* a pinch of salt
* 1 cup pecans, toasted, coarsely ground
* 1/3 cup round cake sprinkles

* Another 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon reserved with the cup & 1/2 of sugar


Her Needs..

1. Using electric mixer fitted with a paddle (which I'm still waiting to get in the mail, who's sending me one?) beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy.

2. Add 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until well blended.

3. In a bowl whisk flour, salt & cinnamon together then add in sections to Sugar & vanilla.

4. Then add pecans and sprinkles.

5. Divide dough in half and form each half into ball. Wrap separately in plastic; chill until cold, about 30 minutes.

6. Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and cinnamon in deep dish to blend. Set cinnamon sugar aside.

7. Working with half of chilled dough, roll dough by 2 teaspoonfuls between palms into balls. Arrange balls on heavy large baking sheet, spacing 1/2 inch apart.

8. Bake cookies until golden brown on bottom and just pale golden on top, about 18 minutes.

9. Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet. Gently toss warm cookies in cinnamon sugar to coat completely then transfer coated cookies to rack and cool completely.

10. Repeat coating the balls (Don't you get any ideas) with remaining half of dough.

(You can make Cookies 2 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature; reserve remaining cinnamon sugar.)

When ready sift remaining cinnamon sugar over cookies and serve!!



These cookies are the cutest cause there is a rainbow surprise when you bite into them and they are quite tasty to boot!

Happy Cinco De Mayo everyone! How will you be celebrating? I'll still be baking for..



and maybe having a Margarita or two... ooo maybe I'll make my jalapeño pineapple marg!

Till tomorrow!

Delicisouly Living,

Michael Muñoz
The Gay Gourmet!™

NCW Image by Gerard Conte ©2011
Photos by John Dolan Photography ©2011

Click their names to see their sites & support them!

©2011 Michael Muñoz

Oatmeal Date Cookies - National Cookie Week - The Gay Gourmet!™

So, I figured that day three of National Cookie Week should be dedicated to one of the Real Housewives of Orange County! No not those real housewives but one that goes by the alias of Mad Hungry Woman! Anita Lau is fabulous and I discovered her one random day via the Twitter as she is much more than a housewife and more fabulous than any of those other OC housewives!

As I read her blog I'm inspired to just be as fabulous as she is! So when she offered to be part of National Cookie Week by shooting over one of her favorite cookie recipes I was ecstatic! You can read more about her here - Mad Hungry Woman!

On to the Cookie!!

Oatmeal Date Cookies - aka Ms. Quake-ah Dates!

(I'm telling you it's so much fun to try to think of drag names for your food! I laugh for a good 15 mins straight (or gay) when I come up with these)





Her needs..

* 1 1/4 cups packed pitted dates (about 10 ounces)
* 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
* 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
* 3/4 teaspoon salt (if using salted butter only add 1/4 tsp salt)
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 1/2 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
* 1 individual serving size applesauce (optional -but I ended up using about 2 TBS)


The seduction method...

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coarsely chop dates. In a 3-quart saucepan melt butter over low heat and remove pan from heat. Add brown sugar, stirring until smooth, and sift flour, baking soda, and salt over butter mixture. In a cup lightly beat egg and stir into flour mixture with vanilla, oats, and dates until combined well. Add applesauce to the mixture if dough looks a little dry.

Onto 2 large ungreased baking sheets spoon slightly rounded tablespoons dough about 2 inches apart. Spoon dough pats onto sheets. Bake cookies in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden brown, about 18 minutes total. Transfer cookies to racks to cool. Cookies keep in an airtight container about 1 week.

I didn't bake on 2 sheets as I am using a tiny convection oven. So I used one sheet and baked for about 10 to 12 mins a sheet. Or just bake till beautifully golden! Remember cookies still cook from the internal heat even when they are pulled from the oven! They came out so perfectly delectable, they hardly made it to their photo shoot with John Dolan Photography a few days later!






What a great HUMP DAY Treat!! Thank you to Anita Lau for the contribution! Maybe this'll get me on her foodie friends list! A gay boy can only hope! I love that the support for this week has been so bountiful and I hope everyone's National Cookie Week has been deliciously filled with cookie goodness!




Till tomorrow! A special Cinco de Mayo Treat!

Deliciously Living,

Michael Muñoz

The Gay Gourmet!™

Photo Credit: ©2011 John Dolan Photography
NCW Illustration Credit: ©2011 Gerard Conte
©2011 Michael Muñoz

Double Chocolate Peanutbutter Cookies - National Cookie Week! The Gay Gourmet!™

So Day 2 of National Cookie Week is in full swing and I was seriously at a loss of which cookie recipe to post today! SO I finally narrowed it down to my


Double Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies! (aka Ms. Cookie Choconuts!)







This cookie is so delightfully delicious and I'm sure would be a kid pleaser! I mean even my trainer goes gaga for these! I guess it's really the gay interracial marriage (yup I said it) of peanut butter and white chocolate! EAT on!

You'll need...

* 1 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
* 2/3 cup chunky or creamy peanut butter (Or sometimes I use 1/3 all natural creamy 1/3 honey nut - your choice)
* 1 cup sugar
* 2 large eggs
* 1.5 cups white chocolate chips

DO IT...

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder.

3. In a larger bowl using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (that I still don't own..let me know if you want to send me one cause I do everything by hand... Don't you get aaaany ideas!) SO cream the butter, peanut butter, and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Beat eggs into wet mixture, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

5. Pour in flour, in sections, and beat mixture till incorporated!

6. Stir in white chocolate chips

7. Drop dough by level tablespoons about an 1 inch apart onto greased/buttered baking sheets and bake cookies in batches in middle of oven for 10 minutes. Cool cookies on pans for 5 mins before moving to racks.

8. Cookies keep in airtight containers for around 5 days.


Hope you enjoy!! YAY NATIONAL COOKIE WEEK!


©2011 Gerard Conte

Deliciously Living,

Michael Muñoz

The Gay Gourmet!™
©2011 John Dolan Photography
©2011 Michael Muñoz

Bacon Chocolate Chip Cookies - National Cookie Week - The Gay Gourmet!™

Well it's finally here!! NATIONAL COOKIE WEEK! I really can't wait to see what my foodie friends across the globe come up with!





My first post of the week is a collaboration between myself and my co-host Zach from Schmackary's. (His cookies are so delightful that sometimes I have dirty thoughts about them! Check them out here - COOKIES!) Since many of you reading this are across the globe you may have the luxury of ordering his cookies, although I'm sure he will ship them if you are in a reasonable location! SO, here is a recipe for a Gay Gourmet!™/Schmackarys collaboration so you can make/enjoy them at home! He will also bake you a batch if you are not kitchen savvy or just plain lazy!!


BACON CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES!!





1 cup unsalted butter softened
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 Eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 cup flour
1tsp baking soda
2 tsp salt
1 cup dark chocolate chunks
1lb bacon
1/3 cup maple syrup

1. lay bacon slices flat on a cookie sheet covered in aluminum and bake at 350 for about 25 -30 mins. Once it starts to brown remove, drain excess fat and flip. When it starts to crisp pour maple syrup all over the bacon and bake for another 5 to 8 mins till nice and crisp (but not burnt!

2. Remove bacon (but leave the oven on 350) and let cool as it drains on paper towels. Once cool coarsely chop into small chunks.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (that I don't own so i did it by hand) Cream butter and sugars together till fluffy.

4. Add Eggs one by one till incorporated and then add vanilla.

5. Dilute baking soda in a 1 tsp of water and add to wet ingredients.

6. In a separate bowl whisk together flour and salt and in sections add to wet ingredients.

7. Once combined add chocolate chips and bacon and fold into dough.

8. Put tablespoon sized spoonfuls about an inch apart on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minute or until golden, rotating the baking sheet halfway through the cookie time.

9. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

10. store in airtight container for up to 5 days.


Why Bacon Chocolate Chip?

Well I was inspired by a a chocolate company named Vosges. They make the most delicious bacon chocolate bars and I love the combination so I figured why not? They also do sell their own version of the cookie but since I can't afford cookies or chocolate for that matter from an expensive yet SO delicious chocolatier I set out on my own adventure to make this cookie.

I had a couple versions of this recipe each with their own problems. SO, when I met Schmackary's and we began to collaborate on National Cookie Week we felt a joint cookie was a must and this one was just perfect. So the recipe went though his hands/kitchen and back to me. I filtered and played with it yet again and this is my final version of this recipe. Zach from Schmackary's has a slightly different technique/secret that makes his version equally as delicious but essentially it's the same cookie!



Hope you enjoy! Stay tuned tomorrow for my next NATIONAL COOKIE WEEK RECIPE!

Thanks to John Dolan for all the wonderful food photos! I couldn't have done it without him! Check him out here..TREES!


Deliciously Living,

Michael Muñoz
The Gay Gourmet!™

©John Dolan Photography 2011
©2011 Michael Muñoz

The Queens Cookies! The Gay Gourmet!™

Since NYC has been covered in what I think is the most lovely blanket of snow over the past couple of weeks I have succumb to staying in my tiny Times Square Apartment, (better known as The Booty Shack), watching Bravo, any episode of The Nanny I can catch & creating loverly baked goods with what I have in my pantry.

So without further adieu...

Chocolate Peanutbutter Thumbprint Cookies with Blackberry jam

* 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup crunchy peanut butter
* 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
* 1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
* 1/3 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling
* 1 large egg
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 cup blackberry jam
* 1/4 cup coarsely chopped dark chocolate chips!

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat peanut butter and butter with a mixer on medium speed until smooth. (To be honest I have just been doing all my beating & mixing by hand with a large spatula and it has proven to just be better and little more satisfying but if you have a good mixer do it!) Add sugars, and beat until pale and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla, and beat until incorporated. Reduce speed to low. Add dry ingredients, and mix until combined.

2. Pour in Dark Chocolate Chips and fold in by hand till well mixed/pretty & speckled looking!

3. You can scoop level tablespoons of dough, and form into balls but I found it easier to just pinch off small sections and form them! Roll each ball in granulated sugar, and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.

4. Bake until cookies are plump, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, and make indentations in centers by pressing with the handle end of a wooden spoon. Return to oven, and bake until edges are golden, 6 to 7 minutes more. Transfer sheets to wire racks, and let them cool.

5. Heat jam in a small saucepan, stirring, until loosened, about 30 seconds. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon into each indentation and let cool.



Speaking of Cookies on this Episode of Frankly!™ Frank questions the integrity of the women with whom I keep company...


Frank these ladies are respectable, delicious and would take you for the ride of your life! I think Ms. Stockard Channing says it the best in her award winning film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar!

Carol Ann: Adam's Apple. Women don't have Adam's Apples, only men have Adam's Apples. The first night that you came to town I noticed that you had yourself an Adam's Apple.
Vida Boheme: Then, then you know?
Carol Ann: I know, that I am very fortunate to have a lady friend who just happens to have an Adam's Apple.

So yes Frank...I am just very fortunate to have lady friends who just happen to have "Gommelthrods!


Ms. Paige Turner
One of my many pretty lady friends....Who's prettier than her?!?!

Deliciously Living,

Michael Muñoz
The Gay Gourmet!™

©2011 Michael Muñoz