Wednsdays Unplugged - Death by Chocolate Cookies

NOTE: I spend my Wednesdays Unplugged from appointments. It's my day to stay home, enjoy cooking and welcome our kids and grandkids for dinner in the evening. We end our meal with quotes from the Norwegian 'Quote Cup' passed on to me from my grandmother. I share a quote and a recipe here each week, and sometimes some photos of family fun. I love trying new recipes...and love getting recipes you would like to share! 

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Tension is who you think you should be. Relaxation is who you are." ~ Chinese proverb

Little children have no idea who they should be, they just are. Our littlest granddaughter has a love for making music. She heads straight for the piano and pats the bench to ask me to come sit down with her. It's so fun watching her play the piano... she doesn't pound, just uses her fingers to play individual notes and freely sing whatever is wanting to come out at the moment. My mother epitomized the saying 'how can I keep from singing'... perhaps her great-granddaughter is going to take after her! My husband and I and our two children are heading to North Dakota today to bury my mother but her spirit lives on in all of us.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Last week I found a recipe for chocolate cookies from Baker's Chocolate that I had torn out over 10 years ago... decided it was time to try it. It's a simple one-bowl recipe that doesn't even use a mixer. They were fabulously rich and chewy!! Even our son-in-law who doesn't usually eat chocolate ate these!

DEATH BY CHOCOLATE COOKIES

• Two 8-ounce packages BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups chopped nuts (optional)

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coarsely chop one package (8 ounces) of the chocolate, set aside.

Microwave other package of chocolate in large microwavable bowl on high 1-2 minutes. Stir until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in sugar, butter, eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour and baking powder. Stir in reserved chopped chocolate and nuts.

Drop by scant 1/4 cupfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake 12-13 minutes, until cookies are puffed and feel set to the touch. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen cookies.