Chocolate and/or baking. Or even better, baking something chocolate. The perfect stress-reliever. The job at the kitchen store is not going well, to say the very least, so today is my last day. Having been a store manager and being meticulous, I can't stand by and watch the whirlwind of chaos and questionable money handling without getting stressed out, so I'm outta there. Easy come, easy go. My family and I will have a much nicer holiday season without that job hanging over my head anyway.
The stress from the job has had me wanting to bake all week, but I've been too busy. I had to get DS to Tae Kwon Do this morning and will be working later today, but I had to bake some cookies. I don't make chocolate cookies all that often, so that's what I decided on when I started looking through my various Martha Stewart magazines and cookbooks. I finally decided on a chocolate cookie that actually calls for dried cherries, but I substituted peanut butter chips. Peanut butter, cherries, what's the difference as long as the cookie base is yummy, right?
These cookies are very good. The Dutch Process cocoa gives them such a rich, dark color that my youngest thought they were just really burned. He soon discovered that they didn't taste burned by any stretch of the imagination. These do spread a bit, but hold their shape just enough to not be too thin. They are a tad greasy coming off the pan, but are fine after they firm up - I've had this happen with at least one other Martha Stewart recipe and I wonder if the extra half stick of butter is necessary or not. The cookies are chewy and slightly crispy along the edges, softer in the middle, just how I like them.
These are a keeper and I'm very anxious to try them with the dried cherries next time.
I love how the cookies are almost black in color! Chocolate and PB is always a great combo in my book!
ReplyDeleteI think I'd make a double batch! One with cherries and one with PB. Those look really gooooooood.
ReplyDeleteJoe - I seem to crave PB and chocolate together more and more. I just found the little tiny PB cups at the store today - the size of what they put in Moose Tracks. I can't wait to use them in something........
ReplyDeleteCyndi - A double batch is always a good thing. :) It's a nice base that you could use with many different mix-ins.
Sorry to hear about the job. :)
ReplyDeleteHi Cate. No reason to be sorry. ;) I feel so much better today to be done with the whole thing. There is this nice little kitchen store in town that does cooking classes....hmmmm........ :)
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