We all eat the same food

Angel_of_Music · 11-19-2005, 12:32 PM

*huffing and puffing*
I'm here!!! I ran all the way!

*swats Laura who is still poking her*
OK OK OK OK! I will post already. "Gosh!"

Aunt Alice's Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 (10 oz jar) maraschino cherries, should be about 48.
1 (6 oz, or half of 12 oz) package of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup of Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk.

In large bowl, stir together first five dry ingredients.
In mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar on low speed till fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat till well blended.

Gradually add dry ingredients to mixer, while beating until blended. Shape the dough into small 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down center of balls with thumb. Drain cherries on paper towels, reserving juice. Place a cherry on top of each cookie.

Microwave chocolate pieces and condensed milk till melting and stir. Add four tsp of cherry juice and stir. Spoon about 1 tsp or more of chocolate over each cookie to cover cherry. (frosting can be thinned with more juice) Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes. Remove to rack and cool. Should make about 48 cookies.

(I used cherries with the stems still on once. It makes spreading the chocolate much more messy, but it looks cool. Either way, they won't last long in your house.) HAVE FUNNNNNNN!!!!!

tropicana · 11-19-2005, 01:01 PM

For all of you talking about not having fresh herbs and having herb-unfriendly weather, you can always grow yours inside, beside a non-drafty window or under a sunlamp. As long as you keep them warm, don't overwater, and give them lots of light your herbs should be great.

Mara's Mom · 11-19-2005, 04:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angel_of_Music

Aunt Alice's Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies

Can't wait. I wish I had an Aunt Alice. I had an Aunt Myrtle, though.

**MtlMom** · 11-21-2005, 08:34 AM

I'm going to make these cookies as part of our Thanksgiving dessert spread. I think they will be a hit!

**redbaron** · 11-21-2005, 10:11 AM

lots of light might be an issue up here, as you well know tropicana!

Angel_of_Music · 11-22-2005, 02:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MtlMom

I'm going to make these cookies as part of our Thanksgiving dessert spread. I think they will be a hit!

Yay! They should be good. 'Cos my Aunt Alice (who passed away last year) was past mistress of the kitchen. Never will I forget the time she caught me scrubbing her iron frying pan with a wire pad.

**MtlMom** · 11-22-2005, 07:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angel_of_Music

Yay! They should be good. 'Cos my Aunt Alice (who passed away last year) was past mistress of the kitchen. Never will I forget the time she caught me scrubbing her iron frying pan with a wire pad.

Oh my goodness - did you really assault an iron skillet? It could have been worse - you could have soaked it overnight. . .

Mara's Mom · 11-22-2005, 07:08 AM

I've done both. *hangs head in shame*

Mara's Aunt · 11-22-2005, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mara's Mom

I had an Aunt Myrtle, though.

Aunt Myrtle is still living, therefore you have an Aunt Myrtle.

**MtlMom** · 11-23-2005, 08:01 AM

Is anyone else making Aunt Alice's Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies?

Mara's Mom · 11-23-2005, 08:38 AM

Yes, I'm making them today for tomorrow. Except that we substituted canned bing cherries for the maraschino due to personal preference.

Are you cooking today for your feast tomorrow, June?

I have a wonderful salad recipe, but it's probably too late for anyone's Thanksgiving menu.

**MtlMom** · 11-23-2005, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mara's Mom

Yes, I'm making them today for tomorrow. Except that we substituted canned bing cherries for the maraschino due to personal preference.

Are you cooking today for your feast tomorrow, June?

I have a wonderful salad recipe, but it's probably too late for anyone's Thanksgiving menu.

Yes, I'm going to work a half day today, then come home and start the zwieback and make the cookies. I'll probably do the rest in the morning. Bing cherries sounds like a better flavor - let me know if the consistency holds up.

Mara's Mom · 11-23-2005, 03:26 PM

Starting the cookies. Have you done yours, June?

I AM FEELING SO FESTIVE STARTING THE THANKSGIVING FEAST!!

EDIT:
Now they're in the oven. I cut my cherries in half to accomodate the little cookie. My chocolate is drizzling over the sides. I wish I had doubled the cookie dough because I have more cherries and chocolate than dough. [/sharing]

**MtlMom** · 11-23-2005, 04:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mara's Mom

Starting the cookies. Have you done yours, June?

I AM FEELING SO FESTIVE STARTING THE THANKSGIVING FEAST!!

EDIT:
Now they're in the oven. I cut my cherries in half to accomodate the little cookie. My chocolate is drizzling over the sides. I wish I had doubled the cookie dough because I have more cherries and chocolate than dough. [/sharing]

I'm about to start the cookies - this 2 hour time difference seems to be working to my advantage... I'll double to dough!

Mara's Mom · 11-23-2005, 04:45 PM

Here's another tip (forgive me if I'm butchering your Aunt Alice's recipe, Angel)...

EDIT:
Here's my final edit. The cookies are more attractive if you add the chocolate frosting AFTER you bake them. It makes a little pool of chocolate and is quite lovely. If you bake them with the chocolate it will melt and run down the sides of the cookie. Now, that's not horrible. It actually gives it kind of a brownie look. You know how brownies get that glisteny, crackly appearance? Same thing here, kind of. I'm being too wordy. Let me do this a different way.

OPTION #1: Bake WITH chocolate frosting on them, but my recommendation is to go back and frost them with extra chocolate. It will add more chocolate and cover up the shrively looking cherry.

OPTION #2: Frost AFTER they are baked, while they are on a wire rack in case it drizzles off the cookie. These cookies will have a little bit neater appearance and you have a lovely pool of chocolate.

TIP: Bake WITH the cherry regardless of which frosting option you choose. They make kind of a cherry goo in the middle, but it's not gross even though it sounds horrifying.

EXPERIMENT #1: Try a whole cherry rather than half like I did.

EXPERIMENT #2: If you have them, put a little bit of cherry preserves on the cookie before you place the cherry. I'm using bing cherries which have less sugar and aren't as strongly flavored as maraschino so I think the preserves would add some cherry flavor.

They are tasty and sort of chewy. Nice recipe, Angel! Please forgive my tweaking!!