Another incredibly addicting cookie recipe

My kids have been sick for going on two weeks. And for the first time, "sick" around here doesn't just mean a runny nose or a cough. This sickness includes sinus pressure, bad ear infections and really, really nasty eye goop. On top of it all, Dylan has a man cold- thankfully not the worst one he's ever had but a man cold all the same.

Thank God for health insurance, antibiotics and His mercy which has kept me relatively healthy amidst all of the germs. Also, thanks to these amazing, addicting, not overly sweet, chewy chocolate cookies which have made my life a whole lot more bearable these past few weeks!

Chocolate Truffle Cookies

Note: In the comments of the Baking Bites blog where this recipe was originally featured, several commenters mentioned their cookies had spread quite a bit. I didn't have a problem with that, but two tips I'd be aware of is first, to make sure your butter isn't overly soft - a cool room temperature is what you are looking for (you can tell if the butter is just right for creaming if you press your index finger into the butter and it gives just a little but it isn't easy for you to slide your finger all the way through). Second, chill the batter for 30 minutes if you are working in a warm kitchen or if your batter seems overly soft.

*Makes about 3 dozen cookies

1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips
approximately 1/3 cup cocoa powder (for rolling)
approximately 2/3 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and powdered sugar, adding the sugar in slowly so that it doesn’t puff everywhere and transform your kitchen into a white mess. In a fine mesh strainer/sieve, place the cocoa powder and salt and sift this mixture into the butter/sugar and mix until well combined. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract. With the mixer on low, blend in the flour until no streaks of flour remain. Stir in the chocolate chips.

If your kitchen is very warm and the dough is hard to handle, refrigerate the dough for 30 to 60 minutes before rolling.

Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and roll each ball lightly in the cocoa powder and place on the baking sheet. Do not flatten the cookies. The cookies will not spread very much if the dough is chilled, so they can be placed fairly close together.

Bake the cookies for 10 minutes. They will just barely be set but you don't want to overbake or they will be dry. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 3-5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

When the cookies have reached room temperature, after about 30-45 minutes, roll each cookie in powdered sugar until completely coated. Store in an airtight container.

Recipe Source: from My Kitchen Cafe/originally from Baking Bites

Peano Beano

After dinner tonight, Grandma was in high spirits and she insisted upon helping with the dishes. I must admit that this makes me cringe because I know that no soap will be used and everything will be put away -dirty- and into the wrong place. But, who am I to deny happiness to an almost 84 year-old!?

When she started rifling around under the sink and bringing my recyclables out to add to the dishes pile, Dylan went over to the sink to divert her attention away from the trash.

She simply smiled, nodded and asked what she should do with the "peano beano."

Dylan said, "Oh, do you mean the peanut butter (there was an empty jar in the sink)?"

More smiles and nods (You know, like what you might do when you're in Mexico and people are speaking to you in Spanish and you kind of understand what they're saying but not totally) "Uh huh. The peano beano." [as in: duh, that's what I said!]

"Well Grandma, I guess you can just throw that away since it's empty."

"Okay. Yes."

And there you have it!

:)

It's a hard knocks life...

...for Grady.

This past month, he's had his first overnight trip to the ER visit for a spiking temperature, a run-in with a tree (see previous post) and is now on his second round of antibiotics for double ear infections and some nasty eye goop problem.

The eye goop issue is the most disgusting thing we've encountered so far as parents. I won't go into details on how gross and wrong it is to see. But I will say that for two mornings this week, his eyes were literally glued shut from the goop. In case you're wondering, two year-old boys do not like to have their eyes glued shut. Thankfully, a nice hot shower and some super vigorous scrubbing opened them back up. But now his face is all bruised up from the srubbing.

Dylan says that Grady looks like one of those street kids that you meet on a missions trip that are oozing from their orifices but are oh so exited to be alive and want to play with you and hug you and haven't a concern in the world about spreading disease. I think that pretty much sums it up.....(note: this pic was taken after 3 doses of antibiotic so he looks MUCH better than he did...)



ps. we're scheduled to take family pics with the gonsalves' tomorrow. is it wrong to put cover-up on little boys?