June Blinn’s Chocolate-covered Cherry Cookies

1 ½ c. flour
½ c. unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp soda
½ c. butter or margarine, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 ½ tsp vanilla
1 10-oz jar maraschino cherries (about 48)
1 6-oz package semisweet chocolate pieces
½ c. Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

Stir together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and soda. Cream butter or
margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Gradually add dry
ingredients to creamed mixture; beat till well blended. Shape dough into 1-inch balls;
place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press down center of dough with thumb. Drain
maraschino cherries, reserving juice. Place a cherry in the center of each cookie. In small
saucepan, combine chocolate pieces and sweetened condensed milk; heat till chocolate
is melted. Stir in 4 tsp of the reserved cherry juice. Spoon about `1 tsp frosting over each
cherry, spreading to cover cherry (thin frosting with juice if necessary). Bake in 350 oven
for 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack.

Lemon Cookies

1 cup butter

2.5 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp lemon zest

.5 tsp salt

2 c flour

2 Tbsp sugar

4 oz cream cheese

Preheat oven to 350. Beat butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp lemon zest and salt until combined. Add flour. Turn dough onto piece of plastic wrap; pat into 1/2 in thick disk; wrap and chill until firm, about 1 hr. Un wrap dough; place on lightly floured parchment paper and roll about 1/8 in thick. Cut out cookies and place 1 in apart on baking sheets; sprinkly with granulated sugar. Bake until barely beginning to brown, 15-20 min. Cool. Make lemon filling by mixing cream cheese and 1 Tbsp lemon zest until smooth; gradually add 1 cup powdered sugar, mixing until smooth; mix in another 1/2 cup powdered sugar or enough to create a firm but spreadable filling. Form sandwiches by placing 1 tsp filling between two cookies, sugar side out, and squeezing gently.

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

(Dan was going to scan this recipe and send it to everyone, but I told him he was welcome to add it to the blog under my name. ~ Rachel)

These may be the best chocolate chip cookies ever, however, they do take a little TLC. A Diva Choco Chip Cookie if you will.

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) butter, melted and cooled
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Whisk flour, soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.
3. In standing mixer, beat the butter and sugars at medium speed until smooth.  Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and mix until incorporated.  Add dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined, then mix in the chocolate chips.
4. To shape, form into balls, then, grabbing each side of the ball, pull apart, leaving a rough, ragged, tortuous surface. Lay on cookie sheet jagged side up, as best you can, without disturbing the non-smoothened surface. Trust me.
5. Bake until cookies are light golden brown and the edges start to harden but the centers are still soft and puffy, 15 to 18 minutes.