As some of you already know {because I hide my excitement oh so well} Soule Mama has added my blog to her current short list of pages she is ::loving:: and shares with her many readers.  This may seem like a small thing, but to me it is a huge honour.  Ever since I bought The Creative Family I have admired her and when I realized she had a daily blog, I was over the moon.  You know when you read a blog that you just instantly resonate with, become inspired by, and never tire of?  Well she is one of the few bloggers who captivated me completely.  Reading about her days and adventures brings me back to my center when I need it most.

It was a somewhat quiet and silly little goal of mine that perhaps, one day, she would maybe leave a kind comment to let me know she enjoyed something that I wrote or posted.  She may read this and find it silly that I am so tickled by this, but it gives me a nudge and a wink telling me that maybe I really can have this authentic life of writing, crafting, and unschooling; maybe I do have a book inside of me, somewhere; maybe I can inspire people as she does.

My time on the ::loving:: list is fleeting, but special.  Sometimes we don’t see the light in ourselves, but see it so clearly in others.  It is amazing when someone you admire admires you back; even if just a little.

So in celebration, Mike thought it would be fitting to make his favourite cookies for a lovely dinner with friends.  I am very particular about my recipe selections before I will slip them into the faithful recipe rotation.  I first made these with my step mom from a long since lost children’s recipe book and was haunted by fond memories until one day I Googled it with success.

These are a crowd pleaser and I hope you enjoy them!

 

Buried Cherry Cookies

1 10oz jar maraschino cherries

½ cup of butter

1 cup sugar

¼ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 ½ teaspoon vanilla

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 ½ cup of flour

1 cup of milk chocolate chips

½ cup sweetened condensed milk

 

Preheat oven to 350F.  Drain cherries, reserving juice. Halve any large cherries.  In a medium mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on a medium to high speed for 30 seconds.  Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Beat until combined.  Beat in egg and vanilla until combined.  Beat in cocoa powder and as much of the flour as you can with the mixer and stir in any remaining flour.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.  Press your thumb into the centre of each ball.  Place cherry in thumbprint (recipe says to bake with cherry in it and frosting on, but I find better results if you place cherry and frosting on once cookies are cooled).   Bake 10 minutes or until edges are firm) and let cool.

For frosting, heat and stir chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk over low heat until smooth.  Stir in 4 teaspoons of the reserved cherry juice.  Spoon teaspoon of frosting over each cherry to cover cherry completely.

::note::

In the very unfortunate event of left over frosting {this is nearly always the case as I am quite generous with the frosting ingredients} we are often *forced* to reheat it and pour over ice cream or fruit {the horror!}.

 

e.

 

Comments

[Umatji]

Well done for getting up on the 'loving' list! I would be chuffed too. I keep meaning to ask and forgetting but what camera do you use? I have a small digital that I am quite frankly disgusted with and sadly gave my old big digital which takes fab pics to my parents. (A much bigger gift than I realised at the time!)
Would love to know what you use as your photos are lovely and capture great colour and shape so well. All credit to the user as well of course!

[heather]

congratulations girl! you are so well placed on any ::loving:: list, and you do shine so so brightly through your writing. glad you are part of this community. ;)

[EvaFromToronto]

I got here via SoulMama's link, and I'm glad I did! Your blog is inspiring, and it's fun to run into someone from my neck of the woods(ish).

[JoAnn]

You are a wonderful inspiration Erin! Congrats on making the list on Amanda's blog!

[deb]

Hip...hip... hooray! Way to go Erin! :) Your blog is already a favorite of mine and my dear, you've just begun! Makes me do a happy dance too.

P.S. thanks for adding little ol' *me* to your sidebar. I'm tickled pink about that!

[emilie]

congrats, erin! your writing is beautiful!

[jessica]

I am so thrilled that you were over at Soulemama so that I could discover this place. I clicked over and truly loved reading every post so far. I cannot wait to read more!! I hope you are having a lovely weekend so far.

[Melissa]

um, yeah. you totes rock her list.

also, i am going to get chunkier than i already am. i have been on a hardcore baking spree and must make these. along with that raspberry cheesecake goodness you posted a while back. my impending waist line thanks you.

[Katy Teson]

yay erin! congrats! also-- baking with maraschino cherries? yum! can't wait to try the recipe. thanks-- katy

[Denise]

you are inspiring! keep it up. this is very cool.

[cathleen]

I can only imagine how that must feel. Congrats...you deserve it. I find you to be quite an insightful pleasure to read. I see you are just as beautiful on the outside as you are on the inside. Enjoy the sweetness of being recognized and validated for being YOU! Oh, and thanks for the lovely cookie recipe!

[hanna]

I was just popping over to tell you I'd seen you on her list :o)
How neat.
Your blog has become one I check daily just as Amanda's is.
xx

[Mixing Bowl Mama]

I discovered you via soulemama myself and am so glad that I did. I love your words, and posts and look forward to many more visits.

[Ana]

I feel that same way about your blog. :-)

[jennifer]

the cookies look so divine.
and to be included on soule mama... how enchanting.
congratulations on receiving your desire.

[Stacey]

Oh Erin I am so happy to hear that you made the list! I am so proud of you living your dream and taking us along for the journey
xo

[melissa]

erin, I think we made it up on the same day. I was thrilled beyond words, too. Actually, I screamed. Congratulations on your new readers!

[Lisa Stone]

Congratulations on a special occasion!