Chocolate Chewy Cookies

Chocolate Chewy Cookies = Yummy! (Pics below!)

1 1/4 c. softened butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
3/4 c. Hershey cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. chocolate chips (or peanut butter or white chips) (optional)

*Heat oven to 350 degrees.
*Cream butter and sugar in large mixer bowl. Add eggs and vanilla then blend well. In separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Blend into creamed mixture. Add chips. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet.
*Bake 8 to 9 minutes until done - do not overbake. Cookies will be soft.
Cookies will puff during baking and flatten when they are cooling. Cool on cookie sheet until set, about 1 minute. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Makes approx. 4 1/2 dozen.

Frosting is optional :P

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2/3 cup Hershey’s cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Melt butter, stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount of additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. Makes about 2 cups frosting.

Aww....chewy goodness :)

I didn't use any chips with these, instead I opted for the chocolate frosting!

But both are absolutely fine!

What are chewy chocolate cookies without a little homemade chocolate frosting anyway?!

:D

Remembering the Ice Storm of 2009

Saturday morning we woke up with a covering of snow on the ground. I personally love snow and the first few snowfalls that we have each winter are so exciting! I immediately remember being a little girl watching it pour down huge flakes and staying up late to see if our school had been cancelled.

Last January when we had the big ice storm and our electric was out for four days we had mixed emotions about it. The part we enjoyed was being all cozy in our make shift beds near the warm fireplace. The part we didn't enjoy so much was the limited hot water in the shower! By Wednesday night we were completely out of hot water and thankfully our electric came back on Friday morning. We were very blessed to have a wood burning fireplace and we prayed for the many families that had to go without that week.

Here is our back yard the morning the ice fell:

One of our dogwood trees.

The first night Brian pulled out the propane fryer that we got for camping. This was our first time using it and it was an absolute blessing! Nothing like a boiled hot dog!

The chef! A country boy can survive!
We had some hamburger that was going to ruin, so we fixed it for our vegetable soup to eat on Wednesday.

Yummy vegetable soup by candlelight for supper!

Our source for heat!


Our source for light!

Brian and I both agreed that if we had a way to have hot water we believe that we could survive if we needed to without electricity! Not that we want another ice storm to come any time soon, but we are much more prepared now than we were last year!

You live and learn! :)
Although I still need to pick up a few candles..........