Monster Cookie!

Since Kelsey came, I sort of stopped having a social life. Because, you know, it's just a lot more fun to hang out with her on the weekends (and because she is staring over my shoulder as I type this.)

Anyway, since she is going to the long-awaited Fray concert on Saturday and forcing me to find my own entertainment (like grading homework, maybe), we decided to have our hangout night on Friday night instead. We have a whole list of things to do while she is here, but most of them require some sort of day-long committment. For a Friday night hangout, our options are limited (dinner, movie - what else is there?), but of course we're really in this for the company. Tonight we got slightly more creative. Kelsey brought over her cookie cookbook and we flipped through to find one of those recipes that you never just make on your own because it's too involved. It's a perfect activity, though, if you have two sets of hands instead of one, and a sister willing to foot the expenses for unusual ingredients like caramels and whipping cream and finely chopped pecans (guess which sister footed the bill*). Tonight's choice: Choco-Caramel Delights (recipe below). To our credit, our cookies looked every bit as good in the end as the picture in the cookbook. And tasted as good as they looked.

We also worked a little on compiling the family reunion CD (get ready - it's good), and watched a couple episodes of Dinosaurs (even ten years later, I still love that show). Fun evening.

Anyway, here's the recipe:

Choco-Caramel Delights

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg, separated
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped pecans
Caramel filling (recipe below)
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon shortening (do not substitute)

1. Beat butter, sugar, egg yolk, milk, and vanilla in medium bowl until blended. Stir together flour, cocoa, and salt. Blend into butter mixture. Refrigerate dough at least 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.

2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet.

3. Beat egg white slightly. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Dip each ball into egg white; roll in pecans to coat. Place on prepared cookie sheet. Press down gently in center of each ball. Bake 10-12 minutes or until set.

4. Meanwhile, prepare caramel filling. Remove cookies from oven; press center of each cookie again with thumb to make indentation. Immediately spoon about 1/2 teaspoon caramel filling in center of each cookie. Carefully remove from cookie sheets; cool on wire racks.

5. Place chocolate chips and shortening in small microwave safe bowl. Microwave at high 1 minute or until softened; stir. Allow to stand several minutes to finish melting. Stir until smooth. Place wax paper under wire rack with cookies. Drizzle chocolate mixture over top of cookies. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Caramel Filling: In small saucepan, combine 14 unwrapped caramels and 3 tablespoons whipping cream. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until caramels are melted and mixture is smooth.


*"Hey!" says Kelsey at this point. "Everybody thinks I'm really cheap, but I'm not! They just twist the truth!" Okay, as big sister I have the right to bend the truth, slightly, so since she's calling me on it I'll be nice this once and add that she also bought me a big bag of Reese's pieces to compensate. Happy Kelsey? "Yes, Amy, thank you."