Chocolate Waffle Cookies

Today my friends, Venise, Helen, and Pam came over for a visit.  It's been a long time since we've gotten together, so it was so nice to spend time with them.  For fun, we made these cookies.

For as many years as I can remember, making these cookies has been my valentine's tradition. I do them in my heart shaped waffle iron. They are good anytime of the year, though.  If you don't have a heart shaped waffle iron, just drop by tablespoon on a regular one, and they cook into turtle cookies. 

Chocolate Waffle Cookies

Serving Size: 24

2 cups flour
1 cup baking cocoa, unsweetened
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 eggs, large

-= Instructions =-

1. In medium bowl combine flour, baking powder and cocoa. Mix well with wire whisk. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and beat at medium speed. Batter will appear slightly curdled. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the flour mixture and blend on low speed until just combined. Do not over mix.
3. Drop by rounded tablespoons on greased hot waffle iron (about 1 T. Per 4 x 4 inch area). Cook for approximately 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Hint: turn over waffle iron to easily drop cookies.

Use any of the following toppings singly or in combination: chocolate frosting, a dusting of confectioners' sugar and cocoa powder, fresh raspberries and whipped cream; a drizzle of chocolate syrup. I like making a thin frosting that I drizzle over -- Make by combining in a saucepan 1/4 cup butter, 3 tablespoons milk, 4 tablespoons cocoa-- and bringing them to a boil. Remove from heat, then add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 2 cups powdered sugar. Stir well and drizzle over cookies.

The Doc Management

business I'm in is so unpredictable.  I've been working more than 8 hours a day this week.  It's actually a pretty good week for that, as I have had few commitments.  But, this was the week I was going to finish organizing the "deep."   Some may doubt that (me among them).  But I really have been making progress.   What I really need to do is maximize my time during the slow periods.  Yet, somehow that tends to go against my basic nature.  So, I think I need to change my nature.  Which I will do as soon as this work flow is done. 

P.S.  Jackson was released from the hospital today.  He had staph infection in his bone and blood.  The thoughts of that puts terror in my heart.  But, he is responding well to the antibiotics.  He's not excited, though that he has to wear a "fanny pack" for two weeks so the antibiotics can be pumped into his body.  I think he would look really cute with his hospital dress and fanny pack, but he is not convinced.  I did tell him, though, that his life is more important than his image.  

All about

Toes.

I was going to post a picture of these yesterday.

Betsy, my hairstylist, gave me a free pedicure and "trendy big toe" certificate for Christmas.  So I had it done yesterday.

But, when I got home, we got a text from Misty saying that Jackson had gotten a bone infection in his middle left toe.  Apparently he had broken it last week when he stubbed it.  It got progressively more painful and he had a red line running up his leg.  When they took him into the urgent care, the Dr. said that the nail bed had pushed into the bone and they would have to do surgery and go in and treat the infection. Then he would have to stay in the hospital for 2 days while they test to see what kind of infection it is and treat it properly.   Then he will be on IV antibiotics for two weeks.

Wow, all that from a stubbed toe.  

We've been joking with him about it, but I have to say that as a grandmother I wanted to hop on a plane and be with him.  And I've been nervous all day.  But all went well, and Dan sent us this picture of him with a remote in one hand and eating dinner with the other.

So far he said the worst part is having to wear the "dress" in the hospital.  It gave me the idea that instead of giving matching pajamas next Christmas, that I'll make matching "dresses" for the boys.  He was just about as thrilled with that idea as he was with the matching pajamas.

We joke and make funny comments, but I'm just very grateful that medical science is such that they can pick up on these things and treat them quickly.  In the old days, this would have been treated by cutting the infection out and possible amputation.   So, I'm feeling very grateful right now.

I'm also wondering how in the world Jackson is going to stay still for 2 days! 

Super Bowl Third Quarter

excitement at our house.

Gary will deny that he was really asleep,

but Natalie and I took several pictures

and the flashes didn't make either of them bat an eyelid.

I feel so much better when

the house is clean. 

Well, clean may be debatable.  But picked up anyway. 

I've been working on posters for Relief Society, so the workroom was covered with scraps of paper.  I made 12 dozen coconut cupcakes, so of course the kitchen was a disaster.  So tonight I got the house all picked up and put away, and Gary vacuumed.

 If Gary wants to earn brownie points with me, that's one of the nicest things he can do.  And he's made lots of brownie points in our marriage.

Not long ago, Gary and I took an abridged "love language" test that was in a magazine.   The author of the book, "The Five Love Languages," noticed that "everyone he had ever counseled had a 'love language,' a primary way of expressing and interpreting love. He also discovered that, for whatever reason, people are usually drawn to those who speak a different love language than their own."   

The five defined love languages are:

Words of Affirmation

Quality Time

Receiving Gifts

Acts of Service,

Physical Touch.

Gary's primary love language was "Quality Time."   I've always known that gifts were low on his priority list.  He always says the best gift I can give him is to not spend the money a gift.   I realized, though, that the love language he prefers is perhaps the hardest for me to give.  I tend to want to be multi-tasking or doing a project, which does not lend itself to giving quality one-on-one time.  So I've been trying to do better at that. 

The love language that meant the most to me was "Acts of Service."  So that is why I've gone off on this long and random discourse. Vacuuming, loading and emptying the dishwasher, sweeping, mopping, etc. . .  now that is love.  And Gary is very good at showing that kind of love.   Of course, a Chico's gift certificate and a nice compliment rate right up there, too :)

What love language is most meaningful to you? 

You know those

lemon cupcakes I gave the recipe for. 

Here I am hanging out in my pajamas making 10 dozen of them.

Fortunately, Gary didn't get the complete mess in the background. 

And, I made him take several pictures.

The first ones he took had my body at a side view. 

Not good. 

And, if anyone wants to try to recipe, 

tonight I only cooked them for 18 minutes, and they are a little more moist.  

Just to explain, I'm making 10 doz of them to put in the freezer for a Relief Society Conference at the end of the month.  And tomorrow I'm going to make 10 doz coconut ones, and after that I'm going to make 6 dozen chocolate-cream cheese ones.  I won't frost them until the day of, so it isn't quite such a mess. 

I know I've said it before, but I'll say it again.  "I LOVE MY CONVECTION OVEN that can cook 6 dozen at a time."  Without it, I wouldn't even consider such an endeavor.     

Boring . . .

That's how I'm feeling right now.  Feeling boring is different from feeling bored.   I really never feel bored.   There are always lots of books I want to read and projects I want to try.   I guess I just I feel bogged down by the tasks I need to do and am not particularly inspired or motivated to do.  Maybe I feel this way because it is just a cold February day (13 degrees F. right now) in a long line of other cold days.  

But I'm gaining perspective as I sit here struggling with inspiration on how to write about being boring.  Gary is flipping the channels after watching the Jazz lose in a 1 point game.  He's got it on "The Count of Monte Cristo."   They're in the dungeon trying to dig out. I guess if you can find ways to not feel bored or boring in a dungeon, I can get over this.

I told you I was boring.