By Amy Story

Magical Hot Cocoa Cookies 

INGREDIENTS

1 c. unsalted butter, softened 

3/4 c. brown sugar, packed 

3/4 c. granulated sugar 

2 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract 

2 1/2 c. flour 

3/4 c. hot chocolate mix (about 4 packets)

1/4 c. cocoa powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped and divided 

1 c. marshmallows, divided

Pinch of cinnamon and/or nutmeg to taste 

PREPARATION

> Preheat oven to 350F. Line large baking sheet and set aside. 

>In large bowl, mix together butter and sugars on medium speed till fluffy. 

>Add egg, vanilla, and blend. 

> In another bowl, whisk dry ingredients together, then add to wet ingredients. 

> Fold in 4 ozs of coarse chocolate and 1/2 cup of the marshmallows. 

> Scoop about 2 tablespoons for each cookie and roll cookie dough into individual balls, space two inches apart on baking sheet. 

> Bake for 8-10 minutes, until edges just start to brown. Try not to over-bake. The cookies may not look done in the middle but will continue to cook as they are cooling.

> Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool in the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully press in the extra 4 ozs chopped chocolate and ½ cup mini marshmallows into the top of the cookies. 

> Allow to cool completely, then serve. 

Note: Anything involving hot cocoa is going to interest me. Our mother made her own version with cocoa, sugar, and I suspect in our household of many offspring, water and powdered milk. 

Powdered milk or no, it was a welcomed warm-up after playing on the built in sledding hills we had at our front yard in eastern Idaho. Being German, our mom also included the treat of both cream cheese and alternately liverwurst on toast accompanying the cocoa.

To those not acquiring a taste for liverwurst, this may sound like an awful joke of a snack, but to we little half-German daughters, it was the combined taste of all things safe and cozy. More than once in my adulthood, when life seemed a bit too imposing, I’d make myself the homemade cocoa, the toast, the cream cheese, and the liverwurst. It always helped. 

Spicy Sausage New Year’s Dip 

INGREDIENTS

1 package cream cheese, warmed and softened 

1 can hot or medium Ro-Tel™, drained 

1 pound spicy Italian sausage, cooked and drained 

PREPARATION

> Combine all ingredients. 

Note: Goes great with pita chips, celery sticks, or you can roll this up into crescent dough and bake it. The sky is the limit with this one. Often a fresh batch is a gone batch—speaking for myself, it’s darn hard to keep my spoon out of. 

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