Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies

That is a picture of a man in our backyard tree, right before he took it down with a saw, large chain and a John Deere. I was sitting in my kitchen near that window when it happened, sort of convinced that the tree would fall the wrong way into house, crushing me to pieces. Why didn't that irrational fear cause me to move? Because, it would have made for a cool story (if I lived through it) and I really wanted to hear the guy yell TIMBER! He didn't.

I was also in the kitchen baking cookies. Today marks Day 1 of a 7-month backyard project and I felt such an occasion deserved a treat. I hope that construction unions allow their members to accept baked goods, because I plan on baking for them until their tummies get all rolly poly. What's up first? These:


Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies
(Makes 24 cookies)

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temp
2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp almond extract
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup dried cherries, chopped

Preheat oven to 375. Cream butter and brown sugar until smooth, a few minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, and continue to mix. Add vanilla and almond extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Slowly add to butter/sugar mixture, and mix until incorporated.


Stir in chocolate chips (I use the entire bag because I heart chocolate) and chopped cherries.


Drop by spoonful onto baking sheet.


Bake for 8-10 minutes.


The hint of almond extract brings out the cherry flavor, and is anything better than dark chocolate with fruit? Anything? Besides a man yelling TIMBER!, of course.