Chocolate brownie cookies

Not more than a few days ago I had my Mother's Blessing.

The women in my life gathered to share their stories of motherhood and to give me strength (and many freezer meals) when the time comes that I too will experience the journey of birth. We talked and laughed over mugs of hot chocolate and bowls of plump, cerise strawberries. We each decorated our own gingerbread men with a rainbow of lollies and added our artistic touches to tiny white jumpsuits for the baby (thanks to Claudia for the wonderful idea). The end of the day was marked with a bead ceremony, where each woman gave a bead that represented them, along with their own blessing for the baby. Those beads now lie together in a bracelet, for my child to wrap their fingers around whenever they feel the need to be comforted by the love of all the women in its life.

My husband and I also gave a bead and the following blessing to our unborn child;

I wish for you to find strength when days seem dark. To draw upon all those who came before you, who may no longer be here but whose blood runs through your veins. Remember that our strength is your strength and that you are never alone.

I wish for you to be warmed by happiness as the Earth is warmed by the sun. To remember that happiness is a choice, not a set of circumstances. So dear child, choose to be happy and allow yourself to be filled with positive light even when shadows seek to smother it.

And lastly, I wish for you to find love as your father and I did. A love that makes you want to live an eternity with them so as never to be apart. A love that allows your soul to reach its highest form of being and your heart to burst with joy. A love of a best friend and a true beloved. Those are our wishes for you my sweet.

After a day filled with sweetness, it ended with a glass of milk and the most delicious morsel of a cookie.

ease: 4/5.

prep time: 25mins.

cooking time: 8mins.

total: 33mins.

taste: 4/5. My go-to chocolate cookie.

I first made these beauties almost 3 years ago and yet I never forgot them, and am quite uncertain as to why I waited so long to make them again! I prefer to make larger cookies which yield a chewier, fudgy center that compliments the crunchy meringue shell beautifully. These cookies are dark and sweet and completely addictive. With the larger cookie size I ended up with 24 cookies.

would I make it again: Yes, this is now the second time and only the beginning.

recipe: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chocolate-Brownie-Cookies-105884