Happy Chocolate Covered Cherry Day

With all of these chocolate “holidays” right on top of each other, what’s a girl to do? That’s right – eat more chocolate! I used to think these “national whatever day” holidays were silly but now I see the appeal.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED CHERRY COOKIES

1 1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Stir together flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat well. Gradually add flour mixture until well blended. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Press down center of each ball.

1 16 oz jar maraschino cherries
6 oz. pkg. semi-sweet chocolate pieces
1/2 c. sweetened condensed milk

Drain cherries, reserving the juice. Press a small cherry or a cherry half into the center of each ball of cookie dough. In a small saucepan, melt chocolate pieces and sweetened milk over low heat. Stir in 4 teaspoons of cherry juice. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of frosting over each cherry, spreading to cover cherry. If necessary, add additional cherry juice to thin frosting. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees. Yield: approximately 48 cookies.