IRWIN'S FAVORITE COOKIE

Last year my husband passed away after a long illness.  Irwin was a kind gentleman who loved everything about food (and me) - a man who enjoyed the simple things in life.  He loved baked goods, especially cakes, cookies, and pies.  If it was homemade, he automatically loved it because when he was growing up his mother baked for him all the time.  He used to say “My mother was a terrible cook, but she was a great baker.”  I only met his mother once or twice, but she was filled with love for her son, and it gave her great pleasure to bake his favorite treats for him.  It brought both of them a lot of pleasure.

When Irwin and I first started to live together, I was not a good cook, or even a good baker, but there were certain dishes I knew he loved. I committed these dishes to memory.  Eventually as my talent developed, I became a better cook. I started to create recipes with flavors that I loved.

Irwin was a huge fan of cookies; add a cold glass of milk and you had a winning combination for him.   For years after we moved in together, every night he had a ritual: cookies and milk before bed. It was something so pleasurable for him yet so simple.   I can remember sitting at the table with him many nights while he had his Oreos and a cold glass of milk.  We often talked about our days, something which still brings a smile to my face.

The first time I made these cookies, I started to make him a plain chocolate cookie.   One day, I found red raspberry chocolate pieces in the refrigerator (another huge favorite of his). I decided to add it to the cookie along with red raspberry preserves, which I put in the icing of the cookie (I always kept the preserves in the house, under the penalty of death). I made these cookies and Irwin absolutely loved them.   Eventually, they replaced the Oreo’s in his nighttime cookie ritual.  I always made sure I had all the ingredients on hand to make them for him.  When you love someone, it is easy to do little things for them that make them happy.  It’s the little things like this that bring two people closer together. 

This is just one of the many memories I have of Irwin which will always be with me.  From time to time, I will share some of them with you.   So here’s to you Irwin, your favorite Chocolate Raspberry Cookie recipe!!!

 

CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

2 STICKS SALTED BUTTER, SOFTENED

1 CUP GRANULATED SUGAR

½ CUP LIGHTLY PACKED LIGHT BROWN SUGAR

2 LARGE EGGS

1 TEASPOON VANILLA EXTRACT

2 ½ CUPS ALL PURPOSE FLOUR

½ DUTCH PROCESS COCOA POWDER

1 TEASPOON BAKING POWDER

1 6 OUNCE PACKAGE RASPBERRY CREAM FILLED DARK CHOCOLATE BAKING PIECES SUCH AS HERSHEYS BRAND

1 ½ CUPS CONFECTIONERS SUGAR

2 TABLESPOONS MILK

1 TABLESPOON SEEDLESS RASPBERRY PRESERVES

DIRECTIONS

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350f.  GREASE 1 OR MORE COOKIE SHEETS.

USING A MIXER ON MEDIUM SPEED, CREAM THE BUTTER AND BOTH SUGARS IN A BOWL UNTIL FLUFFY. ADD THE EGGS AND VANILLA, BEAT WELL. 

IN A SMALL BOWL COMBINE THE FLOUR, COCOA AND BAKING POWDER, GRADUALLY ADD TO THE BUTTER MIXTURE, BEATING UNTIL BLENDED,  STIR IN THE BAKING PIECES.  DROP BY TABLESPOONSFULS, 2 INCHES APART ONTO THE PREPARED COOKIE SHEETS.  BAKE 12 TO 14 MINUTES.  COOL ON A WIRE RACK.

IN A SMALL BOWL, COMBINE THE CONFECTIONERS SUGAR, MILK AND RASPBERRY PRESERVES, STIR UNTIL SMOOTH.  WHEN THE COOKIES HAVE COOLED, DRIZZLE THE ICING OVER THEM.