Chocolate Buttermilk Cookies

Cookie-Bookie Week
With the cooling weather, there's just nothing better than a comfortable chair, a glowing fireplace, a cookie and a spooky story. Every day this week, I'm sharing a cookie and a few of my favorite October reads....
I'm sure I'm the last person on planet Earth to discover the Twilight series. The idea just didn't appeal to me-teenagers and vampires, prom and tortured young love. What convinced me to finally pick one up, was an odd connection with my brother in law. Strangely enough, his boss was the Twilight author's (Stephanie Meyers) prom date. On my brother in law's hilariously absurd and mostly fictitious blog, Temparoo, he posted an interview and pictures from the high school prom-go check it out. If that prom picture isn't enough incentive to never ever be famous, I don't know what is. If I thought you might see me with my Julia Roberts hair and metallic leopard skin prom dress (YES-I'M SERIOUS!) that I designed myself, I'd probably just hole up in a ice fishing cabin in Alaska for the rest of my life.
But back to the book.

I picked up Twilight on Friday night, woke up early on Saturday morning, and reading voraciously, finished it off. That's it-one gobble and it was done. And it tasted good. There were teenagers and vampires, yes, but the writing was beautiful in a few places, the characters were believable for vampires, and the story was gripping enough for me to sacrifice a Saturday sleep-in. In short, it was fun, and even funner during this spooky time of year. My Sailor-girl is reading some of it now, too. I don't mind her reading about vampires at her tender age, but I really don't want her thinking about prom yet. And if she asks to see any of my old pictures, that will be the scariest of all....

****Thanks to my wise readers for letting me know that red-hot steamy scenes were coming in the later books. No more Twilight for little girls. She'll have to head back to DaFoe-she's in the middle of Robinson Crusoe. Shipwreck and isolation are much safer themes!

And now for the treat to eat while reading: These fabulous chocolate cookies come from the supremely yummy Andrea at Nummy Kitchen. She was kind enough to share this buttermilk and chocolate brownie-ish cookie recipe. I've decorated them with candy corn for Halloween, but you can bet I'll make them again at Christmastime with crushed candy canes on top.
Money Saving Tips: The price of chocolate has climbed recently, so be sure to stock up during holiday sales begin. I use Baker's chocolate and I try to pay about $2.50 a package.

Chocolate Drop Brownie Cookies
Estimated Cost: $3.00
1/2 cup butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
2 one ounce squares unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 3/4 cups flour (I used an extra 1/3 cup- and half whole wheat as always)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix butter, sugar, egg, and chocolate thoroughly. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into wet ingredients. Heat oven to 350, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake about 10-12 minutes, or until no imprint remains when touched lightly. After cooling frost with...
Marie's Chocolate Icing
1 tablespoon butter
1 one ounce square unsweetened chocolate
1 1/2 tablespoons warm water
1 cup powdered sugar
Melt butter and chocolate over hot water. Blend in warm water. Stir in powdered sugar until icing spreads easily.
Coming at the First light of Tuesday:
More Cookie-Bookie
Dark Chocolate Dipped Pumpkin Biscotti