Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

Recipe and image source here

Thanks to pinterest, I've discovered a few new recipes that I want to try out. And these cookies happened to be first on my list.

BEST. DECISION. EVER.

And there's no butter or flour in them, so they can't be all that bad for you, right? ;)

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies
originally taken from epicurious
recipe as adapted by divine-baking.com

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided
3 large egg whites, room temperature
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided (I used 2 cups)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme.

Whisk 1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue.


Pour lukewarm chocolate and 1/2 cup chocolate chips into mixture. If dough does not become stiff, stick in freezer for a few minutes.

Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

Yield: Makes about 18


I couldn't find bittersweet chocolate chips anywhere, so I just bought the chocolate bar and chopped it up. Some comments on the original blog also mentioned using semi-sweet instead and just cutting down the sugar a little.


Make these cookies...you will not be sorry. I preferred them still warm, but Matt liked them better after they had cooled. Either way they are gooey on the inside. Mmmmmm...


Let me know what you think!

Sure as Shootin'

This week I embarked on an adventure that will now officially classify me as an Oklahoman. So much so that I am now allowed to use phrases like, "I'm fixin'," as in, "I'm fixin' to take the trash out." Or adding 'a' to the beginning of words like, "I'm agonna have red beans for dinner!"

I can now shamelessly use these syntactic and pragmatic nightmares of phrases 

because this week I became a real Oklahoman when I went shootin'.

Can you believe it only took me 10 months to accomplish that? Life in Oklahoma is always an adventure :)

Showcasing all but one of the guns we got to shoot with.
If you ask me what they are, I could throw out some numbers and pretend like I know...

Tate and Eleece recently got their conceal and carry permits,
so they were excited to go shooting with us.

Me shooting...some kind of rifle.
But it was so intense that it made both Matt and I make stupid faces :)

We had some targets we were using to practice, and this is Matt showing off his bullseye!
What a stud.

Mostly I wanted to take pictures of our adventure because it reminded me of this season's opening episode of Modern Family where they go to the ranch in Wyoming and Cameron takes a picture of Mitchell holding a gun...

But also, I had to document that I can now cross this off of my 101 in 1001 list. Holla!

12 Months and 1 Week!

That's right, as of last weekend, we have a one-year-old on our hands. And a cute one at that! But because we celebrate birthdays in style around here, Colin got to enjoy a whole birthday week.

Get ready for picture overload...

The birthday boy on the morning of his big day

Megan came for a quick visit over Colin's birthday.
We have Delta to thank for a great last-minute weekend sale!

One of his birthday presents from Grandma and Grandpa Tiner...
a super cool motorcycle that even has sound effects!

Enjoying a cupcake on his birthday

All of his Elmo-themed gifts. It's true, Colin loves Elmo.

Before Megan left we went to the Tulsa State Fair.
Here we are enjoying the petting zoo.

Megan and Colin at the fair!

The weekend after his birthday we had some real fun. We had a few friends over to enjoy some monkey business :) Here is Colin enjoying his individual monkey cake. Definitely the fanciest birthday cake I've ever made...

Arial view of the cake-eating

This is Zoey, one of Colin's friends. They have a lot of fun together :)

And how about a picture of me in a party hat? Since I'm so cute and everything ;)

 It was one fun, busy week. And I'm still getting used to the fact that when people ask me how old Colin is I have to say, "he just turned one." What happened to my baby that used to look like this?

Oh that's right. He grew up :) And has recently taken to pulling all the red yard out of the top of this monkey's hat. Hmmm...

Happy 1st birthday, Colin! We love you!!