Cookies, Coffee and Chaos

First off, HAPPY EASTER! I hope all of you had a great day and enjoyed time with loved ones. And maybe you did a little baking like I did. I hope you share your recipes with me! I would love to post about them!

I am going to start this post of by saying, prepare yourselves for a trip down memory lane.

My husbands Aunt Virginia, which was his grandmothers sister, never had children and like me had a type A personality, love that for us. However, she saved every recipe, I think she ever saw, and meticulously put them in those photograph albums with the plastic sleeve, back when you printed out your pictures. I can assure you there are 10,000+ recipes as she is well into her 90s now. Recipes from the 60s, 70s, 80s and up to present day. I love this so much and it meant the world to me that my mother in law thought to give them to me. Such a special gift. I am a sucker for any family recipe and one that means so much to the ones I love. So in the coming weeks I will be sharing many of the recipes from her book and if I can, include a date. I am almost certain this recipe is one from the 80s.

Back to it. This recipe takes a little time, patience and a lot of love. But the end result will be well worth it.

Ingredients:

1 package (4oz) Bakers Germans sweet chocolate bar

5 Tbs butter

3oz of cream cheese, softened to room temp

1 cup of sugar

3 eggs

1 Tbs all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Melt chocolate and 3 Tbs of butter in a small saucepan over very low heat and stir continuously. Cool.

Blend remaining butter with cream cheese until softened. Gradually add 1/4 cup of the sugar, beating well. Blend in 1 egg, 1 Tbs flour and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Set this aside.

Beat remaining 2 eggs until thick and light in color. Gradually add remaining 3/4 cup sugar, beating until thickened. Add baking powder, salt and 1/2 cup of flour. Blend in cooled chocolate mixture, (nuts if you like) and 1/2 tsp vanilla.

Spread 1/2 of the chocolate batter in greased 8″ or 9″ square pan. On top of that, add in cream cheese mixture, spreading evenly across the top. Top with tablespoonfuls of remaining chocolate batter. Zigzag a spatula through batter to marble.

Bake at 350* for 35 – 40 minutes, or until top springs back when lightly pressed in center. Cool. Cut into bars or squares. Makes 16-20, depending on size.