Death by Chocolate

If the "death by chocolate" qualities of my previously-posted "Marbled Peanut Butter Fudge Brownies" weren't enough for you, eat you heart out. Calvin's 4th birthday was a few weeks back and I made these for him to bring and share with his preschool class. Enough chocolate to last a 4 year old a lifetime. (It's never too young to start!)

Triple-Chocolate Chunk Cookies

• 1 cup butter
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 8 oz. semisweet chocolate, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or 1-1/3 cup semisweet chips)
• 6 oz. white baking bar, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (or 1 cup white chocolate chips)
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

Lightly grease a cookie sheet; set aside. In large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in sugar, brown sugar, and baking soda until combined. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Stir in melted chocolate. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour by hand. Mix in semisweet and white chocolate and, if desired, nuts.

Using a dry, 1/4-cup size measuring cup or scoop, droup mounds of dough about 4 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack; finish cooling.

Yield: 22 cookies

**Note: If you do not wish to make "monster cookies," you can substitute a tablespoon or 2-inch cookie scoop for the 1/4-size measuring cup. Drop cookie dough 2 inches apart on baking sheet. Then reduce baking time to about 9 - 10 minutes, but keep an eye on the cookies and increase baking time a minute at a time if not done yet.