A Request For Chocolate

I have a lady in my ward who is convalescing. I went to visit her and asked what we could do for her. She turned down every offer until I asked if I could bring her treats. When asked what she would like, she said chocolate. If it's chocolate she wants, chocolate she'll get!
Oh- hey! What's that back in the corner? Do you see it?
Oh! It's a recipe card holder. How cute! I got this on my second trip to Roberts. Yes, there was a second trip. Just doin' my part.
There's a spot on the side for a couple of 2x3 photos to make it cute even without a recipe being held on it. I'm not big on keeping stuff out on my counter-top, but I'll be keeping this out.
The only problem with it is I have no idea who those people are, so I guess I'll have to do something about that very soon! Wouldn't that be funny if you actually knew who was in the frame when you bought it? I mean, they're real people, so SOMEBODY has to know who they are!

Aren't these cookies pretty? I used Wylie's gift of the plain milk and plain dark M&M's inside the cookie but sprinkled these mini's on top for more color (and to disguise the fact that I was using holiday M&M's in January.
And then for fun, these last few got sprinkled with Andes chips. Not as pretty, just pretty tasty.
I got the original recipe here. Then I tweaked it just a bit. Thanks, Martha. I'm using Martha's recipe in honor of my St. George friend's d-i-l being on Martha's TV show last week! Way to go! (No, she wasn't just in the audience, she was featured on the show. Cool.)

Chocolate-Spot Cookies

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 tsp baking soda

scant 1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, slightly softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups M&M's, divided (I used milk and dark, but was tempted to use peanut butter)

Preheat oven to 350°. Line two cookie sheets with parchment, or use a Silpat (or Pam your sheets).

In a medium-sized bowl, combine dry ingredients together. Remember, the new way to measure your flour is to whisk it first, then fill your cup and level off. Do the same with the cocoa powder. After all the dry ingredients are in the bowl, whisk it again to combine it all.

Put the butter and sugar into (I love the way Martha words this part) "the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment." Could that mean anything besides a Kitchen Aid? Is there something else out there with a paddle attachment? Maybe, but I don't know what it is.

Anyway, beat the butter and sugar for two or three minutes, or until it is pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time (that's so the eggs feel special- they each get their turn). Add the vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add the flour mixture. Stir in one cup of candies.

Drop dough onto cookie sheet using a tablespoon (I used my large cookie scoop and could only put 9 cookies on a sheet). Press remaining candies into tops of cookies.

Bake until just firm, 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the sheet on a rack for 5 minutes, then remove the cookies from the sheet and finish cooling cookies on the rack.

Mmmm. Chocolate. Theoretically, this recipe is supposed to make about 4 dozen cookies. Good luck with that. Mine made 22 cookies.

These cookies should support any candy add-in, so do as President Uchtdorf suggests and get creative! I love President Uchtdorf. Don't you?