Oh, to Live on Sugar Mountain: Red Velvet Chocolate Chunk Cookies

One short trip to the grocery store with both kids left mom with the following conclusions: (1) she's pretty sure she spent $206.00 on Teddy Grahams; and (2) the Peapod $7 delivery fee is more than worth it.  We did in fact leave with our tummies full of Teddy Grahams, but we also finagled a copy of Woman's Day "Guilt-Free Sweet Treats." (oh, come on.  you know you always want to buy one of those cheesy recipe magazines at the counter).  And since I'm full on into pastry chef mode right now, I insisted that we make something ASAP (about 40 minutes before mom was set to leave for a rare GNO last weekend).  Enter WD's Devil's Food Chocolate Chunk Cookies -- You'll need:

 - 1 box (18.25 oz) devil's food cake mix
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, melted
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 1/2 cups (9 oz) semisweet chocolate chunks
- Garnish: 1/4 cup white baking chips

Directions: Heat oven to 350 F.  You'll need baking sheet(s) lined with nonstick foil.  Beat cake mix, butter, water, egg and vanilla in a medium bowl with mixer on medium speed 1 minute or until blended. Stir in chocolate chunks.  Drop heaping tablespoons of dough about 3 inches apart on baking sheet(s).  Bake 12 to 14 minutes until puffed and set (cookies will sink when cool).  Cool on pan 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Garnish: Put chips in a small ziptop bag; microwave on high, kneading bag every 10 seconds, until chips are melted.  Snip a tip off a corner and drizzle chocolate on cookies.  Let set.

We substituted in Red Velvet cake mix (all we had) and instead of using semisweet chocolate chunks, we chopped up and used some of the gold pirate coins from my bday.  And we skipped the white chocolate chip icing.  We generally find the "total time" provided in recipes to be off the mark -- especially when Cam and I are helping out.  But this was right on and they were delish.