Can you believe it’s the last day of 2009? Today is also the day we post our Flavor of the Month recipe. This monthly event is hosted by Bridget at Bakeat350 . The theme this round was cookies, perfect for Christmas, but maybe not so much for the month of January when most of the world starts their annual weight-loss crusade.

I came across this cookie recipe in the January issue of Cooking Light last week and thought it would be the perfect healthier choice for the new year. And seriously, how can anyone go wrong when cherries and chocolate come together? This recipe got a huge thumbs up from the boys playing in my house yesterday, even the “picky one” (my boy) approved. I, too, was pleasantly surprised by this recipe. I don’t usually opt for anything light when it comes to dessert. I want the real deal! The texture was great and they stayed soft in the middle after cooling, just how oatmeal cookies should be. The dried cherries sweeten these up quite a bit, which explains why they earned the boy’s approval – the sweeter, the better, it’s in the genes!

Have a happy and safe New Year’s with your friends and families. Wishing you a When Harry Met Sally moment when the clock strikes twelve. Have we not all dreamed of someone saying this to us at midnight…

“I love that you get cold when it’s 71 degrees out. I love that it takes you an hour and a half to order a sandwich. I love that you get a little crinkle above your nose when you’re looking at me like I’m nuts. I love that after I spend the day with you, I can still smell your perfume on my clothes. And I love that you are the last person I want to talk to before I go to sleep at night. And it’s not because I’m lonely, and it’s not because it’s New Year’s Eve. I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.”

Okay…I’ll keep on dreaming!

Love and laughter in the year ahead!

Chocolate-Cherry Heart Smart Cookies (Cooking Light – January 2010)

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup whole-wheat flour

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 cup dried cherries

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 large egg, slightly beaten

3 ounces coarsely chopped bittersweet chocolate

Cooking Spray

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife. Combine flours and next three ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.

3. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat; add brown sugar, stirring until smooth. Add sugar mixture to flour mixture; beat with mixer at medium speed until well-blended. Add cherries, vanilla, and egg; beat until combined. Fold in chocolate.

Drop dough by tablespoons two inches apart onto baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool on pans for three minutes or until almost firm. Remove cookies from pans; cool on wire racks.

Notes:

• I microwaved butter, instead of using a saucepan.
• used semi-sweet mini chocolate chips and didn’t measure. I’m sure I added more than what the recipe called for.
• Watch these in the oven. I didn’t and twelve minutes was a tad too long.
• This made 21 cookies (not the 30 that the recipe stated). Make a double batch!

Don’t forget to stop by Bakeat350 and check out all of the great cookie recipes!