Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cherries and Pecans

Today I decided to take down the fall decor in preparation for putting up the Christmas decor after this weekend. Once all of the decor was packaged and placed in the storage closet, I looked at my husband and asked, “All of the pumpkins are gone. Do you know what that means?” He looked at me with a questionable look and I replied, “It just means that we’re one holiday closer to Nugget’s arrival.”

The nursery is finished, the baby classes have been completed, the baby items have been purchased, the pediatrician has been selected, and the birth plan and hospital forms have been submitted. Even though I was a very organized person before pregnancy, I started to realize that nesting adds a whole new depth to my OCD/anal retentive tendencies. Each day, I find myself rearranging, purging, and organizing. Every square inch of the house has been scrutinized, updated, and organized.

With everything in its place, one would think that I would be ready to have this baby. In all reality, I truly cannot wait to meet our dream come true. However, the fear of the unknown has me beyond nervous. I know that a woman, and couple for that matter, cannot be 100 percent ready for a baby. However, I feel as though my husband and I have done everything we can to make sure that our transition is a bit easier.

Yet, there we were on our way to last week’s doctor’s appointment when I found myself saying to my husband, “If the doctor says that I’ve started to dilate, then I might freak out.” Yes, simply put, I’m nervous about the whole aspect of labor and delivery. Having never gone through it, the fear of the unknown has been the hiccup that can be overwhelming at times. So, up until this point, I’ve tried not to think about it. Yet, with each doctor’s appointment, we’re getting closer and closer to the time when the doctor gives the green light on dilation.

During the appointment, we talked about my current feelings and state, as well as quickly learned that the baby has started to drop. No dilation … just dropping. We’re one step closer to meeting Nugget. We’re one step closer to having our lives changed forever. We’re one step closer to adding a family member to our tiny, little family.

I’m one step closer to labor and delivery.

So, with that news, I packed my hospital bag and my husband and I made plans to put the car seat in the car tomorrow. One can never be overly prepared, right? I’m 36 weeks which means that there are only a few weeks left of this wonderful pregnancy journey. My oh my has the time flown by …

Excuse me while I eat a cookie to help calm my nerves and feed my excitement.

*I’m 35 weeks in the photos throughout this post.

Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cherries and Pecans

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup dried cherries, chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Use a mixer to cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs and mix together. Pour in the vanilla and blend until combined.
3. Pour the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and mix until combined. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until combined.
4. Fold in the chocolate chips, cherries, and pecans.
5. Use an ice cream scooper to form tablespoonfuls of the dough. Place the dough on the baking sheet two inches apart.
6. Bake for 8-11 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes.
7. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

What is your favorite type of cookie?