Chocolate Raspberry Cookies

Right now the sun is finally shining through and brightening up my kitchen. It's supposed to be a great weekend and I'm looking very forward to it. We are going to a music festival up at Graves Mountain on Sunday and I don't think that would be a lot of fun if it rained!!! That's one of the nice things about Virginia - you have the mountains nearby. It's my favorite second place to be next to the beach. Oh do I miss the beach. Growing up on Long Island you really take that for granted. Then when you don't have a beach nearby, you realize how much you miss it!

These cookies are great. They come courtesy of my husband's "girlfriend" Paula Deen!!! They are easy to make and if you love raspberries, you won't want to pass these up! Just watch your baking time. They didn't look ready to me and I ended up over baking the first batch.....they were still good though!

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/3 cup Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 (6 ounce) package raspberry creme filled dark chocolate baking pieces
Raspberry icing, recipe follows

Preheat over to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars together at medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating well.
In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa and baking powder; gradually add to the butter mixture, beating until blended. Stir in baking pieces. Drop cookies by tablespoons onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 12 to 14 minutes.
Remove to wire racks to cool. Drizzle with raspberry icing when completely cool.

Raspberry Icing
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon seedless raspberry preserves

In a bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring until smooth.