Because it's Monday...

And I feel like I've been writing support letters for a loooong time:

~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~

Chocolate Lava Muffins (tested and approved by the Curby family during that week of fall before the return of summer. They're a little more like brownies than muffins--very rich.)Thanks to Alton Brown of "Good Eats" and the Food Network for the recipe--this and the rest of the "chocolate" show airs tomorrow night at 7ET, for any Food Network junkies--or are we the only ones?

Recipe difficulty: easy
prep time: 20 minutes
(also leave time for chilling batter)
cook time: 11 minutes
yield: 1 dzn.

8 ounces semisweet chocolate chips [ed. note: we substituted dark chocolate =]
1 stick butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
[more ed. commentary: we also added 1 tablespoon baking cocoa]
4 eggs
more cocoa powder
ice cream

preheat the oven to 375^. In a double boiler (or small metal bowl over saucepan/tea kettle with simmering water), melt chocolate and butter. Stir in vanilla.

In large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt (and 1 T. cocoa). Sift into chocolate and mix well with electric hand mixer. Add eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next. Beat on high until batter is creamy and lightens in color, appx. 4 min. Chill.

Coat top and each cup of muffin tin with butter. Dust with remaining cocoa powder, shaking off excess. Spoon mixture into pan using a 4-ounce scoop or ladle. Bake 10-11 min. Outsides should be cake-like, centers should be gooey.

Serve with ice cream (if preferred, melt vanilla ice cream in small saucepan, and stir in 1 teaspoon espresso powder. Serve over warm ice cream.

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In, other news, SoonerSports.com reads, "welcome to OU-Texas week..."