Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Cookie Bookie VI: Girl Detectives and Mysterious Ghosts

Welcome to the final days of Cookie Bookie.
It's my third year to dedicate an entire week to shivery stories and sugary sweets. Scroll down if you've missed any posts. Don't forget to follow along by clicking on the sidebar in the upper right corner. Today is extra special, since my 9 year old (going on 19) daughter Sailor is guest-posting.

Hi, everybody. It's me, Sailor. I'm really excited to be a guest blogger today. Maybe I'm a little bit nervous, too. I hope you will like what I have to say. I am a big reader. Actually I am a little reader with a big appetite for books, and a big appetite for cookies too. Ha, ha. I read lots of scary stories and then I have trouble sleeping at night, but it never stops me. It's impossible to put down a good book, especially when there's a villain lurking in the shadows ready to pounce on you the moment you close your eyes. My favorite scary stories are the Nancy Drew Mysteries. Today I'll be sharing one of the best: The Ghost of Blackwood Hall. If you like Nancy Drew Mysteries, then you know that the stories follow a certain formula. Nancy finds a mystery to solve and meets the villain in the first couple of chapters, then she spends most of the book hunting him down. She makes a lot of mistakes, and I always feel like shouting, "Don't go in there, Nancy!" but she never pays any attention to her readers. Ha, ha. In this book, Nancy hears mysterious organ music and then sees a disappearing figure, a ghost in Blackwood Halls. Later she meets a woman who has seen the ghost of her dead husband. The ghost asked her to bury her jewels in the woods by a walnut tree. Later she decides to go back and get the jewels, and when she takes them to be cleaned she discovers that they are all fakes. Can a ghost be a jewel thief or is there a human being posing as a ghost? Read the story and find out for yourselves. (Doesn't this sound a little bit like it could be a Scooby Doo episode? Zoinks! Ha, ha.)
I have a cookie to go along with this bookie. I made the cookie all by myself (except for slicing and taking them out of the oven). My mom didn't even know I was baking until she smelled the good smell in the house. I made a peanut butter oatmeal bar, covered with thick dark chocolate to remind me of Blackwood Hall. Then I placed a marshmallow ghost on each square to remind me of the ghosts in the story. I think they are really yummy. You can put chopped peanuts instead of ghosts on top for grown-ups.
Well, that is all for my Cookie Bookie, except I have a question. I'm trying to decide if I should wear my last year's witch costume for Halloween, or this new Mary Poppins costume that my mom made. I really love my witch costume and it might not fit next year. What do you think?Would you please help me decide? Leave me a comment! Maybe I should be Nancy Drew next year. Thanks, love Sailor
The Ghost of Blackwood Hall Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
from 101 Gourmet Cookies
Estimated Cost: $3.00 for 20
1/2 cup softened butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 scant cup whole wheat flour
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup chocolate chips
marshmallow ghosts or chopped peanuts
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together butter, sugars, vanilla, and peanut butter. Add egg and stir until well blended. Add baking soda, then flour and oatmeal. Pour batter into greased 9 by 13 inch pan. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and let stand for five minutes. Spread chocolate over bars. Let cool completely (yah, right!) and cut into squares. Cover with chopped peanuts of a marshmallow ghost.
Thanks, Sailor! A plus, kiddo.
Next Up:
The best Cookie Bookie for last: the scariest book I've ever read and my new favorite cookie. See you tomorrow.

34 comments:

The JR said...

Good job Sailor. You did a great as a guest poster.

And you are going to be a wonderful cook just like your Mom.

I like the Mary Poppins!

Tightwad Mom said...

I love Nancy Drew,too! Thank goodness she always solves the mystery! Your cookies look very yummy; I like the ghosts on top! I think you should wear both costumes. You could wear one for half of trick or treat and one for the other half.

Jack & Rosie said...

Sailor, if you keep blogging like that you might make your mom feel threatened and then she'll never let you guest blog again.

Mary Poppins looks good but I vote for the witch costume.

Anonymous said...

Great post! Thank you for the recipe. I love the Mary Poppins costume.

Catherine said...

Very well done, Sailor. And your cookies look delicious. I love the marshmallow ghosties on top. I love both costumes but I think that the witch costume will always hold a special place in my heart. =D I love it and both my girls are being witches this year, because we love your costume so much.

Carrie said...

That is the most adorable witch costume. I like the Mary Poppins costume but I love the witch costume. Maybe you could do two rounds of trick-or-treating...half the town in one costume and the other half in the other costume!

Shanzanne said...

Mary Poppins hands down!

MK and Co. said...

Thanks for a great recipe Sailor! The kids will love this cookie with that little ghosty on top.I love both your costumes but my vote goes to the witch costume. It really is the cutest witch costume I've seen. You have a great collection of homemade Halloween Costumes. Thanks for letting Bella Kate borrow Little Bow Peep. It's so cute and she is so happy to get a chance to wear it. Thanks Sailor and a job well done as the guest poster!

Paige said...

LOVE the witch costume, glad to see you are feeling better!

Catherine said...

Hi Sailor,
This is Annabelle. I want you to be to the witch so you match me. I'm going to have a Halloween party at school. It is going to be so much fun. I can't wait until it comes. And I am going to have a Halloween parade at school.

I love you. I can't wait to see you for Thanksgiving.

Love,
Annabelle

Prudy said...

Japanese Redneck,
Thank you so much. I am trying to be a good cook, just like my mom.

Prudy said...

Tighwad Mom,
That's a really good idea to be both. It's hard because I have to pack them in a suitcase because I'm having Halloween in New York.

Prudy said...

Jack, Ha ha ha. You crack me up.

Prudy said...

Mary Lou,
I really like your witch picture. We have the same tights!

Prudy said...

Aunt Catherine,
I wish I could trick or treat with your family again. I can't wait to see the pictures of little A and A and B-po too.

Prudy said...

Carrie, That's a good idea. I don't think I can fit both in my suitcase since I'm going to New York for Halloween.

Prudy said...

Shanzanne, Thanks. I love Mary Poppins ever since I saw the musical in New York.

Prudy said...

Aunt Mary Kate, I bet Bella will be soooo cute as Bo Peep. I hope that you send us some cute pictures.

Prudy said...

Paige,
Thank you! I was sick for a whole week but I finally feel just about all the way better, except for a very very very embarassing runny nose.

Prudy said...

Annabelle, I love you. I can't wait to see you in your pretty witchy costume. Have fun at your parade.

Julie Harward said...

I love all of this..books and cookies, can't beat that! :D

Lorie said...

Well done, Sailor! I am partial to Mary Poppins myself.

Nancy Drew was my favorite when I was a little girl.:o)

Jersey Girl Cooks said...

Sailor, you are a great guest blogger! I loved Nancy Drew when I was your age too. Both costumes are beautiful but I really like the Mary Poppins.

Katie and Mark said...

Way to go Sailor! Great post! My kids lovexeatting those little ghosts alone, but I will have to pair them with cookies next time. :)

Oh yeah, I vote the witch again. It is just too adorable not to wear twice! :) I love it!

Jeannette said...

Hi Sailor - oh I remember the days when I used to read Nancy Drew! You did an excellent job with today's post - what a bright and articulate young lady. Both costumes look great but I LOVE the witch costume. It's such a fun costume.

crabigail adams said...

LOVED Nancy when I was your age, but my favorites were the girl detectives of the Trixie Belden series! You have very good taste, in books and in costumes, Sailor. I don't know how you're going to decide, but whichever you choose, you'll look FAB!

Shelley-Lynn-Kevin-Bruce said...

Sailor, we can't wait to see you all in New York. Shelley loves both costumes, but the witch will be a huge hit in New York because here people rarely make their own costumes - it is gorgeous! Hugs to all of you.

Leslie said...

Sailor,
I don't know how I missed this post yesterday but I did.
I didn't even realize you were the guest speaker.
Do you know I have never read a Nancy Drew book, and we had the entire collection. I have read books about the author but never her stories. I think it's because I have always been a big chicken.
I loved your costumes. You look so cute and are getting so tall. I hope you have a wonderful time in New York. And your cookies look delicious.

XXapplesauce said...

Hi Sailor - I love your cookies and hope I can find the marshmallow ghosts to put on top! I read Nancy a lot when I was your age and used to pretend to be "Hank"! My daughter's favorite scary book is "Coraline", but you may want to ask mom about it first before you read it. I vote for the Witch costume because I LOVE IT! Maybe your mom can make me one too!

Michal said...

Sailor! Bravo! I vote for Mary Poppins, although last year's witch was truly adorable. Don't you want to send it to me for when my girls get a bit older? Alas you have about a hundred girl cousins who are probably dying to wear it:)
You did a great job at cookie bookie.

Anonymous said...

Both costumes are darling. I like Mary Poppins better and it's more unique.

Unknown said...

My vote is for the witch costume.
Happy Halloween!

Nana said...

I know I am late with my vote - but I think you need more than one Halloween party this year. I love both costumes!
Rhonda

Anita Strauss said...

Such a creative idea for cookies! I love literature and baking cookies, so I absolutely enjoyed these entries.