The Easiest Bark you'll ever make....

First things first.

The winner of the Nestle gift basket is #25-Jen, who likes it sweet and salty. Congrats! (E-mail me your address at prudencepenny@aol.com)

But wait! Have you made the Magic Mint Bark yet? Do not pass go. Do not collect $200 dollars. Go directly to the kitchen and make some. In betweeen my classes last night, I went to Target and stocked up on Nestle Dark Chocolate and Mint chips last night for $2 a bag. (Your Target should have them on sale this week too.) I bought white chocolate chips, butterscotch, milk chocolate, and semisweet too. That's really about all you need for the bark. So think: For around $2 bucks, you could make nice little neighbor gifts, all wrapped up in cellophane. Easy, fast, and fab. Oh, I know bark has been around forever, but this Nestle recipe is a revelation. No careful melting, no dishes to clean, no worrying about the correct temperature for the chocolate. All you have to do is spread a single layer of chocolate chips on a foil lined cookie sheet. Bake at 325 for about two minutes and then swirl the chips around with a knife. Sprinkle on a topping (nuts, pretzels, peppermint, sprinkles,dried fruits, etc) and then pick up your cookie sheet and wham it down on the counter. Shazam! The impact imbeds the toppings just enough so that they remain visible but stay put. Last night, I tried making some Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pretzel Bark. It honestly took all of three minutes. All I did was spread the chips on a foil lined baking sheet and place them in the oven for two minutes.

West broke up some pretzels for me while the chips were melting.

I sprinkled the pretzels on top of the melted mass and smacked the cookie sheet on the counter. This is what I've got.

I've ravaged a few edges (who could blame me?) and the stuff is sweet and salty and heavenly. It's like an inside out chocolate dipped pretzel only better, since it's more chocolate than pretzel. You better believe there's going to be a few more variations made today. Click here for the original Magic Mint Bark Recipe from Nestle-then use your imagination.

If all goes well, I'll be back this weekend with Smore's Bark and Peppermint Marshmallow Chocolate Bark and Milk Chocolate Cereal Bark. Somebody stop me before I go too crazy!

Cookie Bookie VII: The Grand Finale

Oy vey. I'm a little verklempt to be writing the very last post of Cookie Bookie 2010. Three Octobers ago when I started this little blog of mine, I thought it would be fun to share my favorite fall cookies and some spooky reads. I had only a handful of readers, and they were mostly just relatives, trying to be supportive. By the next year, my reader family had multiplied. A few kind readers emailed to ask if I was planning to do Cookie Bookie again. And so the tradition was born, thanks to you all. This time around I've had a whole year to test cookies and read scary stories. I saved the sweetest and scariest for last....

I wouldn't recommend reading Stephen King's Misery when your husband is out of town. It will be a long night, full of nightmares and macabre hallucinations. Maybe you've already seen the movie Misery, but don't let that stop you from reading the frightening book. (Who could forget the hobbling scene with Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata playing in the background? Well, it doesn't happen in the book-it's worse.) If you thought it was scary in technicolor, you won't believe how chilling the story is on the black and white printed page. Misery tells the story of dangerously unbalanced Annie Wilkes, who rescues her favorite writer Paul Sheldon when his car slides off the road during a snow storm. She transports him to her isolated farmhouse in the Rocky Mountains and nurses his shattered legs. Doting Annie is Paul's self-proclaimed "number one fan!" Although Paul is grateful to Annie for saving his life and limbs, it becomes almost immediately apparent that Annie is distressingly, but sometines humorously, abnormal. (She loves to use creative curse words when she's annoyed, like "dirty birdy" and "Mr. Man" and "cock-a-doodie." Hmm. I could use a few of those gems daily.) One dark evening as she reads the latest installment of Paul's popular romance series, she flies into a dangerous rage because the main character , Misery, dies in childbirth. That evening, Paul realizes that Annie has no intention of releasing him from her home. She demands that Paul bring Misery back to literary life on a rapidly deteriorating antique typewriter. Adding greater insult to injury, she torches Paul's first completed attempt at a serious semi-biographical novel. Misery now becomes not only Paul Sheldon's psychological condition, but his magnum opus and probably his swan song; or will the writing of Misery become his literal and figurative salvation? Read it yourself, if you dare. A word of warning though, it is bone-chillingly terrifying. (Don't read it, Mom. You wouldn't like it. But go ahead and read it, Roy; you would.)

And here is my Cookie Bookie swan song. For this year, anyway. I saved my favorite treat for the last. These fantastic cookies are chock full of suprising textures and flavors. The dough is heavy on caramel tones with a splash of molasses and lots of dark brown sugar, all balanced with a generous bite of salt. Cornflakes add a hit of crunch while marshmallows (the staler the better for keeping their shape) provide a gooey, sweet counterpoint. Peanut butter M&Ms provide another dose of sweet and salty flavor. The cookies have to be fairly large to get the right combination of chewy-on-the-inside, crispy-on-the-outside, bumpy-all-over textures, and also to keep the cornflakes, marshmallows and peanut butter M and Ms in place. Don't cheat and try to make them tiny. But, mmmmm. Mm-mm-mm. They are really, really good.
Caramel Cookies with Cornflakes, Marshmallows, and Peanut Butter M and Ms

(recipe by me-share it all you want)

Estimated Cost: $3.50 for a dozen
1/2 cup unsalted softened butter (if you use salted, cut the added salt by a generous pinch)

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 tablespoon molasses

1 egg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

scant 3/4 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/3 cups all purpose flour (or use half whole wheat)

3/4 cup cornflakes, crushed (or use rice krispies)

3/4 cups stale or frozen mini marshmallows

3/4 cup peanut butter (or plain) M and Ms, divided use
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butters and sugars until fluffy. Add vanilla, molasses and the egg. Stir in soda, powder, and salt. Add flour, mixing until just blended. Stir in cornflakes, marshmallows and 1/2 cup M and Ms. Scoop cookies by generous 1/4 cup full portions into balls and place on two cookie sheets with two inches of space between cookies. You should have between 10 and 12 cookies. Bake for about ten minutes, or until tops are just beginning to carmelize. Poke remaining M and Ms atop the still warm cookies. These cookies are equally good warm and at room temperature. For the best texture, stick with room temp.

Thanks so much for reading my ramblings and recipes. And thanks especially for all of your kind comments for Sailor on yesterday's post.

Next Up:

Italian Tomato and Basil Steaks in the Slow Cooker

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.

Cookie Bookie III: Ribbons of Moonlight

Welcome back to Cookie Bookie, my week long homage to good reads and tasty treats. We've covered Austen and maple bars, Christie and gooey chocolate cookies. Follow along everyday by clicking the link in the upper right side bar. Tell your friends to follow along too; there's always room for more at my table.

Did you miss me? Some of you wrote me e-mails wondering where Cookie Bookie was for today. It is here, never fear. I spent the night up with Sailor and her lingering flu that has now become croup, and this morning at the Dr.'s office and then off to get a prescription filled that needed special permission since it is a "controlled" substance (read cough syrup). I'm a wee bit late, but I'm still here. E-mail me anytime to wonder about my whereabouts, dear readers. It's lovely to be missed. Without further ado...Cookie Bookie!

Except today's book isn't really a book at all. It's a narrative poem titled "The Highway Man," written in just two days in 1906 by Alfred Noyes. It spins the tale of two young lovers, an impeccably dressed, suave thief and Bess, the beautiful black haired landlord's daughter. Bess waits longingly for her black hero by the window at night, but a jealous stableman betrays them to the authorities, resulting in..... I can't spoil the ending. (Agatha Christie would turn in her grave.) You'll have to read it yourself- out loud please. Here's a little teaser. Listen to the beautiful description of the night in the first stanza.
The wind was a torrent of darkness among the gusty trees,

The moon was a ghostly galleon tossed upon cloudy seas,

The road was a ribbon of moonlight over the purple moor,

I'm sorry to interrupt, but I love the way the words "the road was a ribbon of moonlight, " and the "moon was a ghostly galleon" create such a vivid, eerie image. Breaking the lonely silence, is the dashing highway man, galloping along the road. The rythmic repetition of the horses hooves are felt in the meter of the poem, pulling the reader along for the ride.

And the highwayman came riding—

Riding—riding—

The highwayman came riding, up to the old inn-door.

What will become of this dashing villain and his gorgeous young lover? Read the poem in its entirety here to find out.

And now, a delicious nibble to accompany a delicious read. It's a hearty peanut butter- oatmeal cookie, "strung with ribbons of moonlight," in the form of melted Candy Corn Hershey kisses. The cookie is crowned with a full kiss, like the one that the Highway man plants on Bess's black hair. Hugs (and Kisses) and Happy Haunting. Kisses Candy Corn Autumn Cookies from the Hershey's website

(thanks to my friend Anna at Cookie Madness for the inspiration)

Estimated Cost: $6.00 for 4 dozen
3/4 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups quick-cooking oats, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
66 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Candy Corn Flavored Candies (find them at Target)
Directions:1. Heat oven to 350°F Beat peanut butter and shortening in large bowl until well blended. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together 1/2 cup oats, flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in remaining oats; place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten cookies with tines of fork to form a crisscross pattern.3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.4. Remove wrappers from candies. Place 18 candies in heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage bag. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 30 seconds; knead bag and candies. If necessary, microwave at MEDIUM an additional 15 seconds at a time, kneading after each heating, until candies are melted and color is uniform. Cool slightly. Cut off corner of bag about 1/8 inch from point. Lightly drizzle cookies. Before drizzle sets, place candy piece in center of each cookie. About 4 dozen cookies.

Be Back Tomorrow with more Sweet and Spooky good times.

P.S. Some readers will remember the poem from Anne of Green Gable's recitation at the White Sands Hotel. Here's the link on youtube.

After School Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn

You know, we started school in the middle of August, but I was sort of in denial. I was pretending that we were just playing at school, just a little molecular biology for fun. Oh, a smidge of prealgebra just to fend off boredom. The charges weren't a bit tricked-they know all about school during Christmas-just to make it easier to wait for Santa, and school during summer-just so you won't get too sunburned outdoors. These tricks up my sleeve are really just for me. I just didn't want to admit that the tardy bell had rung and school was in session in overripe August. But now, it is after Labor Day, and along with putting away my white shoes, I'm storing away my it's-not-really-school hijinks. Welcome back to school, dear readers. How was your day? Did you learn alot? Bet you're the smartest one in the classroom! You're going to give that ol' teacher a run for money. But, come on and sit down and have a little snack: peanut butter and honey popcorn. It's sweet (like you), crunchy, salty, and it'll give you lots of energy to get your homework done. That's right-homework. But finish your popcorn first.

Money Saving Tips:

Pop your own popcorn for pennies. Put a few tablespoons in a brown paper bag, fold down the top and microwave-then stand there and listen. Here's a link to the complete instructions. After School Peanut Butter and Honey Popcorn

Estimated Cost: $2.50

8 cups popped lightly salted popcorn (low-fat microwave popcorn is fine)

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup honey

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon vanilla (optional)

Place popcorn in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, combine sugar and honey. Bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter until smooth. Add vanilla, if using. Pour peanut butter syrup over popcorn. Stir and serve. (You can place the popped popcorn in a large paper bag, then pour over the syrup and shake.)

Next Up:

Blueberry Walnut Maple Granola

Chunky Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chip Pie

This long holiday weekend made for a whole lot of celebrating, didn't it? In a rare burst of spontaneity, we took a road trip. We left town around 7 PM Friday night (exactly 30 minutes after deciding to go-don't even ask me about all the things I forgot to bring) and made the four and hour drive to my sister Heidi's house. I'm so glad we did. She hosted an Anytown USA Patriotic holiday weekend. We hiked a waterfall near her house, had a picnic on the lawn, made crafts-a robot for West and a skirt for Sailor,and had fireworks in the driveway.
Here's a pic of the cousins, looking spiffy for Fourth of July church.And here's my brood, taking advantage of my sister's Americana porch for a family portrait. I wish you could have tasted the food. Well, actually you can, since most of the recipes came from right here. We had peach barbecue chicken, fried chicken, dill potato salad, baked beans, watermelon, corn on the cob, homemade rolls, Texas Sheet Cake, and this peanut butter pie.
Holy Bottle Rocket, this pie was mmm,mmm good. And peanut butter is one of those distinctly American flavors, so that makes it even more perfect for a patriotic holiday. Hope you all had a great, long weekend. Now get some rest.
Chunky Peanut Butter and Milk Chocolate Chip Pie
Recipe from Taste of South Magazine
Estimated Cost: $5.00 for 12 servings
Serve with lots of vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce!
1 prepared unbaked pie crust
1 cup Domino’s Granulated Sugar
3/4 cup King Arthur Mellow Pastry Blend Flour
2 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup Spanish peanuts, skins removed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup peanut butter morsels
1/2 cup milk chocolate morsels
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°.
On a lightly floured surface, roll piecrust to 1/4-inch thickness. Transfer and press into a 9-inch pie plate. Crimp edge, if desired. (Edge may be slightly uneven.)
In a medium bowl, combine sugar, flour, peanut butter, and butter, mixing well. Add eggs, vanilla, peanuts, peanut butter morsels, and chocolate morsels. Transfer filling to prepared piecrust.
Bake until firm in the middle, approximately 45 minutes.
Next Up:
Pasta Primavera

Oatmeal-Peanut Butter Raspberry Bars

School is almost out around these parts and even we obsessive homeschoolers snap the whip just a little bit less often in the summer. Those last few weeks of school are hard-going. I think it's because human beings have a tendency to psychologically prepare ourselves for only the designated amount of time required, and no more. If we know school gets out on June 1st, then we start dreading school around the end of April. If we know a marathon is 26 miles long, then we start feeling wiped out around mile 20. If we know that a pregnancy is nine months long, we start to gripe and swell around month seven. Well, I usually complain my way through the whole thing, but still. So here's what I propose: tell the kids that school gets out in August. Then on June 1st, surprise them by yelling "School's Out!" and promptly squirt them with a bottle of silly string. I think it might just cure end of school year burn out. And if that doesn't work, you could always try these oatmeal peanut butter- raspberry bars. They seem like the perfect afterschool snack, especially when you've got a passel of hungry little mouths around 3:30 PM. When I was babysitting a million and one babies last week, I got the idea for these bar cookies. I never actually made them, because I was babysitting a million and one babies. See how cute they are. This is just a sample section, since they couldn't all fit in one picture. Aren't they sweet? They're hungry too, and sick of school, so you better get mixing. My family found them to be the perfect afternoon snack. They were hearty and delicious, and the perfect cure for May's sick-of-school blues. Hang in there, kiddos. You're almost there.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars with Raspberry Preserves
Estimated Cost: $2.50 for 12
Notes: These would be delicious with just about any flavor of jam or preserves, so be creative.
1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter (don't use natural style)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flour (I used half whole wheat)
1 cup old fashioned oats
3/4 cup raspberry preserves
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 8 or 9 inch square baking pan. In a large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter with brown sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Stir in powder and salt. Gently mix in flour, then oats. Pat half of mixture into prepared pan. Spread with preserves. Crumble remaining mixture over the top of the preserves. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown and set. If you want them to slice perfectly, let them cool and then chill for 30 minutes. If you don't care, dig into them warm with a tall, frosty glass of milk.
Next Up:
Rhubarb Strawberry Jam

Chicken Satay with Red Curry Peanut Sauce with Sweet and Sour Cucumbers

Stay tuned! It's Cookie Bookie all next week.....

When she's here for a visit, my kind little sister (whose nickname is Helper Heidi) insists upon making dinner for my family on the nights I teach at the college. I try to resist, but it's futile with Helper Heidi. Never mind the fact that she just had her fourth child and has her own hands full; if someone has a need, she becomes a super hero, able to leap small buildings in a single bound. If you're not careful, she'll offer to babysit your children, feed you dinner, clean your house, and do your taxes so that you can take a nap. Do you have a helper Heidi in your life? I'd offer to lend you mine, but she's kinda busy for the next couple of decades.

Last time Heidi was visiting, she made the most fantastic chicken curry on one of my school nights (post coming soon). Did I mention she buys her own groceries when she makes dinner for your family, too? She insists upon it, even with threatened with hard kicks on the backside. For her chicken curry, she bought a little bottle of red curry paste, a wee puny bottle that cost almost $4.00. I've always passed it up, too cheap to indulge. But since she left the jar in my fridge, I'm afraid I've become quite enamored with the stuff. As soon as it's gone, I'm running back to the market for more. Even if they raise the price, I'll remain a loyal customer.

I need it for everything now, especially this: Chicken Satay with Red Curry Peanut Sauce and Sweet and Sour Cucumbers. This one is slightly adapted from Family Fun magazine's "Homemade Takeout" section a few months ago. Tender little pieces of chicken, soaked in a slightly spicy coconut marinade, are grilled and served with a curry-licious peanut sauce and zesty cucumbers. Even though satay is traditionally served as an appetizer, I added some jasmine rice to make it a meal. It's absolutely fantastic. Boy am I glad that Helper Heidi left that curry paste in my fridge. But I should be careful what I write. When she finds out how much I like it, she'll probably try to buy me a whole case. And gift wrap it, too.

Money Saving Tips: You can swap out the curry paste for red curry powder, which is also delicious. Be sure to load up on chicken on sale and stock that freezer. You can also swap out whole milk for the coconut milk; it's not quite as tasty but it'll work in a pinch.

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Estimated Cost: $7.00 for four servings
1 pound boneless chicken breast
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon red curry paste (or substitute powder)
Wooden skewers, soaked in water for 1 hour
Step 1 For easier slicing, place the meat in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes. Meanwhile, combine the coconut milk, brown sugar, soy sauce, cumin, and curry paste in a large bowl and stir well to dissolve the sugar. Step 2 Slice the meat into thin strips about 3/4-inch thick and 3 inches long. Add the meat to the coconut milk marinade and refrigerate covered for at least 2 hours. Step 3 Preheat the broiler or a grill. Thread 1 or 2 pieces of meat onto each skewer. Grill or broil the meat for 4 to 6 minutes per side, or until it's cooked through. (I removed the meat from the skewers and placed it on toothpicks.

Spicy Peanut Sauce
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon red curry paste (or sub 1/2 tablespoon powder), or more to taste
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup peanut butterIn a wsmall saucepan, combine milk, sugar, curry paste, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Bring to a simmer and cook for two minutes. Reduce the heat to low and stir in peanut butter. Cook for three more minutes. If peanut butter makes sauce too thick, add more milk or water by the tablespoonfull.

Sweet and Sour Cucumbers

Estimated Cost: $2.00
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 medium cucumbers cucumbers, peeled and thinly sliced
generous pinch of red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Step 1 In a small, nonreactive saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Step 2 Remove the pan from the heat and let the dressing cool to room temperature. Step 3 Place the cucumbers and chilies in a bowl and mix them with the dressing. Sprinkle the cilantro on top just before serving. Makes 2 2/3 cups.

Up Next

Spicy Green Beans with Pork

Tuesdays with Dorie: Chocolate Malted Cookies with Peanut Butter Whoppers

I hope you're as mad about cookies as I am. Because it's Tuesdays with Dorie and I've got a whopper malted cookie that will make you stark raving mad. Actually, my love affair with cookies is no TWD summer luvin' fling. I have a deep and abiding love for the little sweet circles. I like them better than all the brainy superfoods and healthfoods and edamame and tofu. I wish I could eat cookies every day and still not get the chubs and live to be 103. Since I can't, I make them every week instead. Without fail. Sunday night you're always going to find my cookies at my place and you're all invited. I'll give you my address later. Promise.

I made my cookie batch, knowing it would be a soft, cakey cookie due to the addition of milk. I added a whole extra cup of flour to my dough and they were still plenty pillowy. For kicks, I added some Peanut Butter Whoppers (find em' at Wal-Mart) to half of my dough, and used Chocolate Ovaltine for the malted milk powder. Wowee. With plain whoppers or peanut butter whoppers, this is one good cookie. When I was laying my little 5 year old cowboy down to bed, he asked me if he could have eight cookies in the morning for breakfast. When I told him he could have just one with his wheaties, he told me to hide the rest so Dad wouldn't take them to work. Can you see why I love this kid? He has inherited my sweets greediness, my weakness for thinking of food when I should be counting sheep, my sneaky craftiness for hiding the best treats. All those irresistible flaws in one little person! That little sweetie doesn't fall far from the cookie jar.
Go here and get the recipe. (Remember I added a whole extra cup of flour, and I used half whole wheat for all the flour. I also poked extra whoppers into the tops of the baked cookies.) Make them soon. For my fellow penny pinchers, the estimated cost is $5.00 for the full batch. I can't stop thinking about them and can only hope I can make it Sunday before I succumb to the dark side and make them again. Coming Tomorrow:

Late Summer Roasted Red and Yellow Pepper Soup