Sandwich Cookie Time

For my brother’s birthday this past weekend (the big 30!), I attempted a shortbread type cookie smothered in jam and then topped by another shortbread cookie. I cut them out into ‘J’ shapes as that is his first initial. Those were devoured too quickly to be photographed.

But, I had some fun playing around with the leftover dough and some other cookie cutters.

They proved the perfect vehicle for this find I snagged at Williams-Sonoma.

Now, I really want to visit Blackberry Farm more than ever. Maybe their jam lady would teach me how to make this preserve perfection.

Butterscotch and Peanut Butter

That’s Butter two times! That can only be good.

If you’ve never had a Haystack or “Noodle Cluster” as some might call it, you need to try it and try it now. It’s laughably simple and shut-you-up tasty. It’s creamy peanut butter and butterscotch chips melted together then stirred to coat chow mein noodles (uncooked, of course. Don’t knock it til you try it.) and I add marshmallows. Some use peanuts, but I feel that the noodles are crunchy enough.

Don’t You Want Me, Baby

Awhile back, I needed some comforting. I think I’ve written here before about how consoling certain foods can be. As I type this, I realize that it may start to sound like I comfort myself with food at times in the extreme, but I try to keep an eye on it. A healthy moderation is what is desired of course, though no one can begrudge you the occasional binge. I am aware of my raving sweet tooth and carbohydrate intake.

But, cookies, with chopped up bittersweet chocolate in them, with a chewy interior, with a satisfying heft in the palm of your hand should never be vilified.
Why does milk go so well with cookies, too, I’ve often wondered. Even the words sound delightful, probably for the mental images they conjure. “Milk and Cookies,” “Cookies and Milk,” “A Plate of Cookies and a Glass of Milk”…no matter how you say it, it works.

Lately, I’ve been looking for things that are more than just sweet or sugary to scratch my itch with. These cookies (mostly adapted from this recipe) handle that request so well that I’ve made them a few times. The wheat flour surprised me at first, but it is so at home in the final result. I’m also liking just brown sugar in my cookies, instead of white sugar or a combination of both. These cookies taste rich and almost nutty at times. I guess they would have what food writers often call depth, or layers of flavor. I also tried leaving some of the dough in the fridge for a little while and then baking them. Both types of dough baked a marvelous cookie. Oh, and if memory serves (because these pictures were taken awhile ago and then had to get developed and then remembered and scanned), I also used too many eggs so they turned out pretty cakey. Which, is not the worst thing you could call a cookie.