Coooookie MONSTER'S Cooookies!

One of the best parts of my "Nanna Days" with Samuel is getting to watch Sesame Street with all its great muppet characters, each special in their own way. One of our favorites is the segment where Prarie Dawn introduces the "letter of the day" while having a plate of HUGE, MONSTER-SIZED cookies on hand to appease Cookie Monster (so he won't eat the letter of the day before she introduces it). Cookie Monster always manages to eat not only Prarie's plate of HUGE yummy cookies, but he also eats the "letter" before he's finished. I love this part, because it always makes Samuel giggle (with a special twinkle in his eyes that Nanna can't resist).

Today, we're celebrating our favorite muppet by making Cookie Monster's Cookies. Although Cookie Monster won't actually observe his birthday until November 2 (which is also Ken's and my wedding anniversary :-), I wanted to honor him today with a new cookie recipe, named especially for him (by me). So, "Happy EARLY Birthday, Cookie Monster! If you were here, I'd let you be the first to sample this special cookie, named just for YOU!"

I also want to introduce to you one of my boys' (James, Jacob, and Samuel) favorite no-bake cookies, since it's really HOT outside right now, and it's a perfect time to make these nutritious and delicious treats. (I've made no less than four batches of these over the past week. Someone likes them!)

Let's begin with the Cookie Monster's Cookies.

(I apologize for not having step-by-step photos, but I did take pictures of the final product so you can see how yummy these are.) If you have questions, you can always email or message me. I'd be happy to help.

So, here's what you need (Go gather your ingredients and get started! AND don't forget to print or save the recipe to your files.):
COOKIE MONSTER'S COOKIES

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar (light might work best... I used dark, but next time I'll use light.)
1/2 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Blend in the sifted ingredients until the flour is just taken up. Do not overbeat. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to stir in the chocolate chips. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets or use an ice cream scoop to portion out uniform amounts. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart. These will spread out as they bake, so leave them in ball shapes when you place the dough on the cookie sheets to bake.

Bake for 17 to 19 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. (If you choose to make smaller---not monster-sized---cookies, be sure to reduce your cooking time. For an average-sized cookie, I'd bake about 12 to 14 minutes, but watch your first batch so they don't burn!)  Cool on baking sheets for five minutes before transferring to wire racks or lined cabinet top to cool completely.

When Cookie Monster eats something, he makes a very distinct, loud munching "noise", often interpreted as "OMM-nom-nom-nom-nom!" These big, fat, chewy, gourmet cookies are guaranteed to make you say, "OMM-nom-nom-nom-nom!" or maybe just "YUMMMMM!"

EnJOY!

Our next recipe is for a smaller, but equally chewy/gooey and delicious, cookie. These are named after my own favorite resident cookie monsters: James, Jacob, and Samuel Rains! I first started making these when James (now almost 36-years-old) was a little boy. I've had the recipe published in two different cookbooks where I titled them "James' Peanut Butter Crunchies" (see page 150 in "A Pinch of This... A Smidgen of That" Cookbook). I should probably revise the title since I now have two more "monsters" who enJOY them.

One of my favorite things about this cookie is that I usually have all the ingredients on hand and don't have to make a trip to the store. Another favorite thing is that I can make them in the heat of the summer without ever firing up the oven (This is also one of Ken's favorite parts of this cookie! It may be why we've consumed four batches of them over the past week or so---of course, we gave some of them away, as well. It's always nice when a recipe makes more than you need, so you can share with friends and family.) Another plus for this cookie is that it's nutritious---who can improve upon ingredients like peanut butter and corn flakes?---so you don't have to feel guilty when the little ones ask for mid-morning or mid-afternoon snacks. They're a nice "pick-me-up" to go along with your coffee breaks, too. Kids aren't the only ones who enJOY these.

So, let's get started making  "James' Peanut Butter Crunchies" ...

JAMES' PEANUT BUTTER CRUNCHIES

INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup White Karo Syrup
½ stick butter (cut in small slices to hasten melting)½ tsp. vanilla flavoring
2 Cups smooth (or crunchy, if you’re creative J) Peanut Butter
6 Cups Corn Flakes (use 5 for a softer cookie.) (I like Kellog's Sugar Frosted Flakes)
(OPTIONAL: If you’re REALLLLY CREATIVE, toss in some peanut butter swirled chocolate chips after you’ve added the peanut butter/syrup-sugar mixture to the corn flakes. Be sure it’s cooled just a bit or it will melt your chips.)
DIRECTIONS:
Measure corn flakes into a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Combine sugar and Karo syrup in a heavy sauce pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for approximately 2 minutes (no less) after it reaches a rolling boil (one where bubbles can’t be stirred down with your spoon/spatula). NOTE: I always set my timer for 2 minutes just as soon as I have a full boil that I can’t stir and make disappear. 

 Remove from heat and add butter pieces and vanilla. Stir well and add peanut butter until completely taken up into the mixture and no lumps remain. (Don’t stir too long or it will get too thick to pour.)

Pour mixture evenly over corn flakes and lightly mix with a spatula, then spoon or use a cookie scoop to transfer portions to foil or waxed paper lined cabinet. Cool completely. Store in covered container. Makes about 4 to 5 dozen, depending on how large you make the cookies.
I hope you enJOY making and eating these cookies with your resident "Cookie Monster(s)".

 

No-Bake Summer Dessert

It's HOT summertime, and we have a whole month of birthdays to celebrate. I wanted to do something special for those I love, but heating up the oven wasn't one of them. When the mercury rises, I think it's a good idea to cool down with an indulgent treat that you can make without the help of a hot oven.

OREO Dirt Cake is the perfect solution for summer birthdays. All ages enJOY it. It's quick and easy to prepare. You have several options for decorating it (some I'll include below in photos and URL address). It stores well for several days. And, so far, this month, I've already had two requests to make it. So, Dirt Cake, it is!

Our twin granddaughters, Madison and Emma, just celebrated their ninth birthdays this weekend, and their Pappaw will celebrate his birthday in a few days. The girls began requesting "Dirt Cake" several weeks ago, so we got together for a "Nanna Day" last week and made their cake. I expected Pappaw to request something more complicated for his birthday, but when asked, he thought about it a minute (or less) and also ordered "Dirt Cake." I'm not sure whether he made that request because "he reaaaalllly likes Dirt Cake" or because he "wants to save electricity by not heating up the house and running the air conditioner more than necessary." I won't ask, but I'm betting on the latter. :-)

I'll let the girls get you started by showing you our list of ingredients (and by the way, you can also locate this recipe on page 108 of my cookbook, "A Pinch of This ... A Smidgen of That"):

Here's what you'll need:

2 (20 oz.) pkgs. Oreo cookies
1/2 stick butter
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1-1 ½ c. powdered sugar
3 1/2 c. milk
2 sm. French vanilla instant pudding boxes
1 (12 oz.) Cool Whip

Meet Sous Chef Emma (left) and Sous Chef Madison (right). They are the BEST EVER helpers in the kitchen! Cooking is lots more fun when they are helping. (Emma, you're doing a great job holding that cookbook! :-)... Now, you two, get to work and cream the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together.

Beat it until it's nice and smooth, just like this:

It really helps when you have extra hands to do the beating...

... and beating!

Add pudding mixes together with the milk.

Use a whisk to blend the milk and pudding mix until thickened. 

Be sure to sample the Cool Whip, just to be sure it's safe to use! :-)

Then, use a spatula to gently fold the Cool Whip into the pudding mixture.

Then blend the pudding mixture in with the cream cheese mixture.

And, don't forget the most important part of this recipe.... LICK THE BEATERS!

Now, licking those beaters was pretty YUMMY, but the next step had to be the most fun part of this recipe: Crumble the Oreo's in a blender (or do as we did and place all of them in 2 ziplock bags securely fastened with all the air removed. (BE SURE YOU USE TWO BAGS, SO NO HOLES FORM AND CAUSE YOU TO LOSE YOUR CRUMBS!)

Beat the stuffin' out of them with a dough roller---or other violent object--or...

 ... step on them repeatedly, or ...

... or do a hat dance, (Emma and Madie called it a "dirt dance"), if you have to---in order to crumble the cookies. When finished, you may have to use a spatula to scrape the cream from the inside of the bag.

 Who says Dirt Cake isn't good for your heart?!! My goodness, it's not every day that you can get a cardio workout while having fun and making a great dessert!

NOW, for the next step, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO ALL THIS TROUBLE, BE MY GUEST: (This is what the "original" recipe said to do...) Line the inside of a clay flower pot with foil. Alternate layering cookie crumbs and filling, ending with the cookie crumbs on top. Top with gummi worms and a plastic flower as garnish.

PERSONALLY, I prefer to place a layer of crumbs in the bottom of a trifle bowl

and follow that with a layer of pudding mixture,

then a layer of crumbs, etc. repeating layers until you end the top with a sprinkling of leftover crumbs as garnish. Cover and refrigerate a few hours before serving. (Vanna White, watch out... these girls are pretty good! :-)

If you want, you can add gummi worms, strawberries, dollops of whipped cream, etc. as additional garnish. We just added 9 candles for the girls to blow out and make their wishes.

... and there she blows!!

(see examples below and this URL for more decorating ideas: http://www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/dirt-cake.html) Strawberries make a great topper for the last layer...

Or, if you're celebrating a "significant milestone" birthday, Pepperidge Farms' Milano Cookies make great headstones!

My hubby's birthday is only four days after the twins' birthday.
He loved his "Dirt Birthday Cake"...

 This was probably one of the most fun times I've had in the kitchen with the "grands." I look forward to many more birthday celebrations with them and lots more JOYful times in the kitchen.

Don't forget to save or print the recipe below for your files.

And remember ...

DIRT CAKE

(page 108 in "A Pinch of This... A Smidgen of That" Cookbook)

2 (20 oz.) pkgs. Oreo cookies
1/2 stick butter
1 (8 oz.) cream cheese
1-1 ½  c. powdered sugar
3 1/2 c. milk
2 sm. French vanilla instant pudding mixes
1 (12 oz.) Cool Whip

Cream the butter, cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Add pudding mixes together with the milk, and fold in the Cool Whip to pudding mixture. Then blend in with the cream cheese mixture.

Crumble the Oreo's in a blender (or place all of them in 2 ziplock bags securely fastened with all the air removed.  Step on them repeatedly---do a hat dance (we called it a "dirt dance"), if you have to---in order to crumble the cookies. When finished, you may have to use a spatula to scrape the cream from the inside of the bag.

NOW, IF YOU WANT TO GO TO ALL THIS TROUBLE, BE MY GUEST: Line the inside of a clay flower pot with foil. Alternate layering cookie crumbs and filling, ending with the cookie crumbs on top. Top with gummi worms and a plastic flower as garnish.

PERSONALLY, I prefer to place a layer of crumbs in the bottom of a trifle bowl and follow that with a layer of pudding mixture, then a layer of crumbs, etc. repeating layers until you end the top with a sprinkling of leftover crumbs as garnish. Cover and refrigerate a few hours before serving.

EnJOY!!!