We are introduced, at an early age, to the sweet wondernous of a cookie. From teething cookies to soothe the swollen aching gums of incoming incisors, onto animal crackers purchased in rectangular-shaped boxes bearing a string handle for easy toting by little fingers. Deciding which part of the animal should be eaten first-the trunk of the elephant or the tail of a lion-depended on how hungry one was. Savor each and every one or simply gobble them down as fast as possible.

My next cookie memory would be the ever famous, possibly all-time favorite, the chocolate chip cookie. There is nothing better than to bite into a round circle of baked dough sprinkled with gooey melt-in-your-mouth chocolate. A chocolate chip cookie can dry tears, heal broken hearts, mend scraped knees and elbows and solve sibling arguments. Most of the problems in the world could likely be solved by a properly baked, right out of the oven, chocolate chip cookie. The power of a cookie is underestimated.

I will attempt in the next 365 days to prepare and comment on a year’s worth of different cookies-one for each day. My goal is to share with others my extreme love of cookies-baking them and especially eating them! Feel free to send me your favorite recipe, your earliest cookie memories, or how cookies may have influenced your life. Cookies Rule!


Friday, February 12, 2010

Cookie Recipe #41 - Peanut Blossoms

Today begins 3 days of cookie recipes celebrating Valentine's Day! Try one or all 3 for your sweeheart. Instead of chocolates, bake cookies, wrap both the bottom and top of a cardboard box in red (or other color) tissue paper, then place cookies inside, replace the lid, top with a homemade card expressing your love and enjoy the kisses and hugs you'll receive. (You can also recycle an old valentine candy box).

This cookie is a sugar-sprinkled peanut butter base surrounding a Kiss of chocolate.

Ingredients: 9 oz. bad of Hershey's Kisses (I used the dark chocolate ones, of course), 1 cup shortening, 1 1/2 cups peanut butter (creamy or crunchy), 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2/3 cup brown sugar, 2 eggs, 4 tablespoons milk or cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla, 3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, raw or granulated sugar for rolling in.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Remove wrappers from Kisses and set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat shortening and peanut butter until well blended; add sugars and beat until light and fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together in small bowl, flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to peanut butter mixture and mix until thoroughly combined.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll in bowl containing sugar (I used raw sugar). Place on ungreased baking sheets 2 inches apart. Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 10 minutes; remove from oven to heat-proof surface; immediately place a kiss in center of each cookie, pressing lightly to make cookie spread a little. Allow to cool a minute or two before transferring to cooling racks.

If you have any unwrapped Kisses left over, you must eat them immediately...gives you energy needed for the clean-up...

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Cookies Rule!!!

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