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!


Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Cookie Recipe #137 - S'More Cookie Bars


Imagine sitting by a roasty campfire on a cool night with a marshmallow turning brown on the end of a stick with 2 crisp graham crackers, one of them supporting a square of chocolate, just awaiting the crowning of the marshmallow to form a sandwich that can't be beat. This recipe is like that, except no campfire is needed.

Ingredients: 1/2 cup (1 stick)butter, softened, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 4 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 ounces each), 1 cup marshmallow creme.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan. In large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well.

Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended.

Press half of dough into prepared pan (dough is sticky, so I floured my fingers and pressed the dough evenly in the pan). Arrange chocolate bars over dough (chocolate chips could replace the candy bars, if desired), breaking as needed to fit. Spread with marshmallow creme (again, a sticky situation-dip fingers in butter or spray with cooking spray before using them to spread the marshmallow). Scatter the remaining batter over marshmallow; carefully press to form a layer.

Bake 30-35 minutes in preheated 350 degree oven or until lightly browned. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into bars or squares.

Makes 16-24, depending on the cut.

"Hershey's Chocolate Lover's Cookbook", Brimar Publishing Inc., Montreal, Canada, 1993.

Cookies Rule!!!

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