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!


Thursday, July 8, 2010

Cookie Recipe #187 - No-Bake Orange Balls


For those of you on the East coast experiencing the heat wave here's a recipe that doesn't require any major heat (you may perspire a little while stirring). If you have any cookies leftover from the previous sugar cookie recipe, now's the time to use them up.

Ingredients: 2 cups finely crushed, crisp unfrosted sugar cookies, 1 cup toasted hazelnuts or almonds, finely chopped, 1 cup sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 cup light corn syrup, 2 tablespoons orange juice (fresh from an orange is better), 2 tablespoons butter, melted.

Instructions: In a small pan, toast nuts in small amount of olive oil until browned; allow to cool, then chop finely; set aside. Melt butter in microwave; set aside. In a large bowl stir together cookie crumbs, nuts, powdered sugar, corn syrup, orange juice and butter until well combined.

Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Roll balls in a small bowl containing more powdered sugar until completely covered. Place balls on a cookie sheet; cover. Let stand for 2 hours. Before serving, roll balls again in powdered sugar.

Makes about 40 orange balls.

"Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Cookies", Meredith Corporation, Des Moines, IA, 2003.

Cookies Rule!!!

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