Salted Oatmeal Cookies

What do you associate with oatmeal cookies? The sad, lonely plate that nobody buys at a bake sale? Something old ladies have with tea? A dry, bland cookie with raisins? Somebody's attempt at making a "healthy cookie?" If those things come to mind when someone mentions oatmeal cookies, get out your mixing bowl and cookie sheets, because this recipe will break the oatmeal cookie stereotype.

I found this recipe in Cook's Illustrated when I was trying to replicate a cranberry-oatmeal cookie from a bakery. I was pleased with the outcome, but they didn't really stand out. At least not until I decided to add kosher salt. With that addition, the resulting cookies are both sweet and salty . . . or in other words, awesome. I took a batch to a gathering at my friend Amanda's last year and although I can't prove it, I think she may have actually clapped when I said I was leaving the whole plate with her at the end of the evening. Now, instead of a cake, she gets oatmeal cookies for her birthday. Next year I'll have to make sure to bake her batch to be the thicker/chewier variety (see below) so we can put candles in them!

Salted Oatmeal Cookies
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. kosher salt or extra coarse sea salt
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened but still cool
1 cup (packed) brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat.
2. Whisk together flour, baking powder, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3. With an electric mixer, beat butter on medium speed until creamy. Add sugars and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time.
4. With a wooden spoon, stir dry ingredients into butter/sugar/egg mix. Stir in oats.
5. For thinner, crispier cookies, bake at 350 degrees for 22 to 25 minutes. For thicker, chewier cookies, refrigerate dough at least one hour and bake at 325 degrees for 20 to 23 minutes. For either baking method, use 2 tbsp. dough per cookie and space 2 inches apart when baking. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet a few moments, then transfer to wire racks to cool. (The thinner/crispier cookies are shown above)

Variations:
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (omit nutmeg) - mix in with oats
- 2 tbsp. orange zest and 1 cup dried cranberries and/or  1 cup toasted chopped almonds (omit nutmeg) - mix in with oats
                                              - Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Triple Chocolate Cookies

I took a little break from blogging - but I'm back now with a really good recipe to share. These triple chocolate cookies are kind of a cross between a cookie, a brownie, and fudge. They are sure to satisfy any chocolate craving, no matter how intense!
Triple Chocolate Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
16 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 tablespoons butter, softened to room temperature
1 ½ cups packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 ½ cups chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate, you could also use milk, semi-sweet or white)

Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
Melt the chocolate in the microwave or in a small saucepan. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla lightly with a fork; set aside.

Beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Beat in the sugars
until combined, about 45 seconds; the mixture will look granular. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate in a steady stream and beat until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Add the chocolate chips. Do not overbeat. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the consistency is fudge-like, about 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 sheets with parchment paper or silpat liner. Roll the dough into 1 ½ inch balls and place them on the cookie sheets, spacing them about 1 ½ inches apart.

Bake until the edges of the cookies have just begun to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10-12 minutes, rotating the baking sheets from top to bottom halfway through the baking time. Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes or until set and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Continue process with remaining dough, or refrigerate for up to 3 days before baking remainder of cookies.
- adapted from The New Best Recipe (Cook's Illustrated)

And . . . way to go Mizzou Tigers!

Lemon Buttermilk Cookies

It was cold outside . . .
I've had buttermilk and lemons in my refrigerator for quite a while . . .
& I thought my co-workers could use a little afternoon treat . . .
which is how I ended up with a batch of lemon buttermilk cookies.

I adapted this recipe from Molly, who adapted it from Gourmet magazine. Strange substitutions (such as mine) or not, these cookies are very light and tender. I added quite a bit more lemon to my version than Molly's or Gourmet's version suggests . . . I imagine the original recipe results in a very mild tasting cookie. Molly suggested serving them with lemonade, but I think they would also be nice with a cup of hot tea, especially during the sub-zero winter days here in the midwest.

Lemon Buttermilk Cookies
1 ½ cups plus 2 tbsp. white spelt flour (or 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour)
grated zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp. salt
5 tbsp. ghee (or unsalted butter), at room temperature
¾ cup sugar (or substitute of your choice)
1 large egg
1 tsp. limoncello (lemon flavored liquor)
1/3 cup buttermilk

Lemon Glaze
¾ cup confectioners sugar, sifted
1 ½ Tbsp. well-shaken buttermilk
¼ tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. limoncello
1 tsp. grated lemon zest

1. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, zest, baking soda, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl, if you’re using a handheld mixer), beat the ghee (or butter) briefly, until creamy. Add the sugar, and beat until pale and fluffy. Add the egg, and beat well to mix. Add the limoncello, and beat briefly again. Mix in the flour mixture and the buttermilk in batches at low speed, beginning and ending with the flour, until just combined.
4. Drop the dough (with a small scoop) onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 ½ inches between each cookie. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, until the cookies are puffed and their edges are golden, about 10 to 12 minutes per batch. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 1 minute; then transfer them to a wire rack.
5. For the glaze, whisk together the sifted confectioners sugar, buttermilk, limoncello, vanilla and lemon zest. The mixture should be very smooth, with no lumps of sugar visible. Brush or spoon the glaze onto the warm cookies. Allow cookies to sit on the rack until they are fully cooled and the glaze is set.
   

My Halloween Tradition

What we lacked in trick-or-treaters, we made up for in chocolate cookies! Last fall I found an awesome chocolate cookie recipe on Orangette (the recipe is originally from Alice Medrich) and made them on Halloween. They are so tasty and so easy - and not as bad for you as lots of chocolate cookies . . . so they have officially become my Halloween tradition. I also made a variation of this recipe with pumpkin. The variation recipe can be found here; I followed it exactly up to the point where I rolled the balls of dough in powdered sugar prior to baking.

Ken liked the pumpkin-chocolate cookies but I wasn't as crazy about them . . . I guess I am a purist when it comes to chocolate (I can't stand the thought of chocolate + raspberry or chocolate + orange . . . but pumpkin + chocolate doesn't seem quite as bad . . .). In celebration of Halloween and pure chocolate, here is the recipe:

Chewy Cocoa Cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. (½ stick) unsalted butter
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light brown sugar
7 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup plain yogurt (sour cream may be substituted)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
½ cup chocolate chips (or other mix-in)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Place the butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl, and microwave briefly, until just melted. Add the sugars, and sift in the cocoa. Stir to blend well. The mixture will be somewhat thick and pasty, like wet sand. Add the yogurt and vanilla and stir to mix thoroughly. Add the dry flour mixture, and stir to just combine. Add the chocolate chips and stir to incorporate.

Drop the dough by generous tablespoons onto the prepared baking sheet. You should be able to fit about 8 or 9 cookies, nicely spaced, on a standard sheet pan. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the tops of the cookies have crackled slightly and look set. Transfer the sheet pan to a wire rack, and cool the cookies on the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer them to the rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. - from Orangette, originally from Alice Medrich

Shortbread Sugar Cookies

My contribution to the Friday Night Football tailgate this week was shortbread sugar cookies. The recipe comes from The Pastry Queen cookbook by Rebecca Rather. In the cookbook, the recipe is actually Pretty-in-Pink Shortbread Pigs, and the cookies are cutout pigs with pink icing. I turned the dough into squares decorated with orange and white instead (to save time and because orange is the color of the Palmyra Panthers).

The first thing I need to tell you about this recipe is that it is EASY. Much easier than any other sugar cookies I have made before. The hardest part is remembering to leave the butter out long enough to reach room temperature. The results were much better as well; the cookies are tender, sweet, and buttery. I'm contemplating the addition of a pinch of salt next time I make this recipe, but otherwise I wouldn't change a thing.

Shortbread Sugar Cookies
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

Powdered Sugar Icing
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
food coloring

1. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats, or grease generously with butter or cooking spray. Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. In a separate bowl, stir together flour and baking powder. Add the flour mixture slowly to the butter mixture, beating on low speed. Stop beating as soon as the flour is incorporated (overbeating will make cookies tough).
2. Form the dough into a ball, cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes (I was in a hurry and only refrigerated for 15-20 minutes and it was fine) before rolling it out. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. On a flat, smooth, floured surface, roll chilled dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut the cookies with desired cookie cutter (or cut them into squares/rectangles - I used a pizza wheel for this). Use a spatula to transfer to prepared baking sheets, placing 1/2 inch apart. Combine dough scraps and reroll to cut more cookies (reroll only once, otherwise cookies will be tough due to overhandling). Any subsequent scraps can be formed into a log, wrapped with plastic wrap, and frozen . . . cut 1/4 inch thick slices off the log to make round cookies.
4. Bake cookies 10-12 minutes, or until light brown around the edges. Cool cookies 10 minutes on the baking sheet; remove with a spatula and transfer to cooling racks.
5. When cookies have cooled, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and food coloring to make icing. Either dip cookies in icing or spoon icing onto cookies and smooth with back of spoon.

Note (1): Cookies can be stored (when icing is completely dry) in an airtight container for up to a week or tightly wrapped in the freezer for 1 month. Prior to baking, prepared dough can be kept in ghe refrigerator 1 week or freezer 1 month.
Note(2): If you are going to bake all the cookies at once, I recommend doubling the icing recipe.
- Recipe from the Pastry Queen/Rebecca Rather

Lemon Ricotta Cookies

Finally . . . a Giada recipe worth making!

In a recent post, I shared how my recent attempts at recipes by Giada DeLaurentiis, the host of Food Network's Everyday Italian, didn't turn out as well as I would have liked. Despite having a small list of fabulous ingredients, the crostini wasn't very good at all. The chocolate chip marscapone cupcakes were good . . . but not fantastic, as I imagined they would be. So, I set out to find a Giada recipe worth the effort of making. I chose lemon ricotta cookies because they had a good rating on the food network's website, and because I had all the ingredients - including a container of ricotta cheese on the verge of expiring.

The result? Soft, fluffy cookies with a great lemon flavor, sweet, but a little tart. If you're not a fan or soft cookies - or lemon - skip this one . . . but otherwise, it's a great way to use lemons and ricotta cheese! For me, it's a keeper.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze
Recipe courtesy of Giada DeLaurentiis, from the Food Network

Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice1 lemon, zested

Glaze:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Cookies:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In the large bowl combine the butter and the sugar. Using an electric mixer beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 2 tablespoons for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

Glaze:
Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Spoon about 1/2-teaspoon onto each cookie and use the back of the spoon to gently spread. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours.

Peanut Butter Crisscrosses

As if . . . I needed another cookbook. Between the approximately 75 cookbooks I own and the infinite possibilities online, I should be able to find just about any recipe I ever need - without owning another cookbook. However, I found a copy of Dorie Greenspan's Baking From My Home to Yours for under $10 recently, and I could not resist. It had been on my wishlist for a while. I even bought a copy for a good friend for her wedding shower. For many months, I did a good job resisting the temptation of buying a copy for myself . . . but that was until I found it at an amazing price. It was almost as if it was meant for me to buy it.

Baking From My Home to Yours has tons of recipes that look and sound wonderful, from simple breakfast sweets to fancy celebration cakes. For some reason, the first recipe I chose was peanut butter cookies. Not because I needed a new peanut butter cookie recipe, but because I had all the ingredients and I knew they wouldn't take too long to make.

The cookies were easy to make - and even easier to eat (I recommend sharing them so you don't eat the whole batch yourself). They had a perfect texture, not too dense nor too light, neither too crispy nor too chewy. The peanut butter flavor was light, so don't expect a super peanut-buttery cookie from this recipe. The pinch of nutmeg and salted peanuts make these cookies a bit more grown up than your standard peanut butter cookies - but you could always leave those out if making the recipe for kids (or picky adults).













Peanut Butter Crisscrosses

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch of nutmeg
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup peanut butter (not the "natural" type)
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups chopped salted peanuts
About 1/2 cup sugar, for rolling

1. Preheat oven to 35o degrees. Line baking sheets with silpat or parchment paper.
   
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg; set aside.
3. Working with a stand mixture fitted with the paddle attachment (or hand mixer and a large bowl), beat the butter on medium speed until light and creamy, one to two minutes. Add peanut butter and beat for another minute. Add the sugars and beat 3 minutes more. Add eggs one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition. Scrape down sides and bottom of the bowl. On low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing only until they just disappear. Mix in the chopped peanuts.
   
4. Pour the 1/2 cup sugar into a small bowl. Working with a level tablespoonful of dough for each cookie, roll the dough between your palms into balls, then roll in sugar to coat. Place two inches apart on baking sheet. Dip the tines of a fork into sugar and press the tines against each ball of dough twice, making a crisscross pattern.
   
5. Bake 12 minutes, rotating sheets from top to bottom and front to back at midway point. When done, cookies will be lightly colored and still a little soft. Let cookies sit on baking sheet a few minutes before transferring to cooling racks. Repeat with remaining dough, making sure to cool the baking sheets between batches.
   

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

As promised, here is the recipe for the best chocolate chip cookies ever. This recipe is adapted from The New Best Recipe, from the editors of Cook's Illustrated. I made a batch to sell at our garage sale on Saturday. Despite the horrible weather, we didn't have any trouble selling the cookies. I was a bit surprised when one man bought a whole plate of cookies (we were selling these cookies plus snickerdoodles - 2 to a bag - for 50 cents) . . . but then again, which would you rather have - freshly baked chocolate chip cookies or someone else's old clothes?

If you'd rather have chocolate chip cookies, but didn't make it to "the best garage sale in town," here is the recipe so you can make your own:

Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 cups plus 2 tbsp. unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 sticks (12 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled until just warm
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 to 2 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. Mix together butter and sugars until well blended (I use an electric mixer). Beat in egg, yolk, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and beat at low speed (or stir) until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips to taste.
   
4. For oversize cookies, roll 1/4 cup dough into a ball.* Space 2 1/2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until cookies are light golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Rotate cookie sheets from front to back and top to bottom halfway through baking. Cool cookies on sheets. Do not overbake.

* At this point in the recipe, Cook's Illustrated instructs you to shape the cookies by tearing the ball of dough in half, rotating the torn surfaces up, and pressing the bottoms back together into a ball (leave the top surface jagged). I have made these cookies many times - and usually skip this shaping step. I also usually make this dough a day in advance and keep it in the refrigerator. Dough from the refrigerator will be very stiff and may need time to soften on the counter (or in the microwave if you're in a real pinch). To add further confusion, you can also bake these cookies at 35o degrees for a little less time - just be sure to keep an eye on them and don't let them overbake. No matter how you bake them, I'm sure you'll agree they're worthy of being called the "best" chocolate chip cookies!

Mom's Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies

Last week I shared with you my dad's double chocolate brownies, so this week I'm featuring a favorite recipe from my mom. Her Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies are definitely a comfort food for me. Unfortunately there are not pictures for this post right now (although I hope to share some soon - I have exciting picture-related news). However, even without an illustration, these are great cookies. Especially if you eat them the day they're baked (which usually isn't a problem!).

Mom's Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
3 cups oatmeal, uncooked
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup mini Hershey's kisses

1. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, beat together butter and sugars until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, beat well. Stir in flour mixture; mix well. Stir in oats and chocolate.
3. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Peanut Blossom Cookies

In my last poll, you voted for the next recipe feature at Kenzie's Kitchen to be Peanut Blossom cookies. I haven't made Peanut Blossoms for ages, but I had an old Better Homes & Gardens recipe that (luckily) had nutritional information, so I was looking forward to baking them. Feeling extra ambitious, I also decided to make a lighter version of the cookies. I substituted light butter for the Crisco, Splenda sugar blend for baking for the sugar, and used Simply Jif instead of Jif (no difference in calories or fat, but fewer grams of sugar and sodium).

I spent my evening baking, calculating nutritional facts, and gathering the opinions of taste testers. In the end, the original cookies were crispier and had more flavor, especially peanut butter flavor. The light version was more moist and lighter in flavor. I thought the originals were a little better, but not a lot. But that was before I calculated the nutritional facts for the light version. After all that work, the lighter cookies (per piece) had 12 less calories and one less gram of fat. The points value did not change - 2 points per cookie for either recipe. The conclusion? Stick with the original recipe (and if you're counting points, I think you can find a more substantial treat for your two points - the angel cups in the "I can't wait to make these" post, or an individual serving of Weight Watchers ice cream, for example). Live and learn . . .

Original Peanut Blossoms
1/2 c. Crisco
1/2 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar, firmly packed
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. granulated sugar
Hershey's Kisses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat Crisco and peanut butter together on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add 1/2 cup granulated sugar, the brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda; beat until combined. Beat in egg, milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour, mixing in by hand.
2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (approx. 1/2 tbsp.). Roll each ball of dough in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until edges are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Immediately press one Hershey's Kiss into the center of each cookie. Transfer to wire racks to let cool. Makes 54 (small) cookies.
Per cookie: 94 calories; 5 g fat; 0 g fiber; 2 points.




Light cookie on the left; regular cookie on the right.




Lighter Peanut Blossoms
1/2 c. light butter, softened but not melted
1/2 c. less-sugar peanut butter (I used Simply Jif)
1/4 c. Splenda sugar blend for baking
1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1 egg
1 tbsp. low-fat sour cream
2 tbsp. skim milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 c. Splenda sugar blend for baking
Hershey's Kisses

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter and peanut butter together on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add 1/4 Splenda sugar blend, the brown sugar, baking powder and baking soda; beat until combined. Beat in egg, sour cream, milk and vanilla. Gradually add flour, mixing in by hand.
2. Shape dough into 1-inch balls (approx. 1/2 tbsp.). Roll each ball of dough in Splenda sugar blend. Place 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet (use parchment paper or a Silpat if available). Bake 10 minutes, or until edges are set and bottoms are lightly browned. Immediately press one Hershey's Kiss into the center of each cookie. Transfer to wire racks to let cool. Makes 54 cookies.
Per cookie: 81.7 calories; 4 g fat; 0 g fiber; 2 points.

Trick or Treat

Happy Halloween! For me, this holiday has a routine all its own. I clean the house, decorate with orange and black, strategically place pumpkins around the house, move the "Sit a Spell" chair to the front porch, put the treats in a bowl, and turn on all the lights so people know we welcome trick or treaters. And I wait. And wait. And wait. Until I finally realize that we're probably not going to have trick or treaters. Fast forward one year and repeat. However, this year I did have a break in the routine. One little lion came to visit right before the sun went down. Piper, in her "tricks for treats" shirt, was quite excited to see the little lion and gave him a big lick (which resulted in her being sent back into the house, even though she was being very nice about it) to go with the goldfish crackers.

Fully knowing the Halloween routine, I made some special treats so I wouldn't be tempted to eat goldfish crackers and butterfingers all evening while I wait. Fortunately, there was a new post on Orangette this week for Chewy Cocoa Cookies, which Orangette's author, Molly, describes as "kind of low-fat." Perfect.

And perfect they are. The Orangette version look a little nicer than mine, so I decided some powdered sugar would help. I also made a few adaptations to the recipe (I used vanilla yogurt and kosher salt . . . this recipe isn't the best candidate for kosher salt, unless you really like salt).

Yesterday, I got a little pre-Halloween treat from Ken's Aunt Marie. She gave me three plates that belonged to Ken's grandma . . . just in time to use them to show off my cookies. And my mom made me a little care package, which included the ghost towels in the picture. When you are blessed with great family and you have a plate full of perfect chocolate cookies, who needs trick or treaters anyway?