Nonnarcotic Insomnia Cookies

Daily Candy NYC ran one of the funniest and most appealing newsletters today. I giggled with delight, largely because it was about cookies...warm cookies delivered to your door between 8pm and 2:30 am. Insomnia Cookies is popular on a handful of college campuses (obviously) but they've now opened it up to Manhattan with a bakery at W. 4th St. in the West Village. Ooooh, this magical city I live in! If I didn't live on Roosevelt Island, I would be ordering this very night. Perhaps I can order from a bar? Do you think Dublin will have cookie delivery? Perhaps served with hot toddies on the side? (Read all about my love of hot toddies here.)

Aside from s'mores, improvised on a gas stove due to lack of campfire here (they are still good!), I can't think of anything I would like more at midnight. But, Daily Candy is right, there is a serious risk of addiction.

Devote at least 30 minutes for delivery. Until you know how you’ll react to Insomnia Cookies, you should not drive or operate machinery. You might want to take them with alcohol, though milk is recommended and can be delivered. Most cookies include some risk of dependency.

Award-Winning Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thin Mints Rock!!!!

Let me tell you, there is nothing better than walking out of the grocery store and being welcomed by a couple of little ladies dressed in green, selling Girl Scout Cookies! It has been years since I have been approached and asked to buy the delicious $4-a-box cookies and I was in sheer joy to be a part of it again.



I know everyone has their own favorite box and I must say I had a pretty hard time deciding on Thin Mints or the Tagalongs, also known as Peanut Butter Patties. (I am seriously getting hungry right now just thinking of these.)

After about five minutes of debating in my head which box to buy I decided to go for the Thin Mints, almost everyone's choice, I assume. Of course, I also had to buy a box of the Samoas (also known as Caramel deLites) for my boyfriend since those are his favorite.

After eating about half the box and feeling extremely guilty I started pondering if it is possible to make the minty, melt in your mouth, crunchy, Thin Mint cookies myself. I looked on the Recipe4Living site and low and behold I found a recipe for them! So much for my eating healthy, but I can't turn these down and everyone deserves a treat now and then.

If you are like me and love Girl Scout cookies you should check out their site. You can even find a location near you that sells them. How exciting is that?

Here is the recipe I found for Chocolate-Mint Cookies!

Ingredients

1/4 C. shortening
1/2 C. sugar
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate, melted
1/4 C. light corn syrup
1 egg1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. mint extract
1 and 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. salt
1/3 C. peppermint candy, crushed

Directions

Combine shortening and 1/4 C. of the sugar and beat well. Add melted chocolate, corn syrup, egg, vanilla and mint extract and continue to beat. Slowly add flour and salt and stir until smooth. Stir in candy. Shape into 1/2-inch balls and roll in the other 1/4-C. of sugar. Cook for 12 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cookie Monster's Little Helper

I have a confession to make. Most of my adult life I’ve been addicted to fatty and salty foods. Cakes, cookies and candy were not on my radar. But something happened after I started having children. I started to crave chocolate on a daily basis. Of course, recent research has found that chocolate in small quantities is actually good for your heart and helps lift your mood.

Health benefits aside though, I really love a good cookie, especially the kind that comes straight from my oven and contains chocolate chips. And being somewhat of a control freak, I’ve spent years and tons of time trying to get every cookie the perfect shape.

Then one day, a miracle happened. I was given the Crate & Barrel Cookie Dough Scoop. This modern metal marvel is basically a smaller version of the good old fashioned ice cream scoop. But instead of the average ½ cup measurement of the ice cream scoop, this little baby makes perfect cookies in ½ to 1 tablespoon sizes. Now all my cookies are perfectly shaped and baked to perfection. What more could a Cookie Monster want, except some really great cookie recipes? Not all of them require a cookie scoop, but all of them are delicious.