Week 6, Nov. 9

I have always found it somewhat entertaining to look through cookbooks, especially when I'm visiting friends or family. Never having time to go to bookstores and peruse the selection, it's nice to have a moment to sit down and read some of the more quality ones out there, versions that people have picked up as gifts or purchased in their quest to become better bakers or home chefs. My sister has some fabulous baking books, from which she has created some wonderful treats for us when we've had the opportunity to stay a few days. On our last trip north, however, she was tied up with work and was unable to spend the time making desserts.

One evening of our visit we were informed that our cousins would be dropping by sometime later. Because my sister was working and my family was camped out in her new house, I thought it would be nice to have something sweet to offer our guests. As my husband tidied up the living room, I pulled down a cookie book I hadn't seen before and found a recipe for a soft chocolate sandwich variety with a peanut butter filling that looked easy enough. They were fabulous, disappearing quickly (I actually had to kind of hide them until our guests arrived), and I jotted down the recipe to share with CSB members.

By using dark, natural cocoa powder in the cookie and different filling flavors, I came up with a few tasty variations on the originals. I also made up a batch of seasonally delightful pumpkin cookies, filling them with a ginger buttercream. These cookies are best served at room temperature (no need to refrigerate them). If you'd like to freeze some to enjoy later on, wrap each one in plastic wrap and store the wrapped cookies in a zip-top baggie in the freezer. Toss them in a lunchbox in the morning and they'll be defrosted and ready to eat by lunchtime!

Flavor Combinations:

~Chocolate-Peanut Butter

~Chocolate-Mint

~Chocolate-Vanilla Bean

~Spiced Pumpkin-Ginger