Spreading the Love

Let's just say, hypothetically, that we received a basket full of goodies at the office because it was our hundredth anniversary there (or something like that).   And let's just say, again hypothetically, that the basket included such yumminess as fresh fruits and bagels and various flavors of tea.  Also included in the basket was a jar of Biscoff European Cookie Spread. 

Let me just tell you, if you have never had a Biscoff cookie, you're missing out (assuming of course that you like cookies, and your like for cookies includes the likes of ginger snaps, snickerdoodles and cinnamon crisps).  I cannot describe the taste and texture of a Biscoff cookie perfectly because my palette is simply not trained for that kind of labor intensive work.  But imagine if you will a shortbread type cookie, one that is crispy and crunchy when you bite into it, but then it sorta, crumbles and melts in your mouth as it sits on your tongue.  The taste is a medley of cinnamon, ginger, spicy, warm goodness. There is almost a buttery caramel thing going on.  Like I said, I cannot describe it. I can only attest to its deliciousness.  I first had Biscoff cookies on a flight from Arizona to Utah. Then I found them at my local Fry's store (Kroger/Smiths).

So imagine if you will, the anticipation going on in my mouth when I saw that jar of Biscoff cookie spread.  And the very first thought was I have got to take this home! 

So after everyone left (and by everyone I mean my receptionist), I straightened out the break room, put away the other food stuffs, cleaned the coffee pot and promptly put that jar in my purse.  And last night I introduced it to the dramas.  What happened next is one of those what happens during the throws of edible ecstasy stays in the kitchen things.

Suffice it to say, Biscoff spread is better in our collective opinions than apple-butter, peanut butter and I believe that it just trumped Nutella in my house.  We had it on toast; on apples; on celery, on a nilla wafer and one of the dramas ate it right off a spoon. 

It is made of something like 53% crumbled cookies so the taste is nearly identical to a cookie, only it is in a creamy spread.  The only real down side was that after sampling all the various ways to eat it, I did have a slightly greasy feeling in my mouth.  By way of full disclosure, I don't get that feeling from peanut butter, but I do get it from apple-butter and Nutella.  So other than that one draw back, and the fact that I may not fit into my skinny jeans for another month, I think it is official:

We're in food love. 

*this is not a paid post.  I just really do love Biscoff cookies and now, the cookie spread.

** Originally published on August 26, 2013. 

Oreo Sour Patch Kids

Oreo has a new cookie flavor: Sour Patch Kids.  These are the same shape and size as regular Oreo cookies.  That my friend is where similarities end.  

Everyone knows the rule to Oreos is to eat the filling first, then dunk the cookie in milk and eat that. At least until you're a grown up - then you dunk the cookie and eat the whole thing together, as nature intended. 

The Sour Patch Kids filling smells very much like the powder in the bottom of fruity cereal like fruity pebbles or froot loops. There are little colored flecks or granules in the cream.  The cream itself doesn’t taste like anything - it's basically lard with a hint of sugar.  Oreo missed an opportunity there.  Texture wise, the cream is gritty due to the little colored fleck/granule things.  I thought they'd be like the sour granules on the outside of Sour Patch kids. Ya know, the stuff that makes the candy sour - and they'd burst onto my tongue with the fruity/sour flavors.  I was wrong.  There is no burst of flavor or sour. It’s more like a little tiny flavorless zing on your tongue as you wait for that sour that never arrives.

As for the cookie I expected something. 

Maybe a sour/citrus flavor? Or maybe a lemon or lime that might counter what should have been the strong sour coming from the filling.  I couldn't  have been more wrong.  Imagine a graham cracker that’s been dunked in pink lemonade and left out to dry.  There is just a hint of maybe pink lemonade taste. Barely a whiff.  It’s like eating a graham cracker and somebody across the street screamed PINK LEMONADE! Even that is being generous. 

Notably, given the lack of actual flavor - these cookies leave a weird aftertaste that I cannot describe.  Milk didn't help. I even tried Pink Lemonade as a chaser to see if that would be a flavor enhancer. It was not. I yelled SOUR PATCH right before I ate the second cookie. That didn't help either.  These taste like the Wish version of sour. They're not sour-ish, or sour lite. I wouldn't even describe them as diet sour.  They're sour deficient.

Overall, I think this is a fail for Oreo.  And that makes me sad, because I had hoped for an enjoyable cookie experience.

7 Layer cookies

1 cup butter ( melted)
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup shredded coconut
1 cup chocolater chips (semi sweet)
1 cup butterscotch chips
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts
1 14oz. can Eagle Brand Condensed Sweetened milk
 

Melt butter and pour in the bottom of an 8x11" pan.  Evenly add the graham cracker crumbs, but leave some room on the sides. Sprinkle with coconut, then the chocolate chips, then the butterscotch chips, then walnuts.

Finally, drizzle the condensed milk ( if you poke a couple of holes in the top of the can with a can opener it makes it easier to drizzle. Once the top is evenly coated, bake for 30 minutes at 350°

Recipe courtesy of Susie

Easy Christmas Sugar Cookies

This is the easiest sugar cookie you'll ever make. I promise.

1 pkg Pillsbury Sugar cookie dough
1 tub Vanilla Frosting
10 candy canes

Freeze the cookie dough.

Once frozen, open and cut the dough in half long way. Now, slice those pieces into half moon shape and bake according to directions.

When the cookies are done, set them aside to cool.

Open the candy canes and place into a freezer bag. Give your children a rubber mallet or rolling pin. Fold the freezer bag into a dish towel and let the kids pound the candy canes into small pieces (You'll have some dust but that is okay).

Next, frost the cookies and while they are still wet (i.e. the frosting hasn't dried yet), sprinkle on the candy canes and powder.

These will be the best, easiest cookies you'll ever make.

Thank me later.