One of my favorite past times is reading; specifically mysteries. This is nothing new, either. As a young girl, I devoured the Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden series interrupting myself from my reading stupor only long enough to eat, sleep and attend school. I was the kid during the gym class kick ball game, playing left field (you didn't actually think I'd play some other position did you?), and discussing Encyclopedia Brown's latest whodunit with another equally disinterested teammate as the ball rolled on past. Now, as an adult, I find myself seeking out mysteries of the same genre-average citizen from small town (with extremely high per capita murder rate) solves crimes in spare time with little blood, sex or foul language. When I find an author who fits my criteria, I dig in and read incessantly, until the series is complete. Then I while around, waiting for the sequel or seeking out a new author to read. In a blessed coincidence, the new author I'm reading not only writes my beloved "cozy" style mysteries, the main character runs a cookie shop AND the author includes her cookie recipes in the book! You can read more about author, Joanne Fluke, and her Hannah Swensen mysteries here. Below is one of her many scrumptious cookie recipes!
Short Stack Cookies
(these taste exactly like pancakes slathered in maple syrup and butter!)
(these taste exactly like pancakes slathered in maple syrup and butter!)
1 1/2 cups melted butter
2 cups sugar
2 large beaten eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup (spray inside of measuring cup with cooking spray to keep from syrup from sticking)
4 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour (not sifted)
1/2 cup white sugar for coating the dough balls
Melt the butter and mix in the sugar. Let it cool and add the beaten eggs. Add maple syrup, soda, salt and vanilla. Mix it all up. Then add the flour and mix thoroughly. Chill dough for at least one hour. (overnight is fine)
Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls with your hands. Roll the balls in white sugar and place them on greased cookie sheets. Flatten them with a spatula.
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for one minute, then remove. If they sit too long on the cookie sheets, they'll stick.
ENJOY!
2 cups sugar
2 large beaten eggs
1/2 cup maple syrup (spray inside of measuring cup with cooking spray to keep from syrup from sticking)
4 tsps baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour (not sifted)
1/2 cup white sugar for coating the dough balls
Melt the butter and mix in the sugar. Let it cool and add the beaten eggs. Add maple syrup, soda, salt and vanilla. Mix it all up. Then add the flour and mix thoroughly. Chill dough for at least one hour. (overnight is fine)
Roll the dough into walnut-sized balls with your hands. Roll the balls in white sugar and place them on greased cookie sheets. Flatten them with a spatula.
Bake at 350F for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on cookie sheets for one minute, then remove. If they sit too long on the cookie sheets, they'll stick.
ENJOY!
