Homespun Oreos

This recipe was making the rounds a couple of months back.

She had a version, as did she and I knew I would have to give them a whirl. The result?

Decent.

I guess they were pretty "oreo-esque" with their hard wafers and semi-sweet filling. But I think they would be even better with a semi-soft cookie. From what I hear, that would be more of a "Whoopie Pie" than an Oreo, but I digress.
We ended up eating some of these ourselves, and brought some to a get-together with our friends. I think the reviews were generally good, but you know, an oreo is an oreo. It's hard to improve on a something that great.

I would maybe consider trying out a softer cookie, as well as adding a little peppermint flavoring next time. It WAS however, a great reason to whip out my new favorite mixer and break in that baby.

Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies

For the chocolate wafers:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 to 1 1/2 cups sugar [depending on how sweet you like your cookies]
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

For the filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375°F.
2. In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.
3. Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet approximately two inches apart. With moistened hands, slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool.
4. To make the cream, place butter and shortening in a mixing bowl, and at low speed, gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Turn the mixer on high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until filling is light and fluffy.
5. To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip, pipe teaspoon-size blobs of cream into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie, equal in size to the first, on top of the cream. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream. Dunk generously in a large glass of milk.

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Spring Ponderings

Ok, this post is sure to be one of randomness.

There is a bunch going on in my crazy brain that I will generously share with you. (You're welcome)

Lately, I have been on an adoption mission once again. We filled out an "information form" for an agency in Texas to pursue a domestic (from the US) adoption of an African American or Biracial child. The info form is like a pre-application application. We received a response 3 weeks later. The 1st part said that they were unable to accept us as a family for this program. My first response was "ok, God's ordaining this process step by step" my second response was "Why the heck not?! What's wrong with us?" I basically found out that they were not willing to take us on for fear of not having a birthmom choose us. We are an all white family, with 2 young kids already. From their experience, they believe it would be hard to match us. A hard truth I suppose you could say. Alright, I appreciate that they are trying to save us some pain and heartache over a possibly never-ending process.

The 2nd part of the reply from this agency invited us to pursue any of their international programs. I immediately went to look at them and went straight back to Africa. Funny, I have learned SO MUCH about adoption since I started looking in July, and I'm right back to where we started, and with much peace.

Where are we now? We are at perfect peace with pursuing an adoption from... Dah dah dah!

RWANDA! There is incredible need there, and the more we learn, the more we fall in love with the thought of adding to our family through this process. Anyway, I will have MUCH more to say on the subject of adoption, so I;ll save it all for another day. However, we will be working on paperwork and the beginning stages of this adoption this summer and fall.

In other news, it has been a rainy, muddy mess for about a week now. The snow is melting like cotton candy, and good riddance! I can say that I am MORE than ready for spring and warm weather. The poor dog and kids have major cabin fever. Trips to McDonald's for the "playplace" aren't holding up very well. Remind me why again we are living in a place with a 6 month long winter???

Mia and I are going to a babyshower this weekend and are in charge of dessert and favors. We're making this cake , and sugar cookies that look like onesies, and these for favors. I'm excited to try out these new things and to party with my favorite ladies.

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