Talking Cookies

As a child we had a book called, "Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree". A number of months back my mother found a copy of the book and I was thrilled to bring it home to my children. They loved reading about how Cookie Monster plead with a talking cookie tree to let him have some of its cookies. Of course they laughed at the idea of a cookie tree - let alone a talking one.

As an adult I have discovered that while trees don't talk, cookies can certainly have their own voice. I'm sure you have heard it before in your own kitchen. You know, the voice that says, "I'm super yummy!" or "Eat me, I am delicious". I don't know about your cookies, but mine tend to talk to me a lot. After the cookies are baked and have barely had a chance to cool off the choir begins. The cookies all start singing to me and hoping that I will eat them, and of course I do :)

A few months back I tried out a new type of cookie. I will call them "Heavenly Jelly Squares" At first they appeared to have flopped (yups this happens sometimes), but then I tasted one and it was delightful. My brother Shmulie came to eat some, and then let me know that whatever I had done to the "flopped cookies" should be repeated again in the near future. 

This past Shabbat we had a full house on Friday night. My parents joined us for dinner as did 5 of my 6 brothers. I decided to make these cookies and some oatmeal cookies. Sure enough, the jelly squares were a hit.  Of course I made a whole bunch of cookies, and they have been talking to me ever since. I did a pretty decent job of declining the offer - but when I saw just one cookie left tonight, I decided to go for it!

Here's the recipe :)

Heavenly Jelly Squares

2/3 cup of sugar

3/4 cup of oil

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

preserves or jam of your choice (Levi and I like raspberry best, while my kids prefer strawberry - so I make both)

Mix the sugar, oil, egg, vanilla, flour and baking powder in a bowl. Mix well, until dough is crumbly. Spray a glass rectangular dish with Pam and press the cookie dough into the dish. (Don't put the dough on the sides as you would do with a pie crust.)

Use your thumb to make rows of indentations. Drop a half teaspoon of the jam or preserves of your choice into each thumbprint. Bake on 350 until lightly brown. Allow cookies to cool and set before cutting and removing to a serving platter.