As a child I spent many hours on the road between Southern California, Nevada and Utah. My sisters and I were always going to visit my Gran and Gramps or going camping or to the beach or going back and forth between my parents yadayadayada. I wasn’t a particularly good car traveler- my parents usually had to give me motion sickness medicine which completely zonked me out. When I was awake I remember listening to my parents’ favorite music on 8-track tapes (Wow, does that date me? 😉  ) and playing car games like Slug Bug (Beetle Bug Bop) or I Spy. I think I know every land mark through all three states on I-15.  Zzzyx road anyone?

But my favorite part of traveling was the road trip food. My mom would put together a bag of snacks to get us through- we would never be the kind of people who might break down in the desert and have to go hungry for days. Then when we would leave my Gran’s house she would include home made sandwiches for us – a whole loaf’s worth and wrap them up for the road. Home made cookies were always included in these parcels.

So when Rick recently left for a long business trip by car- I couldn’t let him leave without cookie supplies. I made three kinds- because as Mae West once said-“Too much of a good thing is- Wonderful!”

Peanut Butter Cookies

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup organic natural smooth peanut butter, oil mixed in well
• 3/4 cup salted peanuts

Preheat the oven to 350F. Sift the flour and baking soda in a small bowl. Cream the butter and the sugars until fluffy, add the egg and mix well. Add the vanilla and the peanut butter and mix well. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in the peanuts. Scoop with a small scoop and roll lightly with your palms. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Press flat with the tines of a fork dipped in flour. Make a crisscross pattern by pressing again perpendicular to the first press. Bake  for 20-30 minutes, checking after 20 minutes, just until set and slightly browning around edges. Remove to rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 3 dozen.

Chocolate Sparklers

• 2-1/8 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/4 cups butter room temperature
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• pink sanding sugar

Sift together the dry ingredients into a bowl. Cream the butter with the sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat to combine. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time until combined. Form into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and chill for an hour.  Scoop into 1″ balls and roll in the sanding sugar. Place on parchment lined baking sheets about 2″ apart. Bake in a preheated 350F oven for about 12 minutes or until set. Let cool on the sheets for a couple of minutes and then remove to a rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

 

Pecan Maple Syrup Shortbread

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cake flour
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toast and cool them first
• 1 cup butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
• egg wash, whole pecans and turbinado sugar for topping

Sift the flour and the salt together and add the pecans. Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy, add the syrup, yolk and extract until well mixed. Gradually add the flour until just combined. Shape dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour to overnight. Roll out to 1/4″ thickness, cut with 2″fluted biscuit or cookie cutter. Place on parchment lined baking sheets about 1-1/2 inches apart. Brush with beaten egg and top with a whole pecan pressing lightly to adhere. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake in a preheated 350F for about 12 minutes or until slightly golden. Remove to a rack to cool. Store in an airtight container. Makes about 2 dozen.

Make some for your next trek or just for someone you love!

Enjoy!