Chocolate Chip Cookie Pops

Valentine's Day was always one of the big holidays growing up. My elementary school would make a big fuss and go through a big production every year. We would choose the best valentines for our classmates and build boxes to keep them in. Most kids would decorate a shoe box or bring in a small mailbox, but I would always create elaborate valentine boxes.

My mom and I love crafts and we use any excuse to get covered in glue and paper scraps. Valentine's day is no exception. One year we built and decorated a giant house from cardboard, complete with chimney smoke, to drop my valentines in. Another year we constructed a lion from construction paper which ended up standing nearly two feet tall in all of its roaring glory. I kept that lion for many years after, not only as a reminder of how awesome it was, but of the entire weekend I spent with my mom creating it.

This is the perfect valentine for someone sweet. Simply wrap the cookie pop in plastic wrap, secure it with a red ribbon, and you have a delicious valentine to give someone special. The cookies are entirely customizable. You can leave them plain, decorate them with frosting, or pipe out your own valentine message directly onto the cookie.

Now answer me this—who wouldn't want a cookie valentine?

We all know chocolate chip cookies are delicious, but when you put them on a stick? Even better. I personally enjoy chocolate chip cookies more than just about any other cookie (sorry, sugar cookies), because they just taste good. These chocolate chip cookies are no exception. They are rich with brown sugar, chocolate, and are partially made with whole wheat flour which gives them a great texture. These cookies are light and soft; when you bite into them they will not crumble and fall off the stick. These are perfect for Valentine's day or anytime you just want to eat something on a stick.

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Cocoa Almond Meringues

It's cold outside, not that I need to tell you. With winter upon us, it is getting harder and harder to convince myself to leave the house. Tonight it is supposed to get down to -40 degrees F with windchill out here in North Dakota. Can you really blame me? I have a hard enough time convincing myself to leave the house when its above zero. It's so cold I'm afraid my nose might freeze off and wouldn't that just be a sight.

Did you know that -40 degrees is the same in both Fahrenheit and Celsius? It's the only place on the temperature scale where we can finally find some common ground.

I have become a happy homebody in my pajama pants and thick sweaters. By day, I watch the flakes fall from the comfort of my warm home, the smell of hot and fresh cookies filling the house. By night, I snuggle up with a heavy blanket next to the fireplace and watch a movie with a bowl of home-cooked popcorn. Remind me why winter is so bad, again?

Today I made a mug of hot cocoa to complement these cookies. The rich, thick cocoa offsets these little pillows perfectly. With a cookie that's lighter than air, you might just find you don't need those marshmallows anymore.

These cocoa almond meringues are absolutely addictive. They may look like rough, jagged stones but they are lighter than air. The meringues have a rich chocolate flavor with a hint of almond. These cookies are crunchy and chewy, with bits and pieces of chocolate chunks and almond mixed within. These meringues have a deep flavor and texture; it would be a shame not to try these.

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Cherry Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies

I find that the more I watch television, the more I continue to watch television. Once I start, I can't quite bring myself to stop. The advertisements for the next episode or a new show draw me in, whether I like it to or not.

I lived without a television for many years. Sure, I would keep up with a few of my tried and true shows through the internet, but I never went out of my way to find new shows or, god forbid, watch reality tv just for the sake of it. Going for walks, reading books, or just sitting in silence replaced the background noise of the glowing screen. I never missed the television—when you don't have one you simply find other (and often more productive) ways to spend your time.

Lately, my eyes have been glued to the screen. I find myself flipping through the channels looking for something, anything, to watch. It doesn't even have to be good, quality television. Bad TV and I have become close friends, whether I like to admit it or not. This weekend I saw a promo for the next episode of The Bachelor and actually tuned in. I've never watched an episode in my life! While I know many of you know and love it (we all have our guilty pleasures, don't we?), it is something that has never interested me. Since when have I become so lazy I'm willing to watch anything as long as it thinks for me? I feel a bit of shame.

But today, I shut off the television. I turned down the radio. Reveling in the silence of a snowy winter afternoon, I baked these cookies. And it felt good.

These cherry chocolate chunk oatmeal cookies have the qualities of a classic oatmeal cookie. Crispy at the edges and thick and chewy in the center, these cookies combine the best in cookie textures. The tart cherries and bittersweet chocolate contrast well against the lightly sweetened dough. These cookies are perfect for dunking in a glass of milk or curing the midnight munchies.

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