The Home Cook: M&M Cookies

It's raining.

Again.

This is the second summer that South Dakota has felt more like Seattle, or what I would expect Seattle to feel like since I've never actually been there. The sky is heavy and gray, the mountains are wrapped in a blanket of mist and remind me of something from Tolkien. It makes for miserable moving weather and that right there is the problem. In the middle of all this mist, rain and fog I'm moving.

Actually it would be more accurate to say WE are moving; the architectural firm I'm with is pulling up roots and heading to a new home. A place we designed, a place we own, a place that will be distinctly ours. This has been in various phases of planning, construction and more construction and even more planning for the last 24 months...even longer than that if we go back to the very germ of the idea. This week, on Friday, we're finally at the finish line. There are lots of little things that will have to be done after we move and we probably won't be really truly settled for a few more weeks, but as of Monday our little company has a place to call it's own.

Unfortunately the weather is refusing to acknowledge the occasion. Instead of sunshine and warm early summer breezes, mother nature has bestowed us with three weeks of cloudy days and rain. While spirits are high there are always ways to enhance our good cheer, even if the sun refuses to cooperate.



Since a great deal of the final installation work is being self performed by our architects, CAD technicians and a lonely interior designer there have been a lot of hours spent together over the last few weekends and evenings. Saturday and Sunday was spent installing a semi truck load of casework and while I'm handy with a small range of tools this was a little beyond me. I did what I could, but there are only so many shelves and handles that need fussing, after that I was more audience than assistance. To keep myself out of the way, I took myself off to the kitchen and baked up something to celebrate our good fortune and hard work. Something cheerful and sure to bring a smile to the faces of everyone in our firm and all of the friends and family that have been helping us.

Who needs the sunshine when we can have a bite sized rainbow?

M&M Cookies
Adapted from AllRecipes.com

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups M&M's

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream together sugar, shortening and butter until well combined. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, salt, and baking soda to creamed mixture. Blend well.

Stir in M&M candies. Refrigerate dough for one hour or overnight.

Set dough out and allow to warm for 30 minutes before dropping dough by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for 3-5 minutes and remove to rack too cool completely.



Cook's Notes:

- The cookies are very soft when they first come out of the oven, allowing them to cool on the sheet sets them up with out over baking and makes it possible to get them off the cookie sheet in one piece.

- The parchment keeps the cookies from spreading too much and helps them keep their shape.

- The dough does not have to be refrigerated, but I've found chilling cookie dough for a few hours always makes the flavor better.

- These cookies have a relatively short shelf life, they start to get stale around day 3.