Best Friends {and Homemade Oreos}

Once in awhile, you find a friend that you know you want to keep for a lifetime. My college roommate Jenn is one of those people. We were roommates for 4 years out of a 5 year degree program, until she got married. Within a couple weeks of moving to college {also a couple weeks after meeting each other}, we were pretty much inseparable. People were asking us if we had known each other before college. We had the same major. We frequently and accidentally dressed almost identically, which was especially interesting when we went searching for on-campus jobs and didn't realize we were dressed basically the same. I believe we got a comment about how "cute" we were or something like that from the lady who ended up hiring us. A common phrase heard between us was and still is, "Get out of my head!" because we would think, say, or do the same things at the same time. We both tend to be incredibly indecisive, which led to a lot of Friday nights filled with doing nothing because we couldn't decide on anything. {Of course, our lack of a car didn't help anything either.}



We now live about 10 hours apart, but we are always able to pick right back up where we left off. Jenn's birthday is today. I sent her homemade Oreos as a birthday present and received the following text and tweet when they arrived: "Just got home to an absolutely delicious birthday present! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!" "Just got 'heaven in a box' on my doorstep." Personally, I don't think these cookies taste much like Oreos, but apparently they are delicious anyway! What form of chocolate and peanut butter isn't good? You can find the recipe below. Give them a try and let me know what you think!

So, Jenn, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Thanks for being one of those friends-for-a-lifetime kinds of friends Oh...and  get out of my head! :D

{Decorating someone's office for his birthday}

 

{Jenn's wedding}

{Our last college spring formal}

Homemade Oreos

adapted from: my kitchen addiction

What You Need

Cookie:

1 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup dutch process cocoa powder {My cocoa powder wasn't dutch process, which I think is why my cookies were a lighter color.}

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

Filling:

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 tbsp. half and half {I used fat-free.}

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

pinch of salt

3- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, whisked to remove any lumps

2 tbsp. creamy peanut butter, if desired

What To Do

1. Begin by preparing the cookies.  Combine the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl, and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add the egg and vanilla, and beat until well incorporated. Whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry mixture to the creamed mixture, beating on the lowest speed.  Continue to mix on the lowest setting until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.

2. Divide the dough in half, and shape into two discs.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

When the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.  Set aside.

3. Taking only one portion of dough out of the refrigerator at a time, turn the dough out onto a floured surface.  Roll the dough to 1/8 – 1/4-inch thickness.  Use a cookie cutter {Mine was 2.5 inches. A little smaller would have been more true-to-size.} to cut out cookies and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet.

3. Bake the cookies for 12 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. Once the cookies are cooled, prepare the filling.  Combine the softened butter, half and half, vanilla, and salt and beat until combined.  The mixture may be a bit lumpy, but will come together.  Add the powdered sugar gradually, approximately 1/2 cup at a time, until the filling comes together.  It will be slightly stiffer than a cupcake frosting. If desired, divide frosting into two bowls. Leave one half alone, but add 2 tbsp. of creamy peanut butter to the other half and mix until combined and smooth.

5.Transfer the filling to a piping bag fitted with a large round tip.  Pipe the filling onto half of the cookies, and top with the remaining cookies to form cookie sandwiches.

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