Where the Wild ings Are

                Happy Halloween!

Painters tape and paint

These wonderful homemade oreo cookies are fun to make and easy enough to let your kids make them with you. They are definently a crowd pleaser in our home with family members and guests alike. With Valentine’s day just around the corner, these would make a delicious valentine for friends, family or teachers.

::Quick and Easy way::
1 package devil’s food cake mix - Chocolate or German Chocolate (If you are going to use the German chocolate mix be sure to press cookies to slightly flatten then immediately after removing them from the oven - this will insure a perfectly round cookie)
2 eggs
1/2 cup oil (or butter flavored shortening)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into balls (a little larger than a quarter). Place on greased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool on sheet (until warm). Remove cookies from sheet and place on cooling rack.To assemble the cookies, in a pastry bag with a 1/2 inch, round tip (you can always use a zip lock bag with a round tip or just use a butter knife)add about a tablesppon of filling into the center of one cookie. Place another cookie similiar in size on top of the filling. Lightly press, to work the filling evenly to the outsides of the cookie. Continue this process until all the cookies have been sandwiched with cream.

::Oreo cookie filling::
1 stick butter
1 block of cream cheese (8 ounces)
3-4 cups confectioner’s sugar (depending on desired consistency)
1 tsp vanilla extract
*cream butter (about 2 mins). Add cream cheese and mix well. Add confectioner’s sugar slowly until you reach your desired consistency.

::REAL homemade oreos (via Retro Desserts, Wayne Brachman)
For the chocolate cookies:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 to 1½ cups sugar
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (1¼ sticks) room-temperature, unsalted butter
1 large egg

*Set two racks in the middle of the oven. Preheat to 375 degrees.In a food processor, or bowl of an electric mixer, thoroughly mix the flour, cocoa, baking soda and powder, salt, and sugar. While pulsing, or on low speed, add the butter, and then the egg. Continue processing or mixing until dough comes together in a mass.Take rounded teaspoons of batter and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, or greased sheet, about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten the dough. Bake for 9 minutes, rotating once for even baking. Set baking sheets on a rack to cool. Use filling recipe and directions above.
Makes 25 to 30 sandwich cookies
**Store cookies in fridge**