January.
Does anyone actually LIKE January? With it's post holiday blueness and it's gray skies? Only thing good about January? Snow. I've been told, repeatedly, that I'm a total freak show, but snow makes me happy. Not like a little happy, like I dance around the house happy. I'm always looking out the windows, waiting for it, and if it's night time, I can't sit still. Every 30 minutes or so I must get up, flip on the outside light and check for snow. I can't even help it. I'm just enchanted by it.
Did you all fall into the Polar Vortex? We so did. Before it hit though, we were supposed to have a nice, big snowfall. It went, however, from 8" to a dusting. The dusting was pretty as the Earth around it froze solid. It was ridiculous. We got to -12 with windchills in the -30s. I know others got much colder though. I literally never left the house, except to throw hot water up in the air (well, Bean did it). That took 30 seconds. The end. Back inside. School was cancelled so we bundled up and watched movies. Bean had an awesome Christmas break. 2 extra days added on because of the Polar Vortex. It'll be a year to remember, that's for sure.
You know what else happens in January? (At least around here). Adorable little girls in green uniforms start hocking deliciousness.
This year they are FOUR DOLLARS A BOX. WHAT??? Four. Dollars. For like 2 sleeves of cookies. I can't even. Will I buy them? Well, yeah. But still.
Of course we can only get them once a year, so I've made a solution for you.
I've dipped Ritz crackers in chocolate for years. I just did them for the Christmas trays I gave to friends. A while back I saw this on Pinterest. They'd used the same idea, but had added mint extract to the chocolate to make Thin Mints. NO WAY that tastes like a Thin Mint, right?
Wrong.
Well, I didn't do it their way, I used Andes mints. You know Andes and I are tight. They're my candy BFF when it comes to baking. I LOVE chocolate and mint together and Andes is my fav. I actually used the Andes Bits that the Toostie Roll Company sent me as a thank you for allowing them to use my recipes on their Facebook Page. Regular Andes will work as well, of course, but the bits melt quicker and, major bonus here, you don't have to unwrap them.
Just melt up your bits in the microwave. Melt in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30. (They only took 1 minute to melt in my micro). Or melt double boiler style.
Then, dip your Ritz, place onto waxed paper/parchement/foil and allow to dry.
Dude, that's it. IT.
I know you probably still have your doubts, but they are so close, really! They don't taste like crackers, they taste like cookies. While they aren't 100% perfect, the Girl Scout Thin Mint has a chocolate cookie (but really, you don't miss that here) and a darker chocolate enrobing, I think you will be pleasantly surprised. I know I was. Shocked, really.
Give em a go. It will take you all of 10 mins.
Happy January!
Tina
2 Ingredient Thin Mint Cookie Clone
by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers
Andes Mints Baking Bits or Andes Mint Chocolates
Ritz Crackers
Melt up your chocolate in the microwave. Melt in 30 second increments, stirring after each 30. (They only took 1 minute to melt in my micro). Or melt double boiler style.
Dip your Ritz, remove with a fork, and tap to allow excess chocolate to fall through the tines, place onto waxed paper/parchment/foil and allow to dry.
Store in airtight container.
ooh, must try! I've been wondering what I could do with those Andes bits.
ReplyDeleteYa know, the thin mints they made back when I was a kid (late 70's, early 80's) had a plain cookie inside, not a chocolate one, so these might actually be closer to the "real thing" for my tastes =)