Jenn's Easy Almond Cookies and the Story of the Cookie Monster

Ingredients:

1 box white cake mix
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 T almond extract
1 cup coarsely chopped almonds
cinnamon/sugar mix

Directions:

1) Combine ingredients through almonds and mix thoroughly.
2) Drop by spoonful in cinnamon/sugar mix; roll until coated.
3) Place on greased cookie sheet and press down with fork forming a criss-cross pattern.
4) Cook at 350 for approximately 10 minutes.

Caveats:

First, I want to admit that I kinda made this recipe up and the above measurements may not be exact. I did incorporate some amaretto into the cookie dough but I have no idea how much and don't think it's 100% necessary for the recipe - if you have it on hand use your judgment and give it a whirl, otherwise use almond extract to taste. Second, I used a powdered sugar/cinnamon mix as opposed to a granulated sugar mix to roll the dough in, which worked well...next time though I think I'll see how they come out with granulated sugar. Third, this dough is very soft and sticky until rolled in the cinnamon/sugar mix so just push it off the spoon with your finger and roll until you can easily pick it up and deposit it on the cookie sheet. Finally, these cookies received rave reviews and I actually had a guy climber ask for the recipe...now that's saying something!

The Cookie Monster:

Over the course of the last two weeks I’ll admit, I’ve been a bit bored (and lately a bit sick too) so I’ve turned to baking for solace. My current love affair with the kitchen has yielded in rapid succession six different batches of cookies – from simple Scottish Shortbreads, to my personal all time favorite, the chocolate Korova, to the almond creation detailed above with peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, rum balls, and oatmeal cookies rounding out the count (if you toss in the popcorn brittle from yesterday the tally’s actually at seven…I’m moving on to cakes today)!

Unfortunately, it seems there is an issue associated with my feverish cookie baking extravaganza. My cookies have apparently scuttled the various dietary attempts of a number of individuals, a fact related to me on a late night phone call from my sister, who found herself in the unenviable position of trying to mediate in the most adroit way possible between her culinarily crazed sister and my immediate cookie consuming audience…my family. For my labors my sister has dubbed me “the Cookie Monster”, no, not because I eat my cookies in the manner of the much loved Sesame Street character, but because I am a monster to make the cookies and leave them like little Venus Fly Traps around the kitchen, looking all sweet and innocent but waiting to lure in their next diet destroying victim. I have additionally been instructed to, henceforth, hide any cookies I make in my bedroom and take them all with me to the climbing gym when I go (although I may allocate one per day to my parents and sister should I so choose). This arrangement has resulted in my popularity at the gym going up substantially…although I’m quite sure it’s not me everyone’s so excited to see but the contents of the Tupperware I now regularly carry in! Hey, that’s one way to get stronger relative to the rest of my climbing pals – fatten them up with heaps of sweets…cookie monster indeed!