Snickerdoodles

I enjoy every moment of summer and begin referring to the season as such as soon as the weather starts to turn warm and fresh fruit appears in the stores.  But for me it’s not truly officially summer until Big Brother starts.  That’s right.  I said it.  I watch Big Brother and have never missed an episode.  I look forward to it each summer.  Call it my guilty pleasure if you wish, but more than that, it’s my old friend, one of my favorites, back to entertain, relax, and de-stress me each July.

Mom and I get way more into BB than anyone should any reality show.  Mom always says she’s not going to watch, but each year, she jumps on the couch and we watch with undivided attention, commenting on who’s playing the best and worst game, guessing who will be nominated and evicted, and cheering during competitions as though we are watching the Olympics.

Nothing makes me happier than a little BB.  It’s pure fun.  Yes, I love shows like Grey’s Anatomy, but it’s not always super fun to watch shows that make me cry and my heart race.  It can be a super emotional experience that has even left me sleepless.  Such does not happen with the experience that is BB.  It’s a silly show, with silly people, and even sillier sets and games.  That’s what makes it brilliant.  It’s so cheesy, it’s enjoyable, if not addictive.

I’m also a Showtime subscriber, which means I have access to Big Brother After Dark.  Some nights it’s crazy boring, but others it’s even more addictive than the show itself.  I don’t watch it as much as I might like anymore, but a few years ago when I spent the better part of a summer trapped at home not feeling well, it made sleepless nights exponentially better.  And when I wasn’t lying awake, I TiVoed it to watch during the day when a third viewing of Ocean’s Eleven just wasn’t going to cut it.

Though it may sound stupid, I have found a lot of comfort in BB over the years.  Maybe that’s why I look forward to the next edition as soon as the current one ends.  It’s an hour of fun in what otherwise tends to be a pretty crazy and stressful world.  I think of Snickerdoodles in much the same way.  They are a classic cookie recipe, one I remember eating my entire life, and they offer me comfort each time I bite into them.

These are killer Snickerdoodles.  The edges are crispy, while the centers stay soft and moist.  It’s a buttery tender cookie with that great cinnamon sugar all over the outside.  I also added cinnamon chips, which give this amazing flavor.  I had never used cinnamon chips before, but now I can’t wait to think of other ways to use them.  They have such great cinnamon flavor.

As with most cookies, be sure to underbake rather than overbake.  I baked mine 10 minutes and think 9 probably would have done it.  The original recipe also says it yields 48 cookies.  I’m not sure in what world that is at all possible.  I got 25 and they were a nice, normal size, but I still think they could have been a little bigger.  But really, these are just amazing, craveable cookies that make the whole house smell fantastic.

The next time you need some comfort for whatever reason, make some Snickerdoodles and eat them while you watch Big Brother.  That’s sure to dissipate any stress you might have.