Now before you read the Dear Peabody and think, oh no, here we go again…It’s not a mean one. It’s actually nice and quirky…just how I like them. 🙂
“Peabody-
You may have noticed a donation for $57.28 and wondered why that amount? Seeing as I use your recipes often I figured I would gladly donate to you but how much was the question. So I tried to think of you as a cookbook. You have many pictures on your site and so I priced your cookbook at $40. But I am frugal and would have bought it on Amazon. I looked at most books at that price set and they ran $26.40. Which I added on my tax for the book making it $28.64. I would buy my mother one as well. She enjoys your site but is afraid to buy things over the Internet. So two cookbooks at $28.64 gets you $57.28. I figure in a year I’ll give you another $57.28 as I know you have more than enough recipes on here for more than one cookbook. Though please update your index!
All the best. Love your site. Love your humor. Love you.
Keep baking.”
Seriously LOVE this. I mean, I love any and all donations. The large ones are nice, but so are the small ones. As someone who knows how precious $5 is right now I really, really appreciate those who gave $5 with notes that said I wish I could give more I just don’t have it. Very, very sweet that even though you don’t even really have it you like the site enough to give anyway. Touching. Very touching. But the donation of $57.28 was so thought out I could not help but laugh. It makes sense. I am totally guilty of buying most of my cookbooks from Amazon. 🙂 And I hear ya on the index thing. I’m working on it…it’s such a time suck though. It will be done by March (not committing to March of what year though 😛 ).
On to the real matters of the week. Girl Scout cookie time is upon us. I have a weakness for Girl Scout cookies. I don’t give a rat’s hinny if they are processed, I like em, and all their yummy preservatives. It’s not even the cookie that gets me, as much as it is the Girl Scout themselves, and not just because I was one. I just can’t seem to say no to them. I had made up my mind that I was going to buy two boxes total this year. One Thin Mint. One Samoa. Which I did and was done with it. But then I walked out of my grocery store and there were these girls and their mom setting up. It was 19F right then according to my phone. I couldn’t even feel my fingers, so for them to stand out there and sell cookies, I was no doubt going to buy some. And the next thing you know I had way more Thin Mints than my original agreement with myself.
They are a danger to my household. And so I decided that I best start baking with some of them before the siren calls of the cookies came. For some it may be a horrid thought to think that I would do this to a GS cookie, others may be saying, thank goodness, I have way too many I need to do something with them. If the second half is you, then here you go. I chose a pound cake that used cream instead of cream cheese. I felt that cream cheese would have made it tangy, and who wants that with the flavor of mint. I topped mine with a little (ha) whipped cream and some extra Thin Mint cookies.
Did you buy or are you going to buy Girl Scout cookies this year? If so, what is your favorite?
P.S. In other news I can’t believe I had 18 posts in the month of February that must be some sort of record for me. 😀
Thin Mint Pound Cake
1 cup unsalted butter, softened, plus additional for buttering pan
3 cups cake flour, sifted
½ tsp. salt
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
6 large eggs, at room temperature
¾ tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. peppermint extract
1 cup heavy cream
2 sleeve Thin Mint Cookies (the whole box…minus a few that might make it to your mouth), crushed up but with some decent sized pieces
Chocolate-Mint Glaze:
6 TBSP unsalted butter
¼ cup water
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 cups powdered sugar
½ tsp. peppermint extract
Grease and flour two loaf pans.
Put oven rack in middle position, but do not preheat oven.
Sift together sifted flour and salt into a bowl. Repeat sifting into another bowl (flour will have been sifted 3 times total).
Beat together butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then scrape down the bowl after each addition as well.
Add vanilla, and peppermint extract and beat another 30 seconds.
Reduce speed to low and add half of flour, then all of cream, then remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. Make sure all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Fold in Thin Mint cookie pieces (again, if a few fall in your mouth I wont tell).
Divide batter evenly among pans.
Place pan in (cold) oven and turn oven temperature to 350°F. Bake until golden and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in middle of cake comes out with a few crumbs adhering, 1 to 1 1/4 hours. Cool cake in pan on a rack 30 minutes. Run a thin knife around inner and outer edges of cake, then invert rack over pan and invert cake onto rack to cool completely. Then cover in glaze.
For the glaze:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, about 2 minutes.
Add the cocoa powder and water. Stir until it thickens and comes to a boil, about 2 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the powdered sugar and peppermint extract.
Rosa says
Oh, yummy that is decadent!
Cheers,
Rosa
Laura says
What a sweet compliment to you and your work. I haven’t come across any Girl Scouts this year. I work from home and I don’t have/want kids, so that cuts down on almost all Girl Scout interaction. Still, I miss those cookies, and may have to send out a search party to get some…
Nikki (Pennies on a Platter) says
ha! I’m sitting here eating the Samoa’s (or Caramel Delights, whatever they’re called now) and tweeted how I can’t wait to try making them myself.
But, if Ben sees this post, he’ll beg me to make this first. Sorry, I’ll have to hide it! 🙂
Heidi says
Yum! I’m kind of sad, I don’t think we have any girl scouts where we live 🙁 But I do remember thin mints and they are amazing 🙂
Amanda Joy says
I am not buying any this year, though I usually steal them from my dad and step mom anyways:) I want to make this, so it looks like I need to hit them up, all so I can help keep my dads Diabetes under control. That sounds legit right:)
I also really want to try this recipe http://sourkrautkrafts.blogspot.com/2011/01/thin-mint-cupcakes.html?showComment=1296231040823#c5237216977820604347
Obviously I love the thin Mints, but my favorite is the Samoas… frozen.
Kristina @ spabettie says
I really wish those girls still went door to door – that is THE ONE solicitation that I would welcome. I’m going to have to track them down at the grocery store door…
I love that donation explanation. So clever.
I LOVE the increased frequency in your posts!
Kita says
That is a great email! I love the logic behind it!! It makes so much sense! And how kind of them to explain it. I really think this is awesome – and it’s great to here there are some good emails mixed in there with the others.
And who doesn’t love thin mints (Im sure you’ll get an email with an answer to that!). They are my favorite GS cookie – so Im hording mine away until I can figure out what to do with them >.<
Bri says
I bought one box of Samoas from the poor popsicles outside the grocery store. I then made the dire mistake of giving my husband a cookie. Before I knew it, the box was gone and now I want more. And of course, here you go reinforcing that craving. Gee, thanks! 🙂
Linda says
My best friend’s 6 year old is selling them. I’m a good “auntie” and I bought 12 boxes (Thin mints, shortbread and those chocolate peanut butter ones). I love them!
avasmommy says
I don’t get excited about GS cookies anymore..not since I discovered Keebler has a whole line of cookies that taste exactly the same. So who needs Girl Scouts? 😉
Coco says
Loved that donation letter! So thought out!
HeartofGlass says
The best Girl Scout cookie moment in movie history is from The Adams Family, when a Girl Scout asks Wednesday: “Do you want to buy some Girl Scout cookies?” And Wednesday answers: “Are they made with real Girl Scouts?”
Fabulous photo! I love the peanut butter ones, I must confess, although they are less popular.
Blog is the New Black says
HAhahaaha, great email!!
Sarena (The Non Dairy Queen) says
Ugh, that last shot..why did you do that to me? I can’t have them, so now I have to be the a**hole that makes them from scratch and takes the money out of the girl scout’s pocket. Think mints are my husband’s favorite and he has celiac and can’t have them…he asked me last night to make some. Anyway, your cake looks perfect! I loved the lady’s reasoning for the amount. You have to love reasoning like that.
Lynn says
Thin Mints are danger zone for my husband. He could go through a whole box without even blinking. And leaving in the freezer doesn’t protect them (him) a bit. Putting it in poundcake? Seriously pushing it into the red zone!
Maggie says
What a sweet email! Food blogging definitely becomes a pricey hobby. Sometimes I think I should put a tip jar by the baked goods I leave in the kitchen at work!
Joanne says
Oh now that is just so insanely sweet! It’s nice to know that all of your readers aren’t Scrooges who are trying to begrudge you a mere button on your own blog.
NYC has a serious dearth of girl scouts selling girl scout cookies, I’ll tell you that. But should I ever find any…I’m so making this.
Heather says
I chose a cheesecake with a thinmint crust, white chocolate and chocolate swirls with thin mints swirled through out. 🙂
I feel if I’d left them in the freezer I would have devoured their minty goodness all at once. Making a cheesecake with them, and thus adding MORE fat and sugar to the mix and having the need to share with my cheesecake deprived friends actually cut my ingestion of said chocolaty mintybits of goodness.
Becca@Baking Monster says
I love how that person thought out that donation! too funny! I’m against baking with the cookies only because I haven’t been able to find any girl scouts to buy from so I have no cookies! This looks heavenly, my mouth is watering!
Becca says
mmmm Girl Scout Cookie pound cake, sounds delicious! I also feel so bad saying no to the poor little girl scouts as I’m on my way out the door of the grocery store cause they are just so gosh darn cute! Boy scounts on the other hand, I feel bad for them becuase no one ever buys their popcorn. ;-;
Samantha says
Oh gosh. This looks amazing. I love thin mints. Tagalongs, the peanut butter and chocolate ones, are a close second, I think. I just asked my other half what his favorite was, and he replied “none, they gross me out.” I might need to re-evaluate the relationship, because he clearly isn’t human. At least I don’t have to share! …which is both good and bad..
Becca, on the Boy Scout popcorn: they came by a horse show last fall and a friend and I ended up hiding out in the barn with a huge container of some 4-chocolate popcorn…. which was beyond words amazing. Who knew.
Jill says
That is the cutest email ever.
Hannah @ Pickled Sweets says
haha loved the email. sounds like a really thoughtful person! (:
chelsea rose says
unfortunately i’m not a thin mint fan (i’m definitely in the minority), but samoa’s- YUM. i wouldn’t mind if you got a little creative with those 🙂
marla says
I don not but girl scout cookies – but this cake looks heavenly!
ErinsFoodFiles says
Funny, I bought exactly 1 box Samoas & 1 box Thin Mints!
Elizabeth says
Yup, thin mints are evil! I am amazed it took me two nights to finish the box, but mad cause now they are gone! I love minty chocolate, LOVE IT.
JulieAnn says
That is awesome about how the person calculated money to donate. Love it!
And my mom makes an awesome pie from thin mints. She makes a meringue batter, then mixes in crushed thin mints and bakes. It’s awesome!
Oh, and I can’t help but wonder what you would do with brigadeiros… http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Brigadeiro/Detail.aspx
Erika says
Oh how I love Thin Mints! But alas, I ordered NO boxes this year. I’m trying to eat a little better, and I knew if a box was in my possession, it would be devoured before the day’s end! I’m very proud of me 🙂
Lynnette says
I can’t say know either, so you’re in good company! Thin Mints, Samoa, and Shortbread. 🙂
Cara says
oh my favorite cookie in a pound cake– yum!
Hillary says
I haven’t stopped by your blog in awhile, but now I’m all caught up. You rule and the people who send you dislike mail drool. I feel bad for the little girl whose birthday party “you” ruined, because not only did her party suck, but her mom is a nut job.
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Thin mint pound cake sounds just wonderful! And with a scoop of ice cream, just perfection!
Lauren says
This looks amazing but thin mints are so preciously delicious I’m afraid I could not turn them into a cake. As a former girl scout(They addict you early..) I am very aware of the power of these cookies.
Kudos to you for finding something creative to do with them though!
Anonymous says
All I can say is that this is really something so delicious and perfect! Nice recipe!
brilynn says
Thin mints are my fav and I would totally buy some if only I could track down a girl guide! I never see them in the city.
Barbara says
Lordy, you do pile one goodie on top of another better than anyone I know. And then follow up with the most mouth-watering photos!
YUM
Amy B says
damn, I want some money donated to my blog! Hehe. Seriously though, you deserve it…and if I made a little more than I do, I’d totally send some your way 🙂
Kelly-Jane says
That is funny and sweet at the same time 🙂
We can’t get those cookies here, but I’d buy some if we did!
Lovely cake.
Mrs. L says
I’m trying to watch my weight. So even though I’ve bought about 20 boxes from friends and relatives, none have made it to my house. I’ve had the Girl Scouts either donate them to The Troops, or I’ve asked the parents of the girls to have the girls donate them to a local womans shelter (or maybe a soup kitchen etc).
Pita says
That was a very lovely email that readers sent you!
To those of you who can and have bought cookies, thank you from a troop leader who just spent 3 hours out in the cold trying to sell cookies with a couple of scouts.
If you google girl scouts there is a cookie finder to put you in touch with local girls selling cookies.
If any thin mints manage to survive the weekend, I think I will have to try out this recipe. Might be the only way I will eat thin mints. I like trefoils better.;)
Claire says
1. That letter is hilarious!!! I love it.
2. This cake looks great…but I don’t know if I can bring myself to make it. I only bought ONE box of thin mints. My dad would really like this one.