Craving Chocolate? Cynthia Lord’s Whoopie Pies to the Rescue!
Regular readers of my blog have long realized that I love to ask authors to share recipes with us. Which I actually think is kind of funny because I don’t LOVE to cook. My family is lucky if I get any kind of dinner on the table. But I have found it so much fun to get in the kitchen when I’m making something discovered through a book or my interaction with its author.
It all started when I was reading Katherine Center’s book The Bright Side of Disaster and her main character was eating a Mexican tomato lime soup, and I really, really wanted to try it. So I was delighted that Katherine was willing to share it. And it was to die for delicious! So that’s how this whole thing got started. Since then, I’ve asked all authors to share a recipe. I’ve since made Shannon Hale’s zucchini soup (post still coming on that one) and am anxious to try the others I’ve accumulated.
If you like chocolate, cream, and don’t have an aversion to a few extra calories (personally, I don’t) than I have the yummiest cookie for you! Cynthia Lord’s Whoopie Pies! Cynthia is the Newbery Honor author of Rules, a wonderful book of a young girl has she comes to terms with her little brother’s autism. Of her whoopie pies Cynthia says, “My mom makes great whoopie pies. When I was growing up, it was always a special treat when she made them. They are a New England specialty–a bit like a moon pie in other parts of the US, but different, too.”
Here’s my progress photos:
There you have it! The yummy final result!
And let’s not forget these two little guys! That’s why making cookies is so much fun in the first place!
Those are two happy kids.
Salivating? Find the entire recipe here.
And still even better, I found a perfect reason to whip these up. While browsing through blogs I realized that Stephanie, on the Cybils picture book panel and organizer of the Children’s Literature Book Club was right here in Salt Lake City. So I did something that I’ve never done before. I emailed a perfect stranger and asked if I could become a member of their book club. I was really nervous. But man! What a wonderful book club! I couldn’t have felt more welcome. The hostess was amazing. I mean amazing. She knew how to entertain! We discussed three Young Adult books: Little Brother by Cory Doctrow, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart, and Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City by Kirsten Miller. I don’t have reviews up on them yet, but the discussion was fun. For December we are reading all Christmas picture books. How fun is that? Before I walked out the door to go, I asked my husband, “Am I crazy? I’m going to a book club and I don’t know anybody?” He replied, “Making new friends who have the same interests as you? That doesn’t sound crazy to me.” I love him.
So anyways, I’m now attending a new book club in addition to my neighborhood book club and the Rich Women Sisterhood Book Club that I moderate via a tele-conference call. Three book clubs? Yes, I’m crazy. But at least I’ll have some yummy whoopie pies to keep me company!
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Category: Author Recipes, Bookish Musings & Miscellany
Tags: Cybils, photos of my family, recipes
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You are something else! I have so much fun reading your posts. The idea of collecting recipes is great (cooking is my #2 passion after reading), and you better believe I am going to make these whoopie pies. My kids will go nuts! Thank you!
on December 5th, 2008 at 3:38 amWow, those looks great. The pictures of your boys are adorable.
on December 5th, 2008 at 4:41 amMMM, these look so good. Like bigger, better Oreos! And book clubs rock. I visited maybe 50 last year to talk about Bright Side, and every single one was awesome. There was not even one that I didn’t wish I could join… Hope you’re doing well!
on December 5th, 2008 at 5:07 amThose look so yummy!
on December 5th, 2008 at 9:25 amI love it when books have recipes in them. I just read Fannie Flagg’s Caqn’t Wait to Get to Heaven and it has several recipes at the end that I want to try.
Those look so good it makes me want to start baking for the Christmas season. Your boys looks so cute it looks like they had a lot of fun making them with you. I love making cookies and desserts with my kids it is so much fun!!!
on December 5th, 2008 at 9:26 amMy kids are asleep and there is NO chocolate in the house. I am praying that kids come by selling chocolate bars door to door. I want to take my mind off chocolate so I check book blogs ……you can guess the rest.
on December 5th, 2008 at 2:26 pmThose look way too yummy! And I love the pictures of the kids. My mom has similar pictures of me when I was little with a beater in the mouth and chocolate smeared all over my cheeks. I’ll definitely have to check out this recipe!
on December 5th, 2008 at 5:14 pmThose look so yummy! and your boys are so cute. I love how the older one looks so pleased with himself in the last picture.
And, I’m totally jealous of the Children’s Lit book club. How fun. Someday I will live near people (or at least know enough people) who want to have a book club.
Oh, and Laura H’s comment made me laugh. Poor girl
on December 5th, 2008 at 5:43 pmThese soooo delicious. I’m also stopping by to let you know that I’m left you an award at my blog!
http://wellreadchild.blogspot.com/2008/12/butterfly-award.html
Cheers!
on December 5th, 2008 at 6:09 pmNatasha, joining a book club seems like it’s such a good idea. I haven’t tried one yet, but your post is making me think about it more. Love your blog!
on December 5th, 2008 at 6:36 pmWOW! They look great! How fun to see these photos, and you have such beautiful children
on December 5th, 2008 at 6:39 pmOh cool, I used to make whoopie pies all the time as a kid. I’ll definitely try this recipe. How lovely that you found a new bookclub, I have pondered the idea of joining one.
on December 5th, 2008 at 7:05 pmAnd what adorable kiddies you have, looks like they had a fantastic time in the kitchen
Those look crazy good!
on December 5th, 2008 at 7:18 pmHow adorable:) We will test them out here too!
on December 6th, 2008 at 11:24 pmSandy – Ah shucks. You’ll have to come back and tell me what you think after you’ve made them.
Kathy – They were yummy!
Katherine – That’s a lot of book clubs! I received your ARC in the mail. I can’t wait to read it.
Jeanette – I have a couple of Fannie Flagg’s books on the shelf but I haven’t read any yet.
Michelle – Well, you are the amazing cook!
Laura H. – Ha, ha!!
Trish – I have to admit that I took the pictures because I wanted to have the beater photos. I don’t bake often so I have to take advantage of the times that I do.
KT – I love that photo! I think I said, “say yummy!”
Jill – Ah, thanks! You said such lovely things. Much appreciated, you are one of my favorite kidlit bloggers.
Vaslily – I really enjoy my book clubs! I hope to always be in one.
Cynthia Lord – Thanks for stopping by! We had so much fun making them and blogging about it. Thanks again for the recipe!
Joanne – I don’t think I’ve ever had whoopie pies until now. I enjoy trying new things.
Tara – Everything on your blog looks delicious! I have to brace myself every time I visit to see what you’ve got cooking.
Tracy – Tell me if your little boy likes them when you do!
on December 7th, 2008 at 1:04 amI hate to cook myself but I really enjoy baking, it’s kind of soothing. LOVE to make recipes from cozy mysteries etc. though!
on December 7th, 2008 at 10:11 amYummy! Thanks for sharing those pictures and your boys are too cute. How fun to find a new book club and make new reading friends. Sounds good to me ;0)
on December 7th, 2008 at 1:17 pmJen – When you are trying to prevent your three year old from dumping the flour on the flour, it’s anything but soothing. Maybe when they’re older, I’ll change my mind. It is funner with kids though.
Samantha – It was fun. I still can’t believe I got up the nerve to do it.
on December 8th, 2008 at 1:32 amOh, argh, serious yumm noises. I have saved this post. This one might even get me out to the kitchen. Doubtful, but it’s about as the most likely I’ve seen in a long time.
on December 8th, 2008 at 6:59 pmi thought it was dogie do do
on March 2nd, 2009 at 10:29 am