Stuck in the Groove

There are times when I just don't feel like talking about writing, reviews, upcoming releases, promo, edits or any of the other wonderful things that are part of my author's life. Sometimes, like this morning, I have other things on my mind. Usually I make myself push the "other" stuff to the back while I blog, but this morning...well, it's not working.

So what's so pressing I can't get it out of my mind?

Oreos.

You know, the cookie. Oreos. I'm sitting here in the darkness, working while others sleep and the word that keeps playing over and over in my mind like a turntable needle stuck in a groove is Oreos. Oreos. Oreos. Can you hear it? It's driving me nuts.

Worse yet, there aren't any Oreos in the house! Doesn't that just take the cake?

I searched Nabisco's website and found the following recipes. Although they don't satisfy my immediate craving, they do at least give me a reason to buy Oreos when we go grocery shopping this week! There are tons of interesting recipes at Nabisco, so if you need an excuse to feed your junk food habit, take a peek.

Oh, and an interesting tidbit...According to Nabisco, If every Oreo cookie ever made were stacked on top of each other, the pile would reach to the moon and back more than six times.

Wouldn't you like to see that pile of cookies? With a glass and a nice, cold gallon of milk, perhaps? Hmm?...


Oreo Cheesecake

1 pkg. (1 lb. 2 oz.) OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1 tsp. vanilla
4 eggs

Preparation:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F if using a 9-inch silver springform pan (or to 325°F if using a dark nonstick 9-inch springform pan). Finely crush 30 of the cookies. Coarsely chop remaining 15 cookies; set aside. Mix crushed cookies with butter. Press firmly onto bottom and 2 inches up side of pan; set aside.

BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Add sour cream and vanilla; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended. Gently stir in chopped cookies. Spread into prepared crust.

BAKE 55 minutes to 1 hour or until set. (If necessary to prevent top from overbrowning, tent with foil during last 15 to 20 minutes of baking time.) Cool completely on wire rack.
REFRIGERATE at least 4 hours. Run knife or metal spatula around side of pan to loosen cake; remove side of pan before serving.

Oreo Crunch Bars

34 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, divided
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 jar (7 oz.) JET-PUFFED Marshmallow Creme
3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup chopped PLANTERS Walnuts

Preparation:

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Coarsely chop 8 of the cookies; set aside. Finely crush remaining 26 cookies; mix with butter. Press crumb mixture firmly onto bottom of greased 9-inch square baking pan.

TOP crust evenly with dollops of marshmallow creme, leaving 1/2-inch border around all sides. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate, walnuts and chopped cookies; press lightly into crust.

BAKE 15 minutes or until marshmallow creme just begins to brown. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Cut into 20 bars.

Hocus Pocus Cake

13 OREO Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed (about 1 cup)
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. CALUMET Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup water
1 square BAKER'S Unsweetened Baking Chocolate, melted
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs, separated
3 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups ice cream (any flavor), softened
1-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
2 strawberries, sliced

Preparation:

PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Line 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides of pan. Grease foil; set aside. Mix cookie crumbs, sugar, flour, baking powder and salt; set aside. Mix water, melted chocolate and vanilla; set aside. Beat egg yolks in large bowl with electric mixer on high speed 5 min. or until thick and lemon colored. Gradually add flour mixture alternately with the chocolate mixture, beating until well blended after each addition. Beat egg whites with electric mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; gently stir into batter. Spread into prepared pan.

BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Lift cake from pan, using foil handles. Invert cake onto clean cloth towel sprinkled with cocoa; remove foil. Cut cake crosswise into thirds; place 2 of the cake pieces on wire racks to cool. Roll up the remaining cake piece along with the towel, starting at one of the short ends of cake; cool completely.

UNROLL cake and remove towel; spread cake with 1 cup of the ice cream. Re-roll cake; place, seam side down, in center of serving plate. Spread 1 cup of the remaining ice cream onto each of the remaining 2 cake pieces. Wrap 1 of the pieces around the cake roll on the serving plate, with the ice cream layer facing the center cake roll. Repeat with the remaining cake roll, wrapping it around the other side of the center cake roll. Frost side of cake with 1 cup of the whipped topping. Freeze 4 hours or until firm. Remove cake from freezer about 5 minutes before serving to soften slightly. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup whipped topping and strawberries just before serving. Store leftover dessert in freezer.