Homemade Oreos . . . oh, yes!

Oreos...my child learned to stop asking for the real ones at the grocery store years ago. I like to blame it on preservatives and all the words I can't pronounce on the package, but the truth is, I buy Oreos only once or twice a year because I can't resist them.

Once the package is open, all bets are off...there is a path worn in the kitchen tile from my feet going back and forth to the pantry to get just "one more."

Now, Homemade Oreos, I don't feel so bad about. I know exactly what's in them. They're a little softer the the packaged variety, but so satisfying that one, well two, will be enough for one sitting.

{It doesn't hurt to make them the "Double-Stuff" variety.}

Homemade Oreos

1 batch of chocolate roll-out cookies (minus the espresso powder)

{It's going to get messy.}

I cut these out using a 1 and 3/4" cutter and baked for 9 minutes.
{I also pressed a small heart cutter into the top, but not all the way through, before baking.}

Let cool.

Cream Filling
{source: The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion: The Essential Cookie Cookbook }

1 tsp. plus a heaping 1/4 tsp. unflavored gelatin
2 TBSP. cold water
1/2 c. shortening
1 tsp. vanilla
2 and 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Combine the gelatin and water in a small bowl or cup. Place the cup into a larger bowl of hot water and leave it there until the gelatin is completely dissolved and liquid transparent.

Remove the cup from the hot water and let the liquid cool to room temperature, but hasn't begun to set...about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the shortening with a paddle attachment until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla. Add the sugar a little at a time, beating until the mixture comes together. Scrape the bowl as needed. Beat in the gelatin. Use immediately, or store, well-wrapped at room temperature.

To make the sandwiches, flip one cookie over. Make a teaspoon-sized ball of filling and place on upside-down cookie. Press another cookie, right-side-up, down on top of it.

{Makes 26 or so sandwich cookies if you don't eat too much of the dough.}

Remember I'm driving that new, 2011 Chevy Malibu this month? Well, they sent us on a mission to the grocery store. Normally I'm in my SUV, would the Malibu trunk be able to handle all the groceries? YES! It held ALL my groceries...and I did BIG shopping, all the usual suspects, including everything I needed to make these Oreos...

....and did I mention the remote start had the AC on and the car cooled off by the time we got inside? No? Well, it did and it was heaven in the 90 degree heat.

The mission got me thinking, though...what items are on your grocery list every week? I tried to narrow mine down to the top 5: