As I was driving the kids to school this morning, I noticed a beautiful evergreen tree. It was standing, majestic, among a bunch of trees whose leaves had long since fallen. The deep, velvety green color caught my eye. I have driven this stretch of road thousands of times, but have never noticed the beauty of this particular tree. The rich, emerald green stood out against a backdrop of bleakness–white snow, brown branches of deciduous trees, and a gray-pink winter dawn sky. This month has been so unusually cold and at times, difficult.
I have done my fair share of complaining about the weather. But to see that evergreen radiating green beauty amidst the stark whites, grays, and browns of a cold winter morning, I was reminded that acts of kindness and moments of beauty stand out more against a backdrop of bleakness. This is not a new revelation. I am not the first person to notice this. But the fact that I was so struck by this evergreen tells me I needed to be reminded of this. It made me think of the shiny, tiny dime we found sparkling on the backseat of the car. Lilac-scented soap and colorful flowers from caring souls. Clean, warm blankets. A friend checking to make sure my mom had made it home safely from our kids’ band concert when the roads were covered with ice. A smile from a stranger at the grocery store. These are some of my evergreens from this winter. I made these cookies for my family to brighten their day too. I’m sharing the recipe below, because they really are wonderful. 
I based the cookies on my favorite peanut butter cookie recipe from my Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, and then added a mashed banana to the dough. I finished by spreading a dollop of creamy Nutella on the cooled cookies. The cookies are moist, delicious, and even somewhat nutritious (with the peanuts and bananas).
Cabin Fever Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup (one stick) butter, softened
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 1 and 1/4 cups flour
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ripe banana
- Nutella for the tops of the cookies
Directions:
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large mixing bowl, vigorously stir the softened butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add 1/2 cup of the flour, and then add the sugars, egg, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla. Stir well to combine. Stir in the remaining flour. In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork. Add that to the dough, and stir again to thoroughly combine. Shape the dough into approximately one-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between. Bake in your 375 degree oven for 7-9 minutes, or until the cookies are golden and lightly brown on the bottom. Cool the cookies on a wire rack. When they are cool, gently spread a bit of Nutella on the tops, if desired. Enjoy!
beautifully done ,Jenny what caring people and beautiful reminders of what and who we have in our lives..mom
Thank you, Mom. Thank you for reading!
Thank you for giving me an excuse to buy Nutella! Yum.
You’re welcome! I’m always looking for an excuse to use Nutella!
Love the name, as someone experiencing bitter cold and lots of cabin fever these cookies sound like just whats in order.
Thank you, Suzanne, they do help!
What a lovely name and cookies! Love your winter photos! 🙂
Thank you! It helps me to appreciate the beauty of winter when it is so cold!
What beautiful cookies and what a remedy for cabin fever. Yum!. Love the nutella addition.
Thank you, Amanda!