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!
