Rue McClanahan's Cookies Demo
Kitchen video and chit-chat about Murder Takes the Bus (no spoilers)
As promised, I have recorded a little kitchen video while I make some of Rue’s cookies. These are a cinch to make, and you can freeze them, so you can make them ahead of time so that you have a plateful on hand when we all watch Murder Takes the Bus together.
You have the date in your diary, right?
To find out what time this is for you if you are not in the UK, I recommend World Time Buddy. Spread the word to all your Murder, She Wrote lovin’ chums, just as Loretta would!
“I never hear any gossip! Just good talk, among good friends, about other good friends who aren’t here to defend themselves.”
If you want to cook along with me, weigh all your ingredients out and sieve together the milk powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt before you start to play the video. Please note that I recommend adding more oats and flour if your cookie dough isn’t firm enough.
Hope you enjoy the video, shall I do more of these? Let me know if you like the ideas put forward of a live Angela Lansbury workout and/or colouring-in session.
Rue McClanahan’s Wonder Women
½ cup / 65g non-fat dry milk/milk powder
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda/bicarbonate of soda
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup / 90g whole wheat/wholemeal flour
⅓ cup / 37g wheat germ
¾ cup / 180g butter or margarine
¼ cup / 56g peanut butter
1 cup / 180g brown sugar, packed
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
1 cup / 90g oats, uncooked
½ cup / 75g chopped pecans
⅓ cup / 46g sunflower seeds (optional)
1 cup / 150g seedless raisins, light or dark
1 cup / 190g dried apricots, chopped
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F / 190 degrees C / gas mark 5.
Mix and sift together dry milk, baking powder, baking soda, and ½ teaspoon of salt. Stir in whole wheat flour and wheat germ. In a separate bowl, cream butter until the consistency of mayonnaise, then blend in peanut butter. Add brown sugar to the butter mixture and mix until fluffy. Then add egg, honey, and vanilla, mixing well. Add the flour mixture alternately with milk. Stir in oats, nuts and sunflower seeds; then work in fruits. Drop by heaping teaspoons on a greased baking sheet (allow room for cookies to spread). Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
“These cookies are good for you,” claims Rue. “You might try different fruits and nuts - dates, chopped apple, or shredded carrots might be good - but to me, it’s the apricots that make it happen!”
Makes about 36 cookies
Below you will see the three different versions of the cookies I made, with the ones that turned out best on the left (slightly squished on the baking tray). The ones on the right weren’t squished at all, and the ones in the middle were too squished!
Please let me know how your cookies turn out, and take photos too! Reply to one of my Substack emails or tag me on social media. Hopefully, I will spot them.
Info on how the watch party will work is here, and the bingo card will be coming soon!
Lookin’ good!