Back in the mists of time, when we lived in Osaka, I had some (ahem) adventures in the grocery store - that lead to even greater adventures in the kitchen. Ahhhhhh, the mystery foods I bought. (Actually it was more often ugggggg than ahhhhh but time kindly softens pretty much everything.) Once we bought adzuki bean ice cream bars for the kids as a treat. That turned out to be one of the greatest disappointments of their young lives, they thought they were getting chocolate because that's what the picture on the package looked like.... Five sticks of ice cream ended up melting in the sink and five sad kids looked at me accusingly. Oh well, I believe we have all moved on and hope they scarcely remember the tragedy. Another time I bought what I hoped was chili powder to make one of their favorite comfort food dinners, only to find out that it was, in fact, chili pepper. And we all know that a tablespoon of chili pepper in a recipe is a world away from the same amount of chili powder. More accusing glares.
Fortunately, there were some delightful discoveries. Like Wonders* - as in I wonder what they call these (because I can't read the Japanese on the package). Essentially sandwich cookies made of crackers and icing, they are addictive. The touch of salt combined with sweet icing and the buttery crunch of the crackers....divine.
So this 'recipe' is really more of a suggestion and follows my philosophy that it is a shame (bordering on sin) to waste any speck of cream cheese icing. In case you have any cream cheese icing left after making the Snap Baby Cookies (and licking the beaters) this is an excellent suggestion.
Wonders
-an even number of Ritz crackers (or reasonable facsimile of Ritz but personally I am a purist)
-cream cheese icing
Spread a generous amount of icing on one cracker and top with another cracker. Press lightly. Enjoy thoroughly.
Variation: (for when you have mastered the basic version)
- substitute graham wafers for the Ritz crackers
If you want to be really nice to a friend in need or... anyone really, you can make up a stack of these. Wrap them in parchment paper or wax paper, tie with cute twine or ribbon, add a little tag or note and you are a star.
*My name for the cracker/cookies because I never did find out what they are really called.
4 comments:
Such great memories of discovering Japan. Those were the good ol' days! I wish we cold go to that grocery store below Jusco again! LOL Or the Meiji (was that the high end one... I can't remember the name. Too bad we can't make the cheesecake chocolate bars!
These are a great treat. Now there are two reasons to make the Snap Baby cookies. (As if we needed another reason...)
The packaging idea is great. Looks so cool.
: )
lol! I honestly don't remember the ice cream thing BUT I do remember a few meat mix ups;) those were gross!
The other grocery store you are thinking of is Meidi-ya in Tokyo. But the one in the basement of Jusco - that is where most of my adventures took place. What fun memories.
Abby just came home with a notice about her class doing a bake sale for the people in Japan...I have been stressing about what to make and then i read your blog. Thanks for the idea, I am totally going to make these and wrap them and send them to school for the sale. Thanks for always posting cool and fun ideas!
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