We’re all snobs about something – Hive and Nest

A month or two ago I was trying to find the recipe for a “cookie cake” for York’s birthday. I had no idea what it might be (it turns out it’s just a giant cookie.  Why people throw the word “cake” in there is a mystery.  If it were simply called a “giant cookie” that would have made things simpler) so I went to allrecipes.com, my favorite recipe site, and tried to find something that fit the bill.  I showed several search results to York and told him there was a recipe with Oreos that had lots of good reviews.  Something with Oreos qualifies it as a cookie-cake, right?

York said that recipe sounded fine, so I printed it up.  Well, it had not only Oreos, but instant pudding and that culinary travesty–Cool Whip.  Ewww.  I’m such a dessert snob.  This recipe went against the very fiber of my being, but York would not be dissuaded. (Plus it had over a hundred five-star reviews, so I figured I’d give it a chance.) 

I bought the Cool Whip (why would anybody use Cool Whip? Do you know it has to be defrosted in the fridge for several hours?!  Why wouldn’t you just throw some whipping cream in the mixer and be done in two minutes?) and made the recipe.  It was completely easy (duh!).

Heaven help me.  It was one of the greatest things to ever pass my lips.  Truly, it’s magnificent. It’s not a cake at all, but more of a casserole.  I found myself standing at the fridge for the following two days, shoveling spoonfuls of the stuff into my mouth.  As wonderful as it is, it’s even better the next day. Also, the recipe calls for vanilla pudding.  Even a chocoholic like me thought that vanilla pudding, not chocolate, was just right. 

This appearance of this dessert is fairly lame.  It’s served in a 9 x 13 pan, which always earns demerits in my book.  C’est la vie.  All will be forgiven as soon as everyone tastes it.  As my gift to you, here is what I have appropriately renamed 

Oreo Casserole

1 20 oz. package Oreos1/2 cup butter1 (16 ounce) Cool Whip, thawed1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar2 cups milk

1 (3.5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix