mint chocolate chip shorts

I joined Girl Scouts when I was 7, and even though I was a Girl Scout for many years thereafter, I remember my first meeting as being rather traumatic. I was a shy kid, and I didn't want to go. I didn't know anyone. There were tears, but I think that what finally lured me to stay was the promise of a cupcake (there was always a snack at these meetings, albeit not a healthy one). And so I stayed, and the only thing I remember  (aside from the cupcakes with luscious swirls of frosting) was that I made a sit-upon (a portable seat that you sit on) with newspapers and a heavy duty trash bag.

I remained a Girl Scout after that first meeting and throughout high school. Like anything, Girl Scouts is what you make of it. Most people think it's only about the cookies, but it's so much more than that. It's about empowering girls, providing them with opportunities to try new things, and helping them to develop their self-confidence. 

I was very active in Girl Scouts--I earned a lot of badges and awards, and I went to Girl Scout Camp. In high school, I was a junior counselor at the day camp, and in college, I worked at the resident camp (twice in Minnesota, and twice in South Carolina). Being a Girl Scout has left me with many, many fond memories and experiences, and I'm certain that it has shaped the person I have become. For example, I was a shy kid, and public speaking terrified me. But in Girl Scouts, I didn't think twice about standing up in front a group and giving a speech or leading a song. Because I was able to develop this skill in a safe space among my peers, I was much more comfortable standing up in front of others when put in non-Girl Scout situations. 

Of course, I can't talk about Girl Scouts without mentioning the cookies. I sold a lot of these, and even though I was a Girl Scout for so many years, I don't go crazy for the cookies. For example, I have never understood the appeal of the Thin Mints (there, I said it). Maybe it's because that for me, the cookies aren't a once-a-year occurrence that they are for most people. I mean, back in my day, when we had extra boxes of cookies, we didn't sell them in front of grocery stores; we (my parents) had to eat the costs. And at Girl Scout camp, there were always lots and lots of cookies. So for me, cookies were always around, all year long.

Though I could take or leave the cookies, whenever I see Girl Scouts selling them, I usually buy a box or two. It's not really that I want the cookies, it's that I want to support the Girl Scouts, and I like the memories the cookies represent. But this year, I haven't purchased any cookies, because here's what happens: I eat one or two, and then forget about the rest and then they go stale and I have to throw them out.

A couple weeks ago, Drew and I passed by some girls selling Girl Scout cookies, and we had this exchange:

Drew: You know, you usually buy a couple boxes, but haven't this year.

Me: Oh, I've never had any cash with me, and they don't take credit cards.

Drew: Well, you didn't ask me if I had any cash.

Me: Oh yeah...

Drew: I think I know the real reason why you haven't bought any cookies. It's because you think you can do it better.

I'd be lying if I said he wasn't right. Girl Scout cookies are good, but they're not mind blowing or anything, and I think homemade versions would be superior. I feel really bad typing this, and a part of me fears that my Gold Award will be revoked. I haven't been proactive about making homemade versions of my favorite cookies; rather, I just happen to come across recipes that are reminiscent of thin mints or caramel delites.  

I came across one such recipe in my new cookbook, Baking Out Loud by Hedy Goldsmith. She promises that her Mint Chocolate Chip Shorts are evocative of the Thin Mints, and they certainly come very, very close. But as she promises, this version is a lot better than the pre-packaged kind.