K.D. McCrite grew up on an Ozark Mountain farm along an old dirt road, just like April Grace Reilly in In Front of God and Everybody. She loves writing stories that make people laugh and think. For a while, she worked as a librarian, but these days she sits at her desk and makes up stories. Her second book to this series, Cliques, Hicks, and Ugly Sticks, released in December 2011. The third book in the series will be released in the fall of 2012. Visit her at http://kdmccrite.com/

I love cookies! Do you? In fact, there are hardly any cookies I do not like. (Well, actually, I can do without some of the store-bought kind that taste a little like the package they come in.)

Not only do I love to eat cookies, I love to make them. I'll let you in on a little secret: cookie dough tastes mighty fine. By the time I put the cookies in the oven to bake, I've already consumed four or five in their natural state. I hear this is not wise because most cookie doughs contain raw eggs, but apparently that's not enough to deter me.

I remember once when I was a little girl, a kindly, grandmotherly-type lady offered me a huge chocolate chip cookie. I grabbed it up and sunk my teeth in, ready to enjoy the chocolatey taste. Imagine my surprise and disappointment to realize those chocolate chips were actually raisins. Maybe that's why oatmeal-raisin cookies are my least favorite today.

It takes a little practice to make cookies the way you want. If the dough is dry the cookies will be crumbly. If it's too sticky and loose, the baked product will be thin and likely to burn before it's done. If you like your cookies crunchy, bake them just a little longer than the recipe calls for. If you like them gooey and chewy, then bake them for about 7-8 minutes or less. Experimenting will help you decide just the right amount of baking time for you.

So now you're hungry and want some homemade cookies, but don't have the time or inclination to go to all that bother? How about taking the easy way? Get a box of your favorite cake mix, 1 egg, ¼ cup oil, and a ¼ cup of water. Mix all that, add nuts, chocolate chips, M & Ms, or whatever you choose, then bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes, depending on your preference of “doneness.” These cookies taste good, are super-easy to make, and take minimal time and clean up.

If you're like me, you like unusual recipes. One of my favorites is for potato-chip cookies. Fun to eat and very tasty, these cookies are easy to make.

Potato Chip Cookies

Form into balls, about 1 tablespoon each. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, and press each one flat with the bottom of a glass dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 for about 16-18 minutes. These cookies are crunchy and tasty and will melt in your mouth. I recommend putting them in the freezer and eating them cold, too. Delicious that way!

Cookies are a friendly way of sharing time and fellowship. We can enjoy them with hot coffee or cold milk. We can take them by the dozens to parties, or give a plateful to a neighbor. Or, we can sit in our kitchen and devour a whole handful all by ourselves.

Cookies! We love 'em, don't we? And now, if you'll excuse me, I believe I'll go make a batch. I wish you were here to share them with me!