It has been snowing big fluffy snowflakes off and on here in Nashville for the last two days. Schools were closed today and will be closed again tomorrow. Something about this kind of weather brings back memories of winters past and draws me toward the comforts of my childhood.
Several years ago now, my mother hand-wrote our favorite family recipes out and made cookbooks for each of her kids. Lucky for me, she included a recipe for nearly every favorite meal or treat I can remember from those years.
This year in particular, I have really relied on this cookbook, more than my other ones. I made my mother’s dinner rolls for a pre-Thanksgiving Thanksgiving dinner with friends, and we’ve made the hot cocoa recipe about a gazillion times. My favorite cookies for the last several months have been her oatmeal cookies, but lately, with Christmas in the air, I’ve been yearning for her haystacks.
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I’ve only seen haystacks made one other time — at a work potluck, I think– so I’m not sure if these cookies are a midwestern thing, or even necessarily a Christmas cookie. The note she wrote in the cookbook is ambiguous, leaving only, “1980s from T.V,” as a clue to the origin of these cookies.
Haystacks are delicious, though, and easy to make. The recipe is a humble one, but the blend of butterscotch and peanut butter is to die for.
These cookies make up a small but important part of what Christmas is to me. I hope you enjoy them.
Haystacks
Ingredients:
2 cups Chow Mein noodles
Peanuts
1/4 c. Peanut Butter (Or skip the peanuts and use 1/2 c. Chunky Peanut Butter — that’s what I did)
1 large bag of butterscotch morelsMelt the morsels (over low heat). Add the peanut butter and stir in. When all is melted, add nuts. In a mixing bowl, mix the mixture with the chow mein noodles. (Be careful – mixture will be hot!) Spoon onto waxed paper.
My mom’s note says this recipe makes one dozen cookies, but it made two dozen for me — guess it depends on how big you like your cookies. 🙂
Pour a glass of cold milk and enjoy!
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