Kids are a mystery. Just when you think you have them pegged, they change, and in the process make you feel like you’re from outer space. For years, my carnivore daughter would polish off a rack of ribs, a plate of bacon or a steak with ease. Then she declared to me; “Mom I HATE sausage, why would you put it in the pasta?” So it was with the turtle candy I brought back from Detroit. The box lurked in the fridge for over a month, until the kids declared that neither one of them really liked turtles (of course, why would they like caramel, chocolate and nuts???) So, into my next batch of cookies they went. If you follow me at all, you know I love to recycle unwanted candy into a batch of cookies. Why limit yourself to chocolate chips? I used the Turtles in a version of my favorite Almond Oatmeal cookies, replacing the oatmeal and cashews with the chopped candy.   My daughter couldn’t identify what exactly was in the cookies, but she did like them, a lot. The combination shall remain a secret to the kids–some things are better left a mystery.

Almond Butter Turtle Cookies

8  tablespoons butter
2/3  cup almond butter
2/3  cup brown sugar
1  cup granulated sugar
2  eggs
1  teaspoon vanilla extract
2  cups self-rising  flour
1/4  teaspoon salt
1-2 cups chopped up turtle candies

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Combine butter and almond butter; beat with mixer at medium speed until light. Add brown sugar and granulated sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix in flour and salt. Stir in candy. Drop batter by tablespoons or ice cream scoop onto cookie sheets. Flatten slightly with the bottom of a cup dipped in sugar. Bake 10 to 15 minutes.