The following “Chew This!” column originally appeared in “The Courier-Times” and / or “The Shelbyville News”. Check their websites for further information and dates.

Terri Smith Shares Delicious No Bake Cookie Recipe

Blaise Doubman

Terri Smith has been a friend of mine and my family for so many years I could not even begin to count. She has always been there for my family and I and we are so lucky to have her in our lives. She does so much for her community and those who live in it. I wrote about her in a feature story about Kennard Senior Living’s BINGO event awhile back and it generated a fabulous response, so I just had to follow up that piece with a recipe from her here in this column. Terri is known to her family and friends as a great cook and even a great baker! Recently I seen a picture of one of her pies she made for a dear friend of hers and let me tell you, it looked better than any pie I have ever made! Ha! She also makes some of the most delicious smash burgers you have ever had! What is a smash burger? Think about Culver’s butter burgers but turn the flavor volume up a notch and you would have Terri’s smash burgers. Each burger smashed and seasoned to perfection. She is also great with homemade pizzas, homemade biscuits and even, believe it or not, homemade cotton candy! 

I love talking about food with Terri because she always seems to come up with the best ideas. For example, the cotton candy I was talking about. She has a cotton candy machine that makes cotton candy from hard candy, so she thought about making sugar free cotton candy by using sugar free candy! I tried some and it was amazing! I told her she needed to sell that! Trust me, I am positive there is a market for sugar free cotton candy. I had never even thought about that! And you should try her pizza! I’m not sure what she puts in her pizza sauce, but it is mouthwatering. That is on top of her homemade pizza dough. Yum! The recipe I am sharing today though is not her famous burgers, pizza or even cotton candy. No, it is for her no bake white bark cookies. The cookies were made for Terri by her friend Melissa and then shared with me and I had to have the recipe. These are some of simplest cookies you will ever make. The flavor profile of these are incredible for it being only 3 ingredients, not counting the melted white bark and peanut butter. You can use smooth peanut butter if you want and substitute the dry roasted peanuts for honey roasted peanuts or even macadamia nuts. Feel free to even add dried cranberries to the mix for a sweet and tart flavor. Dedicating this special recipe to my dear friend Terri Smith. Thank you, Terri, for everything you do for your family, friends and community. I hope everyone enjoys these cookies as much as my friends and family do! 

Terri Smith’s No Bake White Bark Cookies

Leftovers should be kept in an airtight container at room temperature.

1-pound white bark
1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
1 cup crispy rice cereal
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1 cup dry roasted peanuts

Start by combining the white bark and crunchy peanut butter in a large microwave safe bowl.

Microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove and stir. 

Microwave on high, in 30 second intervals, until smooth and melted. Stir well to combine.

Add in the crispy rice cereal, miniature marshmallows and dry roasted peanuts.

Dollop cookies, using a tablespoon, onto parchment paper. 

Allow to cool and set up completely before enjoying.

Ask and Answer: A few of you have been writing to me with questions about dark chocolate, so I thought I would answer a few of them here. First, yes, a small amount of dark chocolate is considered “healthy”. Secondly, dark chocolate has to be at least 70% cocoa to actually be true dark chocolate. Thirdly, the best way to store dark chocolate is in a cool, dark, dry place.