girl power

Every year about this time, visions of Thin Mints and Do-si-dos start to dance in our wee little heads. That's right, it's Girl Scout Cookie season!

According to the organization, Americans buy about 200 million boxes of cookies each year. Why are these cookies so special? In addition to tasting good, they offer a feel-good component, since the cookie program turns girls into smart cookies by teaching them valuable skills like money management and leadership.

Looking for cookies? Find your nearest troop.

Concerned about peanut butter in the cookies? The Girl Scouts claim their cookies are not affected by the current peanut butter warning.

Want to expand your usual Samoa and Tagalong consumption? Try the new Dulce de Leche, sweet cookies with milk caramel chips. See this year's cookie assortment.

Need an excuse to load up your freezer? Thin Mints make a great crust for cheesecakes and mousse cakes. And any of the cookies would be delicious roughly crumbled and blended into softened vanilla ice cream. That was a special treat my mom used to make me, back in the days before mix-in ice cream shops. She always saved one cookie as a garnish to my dish. Fancy.