Was it really almost three months ago that I watched our neighborhood kids tumble out of the school bus shouting with joy at their summer freedom of no homework, later bedtimes and no more alarm clocks? Whew, summer seemed to whiz by this year, which according to my almost 88-year-old mom is a sure sign of aging. (Thanks, Mom!)

I was spoiled by the wonderful lunches my mom packed for me. No-siree, no cafeteria food for this girl! Mom packed sandwiches on homemade bread, a thermos of milk (chocolate milk occasionally), a piece of fruit, and always some kind of special treat. 

My mom is the "Cookie Queen" in our family. I remember, to this day, the first time I ever had a store bought cookie. I was in the 4th grade and having lunch at my friend Sherilyn’s house. I was fascinated that her mom actually drove to the supermarket and bought cookies. (For those of you who are too young to remember, they were Hydrox cookies, the precursor to Oreos.)

It is 9:17 a.m. as I write this column and the last sheet pan of cookies came out of my oven a few minutes ago. I made my basic chocolate chip cookie recipe (doubled) and divided it into thirds. To one bowl I added toffee chips and chopped almonds, to another peanut butter chips and to the third, good old chocolate chips. Some will find their way to my mom, some went into the cookie jar for Peter, and some are tucked into the freezer for the neighborhood kids.

This week’s recipes are a few ideas for some delicious cookies just right for packing into a backpack or lunch box.

PB & J cookies

Feel free to substitute your favorite kind of jam or jelly in these cookies.

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use old fashioned type)
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 (18-ounce) jar grape jelly
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)

Combine butter, peanut butter, 1 1/4 cups sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium speed of electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, beating well. Gradually add flour and salt, beating on low speed until blended. Cover and chill 1 hour.

Shape dough into one-inch balls and roll in sugar. Place on sheet pan lined with parchment paper and make an indentation in the center of each ball of dough with thumb. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for eight minutes. Remove from oven; press down indentation again and fill center of cookie with 1 tsp. jelly. Return to oven and bake four more minutes. Let cool on pan for a few minutes before removing to cool completely on wire racks. Yield: about six dozen.

Joe Froggers

An old time favorite with a fun name. These were one of my son’s favorites and he always called them “Frog Cookies.”

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1/3 cup water
• 1/2 tsp. butterscotch extract
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup granulated sugar

Combine flour, salt, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and allspice in a large bowl; set aside. Combine water with extract; set aside. Add baking soda to molasses and stir well; set aside. Cream shortening with sugar until fluffy; add half the flour mixture, half the water/extract mixture and then half the molasses mixture, blending well after each addition. Repeat. Cover and chill dough for several hours or overnight. Roll out dough to quarter-inch thickness on a well floured surface and cut with a three-inch cookie cutter. Transfer to a lightly greased sheet pan and bake in a preheated 375 F oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool slightly and transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: about three dozen cookies.

Caramel cereal bars

An easy and delicious treat for the lunch box.

• 3 cups crisp rice cereal 
• 2 cups corn flakes cereal
• 1 cup skinless peanuts
• 1 pkg. (14-ounce) caramels, unwrapped
• 2 Tbsp. water

Lightly coat a thirteen-by-nine-by-two-inch baking dish. In large bowl, combine both cereals and peanuts; mix well. Combine caramels and water in a micro-safe bowl and microwave on medium for three to four minutes or until caramels are melted. (Stir every minute or so.) Pour caramel mixture over cereal mixture and mix until thoroughly coated. Press into prepared pan; let stand one hour (or until firm) before cutting. Yield: 24 bars.

Bad Boys

These were always a big hit with my son and his friends. Believe it or not, the cookie base is nothing more than white bread.

• 5 slices white bread (not thin sliced)
• 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter (do not use old fashioned type)
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 cups frosted flake cereal, crushed

Trim crusts from bread and cut each slice into 5 strips. Place on a cookie sheet and bake in a 250 F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until crisp and dry, turning occasionally. Meanwhile, combine chocolate chips with peanut butter and butter in a small saucepan set over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until mixture is smooth. Dip bread sticks in chocolate mixture, gently shaking off excess. Immediately roll in the crushed cereal; place on a waxed paper covered plate to dry. Store in a tightly covered container. Yield: 24 cookies. Recipe may be doubled or tripled.

Paula Anderson is a freelance journalist specializing in food, entertaining and nutrition. She writes for several newspapers, as well as Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine. She divides her time between Scarborough and Big Pine Key, Fla., where she lives with her husband Peter and their kitty Mina. Correspondence can be addressed to her at the Boothbay Register, P.O. Box 357, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538 or the Wiscasset Newspaper, P.O. Box 429, Wiscasset, ME 04578. You can also write to her directly via email at pander@maine.rr.com.