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It is pretty cool that I know someone who has published a cook book and that person used to work here at Paul Wilmot Communications. I feel like I was there when Casey Barber, Editor of Good. Food. Stories., was honing her cooking skills and getting to taste, first hand, her amazing edibles. I could not have been more excited when I heard she had a cook book in the works and then, finally, when I got the invitation to the launch party! Only Casey would dedicate an entire cook book to snacks, but not just any snacks, the good ‘ole American staples: as in Hostess Chocolate Cupcakes, Cool Ranch Doritos, Cheez-Its, Fudgsicles, Sour Patch Kids…you name it, she has made it! Lucky for us, we can now make our favorite treats at home!
Introducing: Classic Snacks Made From Scratch: 70 Homemade Versions of Your Favorite Brand-Name Treats
I am sure you can guess that I made something with chocolate… I made the Mint Milanos. The instructions were easy to follow and the results were spot on! One great tip for filling a pastry bag is, after putting the pastry tip in the bag and securing it, put the pastry or zip lock bag (as I have used) in a large jar or container and fold over the sides so that you can get the filling down into the bottom of the bag. See below:
It took a few tries but I got the hand of lining up the pastry “fingers” to be the same size. It is smart to have a kitchen ruler that you can use as a guide.
The recipe, which I am not including so that you will get your own copy of the cook book and support my friend, called for dipping the cookie into the melted chocolate or using a pastry brush to brush it on, but I found it easier to spread the chocolate with an Offset Spatula. 
Here I am with Casey just after she signed my copy of her cook book!
Go get your copy of Classic Snacks Made From Scratch: 70 Homemade Versions of Your Favorite Brand-Name Treats
Photographs by Ridgely
