Guilty pleasures

A Thursday evening, an hour too soon for a midnight snack. I'm on the phone with a friend when a waffle cone filled with a mountain of ice cream dances to the most beautiful tune in my head. My mouth salivates. I hang up the phone to find a place still open so I can get some ice cream or frozen yogurt. It's very cold outside and I'm comfortable in my snuggly bed, but my desire is just too strong. I drive to the neighborhood "Village". Of course Cold Stone and Golden Spoon are both closed; it's almost 11 pm. There's a vacant McDonald's right across the street. The drive-thru seems so convenient. I pull up to order a large Oreo McFlurry. (Yeah, I'm going all out. No Kiddie Cone for me tonight.) I drive home and change into my pajamas. I wrap myself in two blankets because it's too chilly for just one. Finally, an episode of Law&Order:SVU I have not seen is on. I am prepared for a night of suspense and the 16 oz. overfilled cup of next-day regret I hold in my hands. My inclination for ice cream in cold weather always defeats me.

Sesame Seed Wafers

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup and another 1/2 cup white sesame seeds, toasted

1 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1 large egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees [F]. Grease and flour 2 cookie sheets.

Combine flour, 1/3 cup sesame seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, blend butter and sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Incorporate the flour mixture into the wet mixture.

Roll pices of dough into 1-inch balls. Dip the tops of the balls into 1/2 cup remaining sesame seeds. Place the balls on the sheet, seeded side up, 2 inches apart. Gently flatten the balls into 1 1/2-inch rounds. Bake (1 sheet at a time) until the cookies are just lightly browned at the edges, 6-8 minutes. Let stand briefly. Then remove to a rack to cool.