We're Off to See the Wizard with Dark Chocolate Mint Cookies

We are headed to preview/dress rehearsal tonight for The Wizard of Oz, which will be playing at the Newmark Theater in The Portland Center for the Performing Arts, December 16th through January 1st, 2012 in downtown Portland, Oregon. But first, I had to bake cookies!

I enjoy baking cookies for the orchestra. They are the ones playing beautiful music while unseen by the audience, in the "orchestra pit." Our son has conducted the vocal and instrumental music many times, and he hides out in the "pit." He is conducting this show, something he does often in his "spare" time; evenings, weekends when most of us are relaxing. They are always the nicest people and love to get cookies! I made a batch of the usual favorite, but decided I wanted to take two different kinds of cookies this time. I decided dark chocolate with mint sounded like a great winter/holiday choice. I found a chocolate cookie recipe over at food.com and adapted it to fit what I wanted. 

I used dark unsweetened cocoa and Andes Creme de Menthe Baking Chips. I put most of the chips inside the cookies, but I saved enough to sprinkle and press into the tops before baking, about 1/3 of a cup. It was the first time I had used them and I had thought the chips would be bigger than they actually were. They spread out on the pan so don't put them too close to each other on the pans for a nice round cookie.

Now to pack them up and head to the show.

We are back home after the show, 11:30 p.m. The show was fantastic! We can't wait to see it again. If you live anywhere near Portland, Oregon, you should run right out now and buy yourself some tickets.

The "pit" - where the magic happens

Enjoy!