LOWER PAXTON TOWNSHIP

We stayed close to home today, working on some projects for the historical society and doing a little baking. I received a box of "Whoopie Do" for Christmas and thought it was high time to use it.

"What," you ask, "is Whoopie Do?"

It's whoopie pies in bags in a box. Here, I'll show you. Please note -- it's the original! (I understand there is a "Smores" version, too.)

The white bag has the chocolate cookie mix, and the silver bag contains the "creme filling."

First, I had the difficult task of crushing any lumps in the cookie mix, which I did with a big ol' fork.

Next, I got out the oil, an egg, and a quarter cup of water.

I added the ingredients to the mix, as directed.

Then I mixed 'er up real good.

I dropped a tablespoon of batter onto the parchment paper, making 12 cookies.

As the cookies baked, I kneaded the bag o'creme filling.

Almost exactly 11 minutes later, I tested the cookies in the oven, and they were ready to come out.

After two minutes of rest, the cookies got scooped up and moved to a cooling rack.

After they cooled, I cut open the bag of creme filling at the corner, ready to squeeze it onto a cookie.

I was a bit disappointed that the filling was not light and fluffy but more like the icing you put on a cake.

The whoopie pies are assembled and stacked. Not bad looking. I wonder how real bakers get the cookies to be the exact same size!

The last direction on the kit is to "Shout WHOOPIE!" as the Amish farmers were supposed to have done upon finding the treat in their lunch boxes. Here's my attempt at re-creating that dynamic moment.

Well, there is certainly no doubt that the Amish love their whoopie pies. Here's a guy ordering some on the phone.

Note my faithful companion, The Box, watching wistfully from the curb in front of the house. He shouldn't worry. He'll probably get a few crumbs out of the stack of whoopie pies -- down between the seats, of course, where all good crumbs (and French fries -- come on, admit it, you  know I am right) go to die.

Well, after the drudgery of slaving over a hot stove all day, and because it was the 100th Anniversary of the Oreo cookie, we took the Box over to Red Robin, where they were giving out a free Oreo milk shake. Hey, observing anniversaries is required by the historical society!

The end.