Milk and Cookies Smoothie

Over the past few years I've cut way back on the number of cooking shows I watch, but I have a few favorites I'm not willing to give up just yet. Mad Hungry, Giada at Home, and Kelsey's Essentials are the three I routinely record on my DVR, but I'll admit I don't always watch them in their entirety. Each has a nice intro in which the host lays out the recipes they'll be preparing, and I've gotten into the habit of fast forwarding through any segments featuring a recipe I know I would never make. I used to watch the whole episode because even if a recipe wasn't appealing, I usually picked up a few nifty tips or tricks, but these days I just don't have time. It seems like every time I turn around my DVR is at 99% capacity, so this is the only way I can keep up!



I was flying through a few episodes of Mad Hungry last weekend when I saw the idea for this milk and cookies smoothie. Confession: I don't love milk, and pretty much only have it in cereal or blended into a smoothie. I'm definitely not one to grab a big glass of milk to dunk my cookies, but throw the milk in a blender with my cookies and I'm all over it :)

Despite its name, this smoothie actually isn't super indulgent - aside from the cookies, the ingredient list is pretty comparable to other smoothies I've made: milk, banana, peanut butter and honey. The original recipe called for English tea biscuits but I didn't have any on hand, and the last thing I need is another package of cookies in my pantry, so I subbed something I did have - Biscoff cookies! The smoothie was super thick and creamy, almost like a milkshake in consistency, and I could definitely detect the flavor of the cookies. I was *this* close to substituting Biscoff spread for the peanut butter but chickened out at the last minute, worried it might be too much. I still may try it another time, and if I do, I'll report back!

Milk and Cookies Smoothie
barely adapted from Mad Hungry

1 cup milk
1 cup milk ice cubes (about 7 cubes)
1 banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen
1/2 cup crushed Biscoff cookies
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey

Combine all of the ingredients in your blender. Blend until smooth. You can add more milk if you want a thinner consistency but I liked it exactly as written. Garnish with cookie crumbs, if desired, and serve.

If you have leftovers, you can stick them in the fridge overnight and give them a quick whir in the blender before serving again.

Serves 3-4