Luckily, I baked a bunch into these peanut butter blondies before they were totally gone, so we got to enjoy them in a different form. Oh, the love.

Known as Peanut Butter Patties in other parts of America, Tagalongs are my number one favorite Girl Scout cookie. Who can argue with peanut butter and a cookie drenched in chocolate? Stick all that into a dessert bar and we’re just talking pure joy.

This week we’re looking at three days of 70-degree temps in DC, which is a little weird considering that just two days ago, there was snow everywhere. If you’re still in denial about climate change, then give me a seriously good explanation of why the temps are yo-yoing up and down in this disconcerting way.

What’s weird to me is that people have turned climate change into a political issue. Years ago, when Al Gore made An Inconvenient Truth, his point of view got lumped in with his political party affiliation, and global warming became an issue that was supposedly liberal.

While I get how that probably came about, what I don’t understand is why climate change continues to be ignored or disregarded in the face of increasingly overwhelming evidence that we need to pay attention or else face the reality that this world might not remain too livable for future generations. I don’t think that’s a political statement; I think it’s a practical one.

It’s glaringly obvious that we’re a severely divided nation. Every morning I open up my Washington Post and read about debates, town halls, polls. With those news stories come endless strings of op-eds about the state of our election this coming year. So yeah, I’m pretty sure we’ve got a lot of division. But can we not drag climate change into that? So far it hasn’t come up a whole lot, but you never know.

That said, I am never one to look a 70-degree gift horse in the mouth, so I plan to spend lots of time outside and in frozen yogurt shops this week. When I can’t get my fro yo, you can be sure I’ll be sitting on a bench somewhere with one of these Tagalong peanut butter blondie bars.

If someone invented a bar for me, it would be this. Oh wait, I just did that. But seriously, this hits all my happy spots. It’s a peanut butter blondie, which means the bar is both chewy and soft. I was very generous with the Tagalong chunks, and those bursts of peanut butter chocolate explosion are the bee’s knees.

Speaking of bees, I’d better not be seeing any until summer. Climate change is scary for a lot of reasons, and we don’t want the critters coming early this year. I’d like to eat my Taglongs in peace!

No, I’m not confused. I realize that I’m four days late. It happens, okay?

Here’s the thing. It’s always so much more fun to celebrate a holiday once it’s over. Example: your birthday comes and goes, but there’s that one friend who forgot or was out of town, so they take you out a week later and celebrate. It’s so nice to keep the party going!

Or think about the holiday season. Last year, I got overloaded with holiday goodies. I write a ton of college recommendations, so the treats really flow in right before winter break begins. I remember staring at a peanut butter brownie layer cake, a batch of brownies, five bags of Lindt truffles, two boxes of Godiva truffles, and a chocolate cheesecake, wondering what on earth I was going to do with it all.

But sure enough, two weeks later, I had no treats around and I was really wishing that some of my students could have given me their holiday gifts late. Why not?

That’s a dangerous question, by the way. Never ask “why not?” unless you’re prepared for a brutally truthful response. Usually, there’s a reason why not. Just trust me on that one.

So, on this belated Pi Day, I chose to use up my remaining box of Girl Scout cookies. Oh, the things I do for you. But don’t worry, because I ate plenty of this Tagalong Pie. It’s full of peanut butter chocolate ganache and Tagalongs. How could I resist?

And even better, I made this pie a full day after actual Pi Day, which means that it made me very happy. I felt as though Pi Day (the perfect no strings attached holiday, mind you) were still going on. It was perfect.

This pie is also made with my tricked-out graham cracker crust, so be sure and check out how that’s done in the recipe below. I guarantee your life will change. And what better way to celebrate Pi Day? Later is better. Don’t forget that!

I was reading one of my favorite blogs for peanut butter desserts, Averie Cooks. I’m sure you’re familiar with Averie, but if not, she’s a peanut butter goddess. I own her cookbook, Peanut Butter Comfort, and I like to sit around and drool at her pictures.

Anyway, last Friday she posted these Tagalong bars. And as soon as I saw them, I slapped myself on the head and cursed. Because you see, I had a very similar bar cooling on my kitchen counter.

Listen, I’m no Averie. I can’t say that my pictures are better than hers, because they’re totally not. And I don’t know how her bars taste yet, though I’m willing to bet they’re awesome. But I’m actually thrilled that we were on similar wavelengths last week, because that means I’m doing something right.

And as you can see, our recipes are pretty different, despite their seeming surface similarities. When it comes down to it, it’s pretty clear that Tagalongs are fabulous enough to deserve several copycat versions making their way around food blogs.

My intent with these bars was to KISS. You know, to Keep It Simple, Sister. No, that last “S” doesn’t usually stand for “sister,” but I was taught as a kid that you should never call anyone “stupid,” and I hold by that rule. That aside, these bars are very easy to put together.

The base is a quickly assembled shortbread, and the middle layer is just peanut butter and powdered sugar. I ran out of powdered sugar and forgot about it, so when I was making these bars, I had to make my own using a blender. It’s quick and easy, not to mention cheap. I felt very much like Tom Hanks in Castaway when he makes fire. Yes, I actually ran around my kitchen screaming, “I….have made…FIRE!” Luckily, everyone at home is quite used to me by now.

The top layer is simply melted chocolate left overnight to harden on its own, and voila! Tagalong magic without the Girl Scouts to enable me. Not that I’m complaining about that.

Food bloggers often think alike, and if I’m thinking like peanut butter queen Averie, I’m a happy girl. I hope you enjoy all that Tagalong season has to offer on both her site and mine, not to mention the other amazing offerings out there, like this one from Dorothy of Crazy for Crust (a.k.a. one of my favorite food bloggers ever). Eat up!

Think about it: 40 years ago, women couldn’t do so many important jobs because we weren’t considered worthy. Gradually, thanks to women’s rights and some common sense, the general population has come to realize that we kick butt. I mean, we still make less money and people are still sexist. Nothing changes overnight. But at least we’re moving in the right direction.

But see, that element of choice that has resulted from having more rights has made life a lot harder to navigate. Do we work at home or work outside the home? Claw up the ladder or stay complacently put? Wear heels or flats?

As I get older, by the way, flats. But the bottom line is, choices are quite the double-edged sword. They’re much more fun when the decisions you have to make aren’t that vital to society, but make or break your day. Thus, the Girl Scout cookie conundrum.

Tagalongs all the way for me, baby. But I know a lot of you don’t agree. Thin Mints have a raging following, and Samoas are also pretty dang popular. And while there’s a smaller but loyal contingent who dream of Trefoils, they’re still solidly in the minority.

When I bake with Girl Scout cookies, it’s always with being fair in mind. I use the three top favorites somewhat evenly and then dabble a bit in desserts involving other flavors. Last year, I made these mini-cheesecakes with equity as a goal. I do have one Trefoil recipe coming up, but today is all about those three superstars: Tagalongs, Thin Mints, and Samoas.

This recipe is simple, fun, and easy to do with kids if you’re into that kind of torture. The base is a cake mix chocolate cookie, which then gets wrapped around the various Girl Scout Cookie flavors. I have a code that makes it easy to remember which is which: Tagalongs get topped with peanut butter chips, Thin Mints with chocolate chips, and Samoas with Heath toffee bits.

Like all cake mix cookies, these bake up instantaneously and without additional fridge chill time. And when they’re done, they’re fudgy and an oh-so-perfect pillow for the cookie nestled inside. It really is hidden treasure. What could be more valuable than finding a Girl Scout cookie hiding inside another giant cookie?

Well, women’s rights are probably more valuable, but let’s not squabble over it. The worst thing is when women tear one another down about the choices their sister-friends have made, so let’s let that one go. Instead, go eat a cookie. Do it for yourself, for Girl Scouts, and for women in America!

Why don’t I feel good about breaking that record?

Maybe because if I’m going to be a witness to record-breaking, I’d rather there be something more fun involved, like cheesecake eating. Has anyone ever broken a cheesecake-eating record? I’m sure. I’d like to be told about it, but please don’t send me any videos.

The upside of winter is that, like horrible phases your kids go through, it’s temporary. My daughter is going through this thing where she falls asleep in the car on the way home from school every day. Then she wakes up at home, starts screaming, makes me hold her and doesn’t calm down for an hour. It’s super fun.

But see, I’m a seasoned mom now, and I know that everything ends. And that’s both a blessing and a curse, because while her afternoon screeches will come to an end, so will her adorable baby cheeks. I mean, she’s almost three. They can’t stay around forever.

And neither can these cheesecake bars. I believe they disappeared in record time. And how could they not? They’re chock full of Tagalongs!

These bars begin with my peanut butter graham cracker crust, which is very simple. You just melt peanut butter chips along with the butter, and there you go. The crust is topped with a basic cheesecake batter which becomes beyond fun with the addition of chopped Tagalongs, peanut butter chips, and peanut butter-filled chocolate chips.

While I love using Girl Scout cookies for baking, I tend to use Tagalongs the most. After all, I’m a bona fide, die-hard peanut butter girl. So don’t be shocked if you see at least one more Tagalong recipe on here in the near future. But I’ll try to give Samoas some mo’ (get it?) love soon!

Cheesecake bars are always addictive, but these are above par, believe me. If you want to ensure that people will eat what you bake, this is it. In life, everything is temporary. It’s up to us to savor the good and realize that the bad is, well, a learning experience. How’s that for positivity on a Monday?