I went to the grocery store a few weeks ago to pick up a few necessities - as I do.

As I walked down the baking aisle, I noticed that cake mix was on sale for 87¢. I don't make cake from a box often, but that's only because I love the bonding time I get with my little girl in the kitchen and will prolong it for as long as I can. She gets so excited when I ask if she wants to help Mama bake some goodies - especially when they're for Daddy. With that being said, there is nothing wrong with using a box cake mix and don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise!

I decided to buy a couple of boxes; German Chocolate and Spice Cake. 87¢ seemed like such a bargain and these are also the 2 flavors I probably wouldn't attempt to make from scratch anyway, so score for me! When I got home and unloaded my groceries, I noticed I already had 2 boxes of spice cake mix in the cupboard. Super.

Fast forward to a few days ago. I was going through my cookbooks, looking for a recipe my girlfriend asked about. To get to this specific cookbook, I had to pull out a folder I keep all the loose recipe clippings I cut from the back of food packages, in-store recipes, or steal from magazines. Yeah. I admit it. I steal pages from magazines.

Once I found what I was looking for, I flipped though the folder and came across this recipe for Butterscotch Spice Cookies. As I read through it, the words '1 package spice cake mix'  jumped out of the page and was immediately highlighted with a million beams of sunshine rays behind it. I think I may heard an angel or two singing during that moment as well, but I can't confirm.

While I know I would appreciate these cookies even more in the Fall, they were pretty good considering. After all, spice is the variety of life.

Or something like that.

BUTTERSCOTCH SPICE COOKIES

Recipe adapted and slightly modified from Duncan Hines

1 box spice cake mix - I used Betty Crocker. Sorry Duncan.
2 large eggs
½ cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup butterscotch chips

½ cup chocolate chips

1 cup crispy rice cereal

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine cake mix, eggs, oil and vanilla extract in large bowl. Beat at low speed with electric mixer until blended.

Stir in butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, and crispy rice cereal.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until set. Cool 2 minutes on baking sheets. Remove to cooling racks. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Yield: About 3 dozen cookies.

Happy Baking!