Secret Kiss

You always remember your first kiss. Good, bad, or embarrassing, you always remember it.

My first kiss was arranged. By my sister. When I was in jr. high, she was dating a guy who had a younger brother my age. Together they thought up the brilliant plan of setting us up. I was amenable to the plan. The guy was cute, I'd never been on a date, and since I'd be with my sister, my mother OK'd the plan.

After the date was all set, my sister informed me that I was supposed to kiss the guy at the door. This prospect was both exciting and terrifying. I'd never kissed anyone outside of my family. What if I did it wrong? What if my mother found out?

The four of us went out for pizza. I said hardly a word, the prospect of the big "K" looming like a giant cloud over the dinner table. Walking home, I could barely think of a thing to say, sneaking sideways glances at his lips. My sister and her date contrived to lag a bit behind us to give us time alone. We got to the doorstep and I said goodnight, waited a few beats, and then he made his move and planted a slightly moist kiss on me, milliseconds before the front door was jerked open by my mother.

I hurried inside, heart pumping. My first kiss! Had my mother seen? Had she been watching for us? Would he ask me out again?

Like a rose without water my hopes of romance curled up and died. Oh, he came around again. To see my sister. He spent the whole rest of the summer following her around like a puppy dog. Sigh. So much for true love at first kiss.


If there's someone in your life you've been wanting to give a kiss to, you could test the waters with a secret kiss. In a cookie, that is. Bake something sweet for your sweetie and see where it leads. Hopefully to something beautiful. Just don't ask your sister to drop off the cookies.

Secret Kiss Cookies
adapted from a Hershey recipe

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1-3/34 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1 6-oz bag Hershey Kisses, unwrapped
Powdered sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add flour and walnuts; beat on low speed of electric mixer until well blended. Cover; refrigerate dough 1 to 2 hours or until firm enough to handle.

Heat oven to 375 deg. F. Using approximately 1 Tbsp of dough for each cookie, shape dough around each Kiss; roll to make ball. Be sure to cover the chocolate completely. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until cookies are set but not brown. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

While still slightly warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container. You can roll them again in powdered sugar again just before serving.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.