Cashew and White Chocolate Chip Pizookie with Blueberry Ice Cream

Growing up, my family was never really an animal family.

I remember my mom seriously emphasizing that I should not volunteer to pet sit the elementary class hermit crab over long breaks.

And my friend’s hamster stayed in our basement for one week…and only once.

The closest a dog got to living in our house was pictures of puggles (the number one pet choice in 1999) on the refrigerator.

Until I moved home…and brought the 80 pound chocolate lab beast with me. And tomorrow, my sister is bringing her bulldog to visit. The fact that it has the potential to be absolute chaos probably goes without saying.

Kind of like that hypothetical house with a hypothetical offer…not being so hypothetical. I know. It was a little bit obvious. (PS: The seller accepted our offer today!)

And this simple truth: If you’ve convinced yourself turning on the oven is a good idea when it’s seriously hot outside, it’s best to under-bake anything that goes in it. And then top it with ice cream. Especially cookies.

This is a simple cookie base, studded with chopped, salty cashews and sweet white chocolate chips. It’s pressed into a cast iron skillet and baked until it just begins to set.

The result is a gooey cookie mess…topped with a scoop of homemade ice cream, churned with fresh, whole blueberries.

It’s salty and sweet and frozen. It’s one of the only reasons I’d consider turning on the oven on hot days like today. And it forces people (um, my parents) to ignore the dog madness happening in their house.

I hope.

Cashew and White Chocolate Pizookie with Blueberry Ice Cream
recipe adapted from Nestle Tollhouse

1 2/3 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
1 12-ounce package white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped cashews

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small mixing bowl, and set aside. In a larger bowl, beat butter and sugars until creamy. Add vanilla and egg, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Fold in white chocolate chips and chopped cashews. Press into a greased cast iron skillet and bake in a preheated 350º oven for 20-25 minutes. (You want the cookie to jiggle just a little, and be slightly browned, but not fully baked.) Serve immediately, topped with ice cream.