Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies from the next door neighbor. Caramel deLites from a niece. Lemonades from a co-worker's daughter.

And then there are the adorable Brownies hawking Thin Mints outside J.C. Penney.

Before you know it, you've bought treats from half the Girl Scouts in northeast Indiana and are clearing out the pantry to make room for 42 boxes of those much-anticipated cookies.

According to Connie Frederick, product manager for the Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana, 103,000 cases of Girl Scout cookies were sold last year – and they are hoping to hit the 110,000 mark this year before the season ends March 13.

If you find yourself with a spare box – or three – here are some new ways to enjoy the cookies. As if they aren't good enough on their own.

Thin Mint Mocha Shake

8 Thin Mint cookies

2 cups coffee ice cream

1/4 cup strongly brewed coffee, cooled

3/4 cup milk, more or less as desired

Whipped cream, for garnish

Mix cookies, ice cream, coffee and milk in blender. Serve in milkshake glasses and top with whipped cream and garnish with crumbled cookies.

Peanut Butter Brownie Surprise

For the brownies:

1 family-size package brownie mix

1 box Peanut Butter Patties

For the frosting:

3/4 cup vanilla frosting, (about 1/2 can)

1/3 cup peanut butter

1 tablespoon milk

For the brownies: Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Pour half of the brownie batter into a 9-by-13-inch pan. Layer Peanut Butter Patties over the batter; top with remaining brownie mix. Bake according to package directions. Cool completely.

For the frosting: Beat frosting, peanut butter and milk in medium bowl with electric mixer until blended. Spread on cooled brownies. Garnish with Peanut Butter Patties pieces.

– Adapted from Jif

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie

For the crust:

1 1/2 cups Peanut Butter Sandwich cookie crumbs

3 tablespoons butter

For the filling:

2/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 egg yolks

3 cups milk

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

To make the crust: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch pie pan. Stir together cookie crumbs and melted butter. Using your fingertips, firmly press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until lightly golden. Cool before filling.

For the filling: Stir together sugar, cornstarch and salt in 2-quart saucepan. Combine egg yolks and milk in container with pouring spout, such as a Pyrex liquid measuring cup. Gradually blend milk mixture into sugar mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Add chocolate chips, stirring until chips are melted. Pour into prepared pie shell; press plastic wrap onto filling. Cool and refrigerate for several hours before serving.

Strawberry Lemonade Ice Cream Sandwich

1 pint strawberry ice cream, softened

16 Lemonades cookies

Using a small ice cream scoop, put about 1/4 cup ice cream on one Lemonades cookie. Spread ice cream evenly and top with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Place the sandwiches in plastic bags and freeze for at least one hour before serving. Makes 8 sandwiches.

Bananas Foster Cake Balls

3/4 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup mashed banana

1 container cream cheese frosting

1/2 cup oatmeal, if necessary

White chocolate melts

1 box Dulce de Leche cookies, crushed

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 9-by-13-inch cake pan.

In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together eggs and sugar until thick; beat in mashed banana. Stir in the flour mixture. It's fine if it's still lumpy. Pour batter into prepared pan, baking 15 to 20 minutes or until the cake springs back when pressed slightly with your finger. Cool.

Crumble the cooled cake with fingers over a bowl. Mix cake crumbs with cream cheese frosting. If necessary, add oatmeal to bind together the mixture. Using a small scoop, scoop about two tablespoons of the cake mixture and roll into a bowl with your hands. Place each cake ball on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Once all of the cake is rolled into balls, chill for a half hour.

Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler. Dip each ball in the chocolate and roll in crushed cookies; place back on parchment-lined sheet. Chill dipped cake balls for an hour or more before serving.

– Adapted from thehandicappedkitchen.wordpress.com

S'more Thanks a Lot

2 Thanks-A-Lot cookies

1 large marshmallow

Place one cookie face down on a plate so the chocolate side is up. Toast marshmallow and put onto cookie. Top with the other cookie chocolate side down. Squish together until marshmallow reaches edges.

– ABC Bakers

Caramelized Pear and Nutty-Cookie Crunch Sundae

12 Shout Outs cookies, divided

1/3 cup chopped pecans

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 ripe, but slightly firm pears, cored and cut into 1/2 -inch pieces

Vanilla ice cream

Place 8 Shout Outs cookies in a large self-sealing plastic bag and close. Place bag on cutting board and use rolling pin to crush cookies into coarse crumbs. In a small bowl, combine cookie crumbs with pecans; set aside.

To make caramelized pears, melt butter in a medium frying pan over medium to medium-low heat. When butter foams, sprinkle the brown sugar over top. Cook until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Add pear pieces and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce is caramelized and the pears start to break down.

To make sundaes, place half of nutty-cookie crunch in bottom of each serving dish. Scoop ice cream over the nutty-cookie crunch. Top with warm pear sauce and sprinkle with remaining nutty-cookie crunch. To serve, place one Shout Out on top of each sundae. Makes 4 servings.

– ABC Bakers

Chocolate Thin Mint Pizza Supreme

1 (18-ounce) package refrigerated chocolate chunk cookie dough

1/2 package (19 cookies) Thin Mints cookies

1/2 cup white chocolate morsels

Vanilla ice cream (optional)

Press cookie dough evenly in the bottom of an ungreased 12-inch pizza pan or a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan. (Dough will barely cover the pan.) Break Thin Mints into halves or thirds; press cookie pieces into dough, covering evenly. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Place white chocolate morsels into a small self-closing bag. Microwave the bag of morsels on medium high (70 percent power) for 40 to 50 seconds or until melted. Snip one corner (about 1/8 inch) off the bottom of the bag. Hold bag tightly at top and drizzle white chocolate stripes over top of pizza. When it is cool, cut pizza into 8 or 10 wedges. If desired, top each serving with a scoop of ice cream. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

– ABC Bakers

Peanut Butter Thai Chicken

8 Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies, crushed

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken tenderloins

Teriyaki glaze

Thai peanut sauce

Pad Thai noodles

Grill chicken tenderloins on wood skewers, brushing occasionally with teriyaki glaze. Prepare Pad Thai noodles according to directions on box. Serve chicken tenderloins with 4 crushed Peanut Butter Sandwich cookies sprinkled on top. Mix remaining cookie crumbs with peanut sauce. Serve peanut sauce poured over chicken and noodles, or as side dipping sauce. Makes 4 servings.

– Little Brownie Bakers

Fried Caramel deLite Shrimp

5 extra-large shrimp, peeled and de-veined

5 Caramel deLite cookies, finely chopped

2 cups seasoned bread crumbs

2 cups flour

1 cup coconut flakes

4 egg whites

1 pinch cayenne pepper

1 lime for garnish

Vegetable or peanut oil for frying

Toss coconut flakes with bread crumbs, cayenne pepper and chopped Caramel deLites. Dredge shrimp through flour, followed by egg whites and cookie mixture. Fry shrimp in vegetable oil at 350 degrees until golden brown. Garnish with coconut flakes and lime wedges.

– Little Brownie Bakers

If you like these recipes, check out her online novel

Have you read Kim's bakery-based mystery novel, with recipes?

• Here's a link to Queen of the City.