In their plastic container, they almost resemble mini scoops of mocha chip ice cream.

But bake them in the oven to transform them into thick chocolate chip cookies with crisp exteriors and chewy interiors — the kind you’ll have an extremely hard time saying “no” to.

These ready-for-baking cookie dough balls are the brainchild of Erin Harrison, a single mom, who left a career as a film industry publicist for Pixar and Sony Pictures, to get her baking groove on.

Her South San Francisco-based Country Baking Company turns out cookie dough balls, a dozen to a container, which can be found in the refrigerator case at local Whole Foods markets, Lunardi’s, Draeger’s and Piedmont Grocery. Look for them soon at Mollie Stone’s, too.

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If you’re a fan of the unusual summer peppers sold at Bay Area farmers markets by East Palo Alto’s Happy Quail Farms, you’ll be glad to know you can savor their exotic tastes year-round now in dried form.

The specialty, family-owned farm smoke-dries its peppers over oak and fruit wood to create its new smoked pimenton powders; and dries other peppers either in the sun or in a dehydrator for its small-batch paprikas.

The result is a range of spices so handy for creating so many dishes at home. Mulatto paprika, made from a mild spicy brown chocolate pepper, is perfect for traditional Mexican moles. Smoked Ají Amarillo pimenton has a vibrant marigold color and is ideal in a sour cream dip or a lime juice marinade. And Serrano paprika, with its sweet-hot notes, makes a mean rub.

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“Healthier homemade” was Susan Nolte’s mantra when she came up with her line of cookie mixes in Connecticut four years ago.

Made with rolled oats and whole wheat flour, these convenient mixes are now available on this coast at many farmers markets and stores in Southern California, thanks to her daughter, Marissa, who started managing business development for the company.

May Cookie Co., named after Susan Nolte’s great-grandmother, makes three types of cookie mixes: Triple Chocolate Oatmeal, Oatmeal Cranberry and the vegan Chocolate Chocolate Chip.

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Perbacco Welcomes Special Guest Chef Jan. 14

Chef Tony Mantuano of Chicago’s acclaimed Spiaggia and a recent contender on “Top Chef Masters” will join forces with Executive Chef Staffan Terje at Perbacco Ristorante in San Francisco for “Winter in Piemonte” — a special dinner Jan. 14 to benefit the James Beard Foundation.

The Perbacco dinner, which starts at 6 p.m., will feature four courses paired with wines. A live auction also will take place.

Price is $165 per person or $150 per person for members of the James Beard Foundation.

“Dine About Town San Francisco” Time

The 11th annual “Dine About Town San Francisco” restaurant promotion returns Jan. 15-31, in which more than 100 restaurants will be offering up either/and two-course lunch menus for $17.95 and three-course dinners for $34.95.

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Mario Batali is a fan, as are his fellow chefs, Traci Des Jardins, Suzanne Goin and Tom Douglas.

After all, what’s not to like about artisan bacon from heritage pigs that’s dry cured with brown sugar for up to 21 days, then smoked with applewood for 12 hours — and made by talented Sonoma chefs, husband-and-wife, John Stewart and Duskie Estes.

You may know them from their Zazu Restaurant + Farm in Santa Rosa and Bovolo cafe in Healdsburg, as well as Estes’ appearance on “The Next Iron Chef” in 2010.

But you ought to get to know them for their bacon, too.

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