This week has been insanely busy (again). I took down all the Thanksgiving decorations and am in the process of putting up all the Christmas/Yule decorations. It's taken 3 days so far, which is crazy, but I'm enjoying the process. Hopefully, though, I'll be done soon, so I can clear up all the boxes. Tripping over the stuff is starting to make me crazy.
I've been planning my holiday baking. Do any of you do this? I don't know too many 
people who make cookies or breads or cakes for the holidays any more. I think it's a shame. I LOVE cookies. Actually, I LOVE cookie dough! I do I do! I wish I knew people near me who baked so we could do a cookie exchange. Or a cookie party. The closest I've gotten was last year when I made cookies for my next door neighbors, and they made cheesecakes (YUM) for us, and I brought the cookies to their house and they brought the cheesecakes to ours and that was it. No one stayed to talk or anything. That was really nice, but do you know what I am talking about? The kind of cookie swaps with like a dozen people getting together with a different kind of cookie, and everyone trades them and then we all drink tea and coffee and hot cocoa and sit around at talk. That's mostly a dream though. I don't actually have any friends, so that's not going to happen with a dozen people. In my head it's nice, though.
people who make cookies or breads or cakes for the holidays any more. I think it's a shame. I LOVE cookies. Actually, I LOVE cookie dough! I do I do! I wish I knew people near me who baked so we could do a cookie exchange. Or a cookie party. The closest I've gotten was last year when I made cookies for my next door neighbors, and they made cheesecakes (YUM) for us, and I brought the cookies to their house and they brought the cheesecakes to ours and that was it. No one stayed to talk or anything. That was really nice, but do you know what I am talking about? The kind of cookie swaps with like a dozen people getting together with a different kind of cookie, and everyone trades them and then we all drink tea and coffee and hot cocoa and sit around at talk. That's mostly a dream though. I don't actually have any friends, so that's not going to happen with a dozen people. In my head it's nice, though. Anyway, this is my cookie list for this year. Tell me what you think...
1. Strawberry Thumbprints
2. Butterscotch Shortbread
3. Hungarian Poppy Seed
4. Rolled Sugar
5. Mexican Hot Chocolate Balls
6. Lemon-Cream Sandwiches
7. Peppermint Twists
8. Springerle
9. Cranberry-Eggnog Twirls
10. Holiday Fruit
11. Fudge Ecstasies
12. Marshmallow Truffles (yeah, not cookies, but candy)
13. Caramel Bites (also not cookies)
Some of these are old favorites, and some are new. You can see I have a whole bunch of different flavors, because I like variety. I can tell you that the Rolled Sugar and the Butte
rscotch Shortbread are outrageously good, fairly quick, make a whole bunch, and let me use my cookie cutter collection, which is fairly large and makes me happy. The Cranberry Eggnog Twirls are somewhat fussy to make, but unbelievable to eat (even when baked--actually, they may be BETTER when they are baked--hard to believe). Springerle take 2 days to do, and are somewhat tricky to cut out (you need a cookie mold to do it), but they are so pretty it just doesn't matter. The Hungarian Poppy Seed are new for me--I'm excited about them because I LOVE poppy seeds. I am a bit nervous about how they'll be received, though. I don't know what everyone else thinks of poppy seeds. Ah, oh well. It'll be an adventure.
rscotch Shortbread are outrageously good, fairly quick, make a whole bunch, and let me use my cookie cutter collection, which is fairly large and makes me happy. The Cranberry Eggnog Twirls are somewhat fussy to make, but unbelievable to eat (even when baked--actually, they may be BETTER when they are baked--hard to believe). Springerle take 2 days to do, and are somewhat tricky to cut out (you need a cookie mold to do it), but they are so pretty it just doesn't matter. The Hungarian Poppy Seed are new for me--I'm excited about them because I LOVE poppy seeds. I am a bit nervous about how they'll be received, though. I don't know what everyone else thinks of poppy seeds. Ah, oh well. It'll be an adventure.I know what you're thinking here. Why does someone, who has no friends, 
need to make 11 types of cookies?? That'd be a good question. I guess I do it for myself, mostly. Not that I eat them (I hardly do), but I make them because I love to make them. I love to plan them and gather the ingredients and then spend the time mixing dough, cutting out, baking, decorating, etc. It reminds me of Christmases when I was little. The cookie making in our house would take a couple of days and all the countertops in the kitchen. Afterward, there would be tins and tins and tins of cookies to eat. Truly it is one of my happiest memories. I know my kids are starting to love the tradition as well (they are still little), and I KNOW they love to eat the cookies. Handing down that tradition makes it more special. Plus, I've decided to hand out cookies to a whole bunch more neighbors this year. Last year we only gave to our two nearest neighbors. This year, I'd like to give to more. We know a few more families than we did, and I just feel like this may be the way to reach out and try to make friends. The only thing I do not know how to do is to try to tell people they don't need to reciprocate. I don't want to put anyone in the awkward position of "I gave you a gift, you give me a gift", but that's what inevitably happens. I want to give cookies, but not get cookies. We seriously do not need them. Not with 11 types hanging around the house! That'll require some thought. I'm going to do it anyway, though. I just hope no one minds.
need to make 11 types of cookies?? That'd be a good question. I guess I do it for myself, mostly. Not that I eat them (I hardly do), but I make them because I love to make them. I love to plan them and gather the ingredients and then spend the time mixing dough, cutting out, baking, decorating, etc. It reminds me of Christmases when I was little. The cookie making in our house would take a couple of days and all the countertops in the kitchen. Afterward, there would be tins and tins and tins of cookies to eat. Truly it is one of my happiest memories. I know my kids are starting to love the tradition as well (they are still little), and I KNOW they love to eat the cookies. Handing down that tradition makes it more special. Plus, I've decided to hand out cookies to a whole bunch more neighbors this year. Last year we only gave to our two nearest neighbors. This year, I'd like to give to more. We know a few more families than we did, and I just feel like this may be the way to reach out and try to make friends. The only thing I do not know how to do is to try to tell people they don't need to reciprocate. I don't want to put anyone in the awkward position of "I gave you a gift, you give me a gift", but that's what inevitably happens. I want to give cookies, but not get cookies. We seriously do not need them. Not with 11 types hanging around the house! That'll require some thought. I'm going to do it anyway, though. I just hope no one minds.
I also have 2 bus drivers, a teacher, my family, and my husband's work crew to "cookie-up", so I think most of those are going to find homes no problem. I will have to find a way to keep some just for us (in tins, of course). I sense a mutiny from my two little ones (not to mention my husband) if I give them all away!Ok, I could go on and on about this. I will refrain from discussing with you about my cookie recipe collection, or the fact that I think I finally found the perfect cookie sheets after many years of searching, or how annoying it was to search for peppermint extract versus mint extract, which tastes like toothpaste. I'll spare you. I hear the boxes of decorations calling my name anyway, so I should get back to that. I hope you all have the best week and sweet cookie memories to share!
2 comments:
My best high school girlfriend and I would ALWAYS get together to make sugar cookies at Christmastime. I miss it. Baking alone is no fun for me. I still do give neighbor gifts to about eight houses in my cul-de-sac, but with all the dogs here, it's really hard to get the kitchen hair-free enough to do serious baking. It's been a long time since I've had cookies in the neighbor gifts (but no one will ever forget the Famously Awful Gingerbread!).
~FASteph from the Wagon
Ohhhhh, LOTS of cookies!!!! I wish I lived closer to you! Don't forget the dozen that you're mailing to me ;o)
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