I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I am
thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get 24
cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of cookies on
Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies. Has anyone done a
similar exchange at work and be willing to share advice or experiences
about how it went? Thanks,

pamjd > wrote in
oups.com:

> I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I
> am thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get
> 24 cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of
> cookies on Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies.
> Has anyone done a similar exchange at work and be willing to
> share advice or experiences about how it went? Thanks,

What are "no bake" cookies.

Thank you

On Oct 10, 5:36 pm, pamjd > wrote:
> I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I am
> thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get 24
> cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of cookies on
> Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies. Has anyone done a
> similar exchange at work and be willing to share advice or experiences
> about how it went? Thanks,


I worked for several years at a company that had this tradition. It
was wonderful. We'd take 3 dozen cookies to work, put them on a
conference room, and then those that had participated in the baking,
would walk around the table, and select varieties of cookies brought
in by others to take home.

I loved it! I was busy back then, and during the holidays I'd only
have time to make a couple of different kinds of cookies here at home,
so being able to exchange to obtain a "variety" was a really good
thing.

Myrl Jeffcoat

Oh pshaw, on Wed 10 Oct 2007 05:48:37p, Myrl Jeffcoat meant to say...

> On Oct 10, 5:36 pm, pamjd > wrote:
>> I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I am
>> thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get 24
>> cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of cookies on
>> Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies. Has anyone done a
>> similar exchange at work and be willing to share advice or experiences
>> about how it went? Thanks,
>
>
> I worked for several years at a company that had this tradition. It
> was wonderful. We'd take 3 dozen cookies to work, put them on a
> conference room, and then those that had participated in the baking,
> would walk around the table, and select varieties of cookies brought
> in by others to take home.
>
> I loved it! I was busy back then, and during the holidays I'd only
> have time to make a couple of different kinds of cookies here at home,
> so being able to exchange to obtain a "variety" was a really good
> thing.
>
> Myrl Jeffcoat
>
>

I think it was a couple of years in a row that we had a cookie exchange
here on r.f.c. Most who participated were very happy with the results. It
was different, though, in that we exchanged names and sent a batch of
cookies to the person whose name we got.

--
Wayne Boatwright
__________________________________________________

The Rule of Fives states that all things happen in
fives, or are divisible by or are multiples of
five, or are somehow directly or indirectly
related to a five.

"pamjd" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I am
> thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get 24
> cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of cookies on
> Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies. Has anyone done a
> similar exchange at work and be willing to share advice or experiences
> about how it went? Thanks,

We did one but had a ton of cookies leftover. Seems at the one I went to,
people liked to bake the cookies, but not so much eat them. I didn't want
to take any because we really don't eat cookies here. My husband does
sometimes but he was on a diet. So I was forced to take home cookies I
didn't want. I threw them out. For me, it seemed like a waste of time.

Some people didn't seem to understand and brought either store bought
cookies (claimed they didn't bake) or candy.

One problem we did have is that some cookies were more popular than others.
Some went right away while others just sat there and nobody wanted them. It
would be best to have a sign up sheet so you know who will be bringing what
and there won't be too many duplicates.

pamjd wrote:
>
> I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I am
> thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get 24
> cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of cookies on
> Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies. Has anyone done a
> similar exchange at work and be willing to share advice or experiences
> about how it went? Thanks,

The best I can suggest is not to do it unless you know the people involved
and what they are making. You should have some agreement about the size of
cookies / squares and the value of ingredients. My mother and my wife both
gave up on them. In my wife's case, she made pecan cookies that used a lot
of butter and pecans, so it was fairly expensive for her. It was bad enough
that the some of the stuff she got in return were made with cheap
ingredients, but some people complained that her cookies were too plain...
just cookies. Her pecan cookies, while not looking particularly festive,
were delicious. In my mother's case, she was expected to provide several
dozen cookies or squares. Hers were a generous size. Other participants cut
theirs into tiny servings. As she pointed out, some of the dozen squares
that she got were equivalent to 3 or four of her squares.

"sandi" > wrote in message
enews.net...
> pamjd > wrote in
> oups.com:
>
>> I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I
>> am thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get
>> 24 cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of
>> cookies on Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies.
>> Has anyone done a similar exchange at work and be willing to
>> share advice or experiences about how it went? Thanks,
>
> What are "no bake" cookies.

Cookies that are not baked. The base of them is often oatmeal or some kind
of cold cereal. They are either cooked in the microwave or heated on the
stove, then dropped onto waxed paper to harden. Usually there is the
addition of chocolate, peanut butter or butterscotch chips. This is what
holds them together. Sometimes they are put in a pan and cut into squares.

Then there are "raw" cookies. These might be made of coconut, ground nuts,
raw oats, etc. Agave nectar or honey might be used as sweetener and they
might have dried fruit or fruit juice added. The mixture is then formed
into cookies and they are either refrigerated or put in the dehydrator at a
low temp. to firm up.

On Oct 10, 6:03 pm, "Julie Bove" > wrote:

> We did one but had a ton of cookies leftover. Seems at the one I went to,
> people liked to bake the cookies, but not so much eat them. I didn't want
> to take any because we really don't eat cookies here. My husband does
> sometimes but he was on a diet. So I was forced to take home cookies I
> didn't want. I threw them out. For me, it seemed like a waste of time.


We only had a minor problem with leftover cookies. Those that were
left over, were taken to the coffee room, and were quickly devoured by
the "non-participating" employees;-)

Myrl

"Julie Bove" > wrote in
news:BGePi.4605$h33.1165@trndny02:

>
> "sandi" > wrote in message
> enews.net...
>> pamjd > wrote in
>> oups.com:
>>
>>> I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work.
>>> I am thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies
>>> get 24 cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted
>>> box of cookies on Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake
>>> cookies. Has anyone done a similar exchange at work and be
>>> willing to share advice or experiences about how it went?
>>> Thanks,
>>
>> What are "no bake" cookies.
>
> Cookies that are not baked. The base of them is often oatmeal
> or some kind of cold cereal. They are either cooked in the
> microwave or heated on the stove, then dropped onto waxed
> paper to harden. Usually there is the addition of chocolate,
> peanut butter or butterscotch chips. This is what holds them
> together. Sometimes they are put in a pan and cut into
> squares.
>
> Then there are "raw" cookies. These might be made of coconut,
> ground nuts, raw oats, etc. Agave nectar or honey might be
> used as sweetener and they might have dried fruit or fruit
> juice added. The mixture is then formed into cookies and they
> are either refrigerated or put in the dehydrator at a low
> temp. to firm up.

Thank you Julie. :-)

"pamjd" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I am
> thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get 24
> cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of cookies on
> Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies. Has anyone done a
> similar exchange at work and be willing to share advice or experiences
> about how it went? Thanks,

I've participated in a couple of those and really enjoyed them. It's a great
way to obtain a bunch of different types of cookies without having to bake
them all yourself.

One was held by the women in the subdivision where we used to live. We had a
Christmas potluck luncheon, where everyone brought a dish to pass, plus six
dozen cookies for the cookie exchange. The exchange wasn't very well
organized, though. Everyone just put their cookies on a table, and we all
just sort of went around the table and grabbed up a few of each type of
cookie (the person who hosted the exchange hadn't figured out how many
people brought cookies, and so we didn't know how many cookies each person
should take).

The other one was organized by a local mothers' group I belonged to. We all
brought a set number of cookies to a party, and, while everyone ate, drank,
and mingled during the party, the hostess boxed up an assortment of cookies
for each guest (plus a couple of nice extras, like some cookie cutters) to
take home at the end of the evening. It was very nice. We also each emailed
our recipes to the hostess, and she created an online collection of all the
cookie recipes from the exchange for everyone.

Mary

One time on Usenet, pamjd > said:

> I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I am
> thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get 24
> cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of cookies on
> Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies. Has anyone done a
> similar exchange at work and be willing to share advice or experiences
> about how it went? Thanks,

I haven't done it at work, although we had a great cookie exchange
here on RFC a few years ago. Anyway, my mother's office used to do
them all the time -- she'd bring home some really interesting
cookies. I'm not sure why someone suggested no bars, as bar cookies
can be really creative and good. But for a nice cookie for sharing,
I'd suggest something unusual -- maybe Pfeffernusse or these Chewy
Toffee Cookies:

Chewy Toffee Cookies

2-1/4 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 C. butter (room temp.)
3/4 C. white sugar
3/4 C. brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
10 oz. (1-3/4 C.) Toffee Bits

Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Sift together
flour, soda, and salt. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugars, and
vanilla until well blended. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour
mixture, beating until well blended. Stir in toffee bits. Drop by
rounded teaspoon fulls onto prepared cookie sheet (greased or covered
with parchment paper). Bake 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely,
about 4 dozen cookies.

--
Jani in WA

personally I prefer no bakes and bar cookies.




"pamjd" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I am
> thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get 24
> cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of cookies on
> Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies. Has anyone done a
> similar exchange at work and be willing to share advice or experiences
> about how it went? Thanks,
>

Dave Smith wrote:
> pamjd wrote:
>>
>> I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I am
>> thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get 24
>> cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of cookies on
>> Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies. Has anyone done a
>> similar exchange at work and be willing to share advice or
>> experiences about how it went? Thanks,
>
> The best I can suggest is not to do it unless you know the people
> involved and what they are making. You should have some agreement
> about the size of cookies / squares and the value of ingredients. My
> mother and my wife both gave up on them. In my wife's case, she made
> pecan cookies that used a lot of butter and pecans, so it was fairly
> expensive for her. It was bad enough that the some of the stuff she
> got in return were made with cheap ingredients, but some people
> complained that her cookies were too plain... just cookies. Her
> pecan cookies, while not looking particularly festive, were
> delicious. In my mother's case, she was expected to provide several
> dozen cookies or squares. Hers were a generous size. Other
> participants cut theirs into tiny servings. As she pointed out, some
> of the dozen squares that she got were equivalent to 3 or four of her
> squares.

You get cheapskates in every crowd, Dave. Shortbread cookies are
deceptively plain but the cost of butter (at some times) is prohibitive and
you don't dare use margarine in Scottish shortbread; you can taste the
difference. Who ever said cookies have to be fancy?

Jill

On Oct 11, 4:46 pm, "jmcquown" > wrote:
> Dave Smith wrote:
> > pamjd wrote:
>
> >> I was asked to organize a homemade cookie exchange at work. I am
> >> thinking people will drop off cookies( bring 24 cookies get 24
> >> cookies) on Weds. or Thurs. and pick up a assorted box of cookies on
> >> Fri. Someone suggested no bars or no bake cookies. Has anyone done a
> >> similar exchange at work and be willing to share advice or
> >> experiences about how it went? Thanks,
>
> > The best I can suggest is not to do it unless you know the people
> > involved and what they are making. You should have some agreement
> > about the size of cookies / squares and the value of ingredients. My
> > mother and my wife both gave up on them. In my wife's case, she made
> > pecan cookies that used a lot of butter and pecans, so it was fairly
> > expensive for her. It was bad enough that the some of the stuff she
> > got in return were made with cheap ingredients, but some people
> > complained that her cookies were too plain... just cookies. Her
> > pecan cookies, while not looking particularly festive, were
> > delicious. In my mother's case, she was expected to provide several
> > dozen cookies or squares. Hers were a generous size. Other
> > participants cut theirs into tiny servings. As she pointed out, some
> > of the dozen squares that she got were equivalent to 3 or four of her
> > squares.
>
> You get cheapskates in every crowd, Dave. Shortbread cookies are
> deceptively plain but the cost of butter (at some times) is prohibitive and
> you don't dare use margarine in Scottish shortbread; you can taste the
> difference. Who ever said cookies have to be fancy?

No one should ever have anything to do with margarine, EVER, for any
reason.
I like these:

EASY OATMEAL LACE COOKIES

1/2 lb. softened butter (two sticks)
3 c. oatmeal
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fold in
oatmeal one cup at a time. Drop mixture by level teaspoonful onto
ungreased cookie sheet (4 across and 5 down). Bake at 350 degrees for
8-10 minutes or until cookies are thin and golden brown.

Allow to cool slightly before carefully removing from sheet. Place
cookie sheets side by side, do not stack in oven.

Makes about 100.

I just got this recipe off this site:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1710...243203,00.html
Simple, yummy (though I'd cut the sugar a bit, and increase the
vanilla), and you can add nuts, chocolate chips, raisins, whatever to
them.

>
> Jill

--Bryan