So, since we're spending Christmas away from home, we decided to alter the
cookie exchange this year. Then, I decided I wanted to make cookies after
all, I would just make sure to give them all away. Then my mom decided to
make cookies too. SIL decided to make peanut butter fudge and regular
chocolate fudge. So, we ended up with a lot of treats for everyone at our
non-cookie-cookie exchange! lol

I made French Cookies, Cappuccino Love Bites, Lacies, and Candy Cane
Meringues. Recipes and pictures are up on my blog:
http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com Mom made lava cookies, Russian tea
cakes (my favorite!), Swedish Riches (some with cherries, some with
chocolate pieces, some with almonds).

Along with the sweets, I made pate, artichoke dip, and veggie "pizza"
(crescent roll base, ranch spread, assorted veggies, served cold), and
punch. My friend Susan brought pigs in a blanket type bites, beer rocks
(bread dough, stuffed with meat & vegetables, then baked), and condiments
for that. SIL brought homemade ranch & vegetables. Later in the evening,
with the cookies we had peppermint mochas, espresso, coffee.

It was a lot of good food, and a lot of good fun! And everyone went home
with a good sized care package full of goodies!

kimberly
--
http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com

Nexis wrote:
> So, since we're spending Christmas away from home, we decided to
> alter the cookie exchange this year. Then, I decided I wanted to make
> cookies after all, I would just make sure to give them all away. Then
> my mom decided to make cookies too. SIL decided to make peanut butter
> fudge and regular chocolate fudge. So, we ended up with a lot of
> treats for everyone at our non-cookie-cookie exchange! lol
>
> I made French Cookies, Cappuccino Love Bites, Lacies, and Candy Cane
> Meringues. Recipes and pictures are up on my blog:
> http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com Mom made lava cookies, Russian
> tea cakes (my favorite!), Swedish Riches (some with cherries, some
> with chocolate pieces, some with almonds).
>
> Along with the sweets, I made pate, artichoke dip, and veggie "pizza"
> (crescent roll base, ranch spread, assorted veggies, served cold), and
> punch. My friend Susan brought pigs in a blanket type bites, beer
> rocks (bread dough, stuffed with meat & vegetables, then baked), and
> condiments for that. SIL brought homemade ranch & vegetables. Later
> in the evening, with the cookies we had peppermint mochas, espresso,
> coffee.
>
> It was a lot of good food, and a lot of good fun! And everyone went
> home with a good sized care package full of goodies!

All the cookies look fabulous! There are a couple I must make
myself. Your blog is beautiful, by the way, and very well done.

nancy

Nexis wrote:
> So, since we're spending Christmas away from home, we decided to alter the
> cookie exchange this year. Then, I decided I wanted to make cookies after
> all, I would just make sure to give them all away. Then my mom decided to
> make cookies too. SIL decided to make peanut butter fudge and regular
> chocolate fudge. So, we ended up with a lot of treats for everyone at our
> non-cookie-cookie exchange! lol
>
> I made French Cookies, Cappuccino Love Bites, Lacies, and Candy Cane
> Meringues. Recipes and pictures are up on my blog:
> http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com

Those meringues look fantastic! (As does everything!)

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
> Nexis wrote:
>> So, since we're spending Christmas away from home, we decided to
>> alter the cookie exchange this year. Then, I decided I wanted to make
>> cookies after all, I would just make sure to give them all away. Then
>> my mom decided to make cookies too. SIL decided to make peanut butter
>> fudge and regular chocolate fudge. So, we ended up with a lot of
>> treats for everyone at our non-cookie-cookie exchange! lol
>>
>> I made French Cookies, Cappuccino Love Bites, Lacies, and Candy Cane
>> Meringues. Recipes and pictures are up on my blog:
>> http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com Mom made lava cookies, Russian
>> tea cakes (my favorite!), Swedish Riches (some with cherries, some
>> with chocolate pieces, some with almonds).
>>
>> Along with the sweets, I made pate, artichoke dip, and veggie "pizza"
>> (crescent roll base, ranch spread, assorted veggies, served cold), and
>> punch. My friend Susan brought pigs in a blanket type bites, beer
>> rocks (bread dough, stuffed with meat & vegetables, then baked), and
>> condiments for that. SIL brought homemade ranch & vegetables. Later
>> in the evening, with the cookies we had peppermint mochas, espresso,
>> coffee. It was a lot of good food, and a lot of good fun! And everyone
>> went
>> home with a good sized care package full of goodies!
>
> All the cookies look fabulous! There are a couple I must make
> myself. Your blog is beautiful, by the way, and very well done.
>
> nancy

Thank you!! How nice of you to say!

What kind of cookies will you be making?

kimberly
--
http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com

On Dec 14, 8:38*am, "Nexis" > wrote:
> I made French Cookies, Cappuccino Love Bites, Lacies, and Candy Cane
> Meringues. Recipes and pictures are up on my blog:http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com
> It was a lot of good food, and a lot of good fun! And everyone went home
> with a good sized care package full of goodies!

Oh! Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful collection! My
family has taken to "assigning" the generations (myself, my daughter,
and grand daughter) with the making of individual treats each
Christmas. Ones that each of us have rather mastered and only make
for sharing at our family get together on Christmas morning. We three
each make special bags or boxes of our specialty for others to take
home, as well as at least one large serving platter for enjoying while
keeping company with the family "others" that day.

At your invitation I have copied the photos and instruction for your
Lacies and French Christmas Cookies to add to my giving this year. I
suspect that with the sharing, I wll be assigned another two cookies
to bring each year, along with Maple Pecan Cookies and another cookie
I make without nuts, but with varied dried fruits .that I tossed
together last year(special-made one year for nut-alergic daughter).
The Maple Pecans I do make throughout the year to take in for my
Marines who love them, and I'm happy to share them here for those who
may not have seen them in a Penzey's Spices issue. The recipe doubles
quite well, and the unbaked batter rolls freeze well to defrost and
use a few weeks later....

Maple Pecan Cookies

2 sticks (8 oz.) butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
1 large egg yolk
3 Tbsp. pure maple syrup
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1+1/4 cups pecans, coarsely chopped (about 6 oz)

In a medium bowl, beat the butter until pale and creamy, about three
minutes. Gradually beat in sugar until well blended. Add the maple
syrup, egg yolk and vanilla; mix until blended. Mix in the flour and
pecans until blended.

Divide dough in half (or thirds) and shape into long logs (using a
little flour on your hands if it gets too sticky). The easiest way to
get a nice circular shape is to place the dough on plastic wrap, pull
the wrap aqround the to-be log, and roll with your hands until round
((about 1+1/2" round). Refrigerate until firm, at least two hours (or
freeze).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and take the dough out of the refer one
roll at a time, unwrap the roll to work with and slice the dough about
1/2" thick. Place the disks on an ungreased cookie sheet (I also
smush each one down just a bit) and bake for about 20-25 minutes
(here, 23 works best for me), until golden. Transfer to a wire rack
to cool; store sealed; yields near tro four dozen cookies.

Picks' Notes: Instead of wrap-rolling the dough to refrigerate,
simply press the dough onto a cookie sheet with water-dampened hands,
leaving an empty border all around, then use a small cookie cutter to
place disks only 3/8" apart on sheets to bake for 21 minutes until
golden just around the edges. These baked and cooled cookies also
quick-freeze in single layers first, then bag-freeze by the dozen
quite well for a month or two.

.....Picky

On Sun, 14 Dec 2008 08:38:10 -0800, "Nexis" > wrote:

>So, since we're spending Christmas away from home, we decided to alter the
>cookie exchange this year. Then, I decided I wanted to make cookies after
>all, I would just make sure to give them all away. Then my mom decided to
>make cookies too. SIL decided to make peanut butter fudge and regular
>chocolate fudge. So, we ended up with a lot of treats for everyone at our
>non-cookie-cookie exchange! lol
>
>I made French Cookies, Cappuccino Love Bites, Lacies, and Candy Cane
>Meringues. Recipes and pictures are up on my blog:
>http://eating-sandiego.blogspot.com Mom made lava cookies, Russian tea
>cakes (my favorite!), Swedish Riches (some with cherries, some with
>chocolate pieces, some with almonds).
>
snippage

Thanks Kimberly. We'll be hitting up your blog for the recipes while
at daughter's during Christmas.

koko

There is no love more sincere than the love of food
George Bernard Shaw
www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 12/11