Cookies Galore! - Sunday, Dec. 15

Cookies Galore sounds like the name of a female villain in a James Bond movie. The Cookies Galore I'm talking about is only a villain if you don't want to gain weight. Sunday, I met the villain in the form of a Christmas Cookie Exchange party at our friend's (Susan and Darren) home.

Susan was very sweet to invite me over a couple of hours early to bake my cookies in her oven. Our RV kitchen has a microwave/convection oven combo which would only cook a few cookies at a time. Plus, when we sold our sticks and bricks home most of my kitchen equipment was sold too. I don't have a cookie sheet to my name.

Before I headed to her house, I made some refrigerator cookies called Two-Tone Bites. I also mixed cookie dough to bake at her house.

When we arrived at noon, she set her oven to 350 degrees and I was immediately putting teaspoonfuls of dough onto parchment paper. I baked about six dozen cookies.

Early entries onto the cookie exchange table.

Meanwhile, Susan was cooking up lunch. We had BBQ baked beans with brisket and coleslaw with small French bread rounds. That was very good!

Both cookie recipes were ones I had never tried before, so Susan's husband, their two sons and Bob were my guinea pigs. I gave them warm cookies from the oven for dessert. Nobody spit the cookies out so I figure they were a hit! LOL.

Susan was busy getting hors d'oeurves and punch ready for the party. As soon as the cookies were done baking, she put her artichoke dip into the oven and after that Little Smokies' Pigs in Blankets went into the oven.

At 2:00 p.m. the other guests starting coming in. Greetings were exchanged and introductions occurred. We then commenced eating again...chips, crackers, veggies, hot artichoke dip, hot seafood dip, spinach dip, Lil Smokies' Pigs in Blankets, and a refreshing pineapple punch.

Nine ladies of all ages were present. We sat around a big table to eat and talk. Topics ranged from movies to travel to Christmas traditions to food to lines of work, and lots more.

Bob and Darren watched football in the den and snacked along with us.

Bob and Darren in the Man Cave

The Cookie Exchange consisted of everyone bringing a tray of three dozen cookies and putting them on the large dining room table. Each participant brought a tray to fill with cookies. We then formed a circle around the table and, moving clockwise, took a cookie from each tray. We kept moving around the table until most of the cookies were gone.

Each of us had a tray LOADED with cookies.

Recipes

Two-Tone Bites  (Refrigerator cookies)

One 12-oz. pkg (2 cups) Nestle Butterscotch Morsels®
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp water
1 cup chopped walnuts

One 6 oz. pkg (1 cup) Nestle Semi-Sweet Real Chocolate Morsels®
3 Tbsp light corn syrup
1 Tbsp water

Combine over hot (not boiling water), Nestle Butterscotch Morsels, butter and water. Stir until morsels melt and mixture is smooth. Add nuts; stir well. Press into foil-lined 8" square pan. (I used a 9" square pan and it worked too.) Put pan in refrigerator. Next combine over hot (not boiling water), Nestle Semi-Sweet Real Chocolate Morsels, light corn syrup and water; stir until morsels melt and mixture is smooth and shiny. Pour chocolate mixture evenly over butterscotch layer and smooth to edges. Chill in refrigerator until firm (about two hours). Pull Bites out of pan on foil. Cut into 1" squares. Makes sixty-four 1" squares. Store in refrigerator.

Grandma Miller's Flax Cookies (Chewy cookies)

1 cup butter or margarine
1-3/4 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
4 large eggs
3 cups finely ground 100% whole wheat flour
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup true cold milled organic flaxseed (I use Premium Gold from Costco)
2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups Nestle Semi-Sweet Real Chocolate Morsels®
1 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugars and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add egg one at a time, beating well with each addition. In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda and cinnamon; gradually stir into creamed mixture. With a wooden spoon or spatula, fold in true cold milled flaxseed, oats, chocolate chips, almonds and coconut. (If the mixture seems a bit dry, add a little milk or water.) Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 14-16 minutes in a pre-heated oven. Remove cookies on parchment paper to wire racks to cool completely. Yield: Approximately five dozen cookies.

Toward the end of the event, I helped Susan with clean up. We headed home about 5:20 p.m. That was a wonderful party. I was so thankful to be invited.

At home, I watched 60 minutes and Survivor: Blood vs. Water finale.

I must say, our weekend was jam-packed and F-U-N!

Travel Bug out.