Virtual Cookie Exchange!

[Thebazile78]

OK, I know I can't possibly be the only psycho who bakes cookies for Christmas.

I just baked two of my family's "traditional" cookies. One is German (pfeffernusse) and the other is Bavarian (springerle) ... I have 6 dozen pfeffernusse and 10 dozen springerle.

The remainder of this week will be spent baking drop cookies, with cutout cookies to be baked over the weekend. My house is gonna smell like cookies for weeks!!!!

The idea of a "cookie exchange" is that you invite a bunch of friends over to your house and everyone brings a big batch of ONE of their "signature" cookies ... and enough copies of the recipe to share with the other guests. Everybody then fills a tin with the assembled assortment of cookies ... so everybody goes home with all kinds of different cookies.

Since we're all spread out across the USA, getting all of us in person is probably less than possible ... so, I propose a virtual cookie exchange.

Post your ONE signature cookie recipe in this thread. (I will make up my mind about which to post sometime tomorrow ... considering all my recipes are on my hard drive at work, this actually makes sense.)

[CHUCKWAGONCOOK]

Thanksgiving Day Photo Cookie.

The ingredients for this wonderful cookie are easy.
All you need is....

ONE Digital Camera with Computer loading dock
The ability to stalk down Fez at the St. Petersburg Turkey Trot

First you must find Fez in a crowd of more than 37,000 people
then...
Take a picture.
Like this one.
http://i365.photobucket.com/albums/oo92/chuckwagoncook_2008/012-1.jpg

[Foster]

sorry, I have cookies disabled in my internet options.

[Friday]

i received this one year as a gift.... and baked it the next year for my work colleagues.
it went over so well that i make it every year now for work and parties...

here is the full recipe for gifting or just for baking...

3/4 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries
3/4 cup chopped shelled green pistachios
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup Vanilla Sugar (recipe at bottom)

Quart jars come in a range of shapes with varying amounts of headroom. The best mix recipes are flexible enough to allow you to add a few extra pieces of fruit, candy or nuts if necessary to tightly pack the contents and keep the layer
distinctive.

Layer the ingredients in a 1-quart canning jar. Tap jar gently on the counter to settle each layer before adding the next one. Add additional dried fruits or pistachios to fill small gaps, if necessary. Makes 1 jar.

Gift Tag Directions:
Beat 1/3 cup butter (no substitutes) in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds.
Beat in 2 eggs. Stir in jar contents just till combined using a wooden spoon. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill till easy to handle, if necessary. Shape each portion of dough into a 9 inch loaf. Place loaves 4 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet, flattening slightly till 2 inches wide. Bake in a 375 oven for 25 to 30 minutes or till a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool loaves on the cookie sheet for 1 hour. Cut each loaf diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices using a serrated knife. Place slices, cut sides down on an ungreased cookie sheet.
Bake in a 325 oven for 8 minutes. Turn slices over; bake 8 to 10 minutes more or till dry and crisp. Cool on wire rack. Makes 32.

Vanilla Sugar -
Fill a quart jar with 4 cups sugar. Cut a vanilla bean in half lengthwise and insert both halves into sugar. Secure lid and store in a cool dry place for several weeks before using. Will keep indefinitely.

[jennysmurf]

Hmmmm....so many choices! I will give this some thought. And how about I send a self-addressed stamped envelope to you and you send me some samples?:happy:

[Fez4PrezN2008]

Fibre One Haystacks
+1/2 box fibre one cereal
+bag of choc chips or mix with half butterscotch chips
+melt chips in microwave
+mix in cereal
+drop on way paper
+cool
=Low-point/high fibre heaven
- but don't eat more than two at a time or you might be sorry.