Poll: Holiday Baking

[Terri-Lynn2]

As my son and I were making our Gingerbread cookie man cookie dough that Mama Sue posted and we just bought our cookie cutters to do sugar cookies. I was wondering what everyone does as there christmas holiday baking and holiday cookies.

I usually attend a yearly cookie exchange which has been really nice to try different things but this year my friend is not having it. We may get together and do a day of baking. I know christmas is not christmas for me without buttertarts and of course the care package of baking my mom and dad give us every year.

Thanks

Terri

[Jodi]

I really get into holiday baking, picking out lots of new recipes to try -- until it's time to actually bake the cookies, at which point I get overwhelmed and usually end up making the old favorites (sugar cookies, chocolate chip, gingerbread men). I work in publishing and someone sent me a book called One Dough, Fifty Cookies that I'm going to try out this year. I'm pleased with myself if I make five or six different kinds to please all the different tastebuds that drop by during the holidays.
Jodi

[Mamasue]

After reading Jodi's thread I chuckled because I am somewhat like her. Starting in October/November I start making a list of what cookies I want to bake. Besides my standard, I look at all these new ones that I have collected with every intention and only wind up maybe making one or two new ones. My marathon cookie baking begins in October/November. Just about every weekend from now till Christmas will be devoted to baking and freezing. My best time is when its snowing.....so guess who is praying for snow........hehe http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif


[This message has been edited by Mamasue (edited 11-16-2000).]

[S]

Mamasue and others, any tips or advice on freezing baked goods, especially cookies and bars?

[Peggy]

ALmost every year since my daughter was three I have had a mother/daughter cookie baking party during the holidays. She invites about 6 friends and I invite their mothers. It has been a long standing tradition in our house (she is now 11) and everyone looks forward to it.

Each mother/daughter team brings a batch of their favorite holiday cookie dough (usually doubled or tripled). I usually bake sugar cookies or gingerbread men ahead of time so the girls have something to decorate while the mothers start getting the rest of the cookies baked. Every mother is assigned a task and we rotate (ie.watching the oven, getting cookies on sheets, assisting the girls, etc). Now that the girls are older, we end up with some beautiful cookies. Afterwards, we divide up all of the cookies and each family goes home with a variety of holiday baked goods. So clean up is easier, I always cover the tables and floor with plastic tarps that can be gathered up and thrown out at the end. Keeps things a lot cleaner!!

This year in addition, I am getting together with my CL supper group and we are going to some of the "light" cookie recipes from the December CL issue.

The types of cookies I like to make are thumbprints, chewy chocolate, gingerbread, and sugar cookies for decorating. We always like to try new recipes every year also.

Happy Baking!!

Peggy

[lorilei]

I don't bake until at least early December. I make a few favorites and a couple of new things -- and then I box them up nice and airtight for get togethers throughout the month. I very seldom freeze cookies, as I don't make them terribly far ahead of time.

Some of my favorites are:

Pecan sandies
Walnut crescents (raglash(sp?) cookies)
Pfeffernusse
Lemon cookies

[lindrusso]

Originally posted by Laura:
You know... I feel like "Mommy Dearest" here. In the past, baking (decorating with the kids) caused me untold stress. .

You're not alone Laura!! My stress is caused by the mess!!! My kitchen is VERY small, so even a little mess ends up right in the path of traffic and ends up all over the house. My little guy dumped a whole bottle of colored sugar on one cookie last year. And they like to eat all the sugar as they go...

Oh well, it's worth the mess because they have so much fun! I like to use royal icing to decorate, but I usually have to fight the kids to save me a few cookies so I can have fun too!

[S]

Lindrusso, could you please post your recipe for Torie's chocolate chunk oatmeal toffee cookies. Boy they win for the longest name and sound wonderful. Thank you.

[MrsReber]

Harret, I only wish I knew women who baked cookies so I could attend a cookie swap! As it is, it'd just be me, my mom and my best friend. Well, we have some new neighbors this year, so I may bake some cookies for them. My husband also brings my cookies to work. He says my cookies go before the boss' wife's cookies! I probably won't get started with my cookies for at least another week, though. I have been baking Christmas cookies for more than 15 years. My mom always made me do the bulk of the baking for some reason!

[Danielle]

I love butter spritz cookies and sour cream cut-out sugar cookies. My mom always made these for the holidays when I was little. I also love to make the peanut butter cookies with the Hershey's Kiss. This year I want to make spiral icebox cookies. This is my grandma's specialty, so I was delighted to find the recipe in the Complete CL cookbook.

[lindrusso]

S,

Here's a thread where I posted the recipe a few months ago. Plus, there are some other yummy treats on that thread as well http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif !

Happy Baking!
http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/000796.html



[This message has been edited by lindrusso (edited 11-16-2000).]

[BarbaraL]

I almost never bake (I'm the one in the family who can't resist baked goods -- husband and daughter are more ice cream fiends). Grandma used to make wonderful Christmas cookies; Mom hated to make cookies, so guess who learned to make them! I make our family favorites -- pinwheel cookies, thumbprints (rolled in chopped walnuts with a Hershey's kiss in the thumbprint), S's (shortbread cookies) and gingerbread. I also make them close to the last minute, because I've never tried freezing cookies AND because I'm afraid we'll eat them ahead of time.

[AndreaU]

Thanks for getting me going... if I start perusing cookbooks now, I'll be set by Christmas (though I always seem to make the same things). Anyway, most of my baked goods are those which my mom always made (and still does). The list includes a combination of any/all of the following:

Spritz Cookies
Peanut Blossom Cookies (w/Hershey's Kisses)
Potato Chip Cookies
Thumbprint Cookies
Chocolate Sin Cake
Cinnamon Maple Rings
Buttery Jam Tarts
Peanut Butter Cups (a la Reese's)

Between my baking, mom's, 3 sisters-in-law, and mother-in-law, there is plenty to go around on Christmas and lots o' leftovers!

[S]

Thank you Lindrusso. I must have missed that the first time around.

Where do you find toffee pieces? I've looked in the baking isle in my grocery and can't seem to find them. It must be Florida....

[MaryB]

I usually bake three or four kinds of cookies and maybe a couple of kinds of quick breads for presents. For the cookies I make carmel-chocolate bars (my husband and son's favorite), butter-spritz, hickory nut thumbprint cookies, and molasses cookies (my favorite). The molasses cookies, I will make this weekend as they need to soften. The rest I make when I can. This year it looks like I might be able to do it the week before Christmas. I try not to get too stressed out about baking and if some of the cookies don't get made (or decorated) then so be it. I'm determined to de-stress my holidays as much as possible.

[BJennif]

Every year for as long as I have been alive, our neighbor would make cookie trays for friends. We would and still do get a huge tray of cookies. We're talking like 12 varieties and about 4 - 5 dozen cookies. We also get about 8 mini breads and fudge/candy etc... This wonderful gift comes on Christmas eve, when we host an open house where we make all our favorite hors d'ouvres. This year, I offered to go and help make the cookies. On Dec. 3rd, my 2 sisters and I will be going to learn to keep the tradition alive....Oh yeah, when we get the platter, it is admired for a minute or two and then whisked away where it cannot be disturbed....That's breakfast on Christmas morning!!! Some of my favorites are sugar cookies(wafer thin and still soft), M&M cookies, the PB Kisses, jam thumbprints, greek cookies, an butter cookie with almonds and icing on top....the list goes on and on...I can't even imagine all the work she has put into this tradition over the years!
Have fun everyone with your baking!
Jen

[Gail]

Part of my Christmas routine is last-minute baking. My freezer is taken up by food, so everything gets done that final week before Christmas and my kitchen is dusted with flour. Although I tend to rotate recipes, my standbys have always been a ginger cookie recipe from Old Sturbridge Village; mint brownies (I've still got some of those chips that are off the market!); almond spritz; and pumpkin bread. Some other favorites are linzer cookies; a recipe I have which can be cut into batches and flavored as chocolate, plain or spice, filled with apple butter or sandwiched together into pinwheels stripes or such or varied any number of ways; brandy snaps; Mexican wedding cakes; lemon squares; peanut butter bars...

I started baking cookies at Christmas back when I was a teen (then with a good friend), carried the tradition through when my nephew was small, and now enlist the help of my son and any one of his friends who're willing to help. Christmas is much more fun with kids in the kitchen, I think!

---

Natasha-- I am intrigued by the nutmeg logs. Could you post the recipe, please?

[Linda I LIght]

lindrusso, If you don't mind could you also post your recipe for peppermint bark.

I start baking around Thanksgiving and love it. My SO and I left all of our family in CT when we moved so I send goodie boxes to all of them, and special friends as well. I also make quick breads, small peanut butter cups, this is the first year I will try hazelnut cups, baklava, peanut brittle, one of my Greek cookie recipes, a sugar cookie, by everyones request....an oatmeal chip cookie.. either a preserve or butter of sort to go with the bread, and many more. I have couple of friends that come over 2 or 3 times and we each make 3 recipes together(9 total) and make enough for all of us. So it is a full day of baking followed by wine and a dessert tasting, we have a great time . We try to make at least one ethnic item each so it is alot of fun and you get a chance to try things you might never know about. Tuesday was our first bake day and we have more planned. I love baking for the holidays.

[ginny177]

All these wonderful cookie stories remind me of days past. I was never too keen on baking cookies, but I loved to make cakes.
Since Christmas was my mother's birthday, the cake was always my assignment( plus most of the meal sice Xmas was at our farm). As time passed,my cakes became more elaborate.
The coup de gras was a 4 layer one. I made sub icings for each layer and did lovely decorating around the top icing. It took 5 days to complete the cake. On Christmas eve, the cake was sitting well back on a side counter of the large kitchen.
Do I need to go on ?.....
My youngest son, during a rough-house with his brother fell into the cake & smashed it to a pulp! (We ate it next day anyway .. Looked awful but tasted great !)
Happy baking to all you young moms!!

[emilycat]

Peggy,
When I was younger, my mom and I hosted not a mother/daughter cookie baking party, but just a cookie tea...I loved it though. About 6 of my friends and their mothers came, all of whom brought a couple of cookies; we had punch and just enjoyed each other's company...I just hope that when I have kids, I have a daughter so I can do the same with her!
Harryet, I must second the request for Khalua fudge...oh my gosh, my mouth is watering already http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif
To answer the question, my favorites are Swedish Oatmeal Cookies (filled with a gooey pecan-praline sort of concoction...so good)
Ginger Sugar Cookies (crinkly, flat, and delightfully chewy, made with molasses)
And I always do a lot of experimenting...I have so many male cousins, that everything disappears, so I always feel very flattered!

[lindrusso]

Linda I Light,

Be glad to post the recipe. Martha Stewart Living and is VERY easy!

PEPPERMINT BARK

2 pounds white chocolate
12 candy canes
1/2 teaspoon natural peppermint flavoring

1. Melt white chocolate in the top of a double boiler or in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water. Place 12 candy canes in a plastic bag; crush into 1/4-inch pieces with the smooth side of a meat tenderizer. Stir chopped candy canes and peppermint flavoring into melted chocolate. Remove from heat, and pour mixture onto a 11-by-17-inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. Shake pan gently to smooth out the bark. Chill until firm (about 20 minutes); break into pieces. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

2. Variations: In place of the candy canes and peppermint, stir in: 1 1/3 cups almonds and 1 1/3 cups dried cranberries OR spread 1 pound of green and red M&Ms out on the baking sheet and spread white chocolate on top. I've also seen a recipe where you melt regular chocolate separately and swirl it in with the white chocolate.
_________________________

S,

When we only had one grocery store in town they were hard to find! Now I can find them, but if you have a hard time, you can use Skor bars (or Heath bars)and crush them. I've done that and it worked very well. Maybe you can ask your grocery store to order some for you. Some of the discount department stores have decent items in their food sections - you might check there as well.

[judyf]

I love baking cookies. Every year my mother ,friend and I start baking shortly after Thanksgiving. Last year we made 13 or 14 different types of cookies and ended up with more than 100 dozen. We make several trays for friends,neighbors,work and holiday gatherings. The trays always include 2 types of rugalah,elephant ears, meringues, cheesecakes,pecan tassies,fruit tarts, oatmeal lace, almond cookies,sugar cookies, and various others that may change year to year. I am always looking for new recipies so if anybody has a special cookie that they wouldn't mind sharing(especially ethnic cookies) that would be great.

[JLS]

MaryB:
Could you possibly post your recipe for the Carmel-Chocolate bars? They sound good !
TIA!

[Linda I LIght]

lindrusso, Thanks so much for the peppermint bark recipe.......I think I might try it all 3 ways......thanks again....Linda

[MrsReber]

Hey, I make walnut cresents too! I'm also not sure how to spell them!

In addition to those, which I actually haven't made in the past two years, I have to make peanut butter cookies for my mother's fiance (will they ever get married??), and peanut butter balls which my husband used to make for his family until I came along. Now I make them and he gets all the credit. I like to make the thumbprint cookies, too (those are the ones with the jelly in the middle, right?) and I'll try maybe one other, depending on how much time I have to bake. It's going to be rough this year, but everyone will be disappointed if there's no peanut butter cookies or peanut butter balls.

Peggy, that is such a nice idea, having a cookie party like that. It must be so much fun!

[HARRYET]

I like Lorilei I don"t begin my baking until about 2 weeks before xmas. I love to bake but don't bake as many different cookies as I did when I lived near my family, for fear that I would eat them ALL! Some of the cookies I make ( and will rotate from year to year) are Lacy oatmeal florentines, PB kiss cookies, snowballs, chocolate chip, chinese noodle cookies, chocolate tipped logs, and it wouldn't be xmas without my Kahlua Fudge! YUM! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif Ann

MrsReber, cookie exchanges are a lot of fun, I have been to one every year for about the last 8 years. You get to try different cookies that you might otherwise never try! The way we have done our exchanges is everyone invited brings 1 dozen cookies per person attending, plus and extra 1/2 dozen, the extra 1/2 dozen is for a dessert table. We have done it in the evening and had appettizers, and during the day with a light lunch served.

[This message has been edited by HARRYET (edited 11-16-2000).]

[HARRYET]

SandyM & Emily,

Here's the Kahlua Swirl Fudge recipe

2 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine
5 oz can (1/2 c) evaporated milk
7 oz jar (2 cups) marshmallow creme
3 oz almond bark or vanilla flavored candy coating coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon double-strength coffee*
6 oz pkg (1 cup) semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup nuts (optional)
2 tablespoons kahlua
chocolate-dipped nuts (optional)

Line 9" square pan with foil so that foil extends over edge of pan; spray w/pam. In a large saucepan, combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 5 mins, stirring constantly, remove from heat. Add marshmallow creme, stir until smooth. Pour 1 cup of marshmallow mixture into small bowl. Add almond bark and strong coffee, stir until smooth. Set aside. To remaining marshmallow mixture, add chocolate chips, stir until smooth. Stir in nuts and liquor until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Spread almond bark mixture on top of chocolate mixture. Using spatula, swirl for marbled effect. Cool to room temperature. Score fudge into 36 squares. Top each square with a chocolate-dipped nut. Refrigerate until firm. Remove fudge from pan by lifting foil. remove foil from fudge. Using a large knife, cut through scored lines.

*to prepare 1T double strength coffee,dissolve 1/2 t instant coffee granules in 1T of hot water.

Enjoy! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

I know it looks like a lot of directions and steps, but after making this just once I found it not to be to complicated. I just make sure before I start I have everything out, open, chopped and ready to go.

Good Luck, I do hope you all enjoy this. Ann

[SandyM]

Harryet, please please please share your recipe for Kahlua fudge - it sounds awesome!!!

Hmmmmmm - wonder if I could substitute Baileys............ http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Natasha]

We have:
nut crescents (with almonds or filberts), candy cane cookies, shortbread of various types, other butter cookies, coconut buttons, gingerbread, nutmeg logs (sometimes), ginger cookies, jam pinwheels, Nurnberger (sometimes), definitely 1-2 peanut butter cookies, a few kinds of bar cookies, and I'm sure I'm forgetting others. This year I would like to also make hermits and maybe a couple more kinds. We have a small amount of each kind and eat a few right away and freeze the rest until right before Christmas. Of course, recently things have been so hectic that I don't need to freeze anything because I don't get around to baking anything much until the last week before Christmas! That is NOT going to happen this year, and that's that! (Famous last words...)

[Laura]

You know... I feel like "Mommy Dearest" here. In the past, baking (decorating with the kids) caused me untold stress. I don't really know why. Now they can bake cookies without my help so maybe it is time to try again. My mom has a recipe for butter toffee (tastes like Heath bar candy) that I know the kids would love. Maybe we will try that and some decorations as well. It is supposed to snow this weekend, maybe we will make a trial run.

[HARRYET]

SandyM,

Will post the recipe later tonight, I have to take my son to the ortho, and have a charity empty bowls soup dinner tonight at school.

Ann

[lindrusso]

Like Mamasue, the next few weeks will be full of baking and freezing - so why am I on the computer??? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/rolleyes.gif

Some favorites are a variety of quick breads (zucchini, pumpkin, banana), peppermint bark (very easy!!), and sometimes homemade pasta. I keep some for parties and get togethers and give others out as gifts.

I've begun carrying on my MIL's tradition of baking a favorite cookie for each member of the family.

This year we'll have:
Torie's Chocolate-Chunk Oatmeal Toffee Cookies - for my DH
Peanut Butter Cookies - for my son
Chocolate Crackle Cookies - for a cookie exchange
Sugar Cookies - to decorate with my sons

Other favorites:
Kitchen Sink Cookies
Shortbread - flavored and plain
Caramel-Filled Chocolate Cookies
Lime Meltaways

I anxiously await the Martha Stewart holiday issue every year - it's always filled with a ton of goodies!!! Can't wait......

[MrsReber]

The fudge sounds awesome, but I've never seen almond bark. Where could I find that?

[HARRYET]

I've actually have never been able to find almond bark either, so I just use white chocolate chips or even easier bakers white chocolate, I think each square is 1 oz.
Hope this helps!
Ann

[MrsReber]

Thanks Ann- that does help! I looked in the store again today and found no almond bark or vanilla candy coating. I want to try the recipe, though, so I'll just substitute the white chocolate chips.

[Colleen]

All of this talk about baking cookies with family and friends is really making me homesick!!! I have done a cookie swap every year since I can remember. I get together with my mom and my friends and bake and eat and drink and be merry. However, they are all on the east coast and I am in Boulder Colorado. I am going home late so I won't be able to participate this year most likely. How sad. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif

Well I really like buckeyes for christmas. Also I make a shortbread cookie dipped in melted chocolate (these have got to be my favorite). I got this recipe from a MRS. FIELDS cookie cookbook (yummy)

I would really like to make the peanut butter cookies with the hershey kiss in the middle (what are those called) but I don't know how. I figured that I would try to make peanut butter cookies and put the kiss in after it bakes...is that right?

[LonormiManuel]

I follow my mother's tradition of beginning the holiday baking the day after Thanksgiving -- a nice antidote to all that turkey! My family's favorites include sugar cookies, oatmeal scotchies, gingerbread men & women, linzer bars, chocolate chip, almond crescents, and Swedish tea cakes. I also like to do candy, and this year I am getting my courage up to do honest-to-goodness fudge for the first time, in addition to my usual bourbon balls.

[Beth]

My holiday baking includes stollen for my parents (and maybe some lucky others), and a list of cookies. My mom bakes the brownies and sometime chocolate chip, but I do the spritz, the Dutch Santa Claus Cookies, the forgotten meringues, pecan puffs, and often 7 layer cookies. Jan Hagel, English Toffee bars, Raspberry ribbons, cut-out sugar cookies, gingerbread and chocolate mint refrigerator cookies often make holiday appearances. Then there are the optionals: a couple of new finds to try. I often give away cookie assortments for gifts, so I can bake a variety, enjoy them, but not have to deal with all of them either.

[SMART4742]

Originally posted by MrsReber:
The fudge sounds awesome, but I've never seen almond bark. Where could I find that?

I SEE ALMOND BARK ALL THE TIME IN MY LOCAL HEB GROCERY STORE ALSO IN BROOKSHIRES MAYBE YOU NEED TO ASK THE STORE MANAGER WHERE YOU SHOP USUALLY THEY WILL OBLIGE IF A CUSTOMER ASKS. GOOD LUCK

[Terri-Lynn2]

Thanks to everyone for sharing all of their wonderful lists of holiday baking. It has motivated me to do more baking this year.

It was interesting to me that there was not more mention of shortbread. My family makes two different kinds every year. One year when we went to the cookie exchange almost every person made shortbread.

Beth you sure make some interesting sounding cookies I was very interested in a couple of them. The Dutch Santa Claus Cookies, 7 layer cookies, Jan Hagel, and English Toffee bars. I have never heard of any of those and was wondering if it wasnt too much trouble or typing could you please post them. It is great with Mamasue's cookie exchange and the recipes posted here there is so many great things to try.

Happy Baking to everyone!

Thanks as always for sharing.

Terri

[Kristilyn1]

Thanks everyone for posting more ideas for cookies. I don't suppose anyone can post the hershey kiss/peanut butter cookie recipe? All my cookbooks are in storage and my son and I are supposed to make these tomorrow night for school.

My holiday baking consists of:

rugalah (my favorite is hazelnut)baklava and I make my dad the sugar cookies that you sandwich together with raspberry filling and cut out a "window" and dust with powdered sugar....I have no idea what you call them, but that is all I am allowed to bring to my mom's world famous (ok, maybe just family famous) christmas brunch buffet.

Kristi

[HARRYET]

Kristi,

Here is a Peanut Butter Kiss cookie recipe I've been using, I hope you and your son have fun baking http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif


1/2 stick of butter
1/2 cup of peanut butter
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of brown sugar

Mix all this together well: then add

1 egg
2 T milk
1 t vanilla

Mix well, then add:

1 3/4 cup flour
1 T Baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/8 t baking soda

Mix well, then chill dough at least 1 hour.

Roll dough into balls, then roll into sugar (optional). Bake 375 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.

Kisses needed depends on how large you roll the dough (30 - 48)

Press Kiss into cookie **return to the oven for 1 minute (optional)

Enjoy Ann


[This message has been edited by HARRYET (edited 11-20-2000).]

[This message has been edited by HARRYET (edited 11-20-2000).]

[MaryB]

JLS - Sorry it took so long to post this. I've been busy getting ready for Thanksgiving and haven't been able to keep up on the bulletin board. Anyways here is the recipe. I got it from my mother and she got it from friends so I don't know the original source.

Carmel Layer Chocolate Squares

Ingredients
50 caramels
2/3 cup evaporated milk - divided
1 pkg German chocolate cake mix
3/4 cup margarine - melted
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup semi-sweet chooalate chips

1. Melt the caramels and 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk over low heat, stirring till melted. Set aside.
2. Combine the cake mix, margarine, 1/3 cup of the evaporated milk, and chopped nuts in a bowl until dough holds together. Press 1/2 into a greased and floured 13x9 pan. Bake at 350F for 6 minutes. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the baked crust. Spread melted carmel mix over chocolate chips. Crumble remaining dough over caramel layer and return to oven for 15 minutes.
3. Cool. Cut into small bars.

Note: Wet your fingers to spread the dough in the pan. Cool the cookies over night if possible. It is easiest to cut the bars by cutting out large pieces first and then cutting these down to a smaller size once they are out of the pan.

[Jen]

Obviously I'm in the minority...but I never do what would be called "Christmas baking". There are only two of us, and neither of us really needs to have several dozen cookies/candies/etc. sitting around begging to be eaten! I love to bake but at this point in our lives I just can't figure out what I would do with all that baking. We rarely entertain at that time of year since we have a really small place, and our family get-togethers are elsewhere. Plus we have so many other committments that time of year (especially at our church) that we can never find the time!

I hope that when we have a family we can do more of the "baking thing". I love the idea at the top of the post (sorry, I can't remember whose it was now) about the mom-daughter baking night - what a special way to spend time with your daughter! I'll have to remember that one!

[Jessica]

I had so much fun reading this thread. Colleen, I just borrowed the Mrs. Fields book because I am assigned cookies for Thanksgiving; I think I will make the chocolate chip/white chocolate chip ones. I am Jewish but my husband is not, so I am slowly getting into the holiday baking mood. I make pumpkin bread and these wonderful chocolate cake cookies that my grandmother makes. Also mandel bread, which is like a Jewish biscotti.

[LonormiManuel]

Originally posted by GayeC:
Tonight my children and I are making buckeye balls (where did that name come from?) for them to take to their teachers as Thanksgiving gifts.

Hi, Gaye! They're called "buckeye balls" because they resemble the nut produced by the horse chestnut tree, aka the "buckeye" tree. It's my understanding that the nut is not edible by humans, but some animals just love 'em. And the candy really does look like a buckeye! Happy baking

[GayeC]

This discussion has made me want to jump right into holiday baking! My mother comes from up north to S.C. for the winter, and she usually makes most of the cookies. I make sugar cookies (decorated) with the children and ginger cookeis. I also make a very decadent cheesecake (NOT a CL recipe!) and homemade cinnamon rolls for Christmas morning. This year I want to try a cake based on the genoise recipes CL featured last year (in December?) -- probably the lemon-raspberry cake. Tonight my children and I are making buckeye balls (where did that name come from?) for them to take to their teachers as Thanksgiving gifts. We have never made them before but they sound easy and fun (the recipe is in the current Southern Living).