2008 - History Repeats Itself

I know I say this every year but this must be the absolute latest first entry ever in the history (15-year history, at that) of Our Cookie Journal. It's already Dec. 14. I actually started baking quite early but I haven't been diligent about recording my efforts.

First, I made Pumpkin Bread a few weeks before Thanksgiving. And by Thanksgiving weekend, it was all gone. We made a few batches of Chex Party Mix before Thanksgiving too. That disappears in a flash around here because Charlie is as bad as I am about scarfing it down. So Mom had to send more cereals and we have enough for one more batch and that's all. Boo-hoo.

The main reason for the late start has been the kitchen remodeling that Richard started in late June. He began by laying the floor tiles and doing a bit of the wall tiles. Eventually, we had to get someone in to finish and that started Nov. 10; they got out the day before Thanksgiving. Officially, they won't finish till Dec. 20! So it's been a wreck out there but it's almost finished and MUCH improved. It used to be burnt orange and bright yellow; now it is blue, grey and white.

We did manage to make a double batch of Hedgehog Cookies for Charlie. I think we made those the day before Thanksgiving. I just put the last dozen of them in the snowman cookie jar last night. I'll have to make another batch for him this week, when I get some more brown sugar.

I made Nestle's Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookies too because I prefer those (with pecans). I think that was two weeks ago. I stuck most of them in the freezer.

Then on Monday (Dec. 8), I made Sugar Cookies, finally, because I knew I had to send some to Charlie's class on his last day (Dec. 11). I didn't have powdered sugar, though, so I couldn't frost them till Wednesday. I made a double batch and cut out trees, stars, canes, bells, snowmen and, for a change, reindeer (about a dozen each), plus a few dozen or so each of mini trees and mini stars. I used a new technique with the candy canes: I striped them, then ran a toothpick through the stripes vertically (à la Martha). They were lovely, I must say. I was up until about 2 a.m. frosting them. I got some really cute boxes for giving them away too — they're Chinese takeaway boxes with Christmas patterns, of course. We gave one box each to Mrs. Record and Miss Lawrence.

On Tuesday, Dec. 9, I made a double batch of Dunkable Brownies. I didn't have enough semisweet Baker's chocolate, so I used a Green & Black bar, which was perfectly delicious. I made 5 1/2 dozen with walnuts and 1 dozen no-nuts for Charlie. By the time the last day of school rolled around, I had only three types of cookies to share! Unbelievable!