I believe this will be the fourteenth year that my friends and I share holiday goodies at a cookie exchange party. No matter how busy we are at this time of the year, we always make time for this get together. The cookies never quite last until Christmas in my household, but they give us an early taste of the season. Our exchange will be held this Friday, so you know what I'll be doing Thursday night!
And while I'm on the subject of cookies, my fellow guides over on the Food Channel are having their own virtual cookie exchange. I've decided to join in the fun, and so I'll be posting the recipes they share each day in this blog. Maybe you'll find one or two to use in your own cookie exchange. Today I have recipes from two sites.
Barbara Rolek, Guide to Eastern European Food, shares her recipe for Kolaczki which exist in most Eastern European cuisines and are spelled variously as kolaci, kolache, kolacky, kolachky, among others. Fillings run the gamut of apricot to raspberry to prune to cheese, and some truly untraditional flavors like pineapple are sneaking into the mix. This recipe starts with a flaky cream cheese dough.
Carroll Pellegrinelli, Guide to Baking, shares her recipe for Butter Spritz Cookies, small delicate cookies that are made with a cookie press. Cookie presses typically come with several disks to make various shaped cookies like Christmas trees, hearts, flowers and so on.
Photo © Barbara Rolek
Many of the homes in our neighborhood managed to put up their holiday lights over this long weekend. It was a smart idea since the weather wasn't too bad, and that leaves more time for indoor decorating projects. We all need to have our indoor decorating done before we can host a holiday party - right? No, not if you turn your tree decorating into an excuse for a holiday party with a Tree Trimming Party.
Photo © Photographer's Choice/Getty Images
Shopping isn't my sport, especially not on Black Friday. I'd much rather sit in my pj's at my computer and shop, then fight the crowds at the malls. But after years of listening to my friends bragging about their bargains, I'm beginning to think I'm missing out on something. If I ever decide to join in this holiday sport, I'm going to be sure to prepare before I go. Because I know that my friends, even if they don't appreciate my poor shopping aptitude, will appreciate a Comfort Supper when the hunt is over, on Black Friday or any shopping day during the holiday season.
If you're a frequent visitor on the internet, you may have discovered a new tradition that has cropped up called "Wordless Wednesday." This tradition captures the spirit of the sentiment that a picture can speak a thousand words. That's why I thought I'd give it a try on this site. I'll feature reader cake photo submissions. And if you have a beautiful centerpiece you've created, or lovely tablescape, I'd be happy to showcase those photos too. Just use this simple submission form to send those photos my way.
Photo ©Divya Narang
