Cheese and Christmas Cheer (don't forget the beer).

"Cheeeeese!" Look how cute Baby Rambo is - a good way to start off my blog. He's just the happiest little kid ever...and so good at his cheese!



There are many things that I can't do and one of the things that I'm REALLY good at not doing well is baking/cooking/frying. Just anything to do with the kitchen - including cleaning. So last year for my friends' annual Christmas party I decided that the best gift I could give, that showed the most thought, would be cookies.
But last year I did it *all* wrong. I started off the day with a very long run and then gave myself 6 hours to bake about 7 different batches of cookies. Clearly I'm unexperienced. Somehow I had convinced Alan the Ogre to come over and the poor guy was put to work in my sh*t storm of a kitchen. I ended up setting off my smoke alarm twice and sent him to the store more than once (but no more than 3 times if I recall correctly).
So this year I did it differently - I decided to bake a different cookie batch (or two) every night for a week until my party. Clearly better. Oh, and by the way, my cookies last year were not that great. In case you were wondering....
Also this year I spared Alan the Ogre and didn't drag him into my mess - I figure leaving him alone is the best present I could ever give him.



So this is what the counter of my kitchen looked like all week. Some of my main ingredients waiting on the sideline, ready to be called for action.

So the first batch I made were Mexican Wedding Cakes. I never ate one but watched Rambo eat one tonight - when half of it crumbled to the floor in several pieces I decided that they were too dry. Figures.



Now these were actually pretty good! They are called Cranberry Hootycreeks (I chose them for the name of course). The green and red you see are white chocolate chips. Safeway was cleaned out of the regular ones so I had to buy the "festive ones". I actually think it adds more character.

These were so gross! To me at least. These are 7 Layer Magic Bars. I'm sure they're actually pretty good when cooked correctly. But I don't think I cooked them long enough. My co-worker Amanda said they're perfect if you drink a glass of milk after each bite (they're really sweet). And my other co-worker Melody said it took her an hour to eat just one. I threw most of them away.

These I like a lot. They're called Candy Cane Crisps. On some of them I got a little too excited about the candy canes which made them a bit too crispy. But still a crowd pleaser.

These get first prize. Soooo stinking good: Knock You Naked Brownies. Again, another one I chose from the name. But when I cooked them last night I bit into them and the caramel and chocolate chips were still gooey and I was in instant heaven. I made sure not to keep any of them. My hips can only take so much.

My how this scene has changed over the years - look at all the kids! Just when I was getting used to the rings. I have the best pals ever (with the cutest kids no doubt). And you know what makes them the best? They eat my cookies. And they say they like them. Even if I don't think it's true - they encourage and are gracious.

.....this is a big change from our years in college when they bought me a beginner's cookbook then proceeded to make fun of me all evening when I brought over my soupy banana cream pie. Jerks.

And on a unrelated note: I'm SO stinking happy that she posted some of the draft from her 5th book. It's made my Christmas complete http://www.stepheniemeyer.com/pdf/midnightsun_partialdraft3.pdf

Ho Ho Ho - Merry Christmas!