I'm the Cookie Woman

I think I've voluntarily made enough cookies in my life that I can tack it on to my self-definition.
Indeed, I'm the Cookie Woman.

Not quite as fun (or blue) as the Cookie Monster, but certainly enthusiastic about the given foodstuff.

For evidence, I give you my Christmas baking.

  Apple Butter Thumbprint Cookies
  Applesauce Cocoa Cookies
  Chewy Chocolate Ginger Cookies
  Chocolate Krinkles
  Chocolate Chip Cookies
  Chocolate Orange Fingers
  Cinnamon Buns
  Coconut Dreams
  Coffee Bean and Toffee
  Cranberry/White Chocolate
  Date Squares
  Double Chocolate Brownie Cups
  Empire Cookies
  Gingerbread
  Lemon Coconut Bars
  Maple Leaf Cookies
  Mexican Hot Chocolate Cookies
  Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
  Orange Date Nut
  Peanut Butter Cookies
  Pumpkin Chocolate Chip
  Shortbread
  Sugar Cookies
  White Chocolate/Orange Dreams

Personal baking tips
I underbake most of the cookies, though there's a few exceptions.
I keep my oven at about 325, rather than 350 (which is what the vast majority of recipes call for).
This year I was all about the parchment paper. Works so well, and less clean up!
A few years ago I invested in a cooling rack and it's my favourite cookies baking tool ever.

Do you do holiday baking? What are some of your favourite recipes?
I love asking this question, as I've received some great recipes in the past from you all. And hey, if there's any cookies up there that you're way keen on, just let me know and I'll get the recipe to you!

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¹ For further evidence, please see 2011 and 2009.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
And especially, it seems, for wee Ellie.

Here you see her sporting her new sweater. She's not so keen on getting her paws through the arm holes, and has to be bribed with delicious, delicious dog treats to be en-clothed.

Below is a pic of the samesaid dog, this time enjoying another part of her gift. She seems to be fully in love with this new squeaky toy.

She just got it last night, at my parent's Christmas Eve shindig. It's already fully displaced all other toys.

Enjoy your time off!

Holly Day Time; Or, Here Be Some News and Stuffs

I had these grand plans of posting all sorts of questions and info re: holidays this year, but I guess the whole crux of the thing is that it's busy at this time of year, thus the posts would capitalize on that, but then I got "too busy" for the posts.
Gracious.

So, I've decided to give ya'll a bit of an overview as to the knitty-and-otherwise-general-goings-on round my woods.

Knitting! I was busy working away, happily, on the YearLong YarnSong knits (which I always test knit myself, buuuut) which lead me to discover I have a bit of a .... wrist problem. This is incredibly frustrating, as it prevents me from knitting. The doctor says it's nothing to worry about. He says, "Just lay off the knitting for a while, and it'll be fine".
HA! Mr. Man, methinks. We need to come up with a better solution than that, because I needs my knit times.

This unfortunate situation has led me to scale back my gift ideas, and I'm afraid it might affect the publication dates of upcoming YLYS issues. So far, I'm behind, but hope to still publish within the month it's meant to be published! (she typed, as she also realized THIS month's issue is so-very-close to done, and yet just not).

Me, hamming it up at the photoshoot for the December issue of YearLong YarnSong.
Coming soon.
I swear.

And, Otherwise!
Ok, I'm trying to compile The Ultimate Christmas cd. I have a few favourite songs, but I was wondering: What's your favourite holiday music?

And, if you've read the above, you'll see that my knitting Christmas gift ideas were spoiled. I shake my fist at my wrist!
Regardless... I generally don't knit gifts for people, but I was wondering: Do you knit gifts? Who do you knit for? Is there a general, go-to pattern (or type of pattern) that you find to be a crowd pleaser?

Shortly, I hope to return triumphant, virtual book in hand, glorious trumpets sounding around me, colossal arches built to my honour, doused in delicious expensive wine and riding a chariot filled with sweet desserts and pulled by prancing alpaca.

Help Me Plan My Holiday Bash, Part Two; Or, The Massive Cookie List

I promised last week that I would share the Massive Cookie List, and here it is:

Apple Butter Thumbprint Cookies (with my own home made apple butter! Boo yeah!)
Apricot-Chocolate Triangles
Brown Sugar Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Covered Coffee Bean, Toffee and Almond Cookies
Chocolate Covered Port Cake Balls
Chocolate Espresso Balls
Chocolate Mints
Chocolate Orange-Cream Bars
Cinnamon Buns
Coconut Dreams
Date Squares
Empire Cookies
Double Chocolate Espresso Brownies
Ganache-Covered Mini Cakes
Graham Cracker Sandwiches
Gingerbread
Green Tea Shortbread
Holiday Candy Fudge Bars
Iced Sugar Cookies
Lemon Squares
Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Orange Date Nut Cookies
Orange Dream Cookies
Pecan Butter Cookies
Peppermint Candy Shortbread
Rice Krispy Squares
Rum Balls
Shortbread
Smoky Bacon Ginger Cookies
Tartufi
Tipsy Date Squares
Whoopie Pies

Many of these recipes come from the book I've photographed above. This is, rather unfortunately, now out of print. I've found it to be the best collection of cookies recipes I've come across; they're really reliable, simple, easy to follow recipes with readily available ingredients.
I've bolded the recipes on the Massive Cookie List that come out of this book.

The italicized recipes are from one of my many Martha Stewart mags. Now, I love Martha, her stuff is always beautiful and wonderfully put together. But I've found the majority of her recipes I've tried to be overly complicated, with hard-to-find ingredients.

Case in point: Smoky Bacon Ginger Cookies.
These include smoked sea salt (who knew? I might be living under a rock, but I'd never encountered this before), as well as sorghum syrup. I've done my googling, and discovered that this is a popular ingredient in the southern parts of the States, but (again, possibly due to my habitation under aforementioned rock) I've never heard of this syrup before.
Substitutions suggested have been unsulphered molasses, but with the caveat that "it's just not the same".

Has anyone ever tried sorghum syrup before? I suppose it must have a distinctive flavour.

Anyway, after that tirade, you might wonder why I've still included so many of her recipes on the Massive List. Well, I like to try new recipes, and they all do look so very delicious! You can likely find some of them by googling the recipe name and Martha Stewart.

As a parting note, I thought I'd share an image from my so-far-very-successful goodie baking extravaganza.
This is (me version of) an Empire Cookie.
I make the (basic sugar cookie) dough with icing sugar, not granulated (makes it yummier!), I don't put that icky maraschino cherry on top (because it's icky!) and the icing has fresh lemon juice in it, instead of almond extract. These are possibly the yummiest cookies ever.

Help Me Plan My Holiday Bash, Part One; Or, This is Far Too Exciting

Lifelong learning is important. Certainly, when it intersects with fundamental, as-yet-undiscovered and untapped internal resources and inclinations, it can be downright exciting.
That's where I find myself at the moment.

It's pretty clear I like making things; but over the past few months I've discovered I'm really way super keen on party planning.
Arranging the house, planning meals, creating decor, all these things float my boat.

And with a house at my disposal this year, it seems the stars have aligned and I'll be able to host my very own family Christmas dinner.
Actually on Christmas! No joke! It's true; I'm all grown up now.

The guest list stands at nine adults, and I can't wait to get going on planning this shindig!

But first, I have the Massive Cookie List to tend to.

What, never heard of the Massive Cookie List? (likely not, since I just made it up. Like, right now).

This Massive Cookies List is a personal challenge I've issued myself over the last few years.

For the holidays, I bake goodie platters to give to (usually around) 25-30 people. The challenge lies here: each year, I try to make more recipes.

The first year came in around 24: this year, I'm shooting for 33.

I'll happily share with you my list (in a few posts!) but first I wanted to ask: what are your favourite goodie recipes? I've learned the hard way that some recipes in my massive collection don't really yield the greatest end result, despite any mouthwatering photographs accompanying said instructions.