For the last 32 years, my mother and I have been baking Christmas cookies together. Yesterday was the day. And since I had an appointment and had to leave early, today is the day too. As you can see in the photo of my mother and the cookies, we made quite a few. Oatmeal-Raisin, Peanut butter, Sand Tarts and just for some color those Pillsbury cookies that come already made. Today we'll make three or four more kinds, including a Chocolate Toffee Bark that I'll post about later.
My mother always likes to count the cookies, writing down how many we made of each kind. I've saved those slips of paper and it is fun to look back to see the kinds we used to make. One year we made 1142, our highest ever. And that was done all in one day. Starting at 8:00, we used to work until about 7:00 in the evening.
We have a couple disasters each year and yesterday was no exception. We mixed up baking powder for baking soda in one recipe and then just added the soda on top of the mixed dough. That didn't ruin the cookies but they probably weren't as good as they could have been. Then switching the trays, my mother grabbed the ones just out of the oven in place of the cool tray to be baked. Ouch! The hot tray flew up in the air and cookies landed around the room. While I'm sorry for the burnt fingers, I do kind of wish I had a picture of that moment.
So, I've got to run for now. Because of the icy conditions predicted here I'm getting pick-up service. I'm a big sissy when it comes to driving in ice or snow, even when cookies are involved.
I'm going to edit this after reading Gina's comment. No, I won't eat all the cookies myself! In fact, I brought only two of each kind home with me and my husband will probably eat them. My mother gives most of the cookies as gifts and we'll have them on our Christmas Day dessert table for the entire family to enjoy. Don't worry, I'll still be able to walk through doors after the holiday season! :)
