{fingers crossed that MckLinky works}

Welcome to my virtual Christmas cookie exchange! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe with us. If you’ve never done a linky party before, here are the basic instructions.

1. Click to ‘add your post’ to the party. Add the permalink for the specific cookie post and not your’s blog’s permalink.
2. Add a link on your blog back to the party.
3. Visit the other blogs and let them know you appreciate their recipe.
4. Double check to make sure your link works by clicking on it. It should go directly to your cookie post.

It’s easy as pie so don’t be intimidated. And it’s fun to learn something new, right?

And since it’s still 2 weeks til Christmas, here’s a few tips for freezing:

1.  Wait until cookies are completely cooled before freezing.

2.  Freeze in airtight containers using waxed paper to separate your layers.

3.  Containers can be bulky so I also  often use large ziplock bags.

4.  Store each different kind of cookie separately for the best flavor.   Mint flavoring will ‘spread’ to everything.

5.  Don’t overbake cookies to begin with.   They will be almost exactly the same consistency (hardness/softness factor) as when you froze them.  Freezing them will not make them hard.

6.  Let them sit out at room temperature to thaw.  It’ll only take an hour or so which is perfect for Christmas parties and family gatherings.

7.  Some cookies freeze better than others.   When I made red velvet cupcakes for Thanksgiving, I froze the cupcakes and then frosted them right before the meal.

Iced cookies can be frozen but for best results, ice them the day you’re going to use them.

8.  Label things well so they’re easy to find and make yourself a master list of what you’ve frozen.  I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found Christmas cookies at Easter.

9.  Use frozen items within 6-8 weeks although some things will *keep* much longer.
Enjoy the party!
P.S. My cookie post will be added to this post later tonight.

P.S.S.  Be very afraid.  My cookies look like a head shot of the incredible hulk.  You’ll be amused and the cookies in fact will make you turn green and burst through your clothes.   A little added Christmas bonus.

I never intended to make superhero cookies. But after I dipped my lovely shortbread wonders into the chocolate coating, they looked EX.ACT.LY like the hulk.   It took me back to 1977, the year of my first perm and my first pair of Trax,   when my brother would let me tag along with him to the armory to see live pro wrestling. It was there I met Andre the Giant and thus my love affair with the hulk began.  (There are so many things wrong with those last two sentences, I realize, but let’s just move on, shall we?)

Looking back,  I shoulda drizzled instead of dipping.  Noone wants to eat the hulk.  It borders on disrespectful.

Perhaps if you try this recipe, ditch the green food coloring.  Or not.  Depending on your love level for the hulk.

They taste really good, though.  They were a bit overshadowed tonight by Paige’s Peppermint Pie but any other night, they shine.
Here’s what you’ll need:

2 sticks butter

2 cups flour (all purpose)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. mint flavoring

1 T. milk

1 cup Andes creme de menthe pieces

for the chocolate dipping sauce (aka: hulk’s hair) just melt 1 cup chocolate chips and add 2 T. cream

1. Beat two sticks of softened butter and then add 1/2 c. brown sugar.  Cream until fluffy.

Add 2 cups of flour,  1 tsp. vanilla,  1 T. milk,  1/2 t. salt,  green food coloring or not(you be the judge),  1 c. Andes mints pieces,  1/2 t. mint flavoring.

Mix until combined.  Use a small cookie scoop to scoop the dough until a baking sheet.  Use a fork to press the dough slightly flat.

Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.

Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and enjoy! Don’t be surprised if you have superhuman strength for a few hours after eating.

Despite the fact that I have not yet begun to decorate for Christmas, I’m having a party at my *house*. You know a blog is like your home away from home. And I don’t have to clean for you to come here. So, join me this Friday for a Christmas cookie linky party. We’ll all link up here and make our favorite Christmas cookie recipe to share with others. If you don’t have a blog, you can leave your recipe in the comments section. Then, we’ll have the weekend to bake and freeze, so that Christmas week is a little less stressful. That’ll leave more time for stressing about crafting with your children and finding just right gift for Uncle Homer. If Thanksgiving food is about pies and cakes and then Christmas is about cookies and bars. Do you have a recipe to share? I hope you’ll join me in a virtual cookie exchange this Friday (and hopefully I can figure out how to use MckLinky, it’s been awhile). Tell me in the comments what you *think* you might make for our party. Pretty please. Maybe if I know you’re coming *over*, I’ll at least put out some festive trinkets. We’ll see.
xo,
edie