Mmmm...cookies

It's here! The virtual cookie exchange! I'll be adding links and recipes all day (hopefully), so check back often. And play. Seriously. (otherwise I just look like a big loser)
How to play, a recap: Post your holiday cookie recipe on your blog. Leave a comment with the link. I'll put all the links in the main body of this post. No blog? Send me the recipe at sbsarino at gmail dot com and I'll post it and give you credit.

Now, I'll give you two cookie recipes. Because I'm nice like that.

Chocolate Almond Cherry Crisps
from Cooking Light, Dec. 2007

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups oven-toasted rice cereal (such as Rice Krispies)
3/4 cup dried cherries
1/3 cup slivered almonds

Cover a large baking sheet with wax paper.
Place semisweet and white chocolate chips in a medium glass bowl; microwave at High 45 seconds. Stir, and microwave an additional 45 seconds or until almost melted. Stir until smooth. Add cereal and remaining ingredients; stir quickly to combine. Drop mixture by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet; chill 1 hour or until firm.

Peanut butter and jam thumbprints
from Cooking Light, Dec. 2007

2 cups all-purpose flour (about 9 ounces)
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cooking spray
7 tablespoons seedless raspberry preserves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and salt, stirring well with a whisk; set aside.
Place sugars, peanut butter, and butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well combined. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating on low speed just until combined.
Lightly coat hands with cooking spray. Shape dough into 36 balls (about 2 1/2 teaspoons each). Place balls 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each dough ball, leaving an indentation. Cover and chill 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Uncover dough. Bake at 350° for 14 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove cookies from pans, and cool on a wire rack.
Place preserves in a small microwave-safe bowl, and microwave at HIGH 20 seconds, stirring once. Add juice, stirring until smooth. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon preserves mixture into the center of each cookie.

Soft cut out sugar cookies with icing, from Crystal

Giving thanks

I have so, so much to be thankful for this year. Most of it centers around my two girls, who are healthy, happy, smart, beautiful and oh, so wonderful. I am thankful for them every single day.

Least stressful Thanksgiving ever. I made the fruit salads and prepped the sweet potatoes last night, and brined the turkey. This morning I made pumpkin pie, and then got the sweet potatoes and green bean casseroles together. Made stuffing and peeled potatoes, and stuck everything in the oven at one time, while the potatoes bubbled on the stove and Ernie fried the turkey. All the food was done at the same time, and all was fantastic.
And we have enough leftovers for about a week. At least.

Happy Thanksgiving. I hope you all had a wonderful day full of good food, good friends and loving family.

And back to the cuteness

Sorry for the momentary Swedish Chef interruption. I love me some Swedish Chef.
Nothing super exciting to tell you about. We survived the Great Movie Expedition of 2009. And even had a pretty good time, even though the movie? Sucked big time.
It's okay, though, because our Birthday Girl loved every minute of her day. And honestly, that's what is important.

Katie went for her ear recheck Monday, and after laying prone on the floor of the waiting room, crawling out of the examination room, and nearly whacking the doctor in the face with his own stethoscope, I can tell you her double ear infection from Hades is finally gone. Hooray for that, because two courses of antibiotics makes unpleasant diapers.

Katie's teeth are the funniest thing I've ever seen. They make me giggle every time she opens her mouth. You can see them in the first 5 seconds or so of this video.

And yet another video, of Katie playing with her new favorite toy: a toothbrush.



So yeah, that's about it here, other than a random fever Katie has been running since Monday night. I think it's a delayed reaction to her MMR vaccine, just like Gaby had after her first MMR shot. Gwen is coming to visit tonight, and spending the night, which will be fun and Gaby is so excited she can't stand herself.
And, you know, it's time to get started on the food for the Thanksgiving feast tomorrow. Mmm...I love stuffing. And turkey. And 5 cup salad. And pie. And really, everything you eat on Thanksgiving.

More roast turkey

Mmm...roast turkey

I must be crazy

Today Ernie and I are taking four first graders (only one of which belongs to us) to the movies and out for pizza, before bringing them back to the house for ice cream cake and to play for a few hours before their parents retrieve them.
Yeah. This should be an experience.

Turkey on the brain

Thanksgiving is less than a week away, folks.
And I've got turkey, and stuffing, on the brain.
Here's our Thanksgiving menu:
Fried turkey (which will be brined the night before)
stuffing (or dressing, if you prefer that term)
cornbread stuffing with sausage (my Gran's)
sweet potato casserole (recipe sent to me by my Gran)
roasted garlic mashed potatoes (which I was informed by Gaby I had to make)
corn pudding (my Gran's)
green bean casserole
5 cup salad (maraschino cherries, mandarin oranges, coconut, marshmallows, sour cream)
Watergate salad
cranberry sauce
pumpkin pie
apple pie

Before you say "good grief, that's a lot of food," keep in mind it'll be the four of us, my Gran, my Nana Pat, and hopefully Ernie's two brothers. And yeah, it's still a lot of food.

What's on your holiday menu? Will you be cooking the feast, or going somewhere else?