Cookies!

I just finished baking up a storm.  Growing up, Christmas preparations included baking lots and lots of goodies.  Generally this was a team sport, but since I'm stuck with Matt, I carry on the tradition on my own.  Don't get me wrong, Matt knows how to help in good ways - I'll holler and he'll load/unload the dishwasher so I can have a clean mixing bowl, he'll taste test, he'll even unwrap Hershey kisses.  But if you ask him to follow a recipe it's all over.

So this year I decided I was going to bring cookie trays to the vet, the place we board the babes when we travel, Matt's office and the adoption agency.  I may have overshot how much to make because I decided to not make 2 of the recipes because I didn't have room on the trays.  Don't worry - the two recipes I sacrificed were the two Matt was most looking forward to so I'll just make them closer to Christmas and he can have them then.  Enjoy all the desserts without the calories!  By the way, I'm exhausted.  I must be getting old.  I included the recipe for any I would make again, except for the caramels, because I don't have a link for the caramels.  But they're a cinch and delicious!

Chocolate cake Cookies with Peppermint Kisses

(Matt's favorite of the day)

Cranberry and White Chocolate Chip Cookies

Peanut Butter Cookies with Peanut Butter Cups

Homemade Caramels (so easy)

Sugar Cookies (these are ugly and I will never use this recipe again)

The final product.  Apparently I forgot to photograph the snickerdoodles.  Oops!