Wednesday, December 20, 2017

A simple cookie swap


As readers may remember from previous years, our church usually plans a Christmas fellowship for ladies each year.  It has looked different ways over the years.  We've held it on an evening at church or at someone's home.  Last year we tried a brunch on a Saturday morning.  Some years we've done a craft project; for the past quite-a-few years we've had a Yankee swap.  Always there has been good food and fellowship.   But this year we didn't have time to plan a Christmas activity due to the fact that our ladies had a tremendously busy fall.   Four funerals were held at our church between the months of September and early December.  In every case the church ladies provided food for a family luncheon following the service.  We're a very small church and currently without a pastor (and hence, without a pastor's wife!) so all of the ladies had to pitch in and do what needed to be done.  That left no time (and little energy) for planning anything else.

One lady had the idea of hosting a simple cookie swap in her home and broached it to the rest of us.  Many could not come for one reason or another: illness, work, impending travel and so on.  We decided that we would go ahead with it anyway and I volunteered to host the swap at my home as it's a more central location.

The swap was last night and was a lot of fun, very relaxing.  We had about a dozen ladies and girls in attendance and we basically just ate yummy food and chatted.  There were yummy cold drinks like creamy eggnog, and cider.  And wonderful hot drinks -- mulled cider, and a cranberry orange hot drink that I just love making.  We had hearty appetizers -- cheese pizza, little  barbecue sausages, a cheese log and crackers, a hot pizza dip and tortilla chips,  seafood quiche squares and more. 

For the cookie swap itself we kept it very low-key.  No competition as to the fanciest or best-tasting cookies or whatever.  We just had everyone bring two dozen cookies and, after sharing about the cookie we chose to bring and the recipes, we simply filled containers with the cookies as desired, and everyone went home with a nice variety.  Below are some of the cookies.
Espresso-filled spritz cookies by Julie, mint chocolate and Christmas tree spritz cookies by Rhonda, no bakes by Kim, little jam tarts by Heather, cranberry orange shortbread by Carrie.  All delicious!
 I brought these jam-filled shortbread cookies.

All in all, a delightful evening and a form of Christmas hospitality I highly recommend!

10 comments:

  1. So good that you went ahead and did it for those who could participate. All too often, things are canceled because this one or that one could not be there, which is ridiculous. (That said, I have never enjoyed cookie swaps for this reason: the flavors all get jumbled together and I am too fussy. Now if a way could be firgured around that, I’d be all for it! 🤓🍪🤓)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Here is a tip I read in my Wellesley Cookie Exchange Cookbook (which I have a recipe posted in! You can read my review of the cookbook here:Cookie Swap Cookbooks. I just checked, and Thriftbooks has a copy for $3.79). Anyway, they mention in the preface to that book that some people bring bunches of little plastic bags to a cookie swap so that they can keep the flavors from mingling.

      I know (in reference to your first couple of sentences), it is ridiculous to cancel things because this one or that one couldn't be there. We decided to just go ahead and have it for whoever could come, and it worked out wonderfully.

      Delete
  2. I am sure it was a very special time together. I would have so enjoyed being with you all again. May the Lord bless you during this wonderful Christmas Season.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, Polly, I wish you had been here too. I think simple and relaxed was the way for us to go this season. We've all been working pretty hard.

      Hope you and Pastor will have a wonderful Christmas and a happy, healthy 2018!

      Delete
  3. I am glad you all had this time to relax and share a little in the busy holiday time! Have you ever shared your hot orange cranberry drink recipe, or could you? It sounds delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Julie, I just checked and it has been ten years since I posted this recipe. I think I will do a repost of it. But if you want the recipe sooner, here is the link to the 2007 post: Mulled Cranberry Orange Juice. I hope you will enjoy it.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Thank you, Mrs T! Merry Christmas to you and yours!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome, Julie, and the same to you! Hope you enjoy this recipe.😊

      Delete
  6. Cranberry orange juice sounds super delicious. Cranberry orange shortbread cookies sound like they'd be delicious as well. I've been on a cranberry, orange kick lately. 😍😍

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The flavors are just so wonderful together, aren't they? I hope that your family enjoys this delightful beverage if you try it. It got great reviews at the cookie swap. I know Carrie would send you the recipe for the shortbread if you would like that, as well.

      Delete

Thanks for visiting my Christmas kitchen! I love company here in my kitchen all year round, so please leave a comment so I'll know you visited. I will answer any questions and comments here on the blog, so be sure and check "notify me" to see replies. God bless your day!