Cookie Exchange Cookies--Southern Style!

Today I've been baking cookies for a Cookie Exchange I'm attending tomorrow. The 'Cookie Lady' said "No store bought cookies, No Pillsberry Dough cookies, et cetera...only real homemade cookies!" Lord have mercy! That got me in a real panic! If The Fresh Market doesn't make 'em, I don't usually eat 'em!!!

So, I racked my brain to come up with a 'real cookie.' I have to tell y'all...I'm not really a good baker, so this got me pretty worked up into a tizzy! Anywho...I came up with Red Velvet Cake Cookies. Hmmm, when I saw the recipe from Betty Crocker, I knew it was the cookie for Miss Janice!

Now, I've been baking 9 dozen of these yummy things and I'm dressed very casual...{actually, I look like something the cat drug in}--I'm wearing my stretchy pants, my new red Paula Deen "Hey Y'all" apron, and my house socks! The oven has been on the entire day and I'm exhausted, but the cookies are ready to go!

I started with the baked cookies...then frosted them with cream cheese icing, and topped them off with chopped pecans!
Here are the cute little cookie boxes I got at Michael's...
I added the recipe to the bottom of the box ~ in the Church Lady style!
The Red Velvet Cookies on a bed of white shred, inside the boxes...
Now I have cookies to carry to the Cookie Exchange tomorrow, cookies for friends, and cookies for moi!


Recipe for Red Velvet Cookies:
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon red food coloring
1 egg
3/4 to 1 cup Betty Crocker Rich & Creamy cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Stir cookie mix, cocoa, butter, sour cream, food coloring, and egg until soft dough forms.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8-9 minutes or until set. Cool 2 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Frost cooled cookies with frosting. Sprinkle with chopped pecans. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Makes 36 cookies.




Thank you for visiting with me today. Remember that Jesus is the reason for the season!!!

Holiday Cookie Exchange and Luncheon Tablescape

While I'm away, I wanted to re-post one of my very favorite tablescapes ever! It's the "Holiday Cookie Exchange!" I love all the gingerbread stuff soooo much and it looks even cuter in my cottage kitchen at "The Roost."

Here's the post from last Christmas...

What a fun way to entertain and make it easy for your guests to have delicious homemade cookies for the holidays. Organize a group of your friends and ask each guest to bring their favorite gingerbread goodies (a dozen goodies for each guest, plus a few for the party sampling). Guests should also bring a recipe card for their baked item (one for each guest). In addition to a sampling of the goodies, offer a light lunch and serve plated-style from the kitchen counter. Set up a seperate table just for the baked treats. Since the focus of the day is on baked holiday goodies, you can keep the meal light and easy.

Gingerbread man party invitation and recipe cards

Holiday Cookie Exchange & Luncheon Tablescape

Gingerbread all around the place setting...

Miss Gretel takes the center stage and plays "We Wish You a Merry Christmas"!

Gingerbread people adorn the napkin rings and the flatware...

Cute little gingerbread mugs with hot gingerbread tea & festive gingerbread candles

Cute gingerbread goblets with red gingham bows for the Peppermint Punch*

The gingerbread tree is a nice centerpiece for the cookie station...

Gingerbread cookies wrapped and ready to go...

Cookies ready to sample...

Here's a way to wrap the cookies to go--Get red paper plates and white paper plates. Cut the white plate to a slightly smaller size with pinking shears. Layer the white plate on top of the red plate and wrap with clear cello, a red gingham ribbon and label...voila...holiday cookies to go!

You may also use a trusty take-out box, decorated with a gingerbread ornament and red gingham ribbon.

Be sure to include all the recipe cards with your packages...

The peppermint punch is my "signature beverage" served for this luncheon. It's a delicious drink and very festive for a holiday event!

*Recipe for Peppermint Punch
1 quart egg nog
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 1-liter bottle club soda, chilled
1/2 gallon peppermint ice cream, softened
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
Crushed peppermints

Blend the egg nog, whipping cream, club soda, and nutmeg. Add the peppermint ice cream and stir. Garnish with crushed peppermints and serve immediately. (You can use vanilla ice cream and mix it with crushed peppermints instead of peppermint ice cream). Yum, yum!

Thank you for visiting with me today.