Cookie Exchange 2008

For the past seven years, my daughter, sister and I have hosted a cookie exchange. It all started innocently enough, just some fun and holiday cheer with friends and family... It became more interesting when we decided to give a grand prize for the best tasting cookie. The coveted trophy our first year was a copy of the re-issued Betty Crocker Cooky Book. It was the cook book Sis and I cut our Christmas Cookie Baking teeth on...

Things have grown wildly out of control since that innocent first year and we love it! Wow! These women are competitive! The competition is what makes it so much fun! I mean you have to spend time going through cookbooks, looking up recipes online. Innocently asking people what they are making this year in hopes that they will slip and actually tell you (some people just aren't as generous as you thought they were, it's so disappointing)...

No one will tell what they are making. I was recently harrassed in several text messages by a freinds husband (you know who you are Jeff). He said he would take $1000 in small bills for his wife's winning recipe or $500 for a small taste...

Another year, I went over to my mother-in-laws house the day before the cookie exchange. I barely had one foot in the door and she cries out, "just a minute" and throws a towel over her cookies so I couldn't see what she made!!! They were fabulous by the way Carolyn...

One year my sister-in-law (you know who you are Nancy) tried 11 recipes before she decided on one. We gave her a prize for the greatest effort!

This year's Best Presentation will be going to my niece Kelly and my sister-in-law (Kelly's mom) Debbie. They both gave their time and talent to help me decorate. Everything is so sparkly and beautiful. Thanks you guys...

The table looks a little empty because that's where all the cookies will go. This is how it works; each person brings 6 dozen cookies and then a bunch of little bite sized samples. When they come in their cookies go on the table and a number is put on the display. Later everyone comes through with a voting card and votes for their favorites in these categories... Best Tasting Chocolate, Best Tasting Non-Chocolate, Best Presentation and Best Recipe Card... we also do the same thing for the girls who are 18 and younger.

It's really fun but you have to go in shifts because a sugar coma will set in if you sample everything at once!

We serve these fabulous chicken legs my sister makes and other protein to balance out the coma! People even voted for the chicken the first year Sis made it. If it's okay with her I'll share the recipe in the next post. They are easy and delicous!!!

After all the voting is done and the very deserving winners have collected their prizes, everyone goes home with a beautiful box full of gorgeous cookies.

Here are a few more pictures of the pre-cookie exchange decorating...

Yes we wrapped all of the pictures in my dining room like presents and hot glued those ceramic trees to the candles stands (it's all a bit neurotic but we had so much fun and doesn't it look great?)...

This is only the dining room, I'll share more later...