Start Your Own Cookie Swap (Count Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets-25)
Cookie swaps bring many people together, start traditions, and create strong friendships that last a lifetime. Men, women, children, families, churches, neighborhoods, etc. It is a great way to sample other baker’s cookies, as well as get to know people that share the same passion as you. But, no matter where you live, the bottom line is, you can start the same tradition. Here’s how:
• Ask each guest to bring at least six dozen of their favorite holiday cookies, along with copies of the recipe to share with everyone at the party and a few empty containers to carry home other cookies at the party as well.
• Have a large table cleared so that you can display all the special treats that arrive from the other guests. This is where decorating the table comes into play. If it is close to Christmas, incorporate that theme into your table decorations. If it is a more laid-back swap then, whatever the season is, say summer, use sunshine themed dish-ware. Or if it is cold outside, use snowflakes and tea pots to serve tea, to name a few ideas.
• Break out your calculator and figure out how manu of each type of cookie everyone gets to take home for themselves. (72 divided by how many guests have arrived and brought cookies). Each guest still goes home with six dozen cookies, this time in many different varieties of flavors, shapes and colors.
• Incorporate this idea with a kids birthday party or just a Christmas “kiddie” party, and so on. Kids love to make messes and what better way to have them make a mess than with cookies.
**The United States Botanical Gardens Christmas Display at Washington, DC that Kjersti Wasiak attended looks to be amazing. Click here to see the photos she took while viewing the display.**
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Earthly Eating Recipe - Count-Down To Christmas Recipe Of Sweets:
Gluten-Free Peppermint Meringue Snowballs
Serves: Makes 3 dozen
4 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract, optional (use imitation peppermint oil so that the meringues won’t deflate.)
1/4 cup finely crushed gluten-free candy canes or peppermint candy
1. Prehat oven to 200°F degrees.
2. Line two large cookie sheets with aluminum foil and set aside.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until frothy.
4. Gradually add the sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating until whites stand in stiff, glossy peaks. This will take about 10 minutes. Beat in the peppermint extract as desired.
5. Drop rounded tablespoons of mixture onto baking sheets, leaving a 1″ space in between; Sprinlkle tops with crushed candy.
6. Bake 1 1/2 hours.
7. Turn oen off and leave meringues in oven for 30 minutes. Let them cool completely before removing from the foil. Store meringues in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Happy Eating!
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