Christmas Cookies

Now, I don't really like to cook, much less bake. Well, not exactly. I don't mind cooking 'one dish' meals like chili or one pan baking like brownies. But.....I had to suck it up this year because Grandpa asked for his favorite Christmas cookies and our quilt club had a cookie exchange. So, one morning last week I got up....said to myself  "Ok, you can do it.....even if you can't you WILL do this."

Here are Grandpa's favorites....Peanut Blossoms. I did buy the wrong kind of kisses but I think these look a little more festive with the stripes, don't you....of course you do.

For the quilt club, I chose chocolate peppermint. I mean, what goes better together than peppermint and chocolate except of course peanut butter and chocolate. Then again, there's caramel and chocolate or peanuts and chocolate. Let's face it.....chocolate is like it's own 'food group'.  Anyhow, here are the cookies for the quilters. 

My secret.....MIXES! For me they were a lifesaver. To be honest, I don't think I could even find a teaspoon or measuring cups for dry products in this house. Speaking of dry products, if I was to make Grandpa's cookies from scratch I would have had to buy flour, baking soda, and brown sugar. Then vanilla....I mean who keeps that in their kitchen cabinet as a 'staple' item except for maybe Rachel Ray. When I read the homemade recipe for the Peanut Blossoms, and saw the ingredients and the kitchen tools I would need, I figured after shopping for all that stuff, the cookies could come out costing an average of $4.99 per dozen. Sure, I love Grandpa to death and then would have the measuring spoons, cups and vanilla, etc. but hey, it would all just sit there until next year again....most likely. So, I threw caution to the wind and let Pillsbury and Betty Crocker do their thing. And, let me tell you.....they do it well!! There they are....the miracle mixes. All I had to add was an egg, oil and water. The chocolate peppermint cookies even came with the peppermint sprinkles. The peppermint frosting was extra - I bought it but I didn't use it; it just would have been another step and I didn't feel it was necessary and they would have stuck together when packing in gift bags.

"Piece of Cake".....or "Cookie" I guess. Thank you Pillsbury and Betty Crocker. Next year I will also try your sugar cookie mix and maybe make cut out cookies....or maybe not. I'd have to buy a rolling pin and cookie cutters. Oh, and then there would be the frosting and sprinkles.

I may have to think on that before I make any promises.