Christmas Time!

So for Christmas this year we have decided to give most of our friends and family food baskets filled with sweet treats and a couple of different gifts in a jar. We figure the jars are something for them to take home an enjoy later and the sweet treats are something to help them get through the craziness of our wedding, which is four days after Christmas. We actually found the jars, the baggies, and the baskets at Wal-Mart, the jars were with the canning things, the baggies were with the holiday baking items, and the baskets were in the Christmas section. The basket are going to have snickerdoodles and sugar cookies, french chocolates, and divinity (see the recipes below). This one has a gift in a jar of the dry ingredients for big fat chewy chocolate chip cookies. These cookies are a favorite on the WC Board and everyone I have made them for loves them. I also made candy cane hearts by taping candy canes together to form a heart, I think it looks pretty neat and adds a whimsical touch to the baskets for the little kids. This basket also has a baby gift in it (two of our recipients are pregnant, so we got a little something for the future baby). These baskets were really fun to make and everything in them is really good, hopefully everyone will love them.

Big Fat Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

From Now That's What's Cooking

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 egg

1 egg yolk

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.