Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
I mentioned previously that I would be baking these and giving them away to close friends and family. Each batch, of course, required a taste test… which we were more than happy to do! Never mind that our recipe, based loosely on Alton Brown’s The Chewy, is something we’ve perfected in the past.

Frozen Brazo de Mercedes
My best friend gifted us with a gigantic tray of this, one of the most decadent, delicious things I’ve ever put in my mouth. I know I should post the telephone number of where it came from, but I’m too lazy to go to the freezer and write it down. I will soon, though. You simply MUST try it. *UPDATE: The frozen brazo is from Ana’s Kitchen, telephone 852-8224.

Christmas Ham from Santis
I love ham, especially Santis ham, anytime of the year, but Christmas ham is somehow more special. Taken with some thinly sliced queso de bola, it’s a holiday must-eat for me.

Queso de Bola
I love having one (or two) of these shiny red balls around. For breakfast today, I grated some up and made giant cheese omelettes for us. Creamy, salty, and awesome.

I could go on, I suppose- listing every naughty treat we’ve received from well-meaning friends and neighbors (don’t you love having neighbors? I LOVE having neighbors!) this year, but I need to go have a cup of hot chocolate and watch Home Alone on DVD now. What goodies are you enjoying this season?

Not so long ago, I turned to my husband and said, “Wouldn’t it be great if we gave everyone jars of homemade cookies for Christmas?”. He, the husband who believes in his wife’s baking skills to no end, agreed wholeheartedly… which is why I’ve been slaving away in my hot kitchen (what was I thinking when I painted it red??) these past few weeks, baking up a storm. A storm of Christmas Cookies.

Two of the cookies, I selected from my trusty old Rose’s Christmas Cookies, which is my most overused cookbook ever: Scottish Shortbread and Mexican Wedding Cakes (oh my god delicious). And, of course, my very own World Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies. What a combination! Buttery, crunchy Shortbread… melt-in-your-mouth (and sometimes in my very warm hands) Mexican Wedding Cakes… and the star of the whole affair, the perfect Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Sadly, not everyone on our list is getting cookies this year. I just can’t handle too much baking. But the ones who are getting them… well, they’re to blame for my lack of blogging. I’m hoping it will be worth it.

Anyway, it’s December! I started re-reading The Alchemist, an old book I used to love and had nearly forgotten about, yesterday, and it’s magical enough to be perfect December reading while not being as obvious as, say, A Christmas Carol (which I will nevertheless read this year, as I do every year!)

It’s December first, and oh what a glorious day! The first thing I did upon getting to my desk was fire up iTunes, play A Charlie Brown Christmas, and discover Gourmet’s Favorite Cookies.

Shown here are the apricot scented Seven-Layer Cookies. With a name like that, you just know it’s the holidays.

When I was in high school, my mom gave me a copy of Rose’s Christmas Cookies- definitely one of my favorite presents of all time, because it’s what really got me baking. I’ve known many cookbooks, and tried many cookie recipes, since then- but I won’t hesitate to say that this one is the best.

Rose is Rose Levy Beranbaum of The Cake Bible fame. Oh, and she blogs!

As it is, I’ve been obsessed with figuring out which side dishes go well with a smoked turkey. A good candied yams dish is a given, and I’m considering trying out Meg’s Brown Buttered Brussel Sprouts as well. For dessert, a classic pumpkin pie- which I’ve never made before. Any more ideas, anyone?