Mama Jol's Cookie Advent: 2018

Hello Again Everyone,

I am back at the baking! Actually, since I last blogged, I am not sure that I really stopped baking. I am always looking for an occasion to bake. Birthdays are the perfect excuse. In January, there was Greg's Birthday and a Boston Creme Pie for him. Then there was Jenni at the office's birthday in February where a Cheesecake with Strawberry topping was called for! Then Marissa and her friends Kylah and Jackie came to visit before traveling for their last spring break and we celebrated Jackie's Birthday. A Chocolate Cake was made for that occasion. Also in March we had a snow day and that called for a baking project, Salted Chocolate Chunk Shortbread cookies. They were the rage on social media at the time so I needed to see what all the fuss was about.They lived up to the hype.

April came and we made Ricotta cookies for Michael to take to the Blue and White Game. May was another office birthday celebration and carrot cupcakes were in order for Frank and David's Birthdays. May had another birthday and a Milk Bar birthday cake was necessary to celebrate Michael. June, July and August I took a baking vacation to attend two family weddings -- Andrew and Hannah in Winston-Salem in June and Allie and Joseph in Chattanooga in July. August, we vacationed at the beach and not to worry, even though I didn't bake, there was lots of baked goods consumed during that time. I do remember making a Lemon Blueberry bread as a hostess gift when visiting my cousin Julie and family in July.

September I was back baking when I made Baklava Shortbread Bars just because I had phyllo dough in the freezer that needed to be used and then made real Baklava with the rest of the phyllo dough another weekend. The recipe was a Greek family heirloom, straight from Diana's mother-in-law. October was another baking vacation. Resting up for the start of the holiday baking in November. November did not disappoint with a Milk Bar mint cookie layer cake for Marissa's Birthday and a Pecan Pie Cheesecake for Thanksgiving. Greg got in on the baking with a Caramel Apple Pie for Thanksgiving. He took over Mom's apple pie tradition and is carrying the torch quite well. I also made caramel apple scones for Thanksgiving weekend when family was visiting.

This weekend, I started baking for real with Milk Bar chocolate cupcakes and apple cider spice cupcakes for our work birthday celebration (will post pictures later) and I also made my first Christmas cookie, Peanut Butter Temptations. These are by far my most requested cookie, so I made a huge batch of them so that everyone can enjoy their fill of these cookies to hold them over until next Christmas. We were thinking ahead and bought a big bag of Halloween packaged Reeses (at half price after Halloween) so that we could use them for this recipe. Love saving money by planning ahead! (Doesn't happen often so I need to celebrate it when it does).

This year, I have decided not to make a cookie every day but I plan to make 12 new cookies this year and of course will make a few of our traditional cookies from prior years. It wouldn't be Christmas without some of these.

Check back periodically to see what new cookies I have found and how they have turned out.