Friday, December 7, 2007

Odds and Ends

Such a busy week. I must admit I don't mind that this one is coming to an end. The car needing repair really threw a wrench into things. Monday night we were home late due to the commotion, then Wednesday night we had to drive down to pick up the old Honda (I'd picked up the van earlier in the day)--that took up the entire evening--and last night was Faith's dance concert. It was great seeing her concert, but that also put me out of the house for the entire evening and I didn't get to eat my dinner and I had to park miles away from the school (it seemed) because the parking situation is terrible at that venue . . . you get the idea. So I don't mind wrapping this week up and pushing "reset."

I came across this article on Web MD about cutting back on soda. I'm a diet Coke drinker and I don't want to give it up entirely--I'm okay with drinking one a day--but sometimes I drink two and that is what I want to change--sort of. The article had some suggestions for alternatives that I thought were interesting--like milk and soy milk. They're not calorie free, but you are getting important nutrients. I have noticed my milk drinking has gone down the last couple years.
These are not our cookies from this year--I wish I were that far along!! I do plan to make several types again this year as always, to have cookie trays throughout the season and to give as gifts. Does anyone have a cute method of packaging cookies? I have never come up with anything better than a colored paper plate and plastic wrap. Martha Stewart always shows cookies lined up in boxes, but who has boxes like that? By the way, I swear by freezing the cookies in gallon ziplock bags (I separate the layers with waxed paper) and they stay delightfully fresh all season. That way, you can make cookies over several days and just freeze as you go.
Those turtles, by the way, are my favorite.

Happy Friday. I'm hoping for a calm and productive weekend. Oh, and a tree!

6 comments:

esusan94 said...

Lovely cookies. I love putting the cookies on a Christmas decorated plate (or wintery scene) and wrap with green or red plastic wrap and a bow. I have 10 dz of the same cookie to make for a cookie exchange and I look forward to coming home with lots of varieties. :)

Mama Said Sew said...

I wish I were that far along in my baking too! I'm making somewhere around 30 dozen (yes, that says thirty dozen!) cookies for the employees at my husband's factory. I think I've put about 4 dozen in the freezer so far!

How about Chinese take out containers? I've seen them at Michael's in Christmas patterns.

Sarah said...

You can usually find cute Christmas tins at dollar stores for pretty cheap.

Melissa said...

I wish I was on your cookie list! That is my weakness, I'm a cookie monster ;o)

Amy said...

I have my candy bar tutorial posted on my blog...
http://myzoebug.blogspot.com/2007/11/homemade-candy-bar-tutorial.html
One year I used cardstock and cut it into strips and made circles with the strips. So you would want them long enough to make a circle that your cookies would fit into and no taller a cookie tin. Then I just stacked cookies in the circles and popped the lid on. It looked very nice.

Amy said...

Oh my, I forgot to mention my very favorite way to give cookies...peanut butter cookies actually. Take an empty peanut butter jar containter, peel off the lable, make your own lable and glue it in place, stack cookies inside place lid on...easy as can be! I re-read my last post ..I am not so sure I made much sense...lol...I am planning on doing a little tutorial for both of these in the before Sunday...come back and check on that!