Spiced Molasses Cookies - Christmas Cookie Countdown

It's that time of year.  How many cookie posts can I do before Santa hits our house?  My goal is 24 but I realize that is ambitious.  I am also aware that Friday is December 1st, not today, but I had to leave Friday for the cocktails.  Maybe next week I will be really wild and crazy and do a cocktail and cookie post.  I don't know if I am that adventurous.  You will just have to tune in to find out.😉

Friday Cocktail on Wednesday - Bulldog and What to Wear

Bulldog

Thinking the Friday cocktail should be up sooner rather than later given the holiday.  Or, perhaps this mixture would also be good on Friday to help with indigestion.  Either way, the name of this drink makes you think it would be shock to your system.  Quite the opposite.  Light tasting with citrus, a hit of gin, topped off with ginger ale.  An elixir to calm before, during and after the festivities.    

Baked Alaska

Must wash dogs, water plants, clean up house, remove plants from outside before winter.  Hair is in desperate need of cut and color (why, hello gray hair, thanks for making an appearance 😲).  Have not worked out in a week and apparently that is all my body needs these days to completely give up.  Must wrap presents and get card for my son's birthday.    

Friday Cocktail - Grand Galliano

I love our little Oak Park bookstore, The Book Table.  I can spend all day in that place and never get board, much to my son's exasperation.  "Mom, will we ever be leaving this place?"  As if I took him to jail and lost the key.  Oh, what a difficult life he leads.  Pain au Chocolat at Léa and then the bookstore.  To me, that is the perfect day.  To him, the first part is awesome and the second is torture.

English Muffins

Question:  How are english muffin companies able to package up cardboard and sell it on store shelves and actually make a profit?  I have this image of Thomas' executives laughing hysterically that they are actually able to sell junk to consumers who have never had a homemade english muffin and don't know the difference.  Even smothered in 10 pounds of butter, the store bought version is a mockery of the real thing.

Friday Cocktail - Apple Hot Toddy - Holiday Fun

The holidays are coming and I think it's safe to say that libations will be needed given the current political climate.

Do you have Rachel Maddow enthusiasts and family members who worship at the alter of Rush Limbaugh?

Let's say you don't have political issues in your circles of love.  Win!  Yeah, right.  No one gets off that easy.  We all have some version of the Grandmother, Aunt, Uncle, neighbor...your very own parents who love to bring up your weight (too low! too high!), the way they think you should raise your kid (tip: their way is the only way!), or thinks that talking about your dating life or biological clock are appropriate dinner conversation.  

Oy.  You might want to make a punch bowl full of this stuff and pray the serenity prayer:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference."

Amen!

Also, quick tip.  It's never about you.  It is always, always about them.  Fear, self-loathing, insecurity and a range of other negative emotions are the ingredients for being critical and nasty towards others.

Oatmeal Scotchies

I recently went to parent teacher conferences.  These would be my first for my son who is now in middle school.  Ouch.  So not fun when you have a kid who doesn't always think before acting is a free spirit.  I need cookies more than a drink and my kid certainly needs some sugar therapy after having to also sit through the criticism.