‘TWAS A WHIM
I kind of miss the days when we all made loads of Christmas cookies and took them to friends and neighbors. Besides providing some special treats that we didn’t get any other time of the year, it served as a way to let people know they mean something to you, even though they aren’t on your Christmas gift list. It was a lovely treat to get and give cookies.
As people have tried to ease the chaos that accompanies the holidays, a lot of traditions have bit the dust. This seems to be one of them as there are very few people I know who make and share Christmas cookies. Even I don’t make cookies every year.
I hadn’t planned on doing it this year, but, on the way home from church, the bug hit me and we started baking as soon as we hit the front door.
Since it wasn’t a planned event, I hadn’t shopped for supplies or planned which cookies to make. It added to the fun to be able to follow through on that whim with only my imagination and what I had in my pantry.
I pulled out the three cake mixes and two packages of cookie mix from my pantry and we started churning out some yumm.
I made cake mix cookies (recipe below) with the cake mixes: Cranberry Orange Cookies (using dried cranberries and dried orange peel to flavor them), Lemon Cookies (using lemon juice and dried lemon peel for flavor and topped with powdered sugar on top), and Chocolate Cookies (those were supposed to be M&M cookies with the M&Ms I had hidden away, but, as is very like me, by the time I got home I forgot that I was going to do that {insert eye roll here}). One package of cookie mix was for peanut butter cookies, a personal favorite. The other package of cookie mix was for sugar cookies. I didn’t have any sprinkles to decorate the sugar cookies so I mixed a few drops of red food coloring into a couple tablespoons of granulated sugar to perk them up a bit (I was quite impressed with myself for thinking of that).
Does the fact that I didn’t slave away for days making Christmas cookies make them less valid? No, I really don’t think so. I like that, despite the busyness of life, one of the traditions that make this season special could still be done.
Traditions are important. They connect us. They create memories. They give us a sense of belonging (which is just as important as our need for food, water, and shelter). They give us a sense of security. As families, and societies, we need traditions. I’m grateful I was able to follow through and keep this tradition alive one more time.
Cake Mix Cookies
Need cookies in a hurry? Keep a few boxes of cake mix on the shelf and you can whip some up with very little fuss or muss. I only buy cake mix when it’s down to $1.00 or less so these cookies are inexpensive, too. The variety of cake mixes is nearly endless, or get basics like butter, yellow, or chocolate cake mix and add stuff in – or not – you’ll have an enjoyable treat.
1 box any flavor cake mix
2 eggs
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Scoop onto cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool 2 minutes. Transfer to paper towels or cooling rack. I use a small scoop so get around 3 dozen cookies.
Two Chickens Homestead 
Good on you! I got the bug yesterday and baked a “Dundee Cake” which is a special Scottish fruit cake but doesn’t use candied fruit. It has , marmalade, raisins, currants, dried cherries and apricots and I added some craisins as well! Turned out ok but when I cut into the big one for K and B… it seemed dry (the small one was moist!). Anyway, I tried a piece heated a few seconds in micro w/hard sauce….I think it’s yummy! Reminds me of Moms fruitcake. She did add candied citron but chopped it really fine so you didn’t get a big bite as it can be bitter!
Sent from my iPhone
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