ohhhh Mark..."batting eyelashes"...can you post your death by brownies recipe? I think it will go really nice with the Bailey's!

By the way, I posted the "waiting for spring" exchange..

I just finished baking a batch of Bonnie's chocolate cherry cookies. Mmmmmm! They are YUMMY. I did use dark chocolate instead of white, since the kids don't like white chocolate.
Just one complaint, though....
They didn't last long enough for them to cool down so I could put the chocolate & cherry on top! LOL
I *think* out of a few dozen, that there are MAYBE a dozen left. I'll have to hide them so I can have them after supper tonight. :O)

OK you all got me in the baking mood and me and Danae spent the day making cookies.

I triied the chocolate cherry cookies. EXCELLENT (although I used dark choco instead of white also). I doubled the recipe and baked 1/2 and refrigerated 1/2 that way they can't eat them all before christmas. Also did some Oatmeal raisin, Cranberry Walnut Chocolate. Am planning on doing my choco chip tommorrow - waited because I want to pick up some candy canes first.

Orange Thumbprint Cookies. If your still looking for orange cookies I made these ones they were good. you just make the thumbprint cookies and use orange marmalade jam. My husband didn't like them because he don't like orange in cookies he said. I thought they were pretty good. However I like orange spritz better (I see they were mentioned earlier)

I think I ate too many cookies while baking... Tummy ache. (And don't want to see any more cookies right now) But you know you have to try one from each batch to make sure they are good.... hehehe... thats my excuse. I may have to rethink that theory. Guess I should have had some rum or baileys and used mark and Linda idea but I probably would't have gotten many cookies done.

Tammy

Well, there's one good thing about being a mailman at this time of year. I can just about count on getting at least a couple plates of cookies every day from the people on my route. Yesterday's favorites were the chocolate-covered peanut butter balls. Those were mixed in with a bunch of other cookies on a plate, and were accompanied by a stuffed reindeer ornament and a card. How cool was that!!! The reindeer now is hanging up at work where I can see him every morning, and some of the cookies are still on the kitchen table, though I'm working on them! hehehe So, I get the cookies, but don't have to spend all evening in the kitchen! This weekend, Bump and I are going to spend some time together just enjoying cookies and milk. I'll have to go get him some cookies from the pet store, but he's worth it!
I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend here in the snowy North, what's everyone else doing?

I'm going to be baking cookies and working on a few more crocheted slippers...I'm going to give them as Christmas gifts...."wiggling toes"..except for the ones I'm wearing..."L"

Hi everyone! Everyone had their CHOCOLATE 'fix' yet??

Here's an update on who's sent and received:

Lindaruzicka / Linda (SENT & REC'D) swaps with Markcase1964 / Mark (SENT)

Ncgardengirl/Fran (SENT & REC'D) swaps with Hazelnutbunny/
Melissa (SENT & REC'D)

Veeja11/Carol (SENT & REC'D) swaps with Proudgm 03/Becky (SENT)

Brandymulvaine/Brandy (SENT) swaps with Chitownladyd/La Donna

Suze62/Suzi (SENT & REC'D) swaps with Andreaz6wv/Andrea(SENT X 2!)

Canyonwind/Annie (SENT& REC'D) swaps with Highalttransplant/Bonnie (SENT & REC'D)

Flwrs4ever/Kym (SENT) swaps with Ejmoore510/Joan (SENT)

Let me know if I missed anyone! Brandy have you heard from La Donna as to when she's mailing?

Bunny how ya doin darlin'? That lil bunny still holding out? :)

Hugs,
Wendy

does anyone else smell like cookies?..."L"

Linda - I sure do. The aroma is beautiful.

Dan - My mail lady gets a bag of cookies and a card, she loves them. I just got back from doing the last bit of shopping i had to do. I am done *sigh* Thank God.

Mark - Going to post the death by chocolate brownies (What a way to go, by chocolate, yummy) reciepe?

Bunny - Is there still a bun(ny) in the oven? haha. Did you ever hear of having migranes while pregnant? I never even get headaches but with mikey and this one I seem to get them.

Bonnie - We still have not had a decent snow yet. My daughter want to build a snowman so I hope we get at least one this year.

Aubeni has convinced everyone that we're going to have a Christmas baby...that's what she's been saying all along. *sigh* I just want to be able to put on my own socks again. LOL

Greenthumb~I haven't had migraines with this one, but I HAVE had headaches. A friend of mine had a baby in Nov, and she had horrible migraines the entire time. I felt so bad for her, especially since she's also got a toddler to care for. Yikes. Peppermint seems to help a bit. If you can get essential oil & rub that on your temples and/or neck, it helps a bit. Also, the scent helps with the morning sickness, too. Lemon worked better for me for BOTH things this time around, though.

The girls & I have been making a list of cookies to bake for Santa. We asked Daddy what HE thought Santa might like, and he said.."Oh, chocolate with chocolate chips, chocolate chunks & dipped in chocolate".
LOL
What a man!! :O)

My kindda santa. I think santa at our house would say the same thing.

I will try the peppermint and lemon (not together of course)

Today I received a tin of poppycock (delicious!!!), peanut brittle (will give to my father, he loves the stuff), and some pepperridge farms cookies. It was a great day!

What is poppycock? I do love peanut brittle.

Tammy

all this cooking reminded me of one of my favorite recipes

Baileys Christmas Cookies...

Bag of chocolate
1 cup of water
4 large eggs
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup nuts
1 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup of brown sugar
lemon juice
2 cups dried fruit
1 bottle Baileys

Sample the Baileysto check quality.

Take a large bowl, check the Baileys
again, to be sure it is of the highest quality.

Pour one level cup and drink.
Turn on the electric mixer. Beat one cup of butter in a large
fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar. Beat again. At this point it's
best to make sure the Baileys is still OK. Try another cup . . . just in
case.

Turn off the miserer thingy. Break 2 leggs and add to the bowl and
chuck in the cup of dried fruit. Pick the fried fruit off floor. Mix
on the turner.

If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers just pry
it loose with a drewscriver. Sample the Baileysto check for
tonsisticity.

Next, sift two cups of salt, or something. Check the
Baileys.

Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one
table. Add a spoon of sugar, or somefink. Whatever you can find.

Greash the oven. Turn the cake tin 360 degrees and try not to fall over. Don't
forget to beat off the turner. Finally, throw the bowl through the
washer, finish the Baileys and make sure to put the stove in the
wishdusher.

Cherry Mistmas.

Tammy

Tammy, That reminds me of how my brother cooks his Thanksgiving Turkey!

Step 1: Go buy a turkey

Step 2: Take a drink of whiskey, scotch, or JD

Step 3: Put turkey in the oven

Step 4: Take another 2 drinks of whiskey

Step 5: Set the degree at 375 ovens

Step 6: Take 3 more whiskeys of drink

Step 7: Turn oven the on

Step 8: Take 4 whisks of drinky

Step 9: Turk the bastey

Step 10: Whiskey another bottle of get

Step 11: Stick a turkey in the thermometer

Step 12: Glass yourself a pour of whiskey

Step 13: Bake the whiskey for 4 hours

Step 14: Take the oven out of the turkey

Step 15: Take the oven out of the turkey

Step 16: Floor the turkey up off the pick

Step 17: Turk the carvey

Step 18: Get yourself another scottle of botch

Step 19: Tet the sable and pour yourself a glass of turkey

Step 20: Bless the saying, pass and eat out!color>

Gotta love the holidays!! :O)

Yesterday I received my box from Carol and WHAT A BOX!!! It contained:

a lovely wolf card and evelope with yellow bush beans 'Cherokee Wax', mammoth dill, deep burgundy zinnias, 'Strawberry Blonde' sunflower and siloam 'Little Girl' daylily seeds. Can't wait to plant them I'm getting garden fever!
an adorable Christmas cat towel and potholder set I love cats even though I don't currently have one!
a cow oven mitt with brownie mix and recipe cards How did you know my kitchen is done in COWS!?!
a bag of holiday mini's mix (snickers, milk way, milky way dark) Love these little guys!
a bag of Hersey's miniatures Yum!
a six pack of soda flavored lip balm Too cute! Never seen them before.
2 huge Hershey's chocolate bars
a fragrant herbs growing kit in the cutest galvanized water trough container Will go terrific in my cow kitchen!
a crocus grow kit So cute!
a container of green tea with fresh jasmine Yeah! It's cold here.
a bag of chocolate Christmas Santa's helpers Adorable Santa's and snowmen!
a Santa's sack of assorted chocolate Better pop those in my purse for chocolate attacks!
3 Hershey Santas Gotta make a bowl of popcorn to go with these!
a bag of Lindor truffles Look yummy!
a bag of Bailey's Irish Cream chocolates Now I can taste what you all have been drinking minus the alcohol!
a box of assorted chocolates I love the surprises!
an adorable red, white and chocolate crispy candy cane Almost too cute to eat but it doesn't stand a chance!

I hope I didn't leave anything out. Carol, you outdid yourself. I love everything! You did a terrific job of picking everything out. I just can't thank you enough! Wish I had been able to find as much variety for yours. (We're a little limited here in the country!)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup self rising flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pack of chocolate chips (or crushed candy bars, or kisses. anything chocolate the can be broken up)

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. Take 1/2 pack of chocolate chips and chop very fine in blender, food processor or anything that will chop them fine.
3. Melt butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, chopped chocolate and vanilla. Beat in cocoa, flour, salt. Spread batter into prepared pan.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes. Top with remaining chocolate chips. Bake for an additional 5 to 1o minutes. Do not overcook.

these were so unbelievable yummy!..and they disappeared FAST!..."L"

My Box from Linda came today. WOW! How did she fit it all in there.

I got
A really neat card
A lavender flower garden in a can
miniature basil and chives grow kit (put these three on my kitchen window sill)
plant spikes
reindeer chocolate sucker
Hershey bar!
Cadbury Irish Cream candy bar (MINE! ALL MINE! Back away Dan. It is MINE!)
Gingerbread boy candies
a personal size Russel Stover candy box
a Santa Sack full of chocolates
a sack of coal chocolate candies
chocolate chip cookie in a tin
coffee mug with 4 hot coco packs
a HUGE Kiss (right back at ya! SMACK!)
a little glass snowman full of coco mix and a little wisk
piece of peanut butter fudge and a piece of walnut fudge

a sack of seeds including
pink rose of sharon seeds
blue horizon ageratum
lantana camera "carlos" pink/yello
dianthus
pumpkin seeds good for pies
love in a puff vine
Texas bluebonnets
blue iris
gaillardia fan fare
cantalope

WOW! You outdid yourself. thank you so much. The fudge didn't make it till now. I ate it already...

WONDERFUL boxes everyone!!! Great job!!!!

Brandy did you hear from LaDonna yet?? please let me know.

I've been outside burning leaves.. I was just informed the family Christmas dinner will be here.

*SCREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM* Umm.. still LOTS of boxes, lots of disorganization.. ughh SOOOOOOOOOO much to dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!! lol I haven't even wrapped a single christmas present yet!

Ok I had to rant :)

*heading to 'deal' w/ all this junk!
Hugs,
Wendy

I'm glad you liked the box Mark, it was a blast doing it!

I hear your pain Wendy, Christmas is at my house and I am not ready!!! Great boxes Linda and Carol. Just wanted to pop in and say hi! Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas! Nikki

Andrea,

Haven't seen where you received your box yet?? Hope nothing hapened to it!!

Please let me know :)
Suzi

Wow my mouth is drooling. So many wonderful boxes flying around.

Munch, munch. the other piece of fudge is gone....

Hmm... I wonder if I can get those chives to grow in time for dinner? I am having winter growing fever!

Bunny,Dan is playing in MY box Linda gave me. Make him stop!

Hey Suzi,

Not yet. The postman and always leaves packages at the back door.

Have you rec'd your 2nd box? I tracked it and seen it made it to Grundy this morning.

Andrea

Hi,

Funny story, the postman ALWAYS leaves packages at the back door,always. So after posting my last message I thought maybe, just maybe I would check the front door and guess what! There was my box..I checked the DC# and said it was delivered on the 18th. It was at the front door with bills,cards and another package. Maybe it was someone covering for our regular guy? I remmeber Jack saying Thursday that he thought it was weird that we got no mail :)

Thank you soo much Suzi.

I rec'd wonderful seeds including:

hollyhocks,dill,cilantro,collard greens,basil,parsley,turnips.
Chicken soup for the soul cup and chocolate
hershey's lipgloss, I think I sent you Reese's :)
santa tea towel
flower calendar
avon hand cream and lavendar shower gel
homemade chocolates!!
beautiful tree ornament
a few plant markers
chocolate covered pretzels
a cute santa for my table

Suzi I never mentioned Jackson's likes, but you got it. He is decorating his calendar now and has colored a few pictures. Arts and Crafts are definitly his thing.

Thank you for making this so much fun for me!!

Andrea

hey Mark, the gingerbread cookies are gone now (BELCH!!! sorry). Where's that reindeer chocolate sucker??? Have you seen it???

Mom! Dan ate all the cookies!

That reindeer sucker is chocolate and rice crispies on a stick. Looks good. (takes a big lick so Dan can't take it)
Tastes good too.

okay guys, you're both going to get REAL coal for Christmas you keep this up..."hands on hips"...

I recd an amazing box from Joan, wow, wow, wow !!

( I did write a long post yesterday and ofcourse it wouldnt post, and i lost it, so I am trying again..grrr)

I cant get over how packed this box was...and I am so worried that I didnt send enough...

I recd..

sweetpea
bachelor buttons
zinnia cal giant
zinnia deep burgandy
trumpet vine
choc mint
quuen of night tulip bulbs( yippee !)
daydream tulip bulbs ( double yippee !)

hot cocoa raspberry...and hazelnut ( I love cocoa !!)
ghirardelli dark choc ( mmmmmm)
tootsie roll bank
oreo cookies in a cute nutcrakcer box
hot cocoa cone, with marshmellows and peppermint
a cane full of m&m like candies
A HUGE SPECIAL DARK CHOC BAR ( MY ALL TIME FAV CANDY)

and a SUPER DOOPER REINDEER POOPER !! SAYS HAVE A POOPIN CHRISTMAS....lol ANYONE WANT TO FIGHT OVER THE REINDEER POOP, MARK ??? DAN ???? roflmho !!!!!

OHHH, AND a nice pocket calendar, I need one just to keep Dr apts in, thanks !

This was such a wonderful swap, and I cant thank joan enough...what a special Christmas this has been for me !!

Happy Holidays to you all !

Kym

Hello everyone!! My computer is down for awhile and I have to go the the library to use their's I SURE MISS YOU GUYS!!
Wendy-La Donna emailed me to say she got my box, I'm still waiting for hers.
Dan, after reading about all these cookies I'm hungry!! I heard you had extra cookies and I SMELL those fresh brownies!! I'm stopping by on my way home!!!
-B

FANTASTIC boxes everyone!! yippeee!!

BOYS! Behave yourselves dangit! :P Linda can't you keep these boys in line? :P

I did my last bit of christmas shopping earlier today... wish I could've done more but it was the last lil bit of money too soo... lol Just snuck them all up into the 'present room' and locked it tight! I will have LOTS of wrapping to do tonight!!!

I'm going to try to get in touch with Brandy re: LaDonna, and will do an update on sent / rec'd boxes later today.

LOTS of goodies to back also this eve and tomorrow!

Hugs ya'll!!

~Wendy

Ewwwwww..... Dan can have the reindeer poop. I am told I am already full of it.... LOL!

Kym, I'm soooo glad you liked your box! I really had tons of fun putting it together for you! And you silly girl, I got my package from you yesterday and it was just wonderful!!!
Everything was wrapped just beautifully! It really made my day! I got:
A candy cane bundle tied with beautful ribbon
a GIANT Hersheys Kiss (step back Dan - I teach a kickboxing class you know!)
a box of peppermint stick cremes - yum!
the sweetest jingle bell door knob hanger!
A christmas tray wrapped in snowman paper with bells and stuffed full of.... you guessed it - all things chocolate!
mini cherry 3 musketeers
hershey kisses - all Christmas flavors
Junior mints peppermint crunch
Absolutely Divine dark chocolate bars - my favorite!!!!!!!!
A beautiful dark green miniature burlap bag with a chocolate candle that smells divine and seeds!
chocolate pincushion flower, choc. sunflower, choc. hollyhock, & choc. mint
Yeah!!!!!!!!!! It was all just wonderful! Thanks again so much!!!!!

Happy Holiday All!!!

Joan

I love all the boxes.............clever and delicious! What a fun swap this has been!!!!

No little Hazelnutbunny yet???????

I am slurping...yes slurping a Baileys as I write. Cheers...here is a double for you Miss Linda. Tastes mighty fine. No more shopping...no more wrapping...just cooking, family and fun are on my agenda! Tiz a bit nippy here in Southern California. I might just put on a fire and roast some chestnuts.

Merry Christmas to all. Please be safe and be happy!

Annie

Big lots has their Christmas stuff on clearance for 50 t0 75% off! Got more bulbs, seed gift sets, tea sets, coffee sets and lots more!

Yea, I got chocolate stuff too! (slurp. belch. )

Maybe I'll share with Dan.
Maybe......

Hey Suzi,

Where are ya?

Hope your having a good week!

Andrea

Mark, what do you say we visit Kym and Joan? They've both left all that chocolate just sitting around, and I'm sure they wouldn't mind "sharing" a bit, don't you think?
And, that reindeer poop is actually jellybeans, if it's the same one I bought in wal-mart before this all began, so I'll eat the "poop" and enjoy!

HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

Well, Mark, I know better than to leave chocolate laying around, LOL. I have a ten year old boy, we nicknamed "Manboy" because he eats as much as his Dad already!!! I stashed my chocolate box in my closet, which makes doing the laundry much more fun, LOL!

Spent the day making sugar cookies with the kids. I was going to do gingerbread men too, but I've still got some presents that need wrapping tonight, so I'll have to skip those this time.

Tomorrow I'm doing the prep work for Christmas breakfast, and making some Hot Wassail ... mmmmm.

Anyone heard from Hazelnutbunny? She may be busy with holiday stuff, but maybe baby bunny has arrived?

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!
Bonnie

Ha Ha Dan,

I beat you to Kym's and got the chocolate first!

My son and I are amateur radio operators and have been having fun announcing the Santa tracker every hour on the hour on our local repeater. We have been doing this for 8 years and it has become a tradition. Almost time to announce Santa location next!

(munch, munch) eating a sugar cookie while we wait. So much for my diet. My pancreas will be revolting in about an hour!

Ha Ha Mark!

I've been at Bonnie's house all day, hidden in the closet, eating HER chocolate! When Santa gets here, Rudolph is going to give me a lift over to Joan's house, where I'm going to eat all of HER chocolate! And, Santa is going to show me how to sneak into houses without tripping any alarms. Should come in handy when I get to YOUR house tonight, eh? hehehehehe

Hello again! My bestest friend from grade school(many many moons ago) is a self proclaimed "nerd-geek" and talked me through rebooting and repairing the computer. So I'm back online-

Today I got La Donnas box and it was loaded!
chocolate chip candle
pretzel sticks dipped in chocolate
coffee cup (pass the Baileys, please!)
hot chocolate mix with extra marshmallows and extra chips
solid chocolate santa
small size calender w/ garden pics
garden gloves with flowers hand stamped on them, they're leather, too!
garden apron that is hand stamped also
chocolate balls covered with powdered sugar
little chocolate coins
homemade fudge
toffee balls
Christmas tree ornament
altoids drk chocolate mint
Hersheys lip balm
Elmers painters marker(will this replace the dumb sharpie?)
For Seeds I got:
balsam-zinnia-california poppy-mexican sunflower-danish poppy-hibiscus-achillea-calendula-lemon balm-cleome-carrots-scabiosa-squash-cucumber-amaranthus-yvonnes salvia-helichrusum and nutmeg. Nutmeg! I didn't even know that was a plant!

Thank you La Donna! How cool!
-B

k...sorry to chime in, but been followin this thread to await the bouncin baby bunny...but haven't seen a new post from bunny for a few days now...HEY BUNNY....IS IT TIME YET?????

Is that awaited baby bunny here yet? Hope all is well with you and the soon to be bouncing bunny.

Blessings :) and........

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Whoo Whoo! My family opened up their presents. My family gave me a new food dehydrator for Christmas! Mine finally died after 20 years. I used it for my garden all the time with my garden harvest. Figs, apricots, apples, peaches, etc.

I do use a solar dehydrator during the summer, but in the winter, it doesn't get warm enough, long enough to work.

Chocolate covered fruits anyone?

I got up early and made some fruit muffins for breakfast. I had a couple of my kid's friends stay over last night (one of those situations where parents shove the kids on someone else, so we took them). I made 24 muffins. They cleaned every single one of them out! I guess I will have to make some more dried fruits to make more soon.

I hope everyone is having a VERY blessed Christmas.

Bunny, any news on baby bunny yet?

Dan, keep your hands off my chocolate! I'll tell on you again!

Well, we've exchanged family presents and I got an absolutely GORGEOUS!! sapphire ring and pendant from my AMAZING husband! And it came with the most adorable panda bear with it's baby on it's back! A new manicure set and lots of hand lotions, the really deep moisturizing ones and a new sweater from my sister in law. And I got a new black Stetson hat from Santa and I'd already gotten my new digital camera from DH a month ago :) Oh and my little boys got me a really precious keyring with the word Mother on the front and a wonderful saying on the back! What a haul!! I'm finishing up the dressing while I get dressed, and we're going to Cliff's Mom's for Christmas dinner and to exchange gifts with his Mom and Stepfather and Brother & family. I'll get a picture of the jewelery to post and show off! I'm thrilled! No man in my life has EVER bought me jewelery as a gift! And neither of my ex husbands would have chosen something so absolutely perfect for me! Especially not all on their own as Cliff did!

Hehehe.. can you tell I'm happy?

No word from Bunny yet, but since she's been so quiet, I'm hoping for the call soon and will post ASAP! But I know she wasn't feeling well the other day, not the baby, just not feeling well. Poor dear!

Merry Christmas all!!

Kathy

Did everyone send/receive a box?
Are we done with this swap?

HAVE YOU JOINED THE "WAITING FOR SPRING" SWAP???

> Just finished with the last piece of chocolate from my box actually. I ate all the chocolate I stole from you first!

This was a fun swap. Thanks!

Mark, those brownies were GONE in record time!!

Hello,

I received a 2nd box from Andrea I got....
Kitchen towel set,Sticker accents,dried flowers,a tin of nuts from her tree & a popcorn container w/two stalks of corn w/br bags to pop it in. A 2nd box wasn't necessary BUT I do love everything thank you..

Sorry I did'nt post last week but I have been sicker than sick... Yuuuuck glad thats over with:)
Thanks again Andre.
Suzi

Glad you feeling better Suzi!!