Ho Ho Ho - Treats for Santa!

What Christmas wouldn't be complete without baking up some cookies to leave for Santa? I thought that this year instead of making tons of different types of cookies, that I would host a cookie exchange - then I would only have to make one or two different cookies, could share them and still have lots of tasty options!

Aidan and I got to work, he made Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies (with a little help from Mom) and I made Mexican Wedding Cookies. Both are favorites of mine and the Mexican Wedding Cookies always remind me of Christmas - I think it was the only time during the year when we made them, plus they look like snow balls. The Peanut Butter Cookies are pretty easy to make with kids and mine loves to push the kisses into the cookies!

Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies
By Aidan

1 cup softened shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups flour
1 package Hershey's Kisses

Mix all ingredients in order. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 15-18 minutes at 375 degrees. After removing cookie sheet from oven, immediately push a kiss into each cookie. Refrigerate cookies for a while to harden kisses.

Makes approximately 48 cookies (plenty to share with friends, family and Santa).

Mexican Wedding Cookies
By Greta

1 cup pecan pieces or halves
1 cup butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt

Place pecans in food processor. Process using on/off pulsing until pecans are ground. Beat butter and 1/2 cup powdered sugar in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy. Gradually add 1 cup flour, vanilla and salt. Beat at low speed until well blended. Stir in remaining 1 cup flour and ground nuts with spoon. Shape dough into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour or until firm.

Shape tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls; place 1-inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Let cookies stand on sheet for 2 minutes. Place 1 cup powdered sugar in 13x9 inch glass dish. Transfer hot cookies to glass dish and roll cookies in sugar; let cool in dish. Shift remaining 1/2 cup powdered sugar over cookies before serving.

Makes 48.

Everyone brought a different type of cookie or bar and we had hot chocolate, coffee and egg nog to wash them all down. The assortment of treats included 5 layer bars, M&M chocolate chip cookies, German Chocolate bars, soft gingerbread, Snickers cookies, and peppermint sugar cookies. Everyone had fun and no one left hungry!

Merry Christmas Everyone and Enjoy!!