Black Friday... More like BAKE Friday

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Since Black Friday November 2003 my daughter Kathryn and sister-in-law Andrea celebrate cookie day together --we have improved the fun and efficiency over the years --we send all male family members -husbands and sons are sent away for the day and not allowed to return until dinner --we spend the day baking usually a dozen different cookies to give out to our friends --we enjoy baking - a nice girl lunch and white wine --this year was our best yet!!

Below are pictures from our day --and the selection we made this year --please leave me a message if there is a particular recipe you want :) Of course we started our day with Champagne and Pom Cocktails!!

Cookie Day Fest 2010

1 Amaretti
2 Oreo Truffles
3 Santa’s Surprise
4 Sesame Sugar Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle
5 Snickerdoodles
6 Peanut Butter Blossoms
7 Chocolate Dipped Crescents
8 Square Pretzels with Kisses and MM’s
9 Graham Squares
10 Tutti Frutti Bars
11 Pecan Balls
12 Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate with Drizzle
13 Chocolate Almond Cluster Candies
14  Palmiers-Elephant Ears

And as you can see we weren't kidding--despite the cold 25 degree temp in Pittsburgh--they are banished for the day!! They went to the PITT WVU game -that's my brother-in-law Mike, nephew Matt and my husband Kevin (no that hat does not suit him!)
OK so this year we finally got smart and made the 5 doughs that needed to chill up first--then started with other recipes--this is Kate smoothing out Graham Squares-- a recipe from my childhood --and oh yeah funny sister 'kismet' thing --my sister Linda made a batch of these for Thanksgiving as well unbeknown to me...wonder if she was smart enough to use parchment paper to make it easy to lift out of the bar pan....
And here is Andrea (daughter of Nora--using her clean gene!!) whipping up the dishes as we go!
Andrea mixing a batch of something and my turn to press Tutti Frutti Bars into the pan- another recipe from childhood!
Batches of rolled Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate cookies awaiting a stone and oven space
Love the fact Andrea has a double oven and 5 racks!
Rolling out the puff pastry dough for palmiers-elephant ear recipe--so simple next year we make a double batch!!

Kate scooping out the oreo truffle ballswith a small scoop--easy 2 ingredient recipe!
And more cookies--we ran short of parchment paper--won't happen next year--it makes it so easy to lift baked cookie off and onto the cooling rack
Hmm was she just sampling --Kate is placing mini snickers inside the dough to make Santa's Surprise cookies --might make her whistle while she works so she won't sample the wares!
Andrea completing her famous yummy pecan balls -she rolls them warm into powdered confectionary sugar
Final stop before packing is the dining room table--we just need to make sure Grampy or Andrea's dog Thor don't sample from there!
Another view...
Yummmm and all calorie free--ha!
Andrea --doing the final steps of drizzling--I did one batch and I am more of a pourer than a drizzler!
Yup pretty much the end of the day...
Yummo!!
You can see the sun is setting...
Oreo Truffle Balls up close
Here's the palmiers or Elephant Ears!
Santa's Surpise --these are FABULOUS and you can't eat just one!
Another one of Andrea's classics the crescent butter cookies dipped in chocolate and pecans


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