On Fri, 23 Dec 2005 13:05:33 -0500, Julia Altshuler
> wrote:

>Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
>> <cough> I quit going to neighborhood cookie exchanges after coming
>> home from one with chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies, and peanut
>> butter cookies; and my contribution to the exchange (a dozen for each
>> participant) had been highly decorated cut-outs. The ones that jazz up
>> a cookie plate. I want CC, PB, and oatmeal, I'll make my own, thanks.
>> Allow me to suggest that you deep six the CCs unless you know the
>> recipient never turns the oven on. No offense intended. Just my humble
>> opinion.
>
>
>Here's the way to organize cookie exchanges or dessert potlucks. On one
>side of the page, put the following list: chocolate, nuts, lemon or
>orange, raspberry or apricot jam, spice such as cinamon and ginger. On
>the 2nd list, put: drop cookies, cut-outs, bars, crust with something on
>top, pressed. Then you make sure everyone chooses a flavor idea from the
>first list and a cookie type from the second (cross off each as it is
>taken). For example, chocolate could be chocolate chip (drop), a rolled
>cookie cut into rounds, congo bars, a shortbread crust with chocolate
>chips on top, or a pressed cookie with cocoa. That way you get variety.
> I use similar reasoning when putting together a tin of cookies for a gift.
>
>
>--Lia

The main reason for the cookie exchanges or any other pot luck type of
get together is the "get together." It is a social occasion not
necessarily a culinary gathering.

If I did not make chocolate chip, peanut butter, and oatmeal scotchies
at Christmas, my kids would be very upset. I also make fruitcake,
mint chocolate chip and frosted fruit cookies. This year the kids
were here for Thanksgiving and on Friday we went to Mrs. Hanes' Cookie
Factory to watch the women cut out the cookies and to buy Moravian
Christmas Cookies.

--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974