Christmas Cookie Whines

I LOOOVE Christmas. I love Presents(Seriously, who doesn't love presents?). I love decorations, I love the get-togethers, I love the crazy shopping...sometimes...when I get a good deal...when no one has stepped on me...or crashed into me a hundred million times with a cart....anyway.

I especially love Christmas baking. I was mentioning to my mom the other day that I always knew Christmas was close when she brought out those candied red and green cherries, and mixed fruit. When she spent hour upon hour in the kitchen whipping up the most wonderful of treats. On friday she brought me some red and green cherries, and the mixed fruit, and two cans of Eagle Brand milk :) I love my mommy. But I am lost as to what to USE those ingredients for!

Now, I come from a very long line of bakers. I pride myself on knowing how to make terrific baked goods...usually.

This year however, is becoming an exception to the rule. I can NOT find any inspiration to bake a damn thing. And what I do bake is leaving me even more discouraged. I made cookies called Snowballs...they aren't as sweet, or soft as i wanted them to be. Then I attempted squares. Caramel Shortbread Squares, YUM Right? sure. They taste Delightful. But try cutting the MoFo's!!(sorry...see? SEE? This is what Christmas baking has done to me!) The chocolate top cracked into a bazillion pieces. WAH!!!!

And seriously. Why can't recipe books all come with a description AND a picture of the finished product??? how the heck am I supposed to know if I REALLY want to make those cookies if they aren't going to look slightly festive? And how am I to know if my guests are going to be BEGGING me to make those squares EVERY year if you don't TELL me they are mouth wateringly delicious and OH SO EASY to make!!??

Ugh. And don't even get me STARTED on presents this year...NO IDEAS...NONE!

~Lisa~