Sweets, Treats & Tasty Eats

I held my 4th annual Cookie Swap on Sunday. The gist of the cookie swap is to bake 72 cookies and then come and swap them out for 72 different cookies. That way, you take home 20 different kinds of cookies, and when you give them out to friends and neighbors, you look amazing and talented. Because, really, what kind of freak has the time to bake 20 different kinds of cookies??

Here's the cute invite I used this year:

Because I had spent the previous evening partying it up in an ugly sweater, this is what my kitchen looked like at 3 am--2 pans of 7-layer bars, and 4 pans of hand rolled enchiladas.

On the menu this year:

• Chicken and green chile enchiladas
• Spinach salad with roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and avocado-Italian Dressing
  
• Chips and guacamole
• Homemade limeade
  

Once everyone arrives, the revelers place 2-3 cookies on a little plate with their name, and take them back to the judging room. Every year, we choose 5 lucky suckers to come and judge the cookies.

The judges: Hooman Mansour, Louis Gray, Scot Fairchild, Kyle Sager & Tyler Atwood:

The cookies arrive--what an amazing display!


Once the treaties are all on the tables, and the judges are judging, the ladies get to dine on dinner. We love the chance to catch up with friends over food--some of the people we only see once a year, so it's a fun tradition.


The judging is done, and the judges come to announce the winners. We have 3 winners each year. I must point out that Natalia Mansour has *always* placed. She is an AMAZING baker.


Here are the winners! Erin Parkes took 1st, Natalia Mansour placed 2nd, and Melanie Sager placed 3rd. Congrats ladies!

Time for the swap baby! Grab your cute tray and get moving!

The cookies are going, going....

Gone!

The slightly ill feeling cookie judges. What I would give to eat 20 cookies in the name of holiday fun...

Thanks for coming friends!

We're excited to bring you back next year little gingerbread man!