Cookies & Sweets & All Things Neat

Ok, kind of cheesy title right? Yeah, I know. It's the Christmas season. I can't help myself.

Today, Matt and I went to Matt's family's house to make Christmas cookies. Aka, my inlaws. This is the second year I've done it, and the first time that Matt's been able to join. A year ago, he was experiencing Iraq in the winter. I think he's happy it's 2009 and not 2008.

We made and frosted dozens of sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies. I'm partial to the sugar cookies, and Matt prefers the gingerbread. Works out well for us!

We came home with three cookie sheets of frosted cookies, a bag of white chocolate covered pretzels, a sampling of turtle-pretzel-pecan things, some peanut butter balls dipped in chocolate, a pan of fudge, and ... oh yeah, a bucket of Chocolate Chili. Yeah, you read it right. Chocolate Chili. I will have to make it myself sometime and post the recipe. Trust me, I was as skeptical as I'm sure all of you are right now prior to eating it today. This particular batch is about as spicy as even someone from the south can handle due to a little miscalculation of the seasoning, but next time, it'll be more Minnesota-style. Not hot enough to erode my esophagus. You sprinkle chocolate chips on top with your sour cream and shredded cheese. Yes. Really.

:) I'm really going to make it and post the recipe with photos. Then you will understand that it is not the horror that it sounds like.

Christmas is quickly approaching and I, for one, and so excited! My sister graduates from college in ONE WEEK and then she'll be back in the same town as me for awhile! I'm so excited. With all of these wedding plans of hers rolling around, I'm thrilled to be able to be around for the rest of it all!

Here are a few photos of our creations today:

Please excuse me now as I go find that lovely pink and blue creation teasing me from that second photo... And maybe one of those yellow ones too.

It's the Christmas season, after all. Right?

God bless you and your families this week!