December - a whole month in one bite!

OK, OK, it's been really really busy lately. . . .



First of all - Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Scout - the chocolate dog with a caramel bow. The bow is courtesy of a box of Fran's nuts and caramels, and it is a testament to just how much I've eaten recently that the box still has any left in it . . . .


The baking continues since November. First, Dusen Cookies - little jam filled butter cookies. They can be made with an almond cookie base instead of a sugar cookie base, but the dough is more brittle and hard to work with, and the flavor is not that much better, so sugar cookies it is.

These have apricot jam in some and blackberry red currant jelly in the rest.








Then, just for fun, a dark chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and meringue mushrooms -so cute!


For Bryan's birthday party on 12/22. . . .








And yes, I know I am apparently crappy at taking pictures of the inside of the baked goods - the chocolate cake above is a case in point. I don't know how that happens - normally I just don't have the camera out at the cutting and serving point, and then poof it's gone!




But, here I have tried to take steps in the right direction - mom's stollen, whole and cut up, covered with melted butter and sugar. Won't last long.

And this doesn't even begin to touch the savory items, such as the puff pastry filled with Dungeness crab and cheddar cheese.


OK - more next year! XO - L