The Cookie Extraveganza

New Year's Day had us up early enough to be the very first customers at the local Starbucks of the New Year. Literally. We stood outside the door and waited for them to unlock it.

Mike, Rob, Kristin, Goldie and I piled into the SUV and began the trek to McKeesport. Because of the weather forecast, the Winter Classic hockey game was moved from it's original 1 p.m. start time to an 8 p.m. start time. That meant my plans for a fancy-smancy dinner were blown to pieces.

Upon our McKeesport arrival, Mike and Robert decided to do some defensive eating before the cookie making. Since there are only fast food restaurants in McKeesport, we ended up at KFC. Where I promptly dared the two of them to try a double-down.

They decided to split just one.

Robert wasn't really amused by this suggestion.

It was so disgusting that this was as much of it that the two of them combined could not eat.

On to happier things. The cookie making was a huge success. I already showed you how prepared for us Heather was, what with aprons and recipes. We got to work as soon as we arrived, and, well, I think these pictures can show you how much fun we had -- and how many cookies we ate -- more than I can.

Making the PB Ritz sandwiches, ready for chocolate dipping.

She's a born cookie-maker!

Dipping the PB Ritz sandwiches. It took serious technique.

Mmmmm. Chocolate, AND wine.

This system was set up for the Raspberry Jam Thumbprints. Heather weighs a small amount of dough, rolls it into a ball, dips it in egg wash, rolls it in coconut, places it on a pan, pushes her thumb into it to make a hole and fills that hole with jam.

After baking.

Heather and coooookies.

Kristin rolling out the sugar cookie dough.

More peanut butter Ritz sandwiches.

Do you know how hard it was not to just devour them all. Oh, wait, I did.

The Raspberry Jam Thumbprint assembly line.

Mike putting the left over melted chocolate to good use.

Peanut butter blossoms with candy centers.

Sugar cookie icing.

We were nearly comatose by this point, and we only made 4 different types of cookies. Heather makes over 12 different types at a time, and does that for 4 straight days during the holidays.

A bit more Crayola than Christmas.