Virtual Cookie Exchange

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Welcome to the first, annual (I hope!) virtual cookie exchange hosted by Another Suburban Mom (affectionately known as ASM). And yes, I can say affectionately as I've shared a shower with her! No, not at the same time, but that's just a technicality!

Let me start by saying I have a new appreciation for food bloggers. It's nothing for me to string a few paragraphs of nonsense together, but putting together this post took time, and lots of it! Of course, I could have just followed ASM's directions and posted a short story and the recipe, but you know me, always a show-off an overachiever!

This is the short, sweet story behind my recipe. When Cam and I moved to Minnesota due to a corporate buy-out (Cam was 18 months old), I felt very isolated. Not only did I not know a single person there, but I didn't even know where the nearest grocery store was. Fortunately, I found a single moms email list (yes, that same email list that has since been my Achilles heal in regards to this blog) and met S and her daughter M. They became a lifeline, and dear friends, to Cam and I. S introduced us to this recipe about 10 years ago, and it quickly became a favorite of Cam's. In fact, I'm pretty sure he ate his weight in the damn things the first time he tried them. They became known as:

Cam's Chocolate Chip Balls

Ingredients:

1 cup butter
1 cup butter flavor Crisco
1 cup brown sugar (packed)

2 egg yolks (save the whites)
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
12 oz. bag mini chocolate chips

Chocolate sprinkles (or mouse turds as they are known in our house)

Oops! Forgot to put the vanilla and the baking soda in the ingredients picture!

Cream together butter, Crisco and brown sugar.

Add the egg yolks, vanilla and baking soda.

Mix in the flour and mini chocolate chips.

Eat some of the raw cookie dough (get over your aversion to salmonella - live dangerously). In between eating bits of the dough, roll some of the remaining dough into 1" balls. Beat the egg whites with a fork. Dip the balls into the beaten egg white and then into the chocolate sprinkles.

Place about 1" apart on a non-stick cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes.

Cool on a wire rack.

I can't imagine you'll have any extras, but if you do, these freeze very well!

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Friday Wrap-Up

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I had this brilliant idea, after my HNT yesterday, to do a post of my favorite non-sexual HNT's this week, but you know what? I had a heck of a time trying to find any! I did a google blog search for HNT, clicked on at least 150 links, and came up with ... well ... not enough to actually do a worthy post. Now mind you, many of the HNT's are not in-your-face nekkidness, but they still have a distinct sexual overtone to them. I know that mine usually do, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised, but I was. I think I'll attempt to do at least one emotionally half-nekkid HNT each month just to see if I can!

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I'm taking a trip this weekend to Indianapolis to meet up with a few bloggers. Most of you know that meeting new people TERRIFIES me. Logically, I know it's really not a big deal, but emotionally I worry about everything involved - from saying something completely dorky, to being a general disappointment. This type of event challenges my self esteem issues in the worst way.

I might even take a side trip to visit two other bloggers who have been on my "to do" list for quite some time. We'll see what happens. Either way, I will - of course - offer stories and photographic evidence of any and all activities that will not embarrass me or any other blogger with expressed written permission only!

EDIT: I have my iGoogle page set up to display my horoscope (just for shits and grins). Thought it was funny that today it read (some of you will appreciate this more than others):

You are no stranger to keeping secrets, yet now it's important that you know when to stay quiet and when to talk. There is much that can be safely shared, yet once you open the door, it will be hard to shut it without telling everything. Remember, discretion really is the better part of valor and today some things are better left unsaid.

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A few of my regular blog reads are offering up real, live holiday cards this season, I'll be doing my own holiday give-away (more on that later), and Another Suburban Mom (ASM) is organizing a VIRTUAL COOKIE EXCHANGE. This is seriously cool for all of you holiday bakers out there. All you need to do is pick your favorite holiday cookie, candy or food gift recipe and post it on December 12th. She also encourages that you write a story about why they are your favorites, or a nice memory about making them with grandma or grandpa. All you have to do is leave a comment on her VIRTUAL COOKIE EXCHANGE post letting her know you want to share. She is even putting together a special blogroll to list all of the participants.

You know you want to do it - all of the cool kids are!!

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