Knitters Bearing Gifts

Members of our Tuesday Night Knit Group decided to make little knitted goodies for our hosts, a charming (and delicious) cafe here in town. We met a couple of Saturdays ago to put a few things together, Silvana hosted and we enjoyed her lovely home and hospitality. A few more things were added to the mix and we met again to string them onto a glitzy bit of holiday ribbon to make a garland of knitted holiday happiness.

It is hung over the "bar area" of the cafe, somehow comforting (and appropriate)! A wee mitten or two, glass balls filled with yarn, stars in many sizes and colors and the cutest little 'real' socks and a mitten in progress---------- completely adorable.

Even an EZ tree among the stars and baubles!

Check out that adorable little sweater, I so want one of those for my tree!!!! (I say that every year!)

The 'far view'==

Yet another from a distance glance.

Too cute------ and they loved it! We were happy to contribute and it feels even more like where we belong on Tuesday evenings. Now if we could just get that corner booth by the fireplace reserved for us!

Because I'm still feeling puny about no Knitting Contrisstmas this year, along with none too regular posts I bring a cookie recipe. I am making the usuals as we get closer to the big day but wanted to bake something NOW. Something different. Noticing the new chips that were chocolate and mint at the store last week I fiddled with a recipe to get a minty, chocolately cookie of yummy-ness.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

Recipe added to Grocery List!

• 1-3/4 cups and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2/3 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon regular salt
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter or margarine, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1 pkg, chocolate and mint chips
• 1 cup chopped nuts (if desired)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Use one of the butter wrappers to grease a cookie sheet.

2. Cream butter and sugar. Add cocoa and mix thoroughly. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla. Combine dry ingredients and add to butter mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts if desired. Drop batter by heaping teaspoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet.

3. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or just until set. (Don’t overbake please!!!) Cool one minute and then remove to a wire rack.

Yield about 3 dozen small cookies, fewer large ones. I used a scoop and ended up with about 28 cookies. Increase cooking time for larger cookies one to two minutes, cookies should still look a little wet when done--- just until they are set up.