If you work in a corporate environment like I do, any office setting for that matter, the surfaces are dripping with chocolate and dusted with sugar by the time December 24th rolls around. Now I'm never one to turn down chocolate, but this is the season when I do. Our coworkers and vendors are very generous and thoughtful when they send a box of chocolates, petite fours, caramel turtles, popcorn balls, fudge and brownies… And I must say that I do get a little excited when a gem is sent like a box of Vosges Chocolates, which I would never kick down for myself. But please people, 3 boxes of See's chocolates lurking on top of 3 different filing cabinets, I have to turn up my nose and walk away. If I'm going to be consuming a fare amount of sugar over the holidays I need to choose wisely and make it worth it. So far, the mantra that has served me well through December in office land is “only eat it if it’s homemade”. So while I may still be eating more than my share of sugar in December, at least it’s not crap and it’s probably made with a good amount of love and probably some more wholesome ingredients.
So this year with a tight budget I’m making cookies for my friends and neighbors. And since they may be as exhausted of chocolate as I am, they will all be sans chocolate. I made the above spicy molasses cookies with all organic ingredients (yes, I had to test a few), balled up all the dough and tucked it neatly in the freezer to bake a little later. And since I’m got going to be a martyr and I found a killer deal, I’ll be baking some of these peanut butter and oatmeal raisin cookies. If you haven’t tried them, they’re all organic and support a good cause, so don’t resist. I’ll put a sampling of all the cookies in a nice little clear bag with a few bags of organic chamomile tea and tie it with a bow. There you have, a little quality teatime to pass along.
