A while back I was whining about having to go to a sales meeting 12/6 - 12/8 and then a trade show 12/12- 12/15. Well, yesterday I was informed that I have to go to the factory 12/20-12/22! Can you believe this!!!!! I sent my boss an email and asked if I could skip the sales meeting, which we both know is a total waste of my time. I probably surprised him by trying to get out of the early meeting, not the one right before Christmas -- anyway, he said to let him think about it. This was a WAY better response than I expected.

But they're not stealing my Christmas, no matter how hard they try. For several days I've been getting up early and baking Christmas cookies (and freezing them) while I listen to Christmas music. In a few minutes I'm heading for Foley's, which is opening at 6:00 AM today, and which just happens to have something on sale that a certain grandchild wants. I only wish I had a tree already, and the house decorated. If I don't get a reprieve from the sales meeting, I will have 8 days in December that I get to spend at home. I love Christmas -- the sights, the smells, the music, the decorations, the opportunities to do nice things for people. So I will enjoy every second of it that I can.

Here is my recipe for Thumbprints. Except for a couple of weird people who don't like chocolate, everyone is crazy about these. I especially like to watch the reaction of people who think they're getting a Hershey's kiss on a sugar cookie.

Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla (Mexican vanilla makes them SO much better!)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1-1/2 cups flour
2 tlbsp. milk
1/4 chocolate chips, chopped

Cream butter, salt, vanilla & brown sugar. Add flour & milk and mix. Stir in chopped chips.
Form in balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Form depression in each cookie with thumb. Bake at 375 deg. 10-12 minutes. I like to roll cookies in powdered sugar before placing on cooling rack.

















Filling

Melt 3/4 cup chocolate chips with 1 tblsp. shortening. Cool slightly; add 2 tblsp. light Karo syrup, 1 tblsp. water and 1 tsp. vanilla. Fill depressions in cookies.


I always make a double batch. It used to be that a small bag of chocolate chips made a single batch, and the large bag made a double batch, but I noticed the other day that they've changed the sizes.










Y'all should be flattered: this recipe is my most cherished, and my claim to fame in the cookie department, and I seldom give it out.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving.