Some much needed girlfriend time and a cookie swap party (with recipes)

A few months ago, some of my girlfriends came over and we had a soup swap party. We had such a good time that we decided then to schedule a cookie swap party in the future.

Our cookie swap party was the other night and it was great! There were only four of us so it was a cozy get-together. 🙂

We gathered at Kim’s house (without kids!) for supper and each brought four dozen cookies- one to share as dessert and three to send home with each of the other ladies. After we ate Kim’s delicious chili, we enjoyed the sample cookies while playing Blokus.

The game was surprisingly fun. I’ll be buying it soon to add to our weekly game night rotation.

Hillary brought some delicious Bake While You Sleep (Meringue) cookies. I made Simple Lemon Sugar Snaps. Kim made some simple (and yummy) Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Mandy made some crazy addictive Fudge Crinkles.

Bake While You Sleep Cookies

Hillary’s Meringue Cookies reminded me of the empty tomb cookies you see around Easter time. My littles LOVED them.

Ingredients:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/2 t lemon juice or vinegar
• pinch salt
• 1 C granulated sugar
• 1 t vanilla
• 1-2 C chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Beat egg whites until foamy.
3. Add lemon juice/vinegar and salt. Beat to soft peaks. Add sugar gradually while beating to stiff peaks.
4. Stir in vanilla and chocolate chips – gently.
5. Drop or pipe onto parchment covered baking sheet. They do not spread much, if it all, so you may place them close together.
6. Bake 1 minute before turning off the oven. Do not open the door. They continue baking and drying as the oven cools. Leave while you sleep or at least 5 hours.

*Quick baking* – they brown a bit. Bake 15-25 minutes at 300 degrees. Smaller cookies, shorter time.

 

Simple Lemon Sugar Snaps

The Simple Lemon Sugar Snaps I made happen to be my husband’s favorite cookie. They’re delicious with coffee!

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 egg
• 1 lemon cake mix
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 2 tablespoons shredded lemon peel
• coarse sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Beat butter  and egg on high for 30 seconds
3. Gradually beat in cake mix
4. Stir in cornmeal and lemon peel
5. Form small balls with dough (about 1 tablespoon each) and toss in sugar
6. Bake for 9-10 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet
7. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies have a simple recipe that is easily memorized. Oscar (my 16 year old) dubbed these “some of the best cookies ever.” Needless to say, I’ll be making these in the future.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• any additions you’d like- such as chocolate chip, caramel pieces, white chocolate, nuts, etc. . .

Directions:

1. Mix everything together, shape cookies and bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes

See? Ridiculously simple. 🙂

 

Food + Girlfriends = a wonderfully fun and relaxing evening.

Our next evening together will be a casserole swap party. We’re aiming for January and hoping to get a few more ladies to join for that one. Do you have regular food-centered get-togethers?