Another Secret Recipe Club reveal. This month I was assigned to Manu’s Menu. Manu lives in Australia, but was raised in Italy. Not surprising, her blog focuses on classic Italian recipes, simple enough to make in a home kitchen. So many delicious pasta and cheese recipes! But I was more in the mood for something sweet.
I dare you to come up with something better than coming home after a long day of work and horrible commute to find cookies on your doorstep. This may be the season of giving, but I equally enjoy the giving AND getting part of the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. This brilliant (global!) blogger party is hosted by Love & Olive Oil and The Little Kitchen. Each blogger is assigned three recipients to send cookies to (no communication pre-cookies! Bake a dozen and send them off then one day in the not so far future–*BAM!* cookies on your doorstep. I was super excited to participate in my 2nd cookie swap, though this year was a bit different as it was my first time baking gluten-free.
This month has absolutely flown. First we were on vacation in Scotland and Ireland for two weeks. The following two weeks we had back to back weddings, then my birthday (yay!) then family time. Needless to say, I haven’t had nearly as much time in the kitchen or with my blog as I would have liked. The lazy part of me, said it’s okay, just skip a month of the Secret Recipe Club. No one will care… But I would care. The Secret Recipe Club is a wonderful opportunity to explore other blogs. Too often do I find a wonderful recipe on a friend’s blog, thinking I’m going to make that right away! Months go by and the recipe still sits on Pinterest, still to be attempted. But SRC forces me to at least once a month, try something new. This month I was assigned to Heather’s It’s Yummy to My Tummy. Like me, Heather uses the kitchen to escape. There were so many great recipes to try, but again, the time thing.
Christmas is a time for cookies. Lots and lots and LOTS of cookies. I try to avoid cookie eating for most of the holidays because I know when I get up to Pittsburgh to celebrate with my husband’s family, all bets are off. My husband’s aunt makes DOZENS of cookies. All different types, all amazingly delicious. Containers of cookies are there in the kitchen when you wake up in the morning, on the table during the afternoon, right next to the area you need to help prep dinner. You really can’t escape them. It’s not exactly a problem. I want to work up the courage every year to ask how much butter she goes through during her baking marathon, but then I always shy away. I really don’t want to know. I think there is such a thing as too many cookies, especially during the holiday. Though I also firmly believe your cookie tolerance expands during those last few weeks of Christmas, allowing you to eat so much more than you could or should. Though one cookie I could never tire of are Peppermint Pals.
It was around this time last year, that I started getting seriously jealous of some of my bloggie friends. They were getting boxes of cookies sent to them from across the country. From complete strangers! Apparently, they were all in on it together and well aware of the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap. I signed up immediately last December, and as with most things, completely forgot about the program until the emails started pouring in a few weeks ago.
The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap is hosted by Love & Olive Oil and The Little Kitchen. I’ve participated in food swaps and penpal programs in the past but this was way different. First, you have no idea who your cookies are coming from until they actually arrive. Each blogger is assigned three recipients to send cookies to. Bake a dozen cookies for each, then send them off. Then one day *BAM!* Cookies on your doorstep. I’m generally a bigger fan of giving than receiving, but those unexpected cookies always happened to show up when most needed.
Brooklyn Locavore 