Sunday night’s cookie party was an unequivocal success.

Yes, those are little penguins made with olives, cream cheese, and carrots.

This isn’t even all of the cookies—there was a side table with more!

I invited about 20 women, probably a dozen showed up.  I told everybody to bring 4 dozen cookies and copies of the recipe.  Some people brought a few more, some probably brought a few less, all in all there were TONS of cookies.  I provided some ziplock bags and wax paper, some people brought empty containers (I think I forgot to remind people to do this, but most did anyway.)

Since everybody knew ME but not everybody knew each other (most did, but not all) we went around the room, introduced ourselves, everybody told how they knew me, and also about their cookie recipe, or recipes.  After that, it was time to swap!  Basically everybody just took a few of each recipe until all the cookies were gone.  I had to chastise a few people to take more cookies.  It was a cookie swap, not a cookie dump!

I’ve read stuff online (on how to throw a cookie swap party) that suggests some people are a lot less generous—swaps that say to bring 10 dozen, all parceled out so nobody takes too many (or too few?).  Or that some people are less creative—I read something that suggested you want to make sure everybody doesn’t just bring chocolate chip.  Um, as far as my friends are concerned, getting together is an excuse to show off our culinary talents!  NO worries about five chocolate chip recipes.

I guess my friends are just more awesome than most!  The variety of cookies (and bars, and biscotti, and whatnot) was amazing.  I was so happy that so many women came out on a Sunday evening to support me, and I am especially honored that so many of my friends are fantastic bakers!  I always forget just how lucky I am, to have so many wonderful people in my life. There are times when I wish I remembered that instead of thinking about how I don’t think things are up to par or good enough.  I was also amazed by how many people complimented my house, its decor, its cleanliness, its size (someone said it was huge!), and that sort of thing.  I need to stop being so hard on myself and just appreciate what I have.  (I needed to stop that several months ago, but too late!  But it’s never too late going forward, right?)

The one thing most of us failed at was bringing the recipe.  I told everybody to but I myself forgot to print it out.  I did blog about it though 😉  I sent a follow up asking for some recipes.  I have sampled so many of the cookies and they are just all fantastic!

I also had a vegetable/hummus platter, cheese/crackers, pumpkin bread, chocolate covered cranberries (courtesy of my foodie penpal!), fruit pizza, and some super addictive sesame sticks from Pepperidge farm.  For drinks Laura made hot apple cider and I served Poinsettias, a cranberry champagne cocktail.

I failed to take any pictures of people!  I was so busy hosting and I just didn’t want to interrupt people’s conversations.  Oh well.  Most important is the cookies, right?

I really need to curb my sugar eating though.  This is getting out of hand.  I made an extra trip to the gym last night for cardio, but I worry it just pushed me to have a couple more cookies rather than, you know, burning off some extra calories.  Oh well.  Today is a new day for healthy eating, right?

(Is that me being hard on myself, or just being practical, I do have a wedding dress to look awesome in!?)

I just have a few more cookies to make for some blogger cookie swaps.  I have some excellent ideas now!!