Lots and lots of cookies!

This was one of those weekends that really made me appreciate the new double oven. I had a catering order for a cookie and punch reception for 100 people on Saturday night. That meant baking 17 dozen cookies on Saturday, after decorating a cake that morning. So I baked a variety of the large bakery style cookies... all my faves... marbles, snickerdoodles, peanut butter chocolate chip, and oatmeal coconut with cranberries, pecans, and dark chocolate chips (these went fast!). Anyway, however you look at it, that's alot of cookies! My kitchen looked like a little cookie factory for sure, and the house smelled heavenly for about 2 days afterwards. A side note... I was very proud of myself for staying on track with my Weight Watchers program... all those cookies and I didn't get into any. That's a first I think. Miracles do happen!

First of the cookies ready for the serving table

Italian Cream Cake

A prospective wedding cake customer asked me if I would be able to do her cake in a family recipe for "Italian Cream Cake." I told her I would need to test it out before I would give her an answer. So she gave me the recipe, and I made it for friends at our New Year's Eve dinner. It was a huge hit...very yummy cake. I can't give you the recipe without permission, but I will definitely make it again. I will tell you it had pecans and coconut, and the entire cake was iced and filled in cream cheese frosting, with coconut on the sides, and chopped pecans on top...yummm!