Charlene's Cookies
I first started baking Christmas cookies in 1976. I saw a display and thought, "Why not?"
When I was ten years old, one Christmas our neighbor brought a 12" paper plate filled with delicious cookies to our back door, wrapped in red cellophane tied with a bow. It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen and was my introduction to pecan balls. I have never lost my love for them. It was my pleasure about 30 years later to deliver to that dear lady, my own plate of cookies wrapped just as hers was presented to my family.
Over the many decades, the number of recipes increased. At one point, I was baking 20 different recipes, making hundreds and hundreds of cookies. I gave them to family, friends, neighbors, employees, and co-workers. As my life changed and grew smaller the number of recipes and recipients were reduced. There were some favorites: the all-time winner is Swedish Cream Wafers (try them), the ubiquitous Peanut Blossoms, and of course, Pecan Balls. The thing I love about this particular cookie recipe collection is that it has some cookies that many people have not seen before. It's colorful and varies in taste and design from a simple sugar cookie to the complex filled Dusen Conflict.
Over the years, I experimented with many different recipes. Some were only made once others became regulars and even requested. Recently I had a health issue and wondered if I could even do the cookies that year. I asked my family what their favorite cookie was. I have a small family, including myself, we're a gathering of six. I decided to bake those six. I was in the groove and made about a dozen different recipes. Those are included in this website. They are tried and true.
I had one personal favorite. It was time consuming to make with a rich pastry dough and a finely chopped raisin, walnut filling with a hint of lemon. However, I noticed over the years when visiting family and friends that they were the last ones left on the cookie plate. They didn't look like much but were absolutely delicious. I was going to include them BUT, evidently, I have discarded the recipe. Well, DAMN!
I've repeated this more than once …It's been rumored that some have said, "We don't care if Charlene makes an appearance as long as she sends those cookies."
There are many sayings about the gift of our time. …The greatest gift you can give someone is a gift of your time. Nothing illustrates that more than the time involved in baking something for someone dear to you. It's unspoken but so present.
Have fun and enjoy,
Charlene