Welcome to the Holidays

It takes an amazing amount of willpower for me to give someone a sweater, a candle, a DVD for Christmas. The word "gift" to me is synonymous with "food." Everyone eats, right? And as an apartment dweller I can appreciate the value of receiving a consumable that won't take up space indefinitely. Plus people gather in large groups during the holidays, so there are plenty of opportunities for your recipient to put out something tasty.

I wanted to try everything I put on this list, which I will dole out one item a day until it's too late to sneak something else under the tree, but limited finances and time meant that some things still just sound good to me (and I'll point out which ones those are).

Before a glut of Christmas cookies makes the whole idea stale (harhar), here are a couple traditional gems that have had the opportunity to make me pretty popular this time of year.

Jam Thumbprints
I made these for a cookie exchange at work, then the editor-in-chief got the recipe from me so she could make them for the whole staff the following year.

Cream 1 1/2 cups softened butter with 1 1/2 cups white sugar and 8 ounces of softened cream cheese. Beat in 2 eggs, one at a time, then 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon zest. Mix together 4 1/2 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, then stir into the butter mixture. Cover and chill to firm up, about 1 hour.

Roll into tablespoon-sized balls, then make an indention in them and put a 1/2 teaspoon of apricot preserve in each one (you'll need about a cup of preserve). Bake at 350 degrees about 15 minutes, until they're starting to get golden.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
I entered these in the only cookie contest I've ever entered and they did not win, but the test kitchen made a variation of them for their cookie cookbook the following year.

In a saucepan stir 4 egg whites, 1 1/3 cups sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla and 2 1/2 cups coconut, then sift in 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour and stir the mixture to combine. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes; increase the heat to moderately high and cook the mixture, stirring constantly, for 3 to 5 minutes more, or until it is thickened and begins to pull away from the bottom and side of the pan. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, let it cool slightly, and chill it, its surface covered with plastic wrap, until it is just cold. Bake heaping teaspoons of the dough in a 300°F. oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they are pale golden. Cool on a rack, then melt 8 ounces chopped chocolate and dip bottoms of macaroons in chocolate. Place on wax paper to set. I refrigerated mine to keep the chocolate from melting again.