Cookie Exchange – Meatball Cookies

I have never been to a cookie exchange/swap, so when Jen suggested I write up something for Getting Ready to Go on preparing to go to one, I was at a bit of a loss. I wasn’t even sure of the concept, honestly. But some searches online helped me sort it out. And I may even host one, last minute, exactly the way everything says you shouldn’t, and if I do, I’ll write it up for GRTG.

Cocoa, sugar in a pie plate, two large tupperwares bins. Baking supplies strewn about.

But what it did do is prompt me to consider what cookies I’d take to the exchange. And while I’m very proud of The Groom’s Cookie and I love the fall flavors of the maple cookie and I simply adore cookie cutters, one cookie immediately sprang to mind.… Continue reading →

The Groom’s Cookie: Brandon

My cousin Ashley got married a little over a month ago to a really lovely man, Brandon. I was lucky enough to be in attendance and to get to do all the happy crying that entailed. Which, for the record, was a lot.

I love weddings. I unabashedly, unironically, utterly, and wholeheartedly love weddings. There’s so much joy and celebration, so much happy expectation, so much community…

Being able to witness people as they look at each other and say, “You’re my chosen family” is such an honor.

And, let’s be honest, the party that inevitably follows a wedding is fabulous too. Food, beverages, camaraderie; what’s not to love? I was also lucky enough to be invited to this part of Ashley and Brandon’s big day.… Continue reading →

#CookiesAndBeer

It started innocently enough. I was sitting down to assess some of the cookie recipes I’d recently been entrusted with, and I’d cracked a cold, low ABV beer to help me in my analyses. I figured I’d tweet about it too, with a jokey hashtag, #CookiesAndBeerWithTasha.

Well, some of my delightful twitter friends saw it and started tweeting back at me. It was a blast. Goofing around. Discussing cookies. And beer. It was so much fun we decided we should schedule it again.

That’s how I came to be attempting to host a Twitter chat, #CookiesAndBeer, last Tuesday.

My original plan was to bake “Italian Filled Cookies” during #CookiesAndBeer, as it was the recipe I most tweeted about during the jokey chat. It seemed complex, fun, and nothing I’d ever made before.… Continue reading →

Cherry Almond Butter Cookies

Welcome to the inaugural post of what is guaranteed to be the smallest recipe category of MetaCookbook: “Wedding Recipes”.

It will be the smallest recipe category for two reasons:
# It’s necessarily time limited. The wedding in question is in October, and it’s May now.

# I’m not expecting to cook everything for our wedding. Most of the recipes for what we eat will probably not show up here.

Most of what I’ll post in this category will be cookies. So, I hope you all have a sweet tooth.

Growing up, I can’t remember a time that I didn’t know my father & mother had an “Italian Cookie Cake” as part of their wedding festivities. I even have a very vague recollection of seeing a single photo of their cookie cake.… Continue reading →