Christmas Cookies

 

I did make cookies this year. It took me hours and three days. It is my one concession to Christmas. No tree. No gifts. No cards this year. Leon put up lights in the front yard. That's about it. Except for the cookies.

But no one is coming to visit. 

No coffee and cookies with friends or neighbors. It is too cold to be sitting on the deck trying to enjoy a cup of hot coffee or tea. It was 17 degrees F. this morning when I went for a walk with Benni and it is 39 now as I write this. 

So no breakfast or afternoon tea on the back deck. No gathering for Christmas Eve or Christmas Dinner. New Year's Day will be a bust.

What to do with all those cookies?

 

Ah!

We have a social media site called NextDoor which serves our small town of 500+/- residents. So I put out an ad:

Donate to Food Bank/Shelter ....Get Cookies

Italian Christmas Cookies — A 1-pound assortment of Cucidatti (Sicilian Fig Cookies)*, Biscotti** and Chocolate Totos*** (Did I mention Homemade?) 

Here's the catch: $20 for the one pound assortment — $15 of each 1 pound purchase will go to a local Food Bank or Shelter. ($5 of the 1 pound purchase will help to defray part of the cost of ingredients and containers.) 

If you choose, you can make the donation portion of the price payable by check directly to one of the charities listed below. Please feel free to donate more than $15. I will forward your check or cash as soon as possible after sales are done. Message me via NextDoor to reserve your 1-pound of cookies packaged in tins or plastic containers -- WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! 

The Charities I am working for are: 

Roadrunner Food Bank Albuquerque, 

St Elizabeth Shelter Santa Fe

The Food Depot Santa Fe, 

Allergy - Ingredient information: 

*Cuccidati - Sicilian Fig Cookies: figs, dates, raisins, orange, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, flour, eggs, sugar, vegetable shortening, milk, natural flavorings, salt, BP.                                                                                                             **Biscotti: flour, eggs, sugar, butter, hazelnuts OR almonds OR anise seed, natural flavorings, salt, BP.                 ***Aunt Stella’s Chocolate Toto: flour, cocoa powder, sugar, raisins, vegetable shortening, butter, coffee, spices, natural flavorings, salt, BP, walnuts or almonds on top of some.

So that was the ad.

I got replies. 

So far, I've sold 10 pounds of cookies (out of 11, not counting what I set aside for Leon and me and a few special friends)

Several of our neighbors were very generous and donated more than the $15 requested. 

Donations received: $190

Cookie revenue: $50

You know, my take of $50 is not going to cover the cost for flour, eggs, sugar, figs, vanilla extract, cocoa, butter, raisins, nuts, cookie tins, etc. 

But those things are already paid for. So I decided to donate the extra $50 and divvy up the $240 for the three charities. It's not much, but maybe it will help.