Holiday Baking

'Tis the season for shopping, caroling, mittens and boots, curling up with warm drinks, winter walks in the fresh snow, and of course baking yummy dishes to share!  We had a heat wave in Santa Fe last week that made it really hard to get into the Christmas spirit, but this weekend we finally got a fresh dusting of snow and it's feeling more like winter.  (Thankfully the temperature is still in the teens and 20s, not 25 below zero like it is back home in Minnesota!  Yikes!)

 I'm about halfway through my maternity leave with Baby Adyson, and while I am loving every minute of it sometimes it's impossible to find more than 30 minutes of waking time with two free hands in a day.  I'm so thankful for my crockpot, Keurig machine, and stand mixer, not to mention our generous friends who have brought us homemade meals twice a week since Ady was born.  I don't know what we would do without such amazing people in our lives!

 Although I'm obsessed with holiday baking, I had to limit myself to just a few batches of Christmas cookies this year.  I tried a new recipe, White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies, for the Mommy Group cookie exchange and my monthly book club get-together, and these yummy Nutty Chocolate Pretzel Bars for my dad's visit to meet his first granddaughter!  And of course I can't leave out the hubby's favorite, Macaroon Kiss Cookies.  If I get a few extra minutes later this week I'd love to try this Peppermint Bark recipe from the Brown Eyed Baker.
Getting ready to decorate the peppermint sugar cookies

Festive White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies!

Nutty Pretzel Bars and Coconut Macaroon Kisses
I also made some Banana Bread and Zucchini Muffins when the Ross grandparents came to visit, and these festive Christmas Tortilla Rollups for a work holiday potluck.
Making colorful tortilla rollups with bell peppers and green onions.

Christmas Tortilla Rollups!  They're so pretty with the pop of red and green color!
We are so excited to celebrate Ady's first Christmas in a week.  While I will miss my family and hope to be able to celebrate Christmas with everyone next year in Minnesota, I'm looking forward to a quiet and stress-free weekend of curling up in our pajamas, watching Christmas movies, walking in the neighborhood, and reading books (and, of course, eating cookies).







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