Holidays are one of those times when I find comfort watching reruns of The Golden Girls (gotta love Rose) or engaging with a chic lit while getting calloused cracking pistachios.
Without much ado, may the holiday baking begin and hopefully be over with. Or should I say, "Allez cuisine!"
This was originally a Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe. I revised a bit by taking out the star ingredient---the chocolate chip. I substituted them with caramel bits that I've been dying to use. Then I added pecan because. They're my favorite nuts. Next to pistachios. And cashews. Right. I just happened to have pecans sitting in my freezer. So, voila! Caramel Pecan Cookies! It sounds more festive, I think. And they were so good. So good that I can hear Jackie from That 70s Show say, "Exactly. Why share?"
I've been baking Chocolate Crinkles as long as my mother could remember. If the 30s Maris is about macarons, the teen Maris was about Chocolate Crinkles. It's also my brother's favorite.
Of course, French macarons. I experimented a bit with a different flavor. I added espresso and cocoa powder to make my mocha macaron shells. Then, infused Andes Creme de Menthe with Bailey's Irish Cream for the ganache filling. It was the perfect after dessert cup of latte in a cookie form.
My neighbors and Verde employees got their own baggies, too. Even the US Postal Service workers---they looked like they could use some sugar with the holiday queue. You have to understand that Kapaa is a small town. You constantly see somebody you know at the bank, at Costco or simply while walking your dog (yep, they honk).
