Cookies, Cookies, Cookies

This week, I was hit with the incredible urge to bake Christmas cookies.  I decided to turn my baking into gifts.  Recipients included my Russian Instructor Lena and our two drivers, Vitaly and Sergei.  I narrowed my selections down to some of my favorite Christmas cookies, with a mix of Ryan's and a new recipe.

The winners were:
Sugar Cookies (I will discuss these in the next paragraph)
Peanut Butter, Oatmeal, M&M (as if I need to say this, Ryan's favorite)
Chocolate Chip (Mr. Classic)
Snickerdoodle (ultimate Christmas tradition for the Pagels family)
Mint Chocolate (this was the new recipe)

Ok, now for the major topic of discussion.  I am a stubborn, stubborn lady and I refuse to let something beat me in the kitchen (referring to food).  Sugar cookies are the one thing, that time after time give me the most problems.  I can make homemade crusts like it's my job.  Homemade bread, not a problem.  But when it comes to sugar cookies and the poor amputated gingerbread limbs and decapitated snowmen, my patience and stubbornness are tested.  Luckily, my dear friend (Sugar Cookie baking queen) Jenn provided me with her no fail recipe.  I was ready this year, I had the best recipe (not some silly internet recipe), I was in high hopes, I was ready.

First batch of dough landed in the trash with a giant THUD.  It was at this time, I realized that Russian sticks of butter are not the same size as American sticks.  Rather than trying to salvage the hard dough, I decided to start fresh.  This time, I used our scale to weigh the butter after I Googled the amount of grams in American sticks of butter (113, in case you are curious).  With the right butter amounts (no applesauce when fighting with sugar cookies), I had a lovely dough.  I followed Jenn's instructions to a T.  My sugar cookies were a SUCCESS!!!  I only had one slight amputation, but as Jenn says, that is your taste test during the baking.

I did the icing (no Amaretto) and Ryan did the decorating.  

He decided the Gingerbread Men needed hats, gloves and shoes.  :)

You may ask, "Virginia, what did you learn from this experience?"

1. I won the battle against the sugar cookies.
2. I am thankful I only make these cookies during Christmas.
3. Any children Ryan and I may have, if they want to learn how to make sugar cookies, I am buying them the next plane ticket to Aunt Jenn's.

And the finished products:

I added packets of Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate (brought from the States).  The little sign in the center says: A big thank you.
Cookies for you and your family.
Happy New Year

The smaller signs are names of each type. 

I loved the reactions I got from each person when I gave them their basket.  It's just something small and inexpensive, but I wanted to make sure I showed them how much I am thankful.
Nothing says thank you like a yummy cookie.