Christmas Cookie Workshop

This is the time of year I channel my mother and Grandma Lena, and my great grandmother and probably her mother as well, and make our family's traditional Christmas cookies. Reese was a huge help on the Pizzelle Iron. Last year I broke down and bought a new-fangled Cuisinart model. The one I had prior, purchased from the estate of a recently deceased Italian lady in Chicago Heights, had seen at least 50 Christmases. Maybe more. I just got tired of holding the iron shut manually. Nothing says Christmas like carpal tunnel.

Reese ready with the hand mixer. Grandma Carol made the apron.

Yes, you read correctly. Seven eggs for a half-batch. I guess the full recipe fed the whole village in Sicily. I substitute almond extract for the anisette/ouzo my mother uses. I was never a fan of that black licorice flavor.

Grandma Lena taught us the trick of keeping the spoons in a mug of water so they don't get too (technical term alert) "glumpy."

Reese had this routine down by the third try. I drizzle melted chocolate over the Pizzelles or dust them with powdered sugar. These are great with black coffee. They smell like Christmas to me.

Also made today: Dark Chocolate Truffles, four dozen Pecan Tassies, about six hundred Pumpkin Chocolate Chips and Sugar Cookies.

No. I'm not making dinner.

p.s. If you are wondering where Conn was -- he and Reese spent the night at their buddy's house. Reese passed out about 1am. Conn and John pulled an all nighter, playing XBox 360. Their secret for keeping the sandman away? They split a 2-liter bottle of Mountain Dew. Conn was sleeping it off. Still is.