Ingredients for a sweet new year:

1. smiles (3+ a day)
2. patience (unlimited)
3. joy (several cups generously filled)
4. pinch of humor
5. good deeds, evenly distributed
6. practice

Directions:  Mix the first four ingredients together.  Voilà!  You’ve made your own day – enjoy! 

Variations of the basic recipe:  Add ingredient #5 and you’ll spread the sweetness.

Volume: With a liberal amount of #6 included, you’ll enjoy your days for the entire year.

A happy and sweet new year to all!

This minor (not so minor in my life) holiday celebrates the glory of the cookie.  Get at least one cookie consumption on your schedule and partake of this celebration of the cookie.  Imagine life without them.  Not very yummy.

8:00 AM

Breakfast – The oatmeal raisin cookie has fruit and grain.  The healthy way to indulge yourself and still feel good about what you’re eating.

10:25 AM

Mid-morning snack - Shortbread and a cup of tea.

12:00 PM

Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookie for dessert after a sandwich or salad for lunch.

2:28 PM

Mid-afternoon slump – Enjoy a Brownie (it’s a close relative of the cookie and should be a part of the holiday) and cup of decaf.

7:10 PM

Dessert – It’s finally time to indulge in a cookie.  After all, it’s National Cookie Day.

Every community has a social services agency.  Here on Bainbridge Island, we have Helpline House which provides for those in need all year long.  This time of year, they’re collecting food items for ‘Project Wishbone’ to ensure that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

My Kids’ Cookies is doing what we can to help.  Bring in some non-perishable food items to our cookie shop and we’ll give you a free cookie as our ‘thanks’.

Project Wishbone Shopping List (these items are sought after at all social service agencies):

frozen turkey, fresh potatoes or sweet potatoes, brown and white rice and rice mixes, chicken broth, yellow onions, gravy mix, fresh and canned vegetables, fresh and canned fruit, fresh or frozen pie, butter and whipped cream, sparkling cider and juices, condiments (olives and pickles, salad dressings), oils, spices and herbs, coffee and tea, special treats (crackers, nuts, dried fruits), traditional Items (candles or napkins).

And, these items are always needed at food banks:

hearty soups, chilis and stews, canned fish and meats, canned beans, cereal, fruit and vegetable juices, pasta, peanut butter and jelly.

The donation of a Grocery Store Gift Card is also greatly appreciated.  My local Safeway has a promotion going on where you can donate $5 and they’ll give a turkey breast to Helpline in time for Thanksgiving. They’ve made it very easy to help out.

Happy Thanksgiving to you all and thanks for being generous in your community.

You can feel the crispness in the air. You’ve probably already taken out a fall jacket to keep you warm. Help others stay warm too by donating a coat.

My Kids’ Cookies is collecting coats and jackets to be given to Helpline House on Bainbridge Island so those in need won’t be cold this winter.

So shop the ‘fall sales’ at the mall, clean out your closet, and drop off your donation during the month of October to our cookie shop.   And pick up a cookie on us as a thank you for your generosity. Both your heart, and your tummy, will be warmed.

If you don’t happen to live near us, I’m sure there are plenty of organizations near you that could use a warm coat too.

Last week I had a gold party at my cookie shop.  About 2 dozen people showed up with their baggies of tangled gold chains, lonely earrings that didn’t have a partner, and out of style pieces.  A local jeweler, Blue Heron Jewelry, set up their tools of the trade and weighed and valued everyone’s gold and gems.  Everyone went home a bit richer and laughter permeated the air as we sipped delicious wine from Victor Alexander Winery and nibbled on cookies.  The best part of the evening, though, was that our local charitiable organization Helpline House walked away with $255 in donations of cash and gold sale proceeds.  That will buy a lot of food for their pantry and help those on Bainbridge Island that are having a hard time in this economy.  Thanks to everyone that participated and were so generous.  Paying it forward is a good thing.

Don’t let your holiday gift get lost in the hustle and bustle of the season.  Let your family, friends and clients know you want them to enjoy your gift and not have it competing with other sweets they receive towards the end of December.  Send your “Thanksgiving” gift so they know that you’re thankful you have them in your life, or that they’re your client. 

Our freshly baked cookies are packaged and shipped as soon as they’ve cooled so your loved ones will receive scrumptious hand baked treats to savor without the guilt of overindulging during the holidays.  To shop, please go to www.MyKidsCookies.com and check off one more ‘to do’ thing from your list.

There’s a website that remembers for you all the birthdays and other special days that you want to acknowledge for your families, friends and clients.  For a small investment of time upfront, when you enter all your names and dates, you can then ‘forget’ all those dates.  And 7 days before the special occasion, a reminder email will prompt you into action.  By sending a card or gift,  your friend/loved one/client will know you haven’t forgotten them.   And, if you want them to really smile when they realize you haven’t forgotten them, send them some cookies.  To order some scrumptious ones, go to www.MyKidsCookies.com today.  To sign up for this free service, go to www.birthday-reminders.com.