White Chocolate Chip Cookies with Cherries and Macadamia Nuts - Make A Bid!

I collect cookie jars and I bake cookies. There is usually a new batch made every weekend. It's one of the routines in my little grey cottage here in New Hampshire. As the seasons change, the cookie jars rotate their way from the collection shelf to the kitchen island and I fall in love all over again with my kitschy treasures.  I love each and every one that I've found over the years, but I am willing to hand one off to a friend or loved one, when it's just the right time.  And today ... November 25th is the right day. 

But first, a few words about this week's batch of cookies!

On-Line Bake Sale for Typhoon Haiyan Relief Aid

Hi everyone! One of the best things about blogging is the ability to reach out to so many people on-line.
After this latest horrific cataclysm in Southeast Asia, I hoped that someone with tech savvy would organize a food blogger's response project ... and I was rewarded this AM when I looked in my email box to find a message from Tina Flores-De Guzman. Tina writes a blog down Texas way and concentrates on the foods of her Filipino heritage. She has been inspired to recruit as many bloggers as she can to bake for an on-line bake sale with all funds going to Sagip Kapamilya.

I am happy to help in any way, so I'm passing this information on to you. I'm hoping you'll consider doing your part by sharing this post, perhaps joining the bake sale bakers by registering at Tina's blog and preparing your best baked good that ships well, or going to the bake sale on November 25th and bidding on your favorite item!

Read Tina's post! It introduces the particulars of the bake sale and how you can register to participate. It's right here ... click the link ... Pinay in Texas

The power of the web network is an awesome thing and our use of it for projects like this makes it all the more powerful! Please share Tina's badge on your FB page and consider doing a promotional post on your blog too! OH ... and join us to help send aid to our neighbors in the Philippines!

Thanks!

All That's Left Are the Crumbs ...

Our little church joined forces with a local artisans group this weekend to host a craft fair and community potluck supper in celebration of  springtime. It was a fun event that brought different people together. Some people baked cakes for a benefit cake auction, some baked them for a small cake contest, some brought their wares to sell at the craft fair, but everyone contributed in some way to a nice evening of dinner and chatter. The cake auction raised a small amount of money to seed the efforts of our local 250th celebration that will be coming up in 2012. A fun day, all around!

So ... I made a Coconut Carrot Cake with the requisite cream cheese frosting to contribute to the cake auction, as I am not the competitive type. I left the cake contest to far better bakers than I!

Today's the Day! Bid On The Best!

ON-LINE BAKE SALE

MAY 2, 2011

BAKE,BID,DONATE!

RELAY FOR LIFE

AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY

FOR MORE BIRTHDAYS

http://bakingandcookingataleoftwoloves.blogspot.com/

Hey folks! Happy Monday! Here's your chance to support Becky in her fundraising effort for cancer research and support for cancer victims and the doctors who treat them! Check out the incredibly delicious list of items listed for auction bid on her link! Yours trully has some killer cookies up for auction, so go for it! Just don't outbid me on that English toffee - ;-) wink, wink!

On- Line Bake Sale to Benefit American Cancer Society - Five Spice Cookie Cut-Outs!

I follow a lot of food blogs and as I become more involved in the blogging community, it seems that there is always an opportunity popping up to 'give back' a bit. The month of May will be all about cancer research fundraisers, the Relay for Life walks at places all over the US, and different church missions and services dedicated to helping those that struggle with cancer and its various treatment regimes.

Becky, a new blogging friend over at Baking and Cooking- A Tale of Two Loves , will be hosting an on-line bake sale on May 2nd. Her goal is to raise $1000 dollars for the ACS's Relay for Life fundraiser. For me, this is a no-brainer. Cancer has touched my family and I have lost a couple friends to breast cancer ... the least I can do is pony up a nice batch of cookies for bidding at Becky's bake sale!

For this fundraiser, I will be making Five Spice Cookie Cut-Outs with Apple Butter Cream Filling ...

This recipe makes a slightly crisp spiced sugar cookie that is sandwiched with either a light cream cheese and apple butter icing or a zesty lemon icing. Photos in this post show the cookies made with the lemon cream cheese icing. Perfect with a cup of coffee or a warm pot of tea!

Winning bidders will receive two dozen sandwich cookies plus the recipe for said cookies, boxed and shipped to their home within one week of sending in their donation via American Cancer Society's Relay for Life webpage. For this particular event, I will not be shipping international ... regrets to all my international blogging friends!

Please see Becky's link above for information on how you can support her in her Relay for Life! Thanks so much, friends! 

Fudge for the Faint of Heart ... How I Conquered My Fudge Fear

I know this maple themed month may be too much for some folks, but I've found myself getting carried away a bit. Maples are a huge influence in New England. They have been the source of sweetness, great autumn beauty, warmth and strength - they are rooted in the soul of New England - truly.

So, when I signed on to provide a sweet something for the online bake sale for Japan, I felt that maple walnut fudge would be just the thing to offer. I imagine the Japanese people feel as deeply about their cherry trees as we feel about our maples  ... how fitting that something so deeply rooted in the culture of New England help to provide a bit of solace for the folks of Japan - I'm just sayin'.