Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Good Tuesday morning!

The Gallery is starting to look a little better, don't you think? It's also beginning to look a lot like Christmas. Don't worry. I'll be adding a bunch of Thanksgiving photos as the week progresses.

REMINDER - Don't forget to leave any traditions, recipes or Thanksgiving ideas in the Comment Section, Facebook or in my e-mail. I'll share it on A Simple Life and give YOU the credit. I promise.

As promised, I have another Top Ten list. I know you are thrilled.

Top Ten Favorite Thanksgiving Traditions

1. Honeybaked Ham and dressing at Mom's. The side dishes may change, but those two things are a constant.

2. Taking 342 Thanksgiving Day family pictures. Especially the outside pictures if the weather cooperates. The colors are wonderful!

3. Reading Thankful Letters at my Mom's house. She started this tradition when the grandchildren were small. Each of them write a letter every year to read aloud listing why they are thankful. She ends the "reading" by sharing her letter which lists each grandchild individually... their accomplishments, their strengths, etc., etc. She has enough letters now to make a wonderful display book.

4. Baking and preparing dishes for Thanksgiving lunch (wherever we are eating that particular year).

5. Helping Roxie pick out the dish she will prepare for Thanksgiving lunch. (This year she is making a Southern Living Pecan Pie. She's already a MUCH better cook than I'll ever be.)

6. Mr. Faulkner saying the Thanksgiving blessing each year we celebrate with Mike's family.

7. Before the Black Friday tradition began last year, we would always come home Thanksgiving night and watch the first official Christmas movie of the season. (It didn't matter which one. We like them all... Well, except for White Christmas with Bing Crosby which is MY favorite. The kids HATE that movie. Even Roxie. I have failed as a mother. Heavy sigh.)

8. The day after Thanksgiving (or the weekend after depending on weather), we go to the Christmas tree farm 1.2 miles from our home and cut down our family Christmas tree. (This is the farm where Josh works now.) We find our tree, cut it down, visit with the reindeer, ride the tractor to the top of the hill and drink hot chocolate while our tree is wrapped and loaded.

9. I mentioned it yesterday, but the dessert spread at Mrs. Faulkner's house is wonderful... and it is ALWAYS there, so it is most definitely a tradition!

10. Spending the night at the Wynfrey with family Thanksgiving night, waking up at 4:00 a.m. and shopping till I drop (which is around noon). It's a new tradition, but it is so much fun!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Since we're in a baking kind of mood lately, I found a new and EASY cookie recipe perfect for the holidays in the new Better Homes and Gardens magazine... which I received in my mailbox yesterday. Christmas magazines are almost as fun to find in the mailbox as Christmas cards... but not quite!

You will need the following:

1 pouch Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
6 to 8 drops green food color
1 egg
1 cup creme de menthe baking chips
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks or chips

1. Mix cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg in bowl until soft dough forms.

2. Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks.

3. Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

I'm a "mint" person, so this sounds really good to me. I am also a "green" person, so I'm liking the color. I have to admit, I've never seen creme de menthe baking chips, but I have never really looked for them either. Perhaps they won't be too hard to find. I'll check out Wal-Mart and Winn Dixie today and let you know if either story carries creme de menthe.

Have a lovely Tuesday. The Boy is coming home for the holidays this afternoon, so a home-cooked meal is in the works for this evening. As always, Wednesday will be hopping with Wisdom, Parties, Traditions and much more. I know it's a busy time, but stop by if you get a chance.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda