Cranberry crumb bars with mulling spices

This week I’ve been baking batch after batch of cookies as we head towards Christmas. I’m not sure why cookies are the sweet treat most associated with the season, but perhaps it has something to do with their portability, which not only allows you to take a batch with you when you go visiting but also allows your host to send you home with a few, as well. Of course there’s also the endless variety of cookies, which when sitting next to each other on a plate can be as lively and festive as a tree draped with ornaments and lights.

In Texas, one of the more popular gatherings this time of year is the cookie exchange. While each party can be different—with some being relaxed and others rigid with rules—the purpose is always the same: to share cookies with your family and friends. It’s a good way to spend a December afternoon.



While I have my favorite cookies to bake, I’m always on the lookout for new ones to add to my rotation. And when I spotted cranberry crumb bars with mulling spices in Deb Perelman’s The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook, my decision was made.
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Holiday gift guide 2012

While I love spending time in the kitchen, I’d have to say I’m happiest when I’m driving around Texas, enjoying our state’s rich and gracious bounty. No matter where I go, there’s always something new to see. This year’s gift guide reflects some of the trips I’ve taken this year, a year that’s been full of family, friends and many joyful discoveries.

Homemade Texas cookies
One of the good people I had the chance to meet this year is Jerita Howard, proprietor of One Smart Cookie, an Abilene-based business that sells, yes, cookies and brownies. Her recipes are based on old family recipes, and the results are warm and delicious. She uses all-natural ingredients and every cookie is handmade, which results in a sweet treat that feels like it was made with love. The raspberry brownies are my favorite.



Cajeta from Texas goats
When I was staying in Houston during Sandy, I had the chance to visit Revival Market. The owner Morgan Weber, who's also a rancher, is very passionate about good stewardship of the land and raising healthy and happy animals. His shop not only offers charcuterie and prime meats, but local produce, cheeses and breads as well. There’s also a pantry section with canned goods both made in-house and locally sourced. Revival Market can’t offer mail order just yet (but do visit the shop if you’re in Houston), but one of the things they sell—Blue Heron Farm's Bourbon Cajeta—can be ordered online. This cajeta is a goat’s milk caramel that’s wonderful on ice cream, spread into a warm tortilla or just eaten straight from the jar with a spoon
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