cookie cutter

Despite the absolutely gorgeous sunshine here this past weekend, I was feeling a tad bit under the weather.  I was in one of those stay-in-your-pjs-all-day-and-cuddle-up-at-home type moods, SO (since I hate not doing something) I decided to utilize my new cookie utensils (courtesy of my fabulous future mother-in-law as highlighted as a new fav on Friday).  I spent my Saturday being all domestic, baking up a storm of goodies to ship over to Switzerland as a thank-you to Stefan's mom and sis for their lovely gifts to me.

Using the new all-in-German recipe book I received from Stefan's mom, I picked out two Swiss cookie recipes: Vanillehornchen (her favorite in the collection) and then Spitzbuben (the pretty jam-filled cookies Stefan and I attempted last time around which would require me to use my new super cool cookie cutters). 

After prepping and then chilling the dough (butter, butter, sugar, flour, and more butter), I rolled it out PERFECTLY evenly using my new Swiss-made, dough-thickness-measuring sticks. 

Just another example of Swiss brilliance.

That, and opting out of the Euro.

I then moved onto cutting my cookie tops and bottoms using my new ingenious shapes.

After a quick 8-minute toast in the oven, I prepped my jams to fill these little babies up.  While the recipe calls for a traditional raspberry or apricot, I decided to add a little KK-spice picking out a luscious lavender peach as well as my favorite wild blueberry jam. 

It was then onto the Vanilla Horns - for these I utilized my hands rolling each cookie into a lovely little crescent.

Once these goodies were all cooled, it was all sorts of powdered sugar sprinkling happening here.

But I didn't just want to send them their own special sweets, I also wanted to send them a little bit of the good old US of A, and what's more American than a batch of gooey chocolate chip cookies. 

At this point, however, I was a tad bit mixed-out, SO I used an old family recipe for home-baked chocolate chip cookies courtesy of my fabulous Nana. 

You may have tried it before.

Are they serious with this warning here?

Do they honestly think that there won't be

at least four of these little guys that make

their way to my mouth while I place the rest of 

their bake-bound brothers on the cookie sheet?

And let me tell you - Nana never lets me down.  These guys came out even better than I remembered.

 

It was then time for packing:

And then sending!
But don't worry, Stefan - I saved a few for you.

xoxo
KK