Cookies, Cakes & Christmas Trees

The past week has been full of Christmas-y things, like decorating the Christmas tree at the boyfriends (this is pre-ornaments, I didn't get a good shot of it once it was fully decorated),

family events (one of mine, one of the boyfriends), and baking.  I made some mint chocolate chip cookies, and a mint chocolate chip cake--I guess it was the weekend for mint!  I found both on the ever so wonderful Pinterest and I was pleased with how they both turned out!  The original cookie recipe is here, but I altered it a little, making my own sugar cookie base, and making a few other tweaks, and I was very happy with how they turned out--I love mint, so having leftover cookies sitting in the kitchen has been dangerous!

Next up--Mint Chocolate Chip Cake!  I found the recipe here and I can't wait to have a reason to make this cake again!  I had a few challenges, starting with the grocery store--I looked at the recipe on my phone when I got there, and realized at that point that it was an Australian blog, and I wasn't so sure what a few of the ingredients were. Luckily, Google + smartphone saved me and I was able to decipher that bicarb soda is baking soda and caster sugar is really fine sugar that apparently, Harris Teeter doesn't sell, but luckily plain old white sugar worked perfectly.  The cake itself was a little saltier than I am used to, and I was quite nervous about it, but the super-sweet icing + cake with a hint of salt turned out to be a perfect combination!  I had a few issues with the cake trying to fall apart when I was putting it together, but I was able to make it work.

I got a little carried away with trying to decorate with Andes Mints, but I was quite pleased that the cake was a hit--I was really nervous about how it had turned out!  

I'm excited that I only have one more day of work before a week and a half off, and I only have one more Christmas present to purchase!  I'm quite ready for the break, and I'm excited for Christmas!!!