It was a much-anticipated ritual: Every year Pamela Guest and her mother, Viola Lewis, would bake Christmas cookies -- lots of Christmas cookies. And every year, friends and family would clamor for some. Last year the pair tried something different: They made enough cookies to sell. The response was so good they decided to turn their sweet pastime into a business. On Nov. 1, they opened Cookie Occasions, a little shop on Liberty Road in Randallstown.
"We just do cookies," Ms. Guest says. "We pack them in decorative tins or boxes, so that makes them appropriate for every occasion."
Cookie varieties include chocolate chip and raisin-nut-spice. "We also try to do a special cookie for every holiday," Ms. Guest says. Offerings for Christmas include crispy sugar cookies and ginger cookies -- Ms. Guest described them as "a tad thicker than a potato chip" -- and soft pumpkin cookies with cranberries. They also offer no-sugar cheesecake cookies and pumpkin cookies.
Everything is baked on the premises. Prices are $15 for a 1-pound tin, $7.50 for a 1/2 -pound tin, and $3.75 for a 1/4 -pound bag. Cookies can also be ordered on party trays.
The shop is at 9970 A Liberty Road. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Call (410) 655-9733.
Love those leftovers
If the holidays are here, can leftovers be far behind? Turkey is just about the most versatile food there is, so disguising the leftovers is simply a matter of picking the best-sounding recipe. Here's an example, from Bisquick.
Quick Turkey and Stuffing Bake
Serves 6 to 8
1 cup cut-up turkey (or chicken)
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1/4 cup sliced green onions (with tops)
1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)
1 cup prepared turkey stuffing
3/4 cup Bisquick Original baking mix
1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)
1 1/4 cups milk
3 eggs
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease 9-inch pie plate. Mix turkey, peas, onions and cranberries in plate. Separate stuffing into small pieces on turkey mixture.
Stir remaining ingredients with a fork until blended. Pour into plate. Bake 30 to 25 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with hot turkey gravy, if desired.
Funny facts
From the Department of Frivolous Food Facts comes this from the Domino's Pizza "Pizza Meter":
*Since the Republicans won both Houses of Congress, tipping is down across the country by 8 percent.
*The hour during which O.J. Simpson was shown in his Ford Bronco being chased by police cars was the single greatest hour for pizza delivery in national pizza history.
*NFL games where there has been one or more taunting penalties usually have generated 11 percent more pizza orders.
*Since Heather Locklear joined the cast of "Melrose Place," its time slot has gone up in pizza orders by 14 percent.
Or so says Tim McIntyre, Domino's director of communications, tongue firmly inserted in cheek, we presume.