The Christmas Cookie Exchange, The Ugly Sweater and A Potluck.

The Christmas Cookie Exchange...So this year I was invited to do a Christmas cookie exchange with 12 other women, SERIOUSLY 12. That means 144 goodies, to exchange. 144. That is a lot of goodies to make. So I have finally figured out what I am making. Easy. Yummy.
Here is the recipe,

Coconut Macroons 
Original Recipe Yield 4 dozen...but remember I need to make 12 DOZEN

Ingredients
1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 egg white, whipped
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 (14 ounce) package flaked coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven 325 degrees F. Line baking sheets with foil; grease and flour foil. Set aside.
2. In large bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, egg white, extracts and coconut; mix well. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets; slightly flatten each mound with a spoon.
3. Bake 15 to 17 minutes or until lightly browned around edges. Immediately remove from baking sheets (macaroons will stick if allowed to cool); cool on wire racks. Store loosely covered at room temperature.


Now with that out of the way, I must begin to prep for the 1st Annual Ugly Sweater Party, truthfully it may not be an annual thing but now that I will have an ugly sweater, I need to wear it somewhere. I have asked for it to be a potluck, so now what to make? I am pretty sure I will go with Old Faithful, Spinach dip in a sourdough bread bowl.

Spinach Dip 

1 loaf sourdough round, hollowed and bread cubed for dipping
1 package knorrs vegetable soup mix
2 cups sour cream
1 cup miracle whip
1 package frozen chopped spinach
1 can water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)

Thaw and drain the spinich, really squeeze the excess water out of it for best results. Combine sour cream, miracle whip, soup mix, spinach. Leave in fridge to soften, at least 2 hours. Place dip in sourdough round and Viola! A neat trick I do is to score the sides of the sourdough bread so when the "bowl" is empty you can tear off the chunks of bread to enjoy the last of the dip!

Enjoy my friends!

Amber