Tuesday Edition: Kitchen Tip

"Christmas Cookies" uploaded to Flickr by everyspoon

Now that the holiday season is in full swing, are you thinking about making some holiday cookies?  Or maybe you already started making them?  Or maybe you just rely on co-workers, friends and family to supply them for you!

It is a tradition for me to get together with one of my good friends from high school and make cookies on Christmas Eve day.  Unfortunately this year will be the first time that we won't be able to meet up.  Life will just get in the way.

So this year I will make my own cookies and my sous chefs will be the Husband and the Toddler.  The cookies will probably not be that pretty, but I am sure they will be edible!  And that is all that counts.

I will be making sugar or butter cookies and decorating them with fun icing and tiny trimmings.  To be honest, I do not have the patience for decorating so intricately and usually the cookies just end up being iced with no decorations.  But I know many of you do!  And here are some tips to make simple holiday cookies (courtesy of Cooks Illustrated):

• Color your own sugar by placing 1/2 C of granulated sugar in a bowl and add about 5 drops of food coloring.  Mix thoroughly and push sugar through a fine mesh strainer.  Spread the sugar on a plate and let it dry completely.
• Use a muffin tin (mini or regular size) to hold and separate all of your tiny decorations.
• When doing cut-out cookies, peel away the scraps, not the cookie.

My own tips: (1) use a plastic sandwich bag with a corner cut off to pipe out icing/frosting; (2) sample all decorations, especially m&m's; and (3) do a cookie exchange with friends so you only have to make one type of cookie.

What's your tip?