It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Tonight I am going to watch Christmas movies! I have waited long enough, but tonight is definitely the night for me to bust out my favourite Christmas DVD and snuggle up on the couch with some wine. I'll get the toddler off to sleep and then it's all about me ;-). I can say that now, it's only just past 9am. Give me the full day at work as well as an evening of an over tired toddler and my story might change, but right now I'll revel in the thoughts of cheesy Christmas and some alcoholic grapes in liquid form.

To further accentuate the Christmas cheer, I have made some Christmas cookies for the office. A crisp sugar cookie with a subtle mint flavour. ENJOY!

Christmas cookies
100g butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp peppermint essence
1 1/4 cups plain flour
50g dark chocolate
2 or 3 drops red food colouring

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C and line two baking trays.

In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the egg and peppermint essence and continue to beat until combined. Fold through the flour and gently form a disc with the dough. Wrap in cling film and leave in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Next, between two sheets of baking paper, roll out the dough until it's about 1.5cm thick. Cut star shapes from the dough and place them on a lined baking tray. Pop into the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes. When ready, allow to cool an a wire rack. In the microwave, melt the dark chocolate then using a fork, drizzle over the stars.

Half the remaining dough and fold the food colouring through one of the halves. Pull off a small ball of dough and roll out in a long snake shape. Repeat with the original dough. Match a plain snake and a red snake, and carefully twist them around each other then carefully roll them again so the two snakes become one. Place on a lined baking tray in the shape of a candy cane. Pop in the open and bake for about 10 to 15 minutes, then allow to cool on a wire rack.