Butter, spices, and traditional family recipes bring us together in the simplest—and most meaningful—ways. Christmas cookies are more than nostalgic treats; they’re a celebration of childhood memories, and maybe cookies help to make us all a little more patient, thoughtful & friendly each holiday season.
I remember driving with my father to the city each Christmas to pick up Aunt Flora. She would send us out with decorative plates of homemade, Italian Christmas cookies to deliver to the local relatives.
It was always snowing-we would spend a few minutes visiting each family, have a few cookies and a glass of sweet wine or coffee.
My mother and aunts began baking cookies the day after Thanksgiving. They filled the freezer with shoe boxes of cookies lined with wax paper for protection... frozen cookies are pretty delicious!

Sugar Cookies

I like to begin the holiday cookie baking season with sugar cookies. Cookies may appear simple for bakers, but cooks and savory chefs respect that baking requires measuring and technique.

The charm of sugar cookies lies in precision—properly creamed, fluffy sugar and butter, balanced sweetness, and a tender dough.

What makes sugar cookies special is the versatility and simplicity; rolling, cutting, and decorating has become a cherished (messy) seasonal ritual for cooks of every level.
These cookies are a holiday essential, whether you prefer your cookies lightly dusted with colored sugar or finished with royal icing and decorative piping.  
And please try the chocolate flavored sugar cookies... reminds me of Oreos!

Sugar Cookies

Prep Time: 20 min

Cooking Time: 30 min

Yield: 30 cookies (depends on the size)

Ingredients                                          

4 Tbsp                       Butter, lightly salted; room temperature   

3/4 Cup                     Powdered Sugar

2 ea                            Eggs

2 tsp                         Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp.                    Almond Extract

1 Tbsp.                   Baking Powder

2  Cups                  AP Flour


Chocolate Sugar Cookies

Yield: 20 cookies (depends on the size)

Ingredients                                          

1 Cup                        Butter, lightly salted; room temperature   

1 Cup                       Sugar

1 ea                           Egg

1 tsp                         Vanilla Extract

1 tsp.                        Espresso

2 Tbsp.                   Corn Starch, sifted

2  Cups                   AP Flour, sifted

3/4 Cup                  Cocoa powder



How to Prepare Sugar Cookie cutouts

Left: creaming butter and sugar for vanilla Sugar cookies

Above: adding cocoa to the creamed butter and sugar for Chocolate Sugar Cookies-always add at low speed to avoid the cocoa powder from getting into the air!


Step 1  Making the dough

Put the sugar and butter into the mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, paddle at low speed and cream to a light, fluffy texture. (about 3 minutes)  You will periodically turn off the machine and wipe the paddle, sides and bottom for a smooth consistency.

note-if the butter is too cold, grate or microwave for a few seconds to soften.


Crack the eggs into a small bowl. (So you can be sure to avoid getting shells in your cookies).
Add the vanilla, almond and egg, mix for 2-3 minutes to incorporate. The dough should become homogeneous.

* you would add espresso instead of almond extract for chocolate cookies.


Add the sifted, dry ingredients together in a bowl, whisk to incorporate. Slowly add the flour mixture to the eggs and blend at low speed to create a soft cookie dough-be careful not to overwork. (about 3 minutes at low speed). Scrape several times during this process with the mixer turned off. Place onto parchment, flatten slightly; refrigerate to firm up for 1 hour.


Step 2  Rolling out and cutting

Place 1/4 of the dough onto a floured counter (or on a cookie sheet or marble), gently to flatten.

Roll out to about 1/8th inch thick and cut out shapes-I like to have a small pile of flour to dip the cutter into and avoid sticking. Keep dough cold, it will be much easier to work with.


Place shapes onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. If the dough begins to stick, place in a cool spot and continue when the dough hardens again.

You can reroll dough the trim and cut more cookies; the cookies are a little less delicate but delicious!


Step 3 Baking

Bake in a preheated oven at 375°F for 8--10 minutes, when cookies begin to brown on the edges, take them out to cool.

Cool and enjoy- or frost if you like.





Beginners recipe: Vegetable Stock

By Tom Griffiths • January 16, 2026
I recently volunteered to prepare vegetable paella for a church Bible group potluck. I was very excited to develop a delicious, new paella recipe and spent time preparing fresh vegetable stock with flavors of the Mediterranean. I always prepare vegetable and fish stocks fresh, as I intend to use them. I’m not a fan of bases or frozen stocks but I sometimes add a small amount of quality base to my stocks.  A vegetable stock with mirepoix, cabbage, mushrooms makes sense in certain applications, for certain recipes—but why would we use a mushroom or cabbage-forward stock in a paella? It doesn’t make culinary sense. Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain as a humble meal cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed wonderful paella meals in Valencia prepared with water-not stock, prepared with rabbit, snails and local beans. While traveling through Spain this spring I researched and sampled many styles of paella… no mushrooms, no carrots, no celery and no cabbage.

Beginners recipe: Breakfast Burritos

By Tom Griffiths • January 16, 2026
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable.

Beginners recipe: Stuffed Peppers

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
Chefs often share a bond that transcends politics, religion, and borders. While working in Saudi Arabia with a diverse group of chefs, I experienced this firsthand on my final day. To mark the occasion, they prepared special dishes representing their home countries—a generous feast rooted in tradition and pride. At the center of the table was a beautiful tray of stuffed peppers, zucchini, cabbages, squash, and other vegetables, each prepared with care and respect. As we shared the meal, the chefs beamed with pride, and the room filled with a sense of genuine camaraderie. It was a powerful reminder that food remains one of the most universal languages we have.

Beginners recipe: Cutting Zuchini

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
I remember a chef teaching me to carefully slice the center seeds from a zucchini and then prepare beautiful dices for a ratatouilli. The seeds and center area get soft and mushy before the outer 'meaty' section of the squash cooks.

Macaroni and Cheese

By Tom Griffiths • January 15, 2026
Lobster macaroni and cheese is my all time favorite version of Mac and Cheese... I make it by preparing a classic lobster sauce, (flambé and all) and blending it with Béchamel sauce, macaroni and sweet, tender chunks of freshly poached lobster. Macaroni and cheese with pancetta

Culinary Basics; The Art of Stocks-Vegetable Stock

By Tom Griffiths • January 13, 2026
Culinary Basics: The Art of preparing Stocks

Paella

By Tom Griffiths • January 13, 2026
Paella is a Mediterranean dish originating in the Valencia region of Spain. It is a humble meal, originally cooked on an open fire. I’ve enjoyed many wonderful paella meals in Spain. In Valencia I had a local paella with rabbit, snails and local beans. Short-grained rice is always used to prepare Paella, there are several great Spanish varieties like Bomba and Calasparra , prized for absorbing the delicious, flavorful stock and flavors of the ingredients without getting mushy. This is important for creating the dish's signature, crusty bottom layer called the socarrat. Paella is all about the rice!

Copy of Beginners Recipe: Breakfast Burrito

By Tom Griffiths • January 7, 2026
I still remember cooking breakfast burritos with my son Daniel, for volunteer workers at church events—simple, hearty, and made to fuel a long day of service. The workers were always so appreciative. Years later, I served a crowd favorite, nicknamed “The Bacon-ator,” a breakfast superstar inspired by the over-the-top spirit of fast-food indulgence. We had a popular food booth at the local country fair, where we cooked hundreds of breakfast burritos each day-stuffed with Mexican cheeses, extra bacon, fluffy scrambled eggs, and fresh salsa—nothing pre-made, nothing rushed. Every burrito was warm, fresh, and full of flavor. When food is made with love, even the most straightforward breakfast is memorable. 

Tenderloin Steak

By Tom Griffiths • January 6, 2026
Beef Wellington is a restaurant classic! Chefs prepare whole tenderloins, wrapped in pastry as well as individually portioned Wellingtons. Culinary historians widely agree that Beef Wellington evolved from French preparations such as filet de bœuf en croûte, which paired beef tenderloin with mushrooms and pastry—techniques well established in French haute cuisine.

Zesting and cutting Orange Supremes

By Tom Griffiths • January 4, 2026
Oranges are fantastic in Baking & Pastry. I developed a delicious dessert for the CMC exam (Healthy Cooking) challenge featuring Orange Creamsicle Sorbet with Roasted, Candied Pineapple and Fruit Strudel... with plenty of guidance from the amazing CIA Pastry Instructors! Types of Oranges: There are several distinct varieties of oranges, each with unique characteristics and flavors. The most common type is the Navel orange , recognized for its seedless, sweet flesh and thick, easy-to-peel skin. Valencia oranges are another popular variety, primarily known for their juiciness and are often used for making orange juice. Other notable types include Blood oranges , which have a deep red interior and a distinct berry-like flavor, and Cara Cara oranges , characterized by their pinkish-red flesh and sweet taste. Additionally, Seville oranges , known for their bitterness, are mainly used in making marmalade and flavoring liqueurs.