Wreath cookies: of course! Many food bloggers do a great job making recipe upon recipe based on the calendar of food blog events. I on the other hand, only serendipitously contribute to these parties, events and recipe roundups floating around on the web. I was happy to find this one---or rather, have it find me: Food Blogga is hosting Christmas Cookies 2007. Now there is a table where I will can easily rest my elbows and feast my eyes.

I have been looking for new cookie ideas. I have old favorites, but it is always good to find new favorites. Huh. I think that is the perfect summary of my kitchen mantra: embracing old favorites and looking for new. Whether it is my list of standby entree recipes (which I fondly call default dinners) or my deliberate search for a new favorite curry or vegetable (this year's winner: fennel), I am all equally about where I came from and where I am going (that sounds adequately cliche for wrapping up 2007 and entering 2008).

Lest I begin reminiscing, let us press on and make wreath cookies. I think it has been 7-8 years since I made these (therefore, they fall into the old, reminiscent favorite category). They are Christmas meets Rice Krispy treats but with corn flakes and green food coloring, and red hots to stand in as holly berries. More than anything, it will add color to the cookie plate and pay tribute to this decoration-filled, tinsel brimming, eggnog making holiday. (Pssst: I snuck some of my eggnog early. In fact... just now. And it is SO good. You need to try it!).

Wreath Cookies* 1/3 cup butter 1 package marshmallows (10 oz; 40 marshmallows) 1 tsp green food coloring 6 cups corn flakes red hot candies

In saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir to melt. Remove from heat, stir in food coloring. Stir in corn flakes to coat. Butter fingers, scoop 1/4 cup worth of the green flakes and shape into wreath. Dot with red hots/cinnamon candies. Approximately 16 small wreaths. Or, I suppose, one enormous wreath.

True confessions: the wreath above looks either like genuine holly color or spinach, depending on your mood. The marshmallows I happened to have on hand were green and red stars (ever the sucker for celebrating holidays, I bought these to top hot chocolate), which added a dull gray to my holly green food coloring. Thus, the olive colored wreaths. When YOU make them, they will be a gorgeous, bright Christmas green. Almost makes your kids want to eat spinach, but not quite... Oh, and I affixed the red hots with melted chocolate; frosting works too, maybe even honey for that matter.

*Betty Crocker recipe