Every year I go a little nuts, spending more money on the vessel the cookies go in than the actual confection. This year, I finally got smart: I visited the Dollar Store. I bought six cute "Milk for Santa" mugs for $6. Score!

Each mug has 10 Haystacks with two Thumbprint cookies on the top, the whole thing tightly held in place with cellophane and ribbon.

I made my first batch of cookies a few weeks ago. Each year, I seem to need to make a test batch to remind myself how I did it the year before. And you know there are never any complaints from The Boy or from Bailey, who waits at the ready to gobble up any errant spills.

My Mom always told me I needed to make my chocolately little Haystacks with teaspoons, not soup spoons. (I always thought a three-bite cookie beat a one-biter?) It's for that precise reason that Mom can eke out 60 cookies from the same recipe that nets me 23.

So, ever the procrastinator, I waited until last night to whip everything up. I figured I would make the cookies and put them on the (ice cold) front porch to set up overnight, then package them this morning.

I left work early, heading to my old hometown to visit my dentist, Dr. Watt. He's a great guy, and since I haven't had a cavity in (count 'em) fourteen years, it's not a stress-filled visit by any means. We chit-chatted about Christmas and our unseasonably warm weather. I enjoyed a leisurely drive back into town with my new toothbrush and landed in at home about 6:50, more than enough time to set up the VCR to tape Changing Rooms. Anyone who likes Trading Spaces doesn't know what they're missing, by the way.

Then, at 7:30, there's Friends. There's always Friends at 7:30. It's one of life's constants, my security blanket. Quit snickering.

Eight o'clock rolls around, and I finally get my lazy butt off the couch and into the kitchen. I chop up the last of the nuts and carry out the persnickity task of breaking each Chinese fried noodle into three. I successfully nuke the chocolate without burning it and only sneak a couple of tastes while I'm combining it with the peanut butter.

I laid out three cookie sheets and draped them with wax paper. I remove my two teaspoons from the cutlery drawer and commence cookie creation: I managed to get 42. Of course, I needed 60. Rrrrrrrrrr

I washed my hands of the whole thing and went to bed. Bailey woke me up at 5:10 this morning, so I figured I'd make hay while the sun shone. Mind, the sun doesn't rise until around noon lately and sets before I leave work, but you know what I mean.

Another small bag of cashews was cowering in the farthest corner of the freezer, and I was in business again. The Boy will be glad to see that I made another 40-odd cookies, more than enough for him to nibble on with his tea until Christmas.

To make a long(er) story short(er), I have decided to print the recipe for these goodies. Happy Holidays!

Haystacks

12 oz./350g/2 c.
Large chocolate chips

1/2 c.
smooth peanut butter

Microwave on medium 2 - 2 1/2 minutes.
Stir until blended.

Add:

1 1/2 c.
salted chopped peanuts and cashews

1 1/2 c.
broken up chow mein noodles

Stir until coated. Drop onto wax paper. Chill until firm.

Makes God knows how many.