Ever since we cut the cord a few years ago, I've changed the way I do television. I can't just flip it on and watch. It has to be purposeful. We got Xfinity for the high-speed Internet, but I'm still struggling with TV.

I read a book a week, but sometimes, I just want to watch.

This said, I'm caught up.

I searched for best series of 2014 and started watching How to Get Away With Murder. I just binged The Newsroom and am caught up on Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men, Parenthood, Modern Family, Breaking Bad. I can no longer get True Detective without paying. I've seen Downton Abbey and Orange Is the New Black. I saw Kevin Spacey knock twice on House of Cards.

I want scripted television. I don't do zombies.

What else should I watch?

It's apparently Bake Cookies Day. For real. Get on it! Now, about the title of this post. During the holidays, for me cookie perfection isn't about fanciness or uniformity; instead, I want to make cookies that: 1) are delicious; 2) are easy to make; 3) yield generous batches (i.e., work well for gifting); 4) can be made in small bite-sized portions (i.e., make for happy sampling); and 5) freeze well (so you or your recipients can save leftovers for a less cookie-saturated time). Here are 10 cookies that fit that definition of perfection for me.

Click through the links for recipes, additional photos, and lots more culinary inspiration from these fine bloggers!

1. These gingerbread chocolate chunk cookies are my new favorite. I'm actually going to start making them year round they are so awesome! We actually have a stash in our freezer right now and it's like a little gift every time I take out a cookie and enjoy it post-defrost.

2. These melt-in-your-mouth Italian wedding cookies are so pretty and snowball-like; perfect for holiday gifting.

3. I love peanut butter cookies. I especially love when it only takes 3 ingredients to make them.

4. I'm intrigued by these ricotta cookies, especially given that they make a big batch (perfect for gifting). I'm planning on making these this weekend; I know Laurel and Violet will love adding the sprinkles!

5. I love a classic sugar cookie and this recipe doesn't require chilling!

6. The flip side of #6 are these dark chocolate sugar cookies. I love how dramatic they are!

7. I always gravitate towards chocolate crinkle cookies at a holiday spread but for some reason have never made them. I'm changing that this year!

8. Reese's cookies = another cookie that I always dive for at the cookie plate. Can't wait to make a batch of these!

9. I love the unexpectedness of offering lemon sugar cookies at Christmas. So cheerful!

10. I also love these coconut lime snowball cookies, which I made last weekend for a cookie party. The butter cookie dough can be used as a base for countless other cookie options.

Image credits: all images via sourced links above

Friends, do you know about the Foundation for Advancing Alcohol Responsibility? It's kind of a mouthful of a name and I didn't know much about them until I was looped into managing a project for them this past spring, but as soon as I was briefed, I was like, I am totally on board with these people. FAAR works to eliminate drunk driving and underage drinking, and also to promote responsible decision-making about alcohol. Part of this effort involves helping parents learn how to have challenging conversations with their kids.

While I was working with FAAR, they asked me to shoot some video Q & A, sharing tips about having tough conversations with kids. In the first video (which launched in the fall) I shared about one of my favorite ways to get kids talking. Today I wanted to share a clip about one aspect of alcohol responsibility that totally changed once kids were in the picture.

This topic is particularly top of mind given that holiday parties are in full swing. The reality is, kids soak in everything you do (and ultimately want to mimic you); modeling responsible behavior is one part of the equation and initiating conversation is another part. Just last week I engaged Laurel in a conversation about alcohol -- partly inspired by the fact that she was working on D.A.R.E. homework, and also because I was thinking about this clip and wondered how she perceived my social alcohol intake.

It turns out I'm going to be working with FAAR more formally in 2015 so I'll have more to share. I have a lot of thoughts and personal narrative around alcohol, and to be frank, I need to think about what and how I want to share some of my stories. But at the moment, I'll just say that I would love for you to join me -- let's holiday responsibly together; the below video clip shares one simple way.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsEW62AGg_o?rel=0&w=560&h=315]

Listen to more real advice from my fellow bloggers and visit Responsibility.org for additional resources and tips to keep teens safe. You can also join the conversation via #HolidayResponsibly.

Disclosure: This post reflects a sponsored editorial partnership with FAAR; all opinions/storytelling are, of course, my own.

I love cookies. Truly love them. And from the reaction I received on Instagram and Facebook when I posted this picture, clearly y'all love cookies too. On Thursday I'll share more cookie inspiration, but first, here are two amazing cookies I brought to a cookie party on Sunday. They're classically holiday (in the buttery goodness sense) and worked well as small bites for the sampling party. Many people asked for the recipes/sources, so here they are:

1. CHEWY CHOCOLATE GINGERBREAD COOKIES

These chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies via Martha Stewart are simply perfect. There's fresh grated ginger in them but it's not overpowering and I love the marrying of flavors. My only deviation from the recipe is that I rolled the balls to 1-inch (smaller than in the recipe) so they would be bite sized.

2. COCONUT-LIME SNOWBALL COOKIES

This was my first time making these coconut-lime snowball cookies and they were AWESOME. This recipe comes from Baking Illustrated, with annotations below.

Cookie ingredients:

• 2.5 cups flour
• 3/4 cup superfine sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softed but still cool, cut into 16 pieces
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature

Glaze ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon cream cheese, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1.5 cups (6 oz) confectioners' sugar
• 1.5 cups sweetened shredded coconut, pulsed in food processor until finely chopped, about 15 1-second pulses

1. Mix flour, sugar, salt, and lime zest in an electric mixer to combine. With the mixer running on low, add butter, 1 piece at a time, until the mixture looks crumbly, about 1 minute longer. Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix on low until clumps begin to form.
2. Turn dough into a bowl and knead/press together until dough sticks together. Don't panic if there are some crumbly bits...just stick it all together. Split dough into two balls, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Place on parchment or Silpat lined cookie sheets about 1.5 inches apart and bake about 12 minutes, until bottom edges very lightly browned. Cool completely.
4. To make glaze, whisk cream cheese, lime juice, and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Dip cookie tops in glaze and scrape away excess then dip in coconut. Let stand until glaze dries, about 20 minutes.

In both cases, it works great to prep these cookies ahead of time. Our cookie party was after the Girls on the Run 5K so I knew I didn't have time to do everything in one day. I made both doughs and rolled out the balls on Saturday (the dough balls need to be refrigerated anyway so it works perfectly). I baked the cookies Sunday morning and then after we got back from the run, I did the final icing/coconut step for coconut-lime snowball cookies.

If you have any left, these cookies also freeze well!

Image credits: Christine Koh

I'm all about food delegation, especially around the holidays, and I'm always looking for new inspiration. I asked a few of my favorite food blogger friends to share their go-to (culinary freak out inducing) holiday recipes, whether they're bringing a dish for potluck, making something for an open house, or want to serve a family favorite at home. I also included a couple of personal favorites. Happy cooking!

1. I love spinache artichoke dip. I love stuffed mushrooms. These spinach and artichoke dip stuffed mushrooms are my new everything.

2. I am a huge fan of appetizer spreads, especially ones with items that are easy little bitefuls like these smoked salmon pinwheels.

3. I can totally see myself cozied up with this cheesy ham and hashbrown breakfast casserole on Christmas morning.

4. One of my favorite things about the holidays is being able to take your time at breakfast. I love making pancakes from scratch (it's not hard!) and these apple pancakes offer a lovely way to add fruit to the carbs.

5. I cannot count the number of times I've made this magic Mexican casserole; it's a hit every single time and amenable to your favorite substitutions.

6. Carrie is totally right: baked lasagna with bechamel sauce is a completely different -- and sublime -- beast.

7. I made this slow cooker vegetarian chili a few weeks ago for a last minute dinner party and it was a huge hit. I was attracted to the recipe because hey, crockpots are sexy, and also because of the unusual inclusion of black bean soup and baked beans. I also offered a bowl of cooked ground beef for those who wanted to add meat to their chili.

8. My dear friend Paige says that people regularly go bonkers over this potato gratin with rosemary crust. Sign me up.

9. This simply artichoke casserole looks divine on its own, as a side, or as part of an appetizer sread. YUM.

10. I've been consuming lots of sweet potato these days; I'm excited to give this sweet potato souffle a whirl!

11. These gorgeous pickled grapes (who knew?) would be awesome in an appetizer spread or would make for a fantastic food gift.

12. Though I love making pie crust from scratch, I am that person who usually just scrapes and eats the filling and leaves the crust behind. So I'm especially excited to try this crustless Swedish apple pie recipe.

Image credits: all images per linked sources above, with the exception of #8, per Paige Lewin.

I am working, at the moment, with a big black cat who used to be an overly-long-yet-still-skinny black kitten asleep in my lap. He has utterly ruined me for the rest of the cat world.

I'm in love with black cats.

His fur is silky beyond compare and shines in lamplight. He has tiny tufts of white fur at the epicenter of his little ears. Even his nose is black, so when he closes his eyes and curls up on a black blanket, he disappears.

He has the power of invisibility.

We were at PetSmart buying ridiculously expensive prescription cat food for this little black cat who almost died last year of urinary blockage (remember that??), and they had four little black kittens of varying sizes in one of those stand-up adoption cages.

We swooned. Even Beloved, who says NO every time I ask if we can get Kizzy a friend. (And I don't really argue that hard, because there is peace in my home now and I'm not sure if peace would reign if we challenged Kizzy's ownership of Chateau Travolta.)

But the three of us stood for ten minutes before the four little black kittens and poked our fingers through the wire to touch their little furry black toes and fawned over their perfect black noses and noticed how when they curled up on top of each other and closed their eyes, they disappeared into a pillow of silky black fur.

I wanted THEM ALL.

How cool is it that while all cats are gray in the dark, black cats can actually disappear? Who else among us has such superpowers?

Happy Monday everyone, I hope you had a great weekend! I am still recovering from the aftermath of an epic cookie party + my Girls on the Run team completing their 5K yesterday, and I'm seriously getting excited for holiday break. As much as I love work, I also love the holiday slowdown! But before we get there, how about a fun roundup of events for your week? So much great stuff going on -- enjoy!

December 15: Final day of Greenovate Boston’s used toy collection. (Boston)

December 15 - 21: Boston Children’s Theater presents The Velveteen Rabbit. (Boston)

December 15 - 28: The Christmas Revels; celebrating the Winter Solstice. (Cambridge)

December 15 - 23: Holiday lights trolley tour and sing along. (Boston)

December 15 - January 4: A Splendid book collection. (Chestnut Hill)

December 15 - January 4: The zoo becomes magical with thousands of twinkling lights. (Stoneham)

December 15 - January 1: Nantucket Noel, the quintessential yuletide experience. (Nantucket)

December 15 - January 1: The Whaling Museum turns into a festive winter wonderland. (Nantucket)

December 16: 241st Anniversary Boston Tea Party Reenactment. (Boston)

December 16: Winter wonderland crafts. (Easton)

December 16: Prepare a variety of sweet & savory homemade food gifts perfect for sharing with others. (Ipswich)

December 16: Assembly Row celebrates Hanukkah. (Somerville)

December 16: A wonderful evening of candlelight and holly. (Waltham)

December 16 + 19: Cookie decorating and holiday crafts. (North Andover)

December 17: Who needs overnight shipping when you can create a giftapult. (Acton)

December 17: Enjoy an evening of art and activities celebrating Hanukkah. (Boston)

December 17: Fill your day with art and play. (Lincoln)

December 17: Don your ugly sweater and go play with some Legos. (Somerville)

December 18: Slow down your sleigh with DIY parachute sleigh stoppers. (Acton)

December 18: Wander through Roslindale this holiday season. (Roslindale)

December 18: Celebrate the season with an evening dedicated to the art of mixology. (Salem)

December 18 - 21: Cinderella puppet show. (Brookline)

December 18 - 23: Harvard Square Holiday Faire. (Cambridge)

December 19: Up, up and away DIY flying reindeer. (Acton)

December 19: PlaySpace pajama party. (Boston)

December 19: Prepare a variety of sweet & savory homemade food gifts perfect for sharing with others. (Ipswich)

December 19: There's a Moose on the Christmas Caboose book-signing and moose-meeting. (Stoneham)

December 19 - 21: Find unique gifts and experiences at the Cultural Survival Gift Bazaar. (Boston)

December 19 - 21: Hop aboard the Polar Express. (Carver)  

December 19 - 21: Escape the frenzy of a modern Christmas and celebrate by candlelight. (Sturbridge)

Image credit: The Trustees of Reservations

Happy Friday everyone, I hope you're enjoying a great week! I'm super excited about this weekend; we have some fun social events on tap, my Girls on the Run team has its season-ending 5K, and the girls and I will be working on some of these easy DIY food gift projects! We'll also likely pop in to at least one of the events on this epic 42-event Weekend Roundup. Enjoy, and I'd love it if you could share the roundup with your friends!

1. Ben Rudnick and Friend’s holiday extravaganza. (Arlington)

2. Explore the deep sea at this family day. (Boston)

3. Greenovate Boston’s used toy collection. (Boston)

4. Breakfast with Santa and the animals.  (Boston)

5. Another opportunity for breakfast with Santa. (Boston)

6. Boston Children’s Theater presents The Velveteen Rabbit. (Boston)

7. Santa ditches his sleigh and arrives to this party by helicopter. (Boston)

8. Holiday story hours, musical performances and a FREE kids concert. (Boston)

9. FREE kids concert with Little Groove. (Boston)

10. A family Chanukah celebration. (Boston)

11. Holiday lights trolley tour and sing along. (Boston)

12. Downtown Boston’s holiday market. (Boston) 

13. Stories Alive interactive reading of Rudolph. (Boston)

14. Home for Little Wanderers toy and book drive. (Boston)

15. Holiday music at Faneuil Hall. (Boston)

16. Join magician and juggler Scott Jameson for an extraordinary morning. (Brookline)

17. The Velveteen Rabbit puppet show. (Brookline)

18. Your opportunity to buy handmade at this artist marketplace. (Brookline)

19. The Christmas Revels; celebrating the Winter Solstice. (Cambridge)

20. Festival of native arts and culture. (Cambridge)

21. It’s opening day for the ice rink at the Charles Hotel. (Cambridge)

22. Hop aboard the Polar Express or check out the Festival of Lights. (Carver)

23. The Concord Band holiday pops concert. (Concert)

24. Winter solstice lantern walk. (Ipswich)

25. A festival of trees. (Marlborough)

26. The Whaling Museum turns into a festive winter wonderland. (Nantucket)

27. Stroll on inn to Nantucket. (Nantucket)

28. A Christmas breakfast or brunch with your best girl. (North Andover)

29. Santa’s workshop is open for business. (North Andover)

30. Holiday tea with Mrs. Claus. (North Andover)

31. The Chandler Travis Philharmonic Christmas Cavalcade benefit. (Orleans)

32. Christmas in Rockport. (Rockport)

33. A nature hike with Santa! (Sheffield) 

34. FREE showing of Home Alone. (Somerville)

35. Holiday hot chocolate with the reindeer (and early entry to ZooLights). (Stoneham)

36. Photos with Santa. (Stoneham)

37. A good old-fashioned brunch with Santa. (Sturbridge)

38. Escape the frenzy of a modern Christmas and celebrate by candlelight. (Sturbridge)

39. Final weekend of Reagle Music Theatre’s ChristmasTime. (Waltham)

40. Have tea with Santa. (Waltham)

41. Cookie decorating at Panera Bread. (Various locations)

42. Christmas is everyone on The Cape. (Various locations)

Image credit: Panera Bread

One item on my minimalist holiday manifesto was about creating opportunities for together time projects. The girls and I had such an awesome time working on clutter-free kid-crafted gifts last weekend that I'm fired up for more this weekend! Following an earlier post on 10 easy DIY food gifts, I wanted to share 15 more easy DIY food gifts, spanning sweet to savory. Click through the links for recipes, more photos, and further creative inspiration!

1. All your gift recipient needs to know how to do is turn on their oven and they're on their way to fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies thanks to these adorable cookie dough gift packs.

2. I always feel more virtuous when I opt to snack on nuts (vs. truffles) during the holidays. Even if they are, uh, covered with sugar. I love that you only need four ingredients (one of them being water) to make these cinnamon sugar almonds.

3. I'm admittedly a little stunned by the (healthy) brilliance of this clementine wreath.

4. Bust out that sexy crockpot for this slow cooker apple butter. Oh how I love the "toss everything in the pot" gift prep!

5. Give the gift of an ice cream sundae pack. The site offers free printable tags but this would be equally adorable and appreciated without coordinated tags!

6. I love the idea of gifting savory with this marinated cheese and olives recipe.

7. These s'mores kits would be a huge hit with the kids. For inexpensive wrapping, package up in treat bags.

8. Homemade granola in cellophane bags will make for a happy holiday breakfast gift.

9. These cranberry pistachio energy bites offer a more healthy gift alternative.

10. Seriously: caramel dipped pears.

11. Another great caramel and pear alternative? This salted caramel pear butter.

12. I want to gift -- and consume -- copious amounts of this bacon salt. BACON SALT!

13. Save your loved ones some cafe bucks with this chai tea latte mix.

14. Roasted pumpkin seed brittle will be worth the extra teeth brushing.

15. A few years ago I shared about my obsession with this trifecta of appetizers. This trio of cheeseballs was AMAZING and the yield was larger than the recipe projected. I'm thinking it would be cute to make these as mini cheese balls to gift special, cheese loving friends.

Image credits: all images sourced via links above.