Milk-n-Cookies: Taste

Photo: Rebecca Thuss for Martha Stewart

The Spa Party of the Month Theme for November is Milk & Cookies ( Yummm!). In the first post of the series I introduced The Pajama Program, a charitable organization that collects new books and PJs for children in foster care & group homes; and suggested hosting a Spajama party in order to benefit the organization. I also provided a list of products, tips, and recipes for putting together DIY Milk & Cookies Manicure treatments, so be sure to check it out.

For each Spa Party of the Month (Taste) feature, I usually provide a full menu of serving suggestions that compliment the party's theme. This month the menu doesn't need much explaining so I'll share some pictures and recipes that may help inspire you when pulling together your own milk & cookies buffet.

I just love this fun, girly, carnival-esque cookie buffet from a Baby Shower thrown by Jen of the blog The Happenings, which was inspired by the shower below thrown by Brittany the blogger behind most likely LATE ( a blog I heart)

Milk can be served in a variety of ways from shot glasses, or in the vintage style bottles that were used above (which are available at IKEA for only $2.99). The Hip Hostess prefers Milk Martinis while the party planners from Colorblind Productions presented individual containers of in a bucket. Ronnybrook Farms (photo via Design Muse) offers attractively packaged milks in a range of flavors including chocolate and coffee.

If you are going to host a milk-n-cookies party during the cold season, it is a good idea to also have hot chocolate, and coffee available, with homemade marshmallows. You can also offer a variety of flavored syrups for those people who may want milk steamers. Not everyone drinks the same type of milk so be sure to offer milk with a lower fat content (like skim or 2%), as well as milk alternatives such as soy, rice, almond or hemp milks.

Now I'll let you in on my little secret.... I really want to be the Martha-y type mom that has fresh baked cookies awaiting, but baking isn't really my forté, though I love to cook. Whenever I do make cookies, I don't start from scratch, I start from cake mix! Here is a site with cake mix cookie recipes; I usually substitute butter for the oil, and add in a few drops of vanilla (to make me feel like I'm doing something). My favorite mix to start with is German chocolate and then add Heath Toffee Bits and Chocolate Chunks in. Another cookie that my grandmother's good friend used to make each time we visited is Potato Chip Cookies, which you'd be surprised are very good.

Don't forget to come back on Wednesday when I'll share some Spajama Party decorating tips.

So what is your favorite type of cookie?

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