Holiday Baking Exchange UYE

As I mentioned in a Facebook post, I crashed so hard after this party I felt my teeth vibrating. The doctors say that if I have any more dessert parties, they’re gonna have to take my foot.
In summary: more dessert parties.

What a fantastic party! If you think it’s self-​serving to say that about a party I co-​hosted, well… Your mom!
Honestly, I am just pleased as punch at the quality and quantity of desserts and I thank genetics that I escaped my family history of type 1 diabetes. I tried EVERYTHING with no worries of insulin shock. Haha, suck on that, cousins-​with-​diabetes!!!
Ellen was amazing in organizing the guest list and kudos to both Ellen & Dan for coming early to decorate & set up while I was still frantically trying to clean up my place. The coffee was delicious, thank god for the french press!
Every dessert was amazing. But Sue’s Puerto Rican egg nog was MINDBLOWING. Basically, Sue told me that it was possible to mix all my favorite things together and make it alcoholic. Wowowowowow. Kellye’s pumpkin cheesecake was my personal favorite. Top desserts (IMHO) were also Jane’s pumpkin chocolate caramel tart, Ron’s 7-​layer bars, and Ellen’s rice bars w/​red bean paste (reminded of something my mom makes). Nancy def. took the «Best Presentation» award with her impressive trifle.
Also, kudos to Christina & Phil for bringing a COOLER OF BEER! Wowza, our CM knows how to get a party started! She also has arms of steel as she was carrying a 15lb platter of cookies with only her LEFT HAND while balancing the cooler of beer with her right. I almost dropped the tray while using BOTH hands.
Thanks to Ron & Mari for bringing many alcohol-​related supplies and ingredients. Mari also brought Xmas cheer with a very season-​appropriate Santa’s hat!
Everyone made this party so fabulous and the conversation never stalled for a second! I heart Triangle Unilocalers ^_​_​_​^ Now if you excuse me, I’m gonna have an oh-​so-​healthy lunch of baked goods!

Holy shnikes, what a way to get the holidays kicked off! If you made it out to the Lake Jordan picnic in July you’d realize that not only can Unilocaler’s eat but they can cook too. And looks like they’ve also got baking skillz to the max… The kitchen counter was a sumptuous spread of sweets, pies, cookies and cakes, Guglhupf ain’t got nothing on us!
Thankfully, I’ve got a pretty small sweet tooth (but a huge salty tooth) and grazed on the more healthy items on the menu. Light, melt-​in-​your-​mouth Norwegian crumbcakes? Yes, please! Sparkling ginger chip cookies with crunchy sugar topping? I’ll have three of those… A couple of scoops of trifle with healthy kiwi and strawberries? Yes, maam! And a couple of glasses of slap yo’self in the face Puerto Rican egg nog? Ahh, now we’re cooking with gas! A great chance for me to catch up with some of my fellow Unilocaler’s since I missed the Elite event on Saturday. Great to eat, I mean, meet you all again!
The party noise grew into a dull roar as all the sugar and ethanol kicked in, only to be followed by the happy and inevitable sugar crash… Discussions for the next adult UYE were bandied about along with solutions on how to fix the US healthcare system. And thankfully, Susan Z’s place stayed nice and dry for the entire event (that’s another story)! But all good things must come to an end as the guests left full of sweets, plates piled high with treats and dessert-​induced visions of sugar plum fairies dancing in their heads…
Great UYE Ellen and Susan, we’ll need to do it again but could I sprinkle a little salt on top?! Awesome-​sauce…

I’m still wondering why that ‘bong’ circle formed in the upstairs loft. I was unable to get up and find out. Stuart’s chocolate cream puffs had knocked me supine on Susan’s couch. I must have eaten a half dozen.
Susan Z and Ellen C — kudos! Thank you for putting such a yummy event together. You may have started a tradition. I can’t say I nibbled on all the goodies. I was trying to be a good girl and not eat everything in my sight.
It was nice chatting it up with all my Unilocal homies. Y’all are awesome!
Here is the Coquito Ponche recipe :
Brownie Cupcakes:
Rainbow Cupcakes:

GUSH! Props to Ellen C for organizing, and to Susan Z for hosting today’s wildly successful (and sugar coma-​inducing event)! I swear, Unilocalers never disappoint when it comes to potluck style soirees; I’m always amazed at the mad talent conjured up in your kitchens.
I knew Jane Y would be bringing deliciousness, and she didn’t disappoint. I am not embarrassed to admit I ate nearly ¼ of the chocolate pie with salted caramel and pecans all by myself. Sue P’s surprising Puerto Rican egg nog was perfect! And Ron W’s mulled wine, dangerously easy to drink. Cream puffs, pumpkin pie, red bean pastries, cranberry cake, ginger snaps, and of course cupcakes — it was a spread that would have put even my grandma to shame!
I SO loved catching up with all of you (something I feel I rarely do well at Elite Events since I tend to run around like a disorganized headless chicken at those!). So THANK YOU for putting so much obvious effort into this holiday party. It was the perfect way to kick off the season =)