"Santa Claus has the right idea. Visit people once a year." - Victor Borge

Cooking is a necessary part of Christmas, and every year I take great joy in picking out new things to try.

I have my favorites that I make yearly, but I always pick out one or two things I have not made before. This year I made gingerbread, and oatmeal cranberry white chocolate cookies. Both turned out well.

Gingerbread:

3/4 cup butter, plus extra for greasing

heaping 2/3 cup dark brown sugar

3/4 cup light corn syrup

finely grated rind and juice of 1 small orange

2 extra large eggs, beaten

2 cups self rising flour

scant 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp chopped candied ginger or preserved ginger

Preheat the oven to 350f. Grease a 9-inch square deep cake pan and line the bottom with nonstick parchment paper.

Place the butter, sugar, and corn syrup in a pan and heat gently, stirring until melted. Remove from the heat.

Beat in the orange rind and juice, eggs, flours, and ground ginger, then beat thoroughly to mix evenly. Stir in the chopped candied ginger.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes, or until risen and firm to the touch.

Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then take out and finish cooling on a wire rack. Cut into squares and decorate with pieces of candied ginger.

Serves 9

Oatmeal cranberry white chocolate cookies:

2/3 cup butter, softened

2/3 cup brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 6-ounce package dried cranberries

2/3 cup white chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 375f.

Beat butter and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well.

Combine oats, flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate mixing bowl.

Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition.

Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Let cool on wire rack.

Serves approximately 2 1/2 dozen

Catch you on the flip side.