To solve the issue of overcrowding in the kitchen, Misty Heeter started a cookie exchange.

PARKER — Cookie exchanges are all the rage around the Christmas season.

Misty Heeter started a cookie-exchange party with her friends and family about six years ago.

She said “I just wanted to start some traditions for my daughter Alexa. We have a very blended family with nine siblings in total, so it was very difficult to get everyone together in one kitchen to bake.”

To solve the issue of overcrowding in the kitchen, she decided to invite family, friends, and co-workers to her house for a cookie exchange. “We just spread the cookies out on a great big table and have fun,” she said.

She said there are 10-15 families represented at this event each year. “Each person bakes about four dozen cookies. If they bring two different kinds, they take eight dozen cookies home.”

Along with the exchange, Heeter has fun little Christmas projects for the children who show up. “Many of the children have grown up since I started the exchange, but they still enjoy whatever we are doing. Hopefully someday their children will join in the exchange as well.”

Heeter has provided her favorite recipes for pistachio and orange cookies:

1 box white cake mix1 box instant pistachio pudding2 eggs3 tablespoons of water½ cup vegetable oil1 cup flour½ cup coconutBlend all ingredients with a mixer.Roll in balls and press with a fork on a greased cookie sheet.Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.When cookies are cool, glaze with a simple icing of powdered sugar and milk or cream tinted green (the amount of milk or cream depends on the thickness of the icing), and garnish with chopped pistachios.

¾ cup sugar2/3 cup shortening2 tablespoons grated orange peel1-2 tablespoons grated orange peel for icing garnish½ cup orange juice1 egg2 cups flour½ teaspoon baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon saltPreheat oven to 400 degrees.Mix sugar, shortening, orange peel, orange juice, and egg until creamy.Add remaining ingredients until well blended.Drop by rounded tablespoons onto greased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes.When cooled, glaze with simple glaze icing and garnish lightly with grated orange peel.