From the Bottom of my Heart...

No official polls were done or surveys taken, but I think we can easily say this round of Operation Baking GALS was another huge, sweeping success. Even just on our own little team, we had groups of bakers coming together around the globe, literally, to make some homebaked goodness to some very lucky soldiers. I am so thrilled to report that not only did new and old friends and family jump on-board for this particular effort, but that it also got some folks thinking about involvement on even a much bigger scale. Nothing could make this girl happier.

As for our recent efforts... I think Colin's initial response upon receiving the first 4 packages says it all: "Well the first four packages have shown up, I don't think I had a handle on the scope of this. Its going to be a ton of treats." While I don't know if he'd actually weighed our packages, I'm willing to bet it wasn't too far off a ton...

So even though I know that my debt of gratitude goes without saying, since I did want to say something to all of you who felt the call to send our fearless soldiers a little bit of your homebaked love and support, I thought why not add some (of your very own) mouth-watering pictures!!!

OUR TEAM

Allie Parker, San Francisco, CA, sent some moist and rich 'brownie cookies' and also, one of our soldier's favorites, Snickerdoodles.

Andrea Garrity, Falls Church, VA, sent an assortment of amazing cookies - Chunkies, Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Bars and Crinkles. Good thing she lives just up the road from me so I can taste-test the next batch!

Team Forney, TX: Cappie McBeth, Hollie Cantrell, Viki Colon, and Laura Musgrave sent another great assortment of Chocolate Chip cookies, Ginger Snaps, and "Dishpan" Cookies; I can't wait to hear how the "Dishpan" Cookies were as they are Cappie's specialty. Chris Wallace, Sandy Springs, GA, sent two different bar cookies including her crowd-pleasing Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars.

Christie Stump, of Stump the Chef, Orlando, FL, tried out a new recipe: (Paula Deen's) Three Chocolate Cookies and determined that it's a keeper!

Christy Parker, of CP in Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark, was the first to get her box in the mail not knowing how well the Danish postal system would oblige. She sent delicious Oatmeal Raisin Walnut cookies and Pumpkin Oatmeal Raisin cookies, just perfect for fall!

Dolores Ferrero, of Chronicles in Culinary Curiosity, East Bay Area, CA

Elizabeth H de Saint-Aignan, Providence, RI

Falon Mitchell, Prosper, TX

Heather Peskin, of Sherry Trifle, New York, sent some of her rated 5-STAR cookies including Chewy Chocolate Coco-nut Squares, Peanut Jumbles and some cookies I can personally recommend, Celebration Cookies.

Jen Jaglowski, of The Latest and Greatest, Pittsburgh, PA, with her little Sam by her side sent the troops a couple of loaves of Pumpkin Bread as well as some Chocolate Chunk Cookies! Colin should rest easy knowing these are "Sam-Approved"!!

Karen and Kayla Polascak, Broadview Heights, OH

Kristy Hudson, of Hokie Crib, Herndon, VA, made the perfectly caramel-y Caramel Bars. She said she took "baker's liberty" with the recipe but it looks to me like she made all the right changes!

Lesley Roberts, Alpharetta, GA

Lila Easton, San Angelo, TX, sent some Salted Nut Bars, which she promised is a favorite for her friends in Texas. She packed her box tight filled with gum, individual packets of Crystal Light, banana chips, and Jerky.

Linda Linden, Sherman Oaks, CA

Liz Clouthier, of Cooking the Books, Bremerton, WA, sent the always popular Tollhouse Chocolate Chip Cookies and "off the container" Quaker Oatmeal Raisin Cookies!

Marisa Rosenfeld, Brooklyn, NY

Megan Hurst, of Apples N Carrots, Alexandria, VA

Missy Mayweather, Radford, VA

Monica Harvell, of Cake Goddess, Atlanta, GA, packed Colin and his friends some real treats: Spumoni Biscotti, Chocolate-White Chocolate Chunk Cookies, and Snickerdoodles.

Tamera Butler, Atlanta, GA, sent an amazing variety of gourmet "Cake Truffles" including chocolate cake with Kahlua, chocolate cake with caramel and toffee bits, white cake with rum and caramel/toffee and white cake with lemon zest in white chocolate. I kind of wish I had had her box routed to me instead of overseas!

Tara Liptak, of Smells Like Home, Connecticut, sent some classic Oatmeal Raisin cookies. I loved her picture of the cookies.

Tia Lynn and Sandy Emmett, Atlanta, GA, sent an enormous box stuffed full of goodies that the troops are sure to enjoy!

To round it all out, I sent Colin and his friends some fun and fruity "Rice Krispie Bars" and one of my latest go-tos, a version of Brown & White Walnut Bars.

Alas, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU to each and every one of you who stepped up to participate with us. You all will never know how much your involvement has warmed my heart; from putting our team together, to receiving your emails, and finally seeing the fruits of your labor and how much love you put behind it all; in all sorts of amazing, different ways, each of you put your heart into this effort and supported a troop(s) that you didn't even know but took my word for, and for that, I am forever indebted.

With that, you must forgive the sales-pitchiness of this, but as you all undoubtedly know, there are still many many troops serving our great nation overseas, so if you would like to continue to be involved in this effort, please head over to Operation Baking GALS where round 3 is gearing up. We'd love to have you all!

From the bottom of my heart... THANK YOU.