Christmas cookies

Every year my Mom (Shirley Longwell) bakes cookies for Christmas. Some of her favorites to make are classic spritz cookies (using a cookie press), magic bars, a Dutch Banket recipe she got from a neighbor, Dutch sand cookies and meringue cookies. She usually has cut out a new recipe from a magazine or the newspaper to add to the collection. It is usually a multiple day operation with her having help from various people. For years, that help was me and my son Thomas but it has included other family members. This year she made cookies with granddaughter Marissa. Her recipe for meringue cookies: 2 egg whites ⅛ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon cream of tartar 1 teaspoon vanilla ¾ cup sugar 1 6-ounce bag of chocolate chips. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold in the other ingredients slowly. Bake on parchment paper on a cookie sheet for 25 minutes. These cookies will not turn out if made on a humid day.