Christmas Baking

Every year for as long as I can remember I do some marathon cookie and goodie baking for Christmas.  When working I didn't do a lot of baking during the year but outdid myself for the holidays.  I have been making some of the same recipes since the 1960's and I think my family would revolt if I didn't continue the tradition every year.  So much more relaxed this year since I am no longer working.  Below are the usual suspects complete with recipes and pictures.  Please let me know if you try any of these yourselves as I would love to know how you like them.  Here is a picture of all the containers.  The majority of the tins are from the Swedish Peppakokor (thin ginger snaps) that we buy at World Market every year.  We obviously like those cookies a lot and I have not found a recipe to duplicate them (and would probably be too much work anyway).  One secret I have learned is always use real butter when making cookies.  They taste so much better and since I generally only do this once a year how bad can 5 pounds of butter be??

 

Meringue Kisses
• 2 Egg Whites, room temperature
• 6 Tbs. Sugar
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla
• 2 Tbs. Sugar
• Chocolate Chips
Heat oven to 250.  Cover cookie sheets with parchment paper.  Beat egg whites until stiff and dry.  Beat in, 1 spoonful at a time, 6 Tbs. sugar.  Continue mixing until mixture holds its shape when you left a spoon.  Add vanilla.  Carefully fold in 2 Tbs. sugar.  Fold in chocote chips.  Drop by spoonful onto cookie sheet.  Bake 50 minutes.  Remove from paper and cool. These are very light and airy and fat free (well maybe without the chocolate chips)!  They have to be made on a perfectly clear and sunny day.  If you try to make them on a cloudy humid day they will be chewy and not crisp - don't evey try it!

Nut Brittle
• 1/4 Cup Butter
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 Cups Nuts (I used mixed, no peanuts)
Combine all in large heavy skillet.  Cook over medium heat, stirring until sugar melts and mixture is golden brown, 15 - 20 minutes.  Pour quickly onto buttered cookie sheet, spreading thinly.  Cook, then break into small pieces and blot off excess grease. I found this recipe in a TV Guide in 1968 when preparing for a Christmas party while I was a senior in high school.  Very simple to make.

Spritz Cookies
• 1 Cup Butter
• 1/2 Tsp. Baking Powder
• 2/3 Cup Sugar
• 2-1/4 Cups Flour
• 1 Egg
• 1 Tsp. Almond Extract
Cream butter, then add sugar then beaten egg.  Add sifted dry ingredients, then extract.  Color if desired with food coloring.  Put through cookie press.  Decorate as desired with nuts, cherries, chocolate chips, colored sugar, sprinkles.  Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes.  My mother used to make these using a hand crank gadget for shaping the cookies.  I did that for a while too but have now progressed to the Wilton cordless battery operated model.  Love it! Chocolate Dipped Cookies • 1 Cup Butter or Margarine, softened • 3/4 Cup Sugar • 1/8 Tsp. Salt • 1 Tsp. Vanilla • 1 Cup Finely Ground Nuts • 2-1/2 Cups Unsifted All Purpose Flour • 1/2 Small Bag of Chocolate Chips, Melted • Choice of Sprinkles or Colored Sugar Cream butter with sugar and salt until light and fluffy.  Stir in vanilla and nuts.  Gradually add flour, mixing well.  Cover and chill until firm, about 4 hours.  Using a rounded teaspoon of dough for each, flatten and press into a cone shape, round and wide at one end and pointed at the other.  Bake on ungreased baking sheets at 350 for 12 minutes or until golden.  Cool on racks.  Dip wide end of cookie into melted chocolate then in choice of sprinkles or colored sugar.  Place on waxed paper until chocolate is firm.  Makes about 4 dozen cookies. I found this recipe on a Maxwell Coffee can in the 1970's and it has been a favorite ever since!

Nut Balls
• 2/3 Cup Butter
• 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
• 1 Cup Flour
• 1 Tbs. Vanilla
• 3 Tbs. Sugar
Cream butter, add next 4 ingredients and with fingers until blended.  Roll into small balls (marble size).  Bake on greased cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 375.  Roll in sugar, cool. I believe this recipe came from my Grandma Wills.  It is my friend Kristi's favorite!

These are new this year -  cream cheese sugar cookies.  I got the recipe from a great little cookbook that Pillsbury sent me via email to make up for a mistake they made.  I am sure if you want the recipe you can find it on their website.

I made this fudge using a box mix by Carnation.  I have made it before by buying all the ingredients separately but the box mix sure was easy and I'm all over easy!

I make Chex Party Mix every year - usually 2-4 batches since we all eat it so fast.  I generally follow the recipe on the box but I use mixed nuts with no peanuts and almost double the butter and Worcestershire Sauce since everyone complains if I don't doctor it up.

I got this recipe from Jill who I worked with at Michaels.  It's one bag of microwave popcorn (popped) mixed with 4 squares of melted almond bark, about half a can of salted peanuts and about half a bag of plain M&M's.  Obviously exact measurements aren't necessary.  Just make sure you have picked out all the unpopped kernals prior to mixing with almond bark.  Your friend's and family's teeth will thank you!  The container I have it in in my new favorite clear "paint can" from Michaels with a child-proof lid (at least they haven't figured it out yet and I'm not telling the secret!).

Christmas would not be complete without the customary Swedish and cardomon coffee cakes for breakfast.  I started making these when the girls were in grammar school and I gave them to the teachers as presents.  I was very popular!  They do require yeast, kneading and rising but that is half the fun of it.  There is nothing more stress relieving than kneading dough!  Each recipe makes 4 of each variety.  You can email me for the recipe if you would like it since it is a little complicated and might need some explaining.

One of my new favorite traditions is decorating gingerbread houses with the grandkids.  I started 2 years ago with Lacie and continued this year adding the triplets to the mix.   They had a great time and did a fabulous job!   Once they started to get finished with their houses we went on to making cookies using a box mix.  It is always good to keep them busy!  The one secret I have learned is to purchase the Wilton box mix at Michaels and erect the house (or houses) ahead a time.  That way they are already set and won't fall apart when the kids decorate them.  Trust me, that was learned the hard way!  I always use canned goods from the pantry to prop up the walls until set.  This year I apparently attached the roof prior to removing the can - Jennifer loved the bonus can of tomato soup after Lacie started eating her house!  LOL

I hope you have enjoyed my blog and these recipes - again please let me know either by following me or via Facebook.  I enjoy writing it and hope someone enjoys reading it!

Merry Christmas to all.  The next post will be after Santa has arrived.   :-) 

Collections

Yes, collections, not Hoarders (although that is one of my favorite shows)!  My little house collection started when I did a crewel needlework picture of Charles Wysocki's Peppercricket Farms.  Shortly after that he came out with a collection of small house sculptures.  My mother-in-law delighted in giving me one every Christmas and I believe I have everyone that was was made.  They are extremely detailed and some are battery operated with lights.  I house them in my curio cabinet along with my collection of vintage cut glass from my and Rich's family and vintage Toby Jugs from my family. 

Another little house collection is Hallmark ornaments that I have been collecting for 25 years.  I have every one but sorry to say I never thought to save the boxes.  Not that I would ever sell them - they are very special to me.  Once again, my mother-in-law grasped onto the collection idea and bought one every year for me.  Since she is now gone so I have to remember to buy my own since the collection is still continuing.  A couple of years Hallmark released some bonus houses that we were not aware of.  I was able to find them on Ebay and paid dearly for them.

My next collection of little houses is an assortment of houses that Rich has bought for me.  Some are from his travels to England, Holland, Germany and Canada.  The smallest are houses that Dillards put out in the 1990's.  For the first three years they would offer one house every week for about 6 weeks.  Unbeknownst to me Rich would sneak to Dillards on Saturday mornings (along with lots of crazy women) and would buy one a week for me.  He did this for 2 or 3 years before he finally got tired of fighting the women.  I so treasure the thought that he would do that for me!!

The last collection of houses are Sheila's houses.  She creates wooden houses from real places.  I have some from Charleston, SC; Williamsburg, VA; Savannah, Georgia; Disney World, and Jennifer's grammar school in Bangor, Pa.  All places I have been to. 

I have also collected Santas's for a number of years.  Many were obtained at Michaels sample sales over the years that I worked for them.  The picture shows just a few.  The grandkids love looking at them every year.  I do have 2 from the 1950's that were given to me by my Aunt Betty.  One is a stuffed Coca Cola Santa with two left hands and the other is a metal bank.  Neeless to say the grandkids don't get to touch them!

In my bedroom I have a collection of original artowork of my beloved Deer Lake.  Deer Lake is a small private lake club in Boonton, NJ, a small town in northwest Jersey.  My grandparents joined when my mom was a teenager (she is now 90), I grew up there and my kids grew up there.  The 3 large pictures are original watercolors by Ruth Taaffe, a long-time member and good friend of my parents.  The four smaller pictures are pen and inks that my father did many years ago (he's been gone for 25 years).  He was a wonderful artist and very detail oriented.  Any of my Deer Lake readers will recognize these scenes.  It is a very special place and I love looking at these pictures every day

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Now is when you are are really going to laugh at me for the computer nerd that I am!  Have you ever gone onto Google's homepage only to find a different and strange logo?  Well I have and have been facinated by them.  Everytime I found one I would do a print screen and save it.  I know I didn't get them all but I have quite a few.  Goggle even has a website decitated to these logos - www.google.com/logos.  I wish I had thought to date each of them and name them with the occasion.  Maybe I am not that much a nerd after all!

I think my collecting days are over since I now need to think about purging.  I hope you enjoy looking at these as much as I have enjoyed collecting these items. 

My Grandchildren

Lacie

 
There is nothing more exciting than the birth of one's first grandchild and ours was no exception.  Lacie was born on February 19, 2002.  Jenn was a single mom so her labor coach was her sister Cindy.  Rich, my mom and I were patiently waiting at the hospital when Cindy came out with the news of Lacie's birth.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house! 

Lacie was a beautiful and exceptionally good baby.  They lived with us for almost two years until Jenn and James married.  We feel so blessed to have spent such quality time getting to know her and still have a special bond with her.  She is now almost 9, in the third grade in accelerated classes and has begun horseback riding lessons (just like her mom).  She has turned into a beautiful young lady who thankfully still loves to spend time with us. 

Gabbie, Grant and Georgia

 After Jenn and James were married they really wanted children together.  After much trying Jenn finally had her wish.  But you do have to be careful what you wish for.  What a shock it was for all of us to find out that she was pregnant with triplets!  No one was more surprised (and I think still in shock) than James.  She had a pretty easy pregnancy considering how many babies she was carrying.  Rich and Cindy were not able to be there for the births but my mom and I along with a great deal of the Moore family were there.  When James came out of the delivery room with the big news there were cheers, lots of tears and sighs of relief that all had gone well.  Everyone was healthy and all weighed over 5 lbs. at birth.  Three days later they all went home at the same time.  Let the craziness begin! 

For probably at least the first 6 months James worked full time and went to school full time.  That didn't leave much time to enjoy or help out with three babies.  There were quite a few of us who arranged our schedules to pull overnighters so Jenn could get some much needed rest.  The first year was pretty much a blur.  So many diapers and feedings.  Jenn had lots of input from other mothers of multiples and had them all on a really good schedule of sleeping and eating at the same time.  She is like Wonder Woman!

The "babies" are now 4 years old and are adorable and quite active pre-schoolers.  Definitely a challenge for mom and dad.  They are each totally separate personalities - so different from each other. 

Gabbie (at right) - the oldest and most verbal of the three (very appropriately named).  You can tell the attitude just by looking at her picture!  Quite sassy, smart and can come up with the funniest things to say and do.  Although not always quite so funny for mom and dad.  I will save the funny things they do for another blog.

Georgia (middle) - born last and the smallest, even now.  She is the quiet one but those are the ones you need to watch.  She is extremely smart and can be a little sneaky.  Always the first one to ask to play on my IPhone and excels at most of the kids games I have downloaded.   Very dainty and loves the color purple.

Grant (left) - born in the middle.  He is boy through and through and can break anything he touches (without trying).  You can tell from his picture that he is ready to get up and run!  He loves to help his dad and Pop Pop work on cars.  Of the three he is probably the most lovable - always first to run into my house with a big hug. 

Rich and I are so blessed to have these kids in our lives.  We love when they come to visit and look forward to watching them grow.  They seem to change every time we see them.

Daphne

Just when we thought we had all our grandchildren, we were surprised with the news that Cindy was pregnant.  She was also a single mom, one who has had a few challenges over the years.  Jennifer was her birthing coach (returning the favor).  Daphne was born September 25, 2009.  We were all there for the arrival, another exciting day in our lives.

Daphne is just precious.  Of course they all grow up way too fast and is already a year old.  She walked at 10 months and hasn't stopped yet.  She now runs everywhere.  Through some unfortunate turns of events Cindy has not been able to care for her so she is now living with Jennifer.  Yes, 5 children now!  She loves all her sisters and brother and follows everything they do.  She loves coming to Grammy and Pop Pop's for visits and we look forward to seeing her grow. 

Rich and I are so fortunate to have all these grand kids.  We love each and everyone of them and look forward to their visits.  They of course have done and said some funny things.  That will be great fodder for another blog. 

Thanksgiving 2010

As usual the holidays always sneak up on me.  Without working you would think I would have time to be more prepared but not so.  This year, as in others, our family is estranged so I had to do Thanksgiving in shifts.  I so miss the times when we have all been together.  It is a very stressful time for me but I always manage to muddle through. 

Dinner is very traditional.  I think I have been cooking the exact same dishes for 30 years and if I ever even thought of changing anything I would have a lynching mob on my hands!  Of course there is the monsterous turkey I have to get in the oven at 6:30 in the morning.  Despite what the experts recommend I still stuff the bird prior to cooking (of course with the traditional Pepperidge Farm stuffing).  I haven't killed anyone yet!  Then there are the mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top, white mashed potatoes and string beans almondine.    Can't forget the cranberry sauce and rolls.  My mom always make the pumpkin pies.  This year she misread the instructions and put in 1/2 cup less sugar than the recipe called for.  They were still good but admitedly not very sweet.  She is 90 years old so we are so blessed that she is even still with us for the holidays, let alone bringing desert. 

I was really bad and didn't take one picture this year.  Here is a clip of the kids singing grace last year and they repeated it for us again this year.  Priceless.

Now, let the Christmas rush begin!  I am making the first batch of Chex Party Mix today.  The best part of that is the smell when it is cooking.  I have made quite a few presents this year and will take pictures and post them after they have been received.  I love having the extra time to do that.  I have been shopping on my favorite on-line bargain websites since January and have a closet full of gifts.  Woot.com and 1saleaday.com are my favorites.  I have a number of things order from various places and love seeing UPS truck pull up to the driveway a few times a week.  I had a couple of bad falls just before Thanksgiving and am still bruised and sore so shopping on-line will be perfect for me this year.  My theory is if you can't get it on Amazon.com you don't need it!!

Record Collection

Rich and I have been cleaning out closets this week, ugh!  I came accross two boxes of my prized 45RPM records from the 1960's.  I have always wanted to catalog them and since I now have plenty of time I did that this week.  Anyone of my vintage (and you know who you are) will probably get flashbacks just reading my list.  Creating the list brought back a lot of memories for me.  I know I could purchase a USB turntable to save them to the computer but that is way too much work!  Instead I will be using the list to purchase the ones I don't already have on my IPod and IPhone from ITunes.  Love my toys and can't wait to get some new tunes.  I have also cataloged our 8-Track tapes and cassettes (yes, I tend to keep everything).  The next project is to do the same with our record albums.  Below is my list of 45's.  I hope you enjoy the walk down memory lane as much as I did.

ARTIST	SIDE 1
? (Question Mark) & the Mysterians	96 Tears
4 + 4, The	You're Gonna Shout Hallelujah
4 Seasons, The	Opus 17
4 Seasons, The	Bye Bye Baby
4 Seasons, The	Lets Hang On
4 Seasons, The	Sherry
Association, The	Windy
B. Bumble and the Stingers	Nut Rocker
Barry  and The Tamerlanes	I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight
Beach Boys, The	Barbara Ann
Beach Boys, The	Wild Honey
Beach Boys, The	Help Me, Rhonda
Beatles, The	Please Mr. Postman
Beatles, The	Can't Buy Me Love
Beatles, The	Nowhere Man
Beatles, The	Day Tripper
Beatles, The	I Want to Hold Your Hand
Beatles, The	Twist and Shout
Beatles, The	She Loves You
Belmonts, The	Com on Little Angel
Ben E. King	Don't Play that Song
Betty Everett	The Shoop Shoop Song
Billy J. Kramer	Bad to Me
Billy Stewart	To Love to Love
Billy Vaughn	Michelle
Bob Crew Generation, The	Music to Watch Girls Go By
Bobby Rydell	Sway
Bobby Vinton	I Love How You Love Me.
Brotherhood of Man, The	United We Stand
Buckinghams, The	Kind of a Drag
Byrds, The	Turn Turn Turn
Cannibal and the Headhunters	Land of 1000 Dances
Cascades, The	Rhythmn of the Rain
Castaways, The	Liar Liar
Cher	You Better Sit Down Kids
Cher	Bang Bang
Chubby Checker	The Twist
Chubby Checker	Limbo Rock
Chubby Checker	Dancin' Party
Claude King	Wolverton Mountain
Claudine Clark	Party Lights
Clovers, The	Devil or Angel
Connie Francis	A Nurse in the US Army (special promotion)
Connie Francis	Vacation
Cookies,The	Girls Grow Up Faster than Boys
Crazy World of Arthur Brown, The	Fire
Crystals, The	He's a Rebel
Cyrkle, The	Turn Down Day
Dave Clark Five, The	Do You Love Me
Dave Clark Five, The	Everybody Knows (I Still Love You)
Dee Dee Sharp	Mashed Potato Time
Del Shannon	Runaway
Del Shannon	Hat's Off to Larry
Del Shannon	Do You Want to Dance
Del Shannon	Keep Searchin
Dickey Lee	I Saw Linda Yesterday
Dion	Runaround Sue
Dion	Diane
Dion	Lovers Who Wander
Dion	Lonely Teenager
Dion	The Wanderer
Dixie Cups, The	You Should Have Seen the Way He Looked at Me
Dixiebelles, The	(Down At) Papa Joe's
Drifters, The	Up On The Roof
Duprees, The	You Belong to Me
Earls, The	Remember Then
Edith Piaf	Milord
Essex, The	Easier Said than Done
Exciters, The	Trell Him
First Edition, The	Just Dropped In (To See What Condition my Condition Was In)
Five Americans, The	Western Union
Five Satins, The	In The Still Of The Night
Five Satins, The	In The Still Of The Night
Four Jacks and a Jill	Master Jack
Four Tops	Standing In the Shadows of Love
Freda Payne	Band of Gold
Freddie and the Dreamers	I'm Telling You Now
Gary Lewis & The Playboys	Sure Gonna' Miss Her
Gary Lewis & The Playboys	This Diamond Ring
Georgie Fame	The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde
Herman's Hermits	Listen People
Herman's Hermits	Silhouettes
Herman's Hermits	Mrs. Brown You've Got a Lovely Daughter
Herman's Hermits	A Must to Avoid
Herman's Hermits	I'm Into Something Good
Herman's Hermits	Can't You Hear My Heartbeat
Herman's Hermits	The Rain, The Park & Other Things
Highwaymen, The	Michael
Hollies, The	Carrie-Annhe
Hondells, The	Little Honda
Hugo Montenegro	The Good, The Bad and the Ugly
Isley Brothers	This Old Heart of Mine
Jan & Dean	Sidewalk Surfin'
Jan & Dean	Surf City
Jan & Dean	Dead Man's Curve
Janis Ian	Society's Child
Jefferson Airplane	Somebody to Love
Jimmy Dean	PT109
Joey Dee	Shout Part I
Johnny Rivers	Summer Rain
Keith	Pretty Little Shy One
Kingsmen, The	The Jolly Green Giant
Left Banke, The	Walk Away Rene
Les Cooper & The Soul Rockers	Wiggle Wobble
Leslie Gore	It's My Party
Leslie Gore	She's A Fool
Leslie Gore	Maybe I Know
Little Anthony and the Imperials	Hurt So Bad
Little Eva	The Loco-Motion
Little Peggy March	I Will Follow Him
Lovin' Spoonful, The	Rain on the Roof
Lovin' Spoonful, The	Daydream
Lovin' Spoonful, The	Nashville Cats
Lovin' Spoonful, The	Summer in the City
Lulu	To Sir With Love
Mama's and Papa's, The	California Dreamin'
Mama's and Papa's, The	Dedicated to the One I Love
Mama's and Papa's, The	Dancing in the Street
Mama's and Papa's, The	Monday Monday
Mark Dinning	Teen Angel
Marvellettes, The	Playboy
Marvellettes, The	Too Many Fish in the Sea
Mary Hopkin	Those Were the Days
McCoys, The	Fever
McCoys, The	Hang On Sloopy
Melanie	Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)
Millie Small	My Boy Lollipop
Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels	Sock It To Me - Baby
Monkees, The	(I'm Not Your) Steppin' Stone
Moody Blues, The	Stop
Moody Blues, The	Go Now
Mr. Acker Bilk	Stranger on the Shore
Music Explosion, The	Little Bit O'Soul
Nathaniel Mayer	Villiage of Love
Orlons, The	South Street
Parliaments, The	(I Wanna) Testify
Patty Duke	Don't Just Stand There
Paul & Paula	Hey Paula
Paul Mauriat	Love is Blue
Paul Revere & The Raiders	Kicks
Peter, Paul and Mary	I Dig Rock and Roll Music
Reflections, The	(Just Like) Romeo & Juliet
Reparata and the Delrons	Whenever a Teenager Cries
Righteous Brothers, The	You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin
Rip Chords, The	Hey Little Cobra
Roger Mille	England Swings
Rolling Stones, The	Paint it Black
Rolling Stones, The	Get Off My Cloud
Rolling Stones, The	As Tears go By
Ronettes, The	Walking in the Rain
Ronny & The Daytonas	GTO
Rosie and the Originals	Angel Baby
Royal Guardsmen, The	Snoopy Vs. The Red Baron
Safaris, The	Wipe Out
Sandy Carney	Carolyn
Searchers, The	Love Potion Number Nine
Seekers, The	I'll Never Find Another You
Shangri-Las, The	Leader of the Pack
Shangri-Las, The	Give Him a Great Big Kiss
Shangri-Las, The	Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)
Shangri-Las, The	I Can Never Go Home Anymore
Shelley Fabares	Johnny Angel
Shirelles, The	Soldier Boy
Simon & Garfunkel	The Sounds of Silence
Simon & Garfunkel	I Am A Rock
Simon & Garfunkel	Homeward Bound
Skeeter Davis	The End of the World
Smokey Robinson and the Mirackes	I Second that Emotion
Spanky And Our Gang	Sunday Will Never be the Same
Stone Poneys, The	Different Drum
Sulkie, The	You're Got To Hide Your Love Away
Supremes, The	The Happening
Supremes, The	Where Did Our Love Go
Tokens, The	Portrait of My Love
Tommy James and the Shondells	I Think We're Alone Now
Tommy Roe	Sheila
Troggs, The	Wild Thing
Turtles, The	She's My Girl
Turtles, The	Happy Together
Union Gap, The	Woman Woman
Voice of Scott McKenzie, The	Like An Old Time Movie
Young Rascals, The	I Ain't Gonna Eat Out My Heart Anymore
Young Rascals, The	How Can I Be Sure
Young Rascals, The	I've Been Lonely Too Long
Young Rascals, The	You Better Run
Zombies, The	She's Not There