Debbie’s Famous Fudge

3 cups sugar

1½ cups milk (not 1% or fat-free!)

⅔ cup cocoa

¼ cup Imperial margarine (not fat free!)

1 tsp. vanilla

Dash of salt

In a medium or large saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, and dash of salt. Then add milk. Stir mixture constantly over medium – high heat ‘til it comes to a rolling boil. Remove from heat briefly.

Turn temperature down to low. Slow boil the mixture. Do not stir. Using a candy thermometer, cook to a soft ball stage. (Be sure thermometer does not touch bottom of the pan.) Remove from heat.

Add margarine and vanilla. Cool to room temperature. (I sometimes cheat by putting the pan into a pot with water and ice to cool more quickly.)

Butter pie pan or comparable dish.

Now for the hard part. Stir mixture by hand until glossy look goes away and fudge starts to thicken. Spread quickly into a buttered dish.

Refrigerate for about 10 minutes, then cut into squares; re-refrigerate until ready to eat.

Swedish Nuts

1 cup sugar

1 stick butter, melted

Dash of salt

2 egg whites, beaten until foamy

1 pound pecans

Set oven at 300 degrees.

Combine all ingredients and spread into a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Bake for 45 minutes. Be sure to stir every 10 minutes.

Snapshot memories…

Nighttime, sprawled out on the floor underneath the Christmas tree; watching the colored lights blinking, dance-like, on the ceiling

Searching the house for mom and dad’s stash of Christmas presents; the place was often booby-trapped

Christmas piano recitals

Gifts of uneaten fruitcake

Well-worn stockings hung from the mantle and heavy with candy, fruit and nuts

Wishing for snow to fall on Christmas Day

Tins filled with holiday goodies

Hanging candy canes on the Christmas tree

Perusing the JC Penney’s and Sears Wish Book catalogues with special emphasis on the toy sections; making a list of what we wanted, but never getting exactly what we asked for. Ah, tradition!

Christmas caroling

Waking up mom and dad early on Christmas morning—oblivious to the fact that they’ve stayed up half the night wrapping presents!

Watching Miracle on 34^th Street, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the Snowman, It’s A Wonderful Life on TV

Writing letters to Santa

12 tips for a healthier feast

1.      Make creamy mashed potatoes without milk & butter. Try fat-free sour cream, non-fat milk, or a little olive oil and garlic.

2.      In your holiday cookie recipes, substitute finely ground nuts (they have “good” fat) for butter, other fats and refined flour.

3.      Use cinnamon and cloves liberally in desserts, baked apples and sweet potatoes. The spices help hype insulin activity needed to process sugar.

4.      Add lots of oregano, thyme and rosemary to stuffings and other dishes. Herbs contain anti-oxidants and have antibacterial activity.

5.      Add fruits and nuts to your turkey stuffing. To reduce fat, bake in a separate dish vs. inside the bird.

6.      Make delicious pumpkin pie with fat-free milk and egg substitute. Pumpkin is very high in the antioxidant beta carotene.

7.      Cream vegetables with fat-free dairy products instead of whole-fat cream and butter.

8.      Remove the skin before eating the turkey. It saves 5 grams of fat and 45 calories per 3½ ounces.

9.      Use canned non-fat chicken gravy or turkey gravy instead of making your own gravy from drippings.

10.  Serve iced tea or purple grape juice with meals. Both are full of antioxidants that help reduce the dangers of fats.

11.  Serve assorted fresh vegetables (carrots, fennel, artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, green onions) or smoked salmon as an appetizer instead of high-fat cheeses and meat or liver pate.

12.  Add fruits and nuts to jellied cranberries and salads.

Gingerbread Men

5 cups flour

1½ tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ginger

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

½ tsp. allspice

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 cup molasses

2 Tbsp. vinegar

Using a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, spices, and ½ tsp. salt. Beat shortening for 30 seconds. Add sugar; beat ‘til fluffy. Add egg, molasses, and vinegar; beat well. Add dry ingredients to beaten mixture, beating well. Cover; chill 3 hours or overnight.

Set oven at 375 degrees.

Grease a cookie sheet.

Divide dough into thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll each ⅓ of dough to ⅛-inch thickness. (Keep remainder chilled.) Cut into gingerbread men, or other desired shapes. Sprinkle with colored sugar, if you like, or with other decorative candies.

Place 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 5 – 6 minutes. Cool. Makes 60 cookies.

Mom’s Old-Fashioned
Popcorn Balls

2 quarts popped corn (8 cups)

⅓ cup light corn syrup

1 cup sugar

⅓ cup water

¼ cup butter

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

In a 2-quart saucepan, stir together corn syrup, sugar, water, butter and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until the temperature reaches 270 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Mix thoroughly. Slowly pour over popcorn, stirring to mix.

Cool enough just to handle. Butter hands lightly. Shape quickly into balls. (Mixture will be hot!) Makes 12 medium balls. When finished, wrap in decorative holiday plastic wrap.

Choco-Mint Balls

1½ cups evaporated milk

4 cups sugar

Dash of salt

2 6-ounce packages semi-sweet chocolate pieces

1 7½-ounce jar marshmallow cream

½ tsp. peppermint extract

Finely chopped nuts

Set fry pan at 300 degrees.

Combine evaporated milk, sugar and salt and cook (stirring constantly) until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a rolling boil and cook 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Turn off heat.

“The highest form of bliss is living with a certain degree of folly.”

--Erasmus

This is the 3^rd story dad wrote regarding his follies of childhood. See pages C9 - 10 in the Breakfast Stuff section for two others.

Falling through the ice

When I got home and went to the back door, my mother quickly took off my icy wet clothes, wrapped me in blankets, and parked me in front of our heating stove. It took a long time for me to thaw out. Of course, I had to tell my mother what happened and even though I was very foolish, she was so relieved that I hadn’t drowned (or frozen to death) she didn’t punish me. Another lesson learned the hard way.

Obviously, my younger years were filled with folly. Despite this I survived and lived to parent a large brood of my own, which, I hope, was not as foolhardy when they were young. To our knowledge they were not, but every now and then some stories are revealed that surprise us. What your mother and I didn’t know didn’t hurt us!

Brian running into a tree

Dad recalls: At fours years old, and at Morris Park Country Club in South Bend, Brian wanted to sled down the hill by himself. So, I took him to the side of the hill where there weren’t any trees. Sitting on the sled with his hands on each side and his feet straight out in front of him, he began down the hill. He wasn’t really steering the sled and he just let it go wherever it wanted. Suddenly the sled took a sharp angle left and it tracked right into a tree! As the front of the sled smacked into it, Brian flew off the sled and hit his head on the tree…

Linda’s Microwave Peanut Brittle

1 cup sugar

½ cup white corn syrup

⅛ tsp. salt

1½ cups salted peanuts

1 Tbsp. butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

In a heatproof mixing bowl, stir sugar, salt, and syrup together. Microwave on high for 5 minutes. (Mixture should be vigorously boiling when you take it out of the microwave.) Stir in peanuts. Microwave on high for 3 minutes. Stir. Microwave another 3 – 6 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes and then every minute until syrup is a light golden color. (If your microwave runs hot—like mine does—watch the mixture closely to avoid burning.) Remove from microwave.

Stir in butter, then vanilla. Stir in soda ‘til mixture is foamy-looking all the way through. (Volume will not expand much.)

Now is not the time to dilly-dally! Pour quickly onto greased cookie sheet and spread out. Let cool and then break apart.

Note: The peanut brittle will set up very quickly. So, you may want to make this with a partner (mom and I have make this every Thanksgiving for Christmas gifts) who can help. When finished spreading the brittle, place your bowl into hot water and let soak. What’s left of the mixture disintegrates in the water, making it very easy to clean out. You’re ready for your next batch! (You can never make just one. J)

Mom’s Sugar Cookies

3 cups flour

1½ tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. salt

1 cup sugar

1 cup soft butter (2 sticks)

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 Tbsp. milk (or cream)

1 tsp. vanilla

Blend together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a mixing bowl. Then add butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Blend thoroughly.

Refrigerate dough overnight.

Set oven at 400 degrees.

On a floured board, roll out a portion of the dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Place on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle with sugar. Cook for
5 – 8 minutes until lightly browned. Instead of sugar, you can also frost them after they’ve cooled.

Ornamental Frosting:
2 Tbsp. butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 – 4 Tbsp. milk

½ tsp. vanilla

Cream butter; blend in powdered sugar, mixing well. Add milk, a little at a time, and vanilla. Blend until frosting is a thick consistency. Divide into small bowls; tint different colors by adding food coloring—a drop at a time. Decorate cookies.

Tips for Making Sugar Cookies: When rolling dough, be careful not to work in a lot of flour. For easier rolling, consider using a pastry cloth. Roll a small amount of dough at a time, keeping remainder refrigerated. Also, because oven temperatures vary, be sure to watch your cookies closely. Check for doneness just before minimum baking time is up. If some are thinner than others, you may have to remove them and bake the remainder a bit longer. Place cookies in an airtight container or large tin and store ‘in a cool, dry place ‘til needed.

How to Make Colored Sugar:

Place ⅔ cup sugar in a small bowl. Fill a ¼ teaspoon measuring spoon with water. Add 1 or 2 drops liquid food coloring to the water. Stir until combined. (I prefer a mixer to ensure color is completely distributed.) Do not over-moisten or the sugar will begin to dissolve. This is fun for Halloween, since orange colored sugar is not easily found .

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Making sugar cookies is a treasured family tradition—as is consuming them and fighting over the brown ones! As kids, these were made to help celebrate all the major holidays.

On being the oldest child

Bruce writes: Looking back as the oldest child, I did a lot of babysitting and diaper changing. Hopefully, you do not have many psychological scars. I attempted to take my responsibilities seriously, and I tried to care for you to the best of my abilities. Due to our age gap, I cannot say I know all of you that well. It was not my fault. I was nearly out of the house before a couple of you were very functional. But, I do love you all, and I hope the best for you and your families.

“Somehow not only for Christmas but all the long year through, the joy that you give to others is the joy that comes back to you. And the more you spend in blessing the poor and lonely and sad, the more of your heart's possessing returns to make you glad.”
John Greenleaf Whittier

Bruce’s Cherry Winks

2¼ cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

¾ cup of margarine or butter

1 cup sugar

2 unbeaten eggs

2 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup finely chopped coconut

⅓ cup of maraschino cherries, drained and chopped

2½ cups crushed corn flakes

Set oven at 375 degrees.

Blend together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a mixing bowl.

Then in a separate bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Then add the eggs, milk and vanilla to the cream mixture. Beat well.

Then add the dry ingredients to the cream mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Now add the pecans, coconut, and cherries to the batter. Chill the dough overnight.

Make dough into teaspoon size balls. Roll in or toss lightly in the crushed corn flakes. Top each with ¼ cherry. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes ‘til light brown.

Makes 5 dozen.

Mom’s Thumbprint Cookies

⅔ cup softened butter

⅓ cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

1½ cups flour

2 slightly beaten egg whites

¾ cup walnuts, finely chopped

Green mint jelly, raspberry, strawberry or cherry preserves

Set oven at 400 degrees.

In a bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Beat in egg yolks and vanilla. Beat until light and fluffy. Now blend in flour.

Shape dough into ¾-inch balls. Dip in egg white. Roll in the nuts and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Make a small indentation with thumb on the top of each ball. Bake 15 – 17 minutes. After they’ve cooled, fill in centers with jelly or preserves. Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Mom’s Swedish Gems

1 cup butter or Imperial margarine

1 cup powdered sugar

½ tsp. salt

1¼ cups ground pecans or almonds

1 Tbsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

Set oven at 325 degrees.

“Beautiful snow! It can do nothing wrong.” J.W. Watson, “Beautiful Snow,” 1858

“The nakedness and asperity of the wintry world always fill the beholder with pensive and profound astonishment.” Samual Johnson, The Rambler, December 22, 1750

Where mom got these cookie recipes

Swedish Christmas Cookies

(Roll them, press them, twist them)

6 egg yolks

2 cups flour

½ tsp. salt

¾ cup shortening

¾ cup sugar

½ tsp. lemon extract

3 Tbsp. cream

Set oven at 375 degrees.

Separate yolks from whites. Drop yolks, one at a time, into hot, salted water. Simmer until hard-cooked.

Sift together flour and salt.

Then cream shortening and gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add cooled egg yolks, which have been put through wire sieve, and lemon extract.

Blend in cream and dry ingredients alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

Roll dough to ⅛-inch thickness and cut into Christmas cookie shapes. Place on greased baking sheet. Decorate with colored sugar, candied fruit, nuts or coconut. If desired, this dough may be used in a cookie press. Cookies may also be shaped into knots by gently rolling a rounded teaspoonful of dough on a lightly floured board until about 6 inches in length and tying into a loose knot.

Bake in a moderate oven until edges become delicately browned—about 6 – 8 minutes for rolled or pressed cookies, 10 – 12 minutes for knots.

Makes about 5½ dozen cookies.

Basic Spritz Cookie Recipe

1½ cups butter or margarine

1 cup sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

½ tsp. almond extract

4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

Few drops of food coloring, optional

Tube Decorating Gels, optional

Set oven at 400 degrees.

Thoroughly cream butter and sugar. Add egg, milk, vanilla and almond extract; beat well. Stir together flour and baking powder and add to creamed mixture. Add a couple of drops of icing colors, if desired; mix thoroughly. Do not chill. Use dough within two hours of preparation. Place dough into cookie press and press cookies onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 6 – 8 minutes; remove cookies from sheet; cool on rack. Decorate with Tube Decorating Gels. Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Peanut Butter Spritz Cookies

½ cup shortening (Crisco)

½ cup peanut butter

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 egg

½ tsp. vanilla

1½ cups flour

Tube Decorating Gels, optional

Set oven at 375 degrees.

You will need a Spritz Cookie Press to make these two cookies. If you’ve never used one, go out and buy one. They’re inexpensive and make very cute and tasty little cookies. It’s also very easy and fun to make. My two favorite designs are the Christmas Tree and the snowflake, but you’ll find many other designs in your cookie press box, too. So, it’s whatever you like.

“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.”
Roy L. Smith

 

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year.”
Charles Dickens

Christmas Day Menu Ideas for Feeding a House Full of Guests

So, you’ve got a house full of guests and hungry mouths to feed. Well, Christmas Day is NOT the day you want to be slaving in the kitchen. Consider preparing meals up ahead of time and storing in the refrig. or freezer until needed. These are some meals to consider.

For breakfast:

--Debbie’s Cinnamon Rolls

--Linda’s Banana Bread

--Mom’s Hot Chocolate for the kids

--Jeaneane’s Mimosa for the adults!

For lunch:

--Nathan’s Italian Appetizer and Karin’s Homemade Pizza

--Oven Beef Stew

--Anything from the Appetizers or Super Bowl Sunday sections

--Christmas cookies for dessert

--Janke Brandy Slush—for the adults!

For dinner:

--Sandy’s Beef Stroganoff

--La’s Awesome Mushroom Lasagna

--Cavatini

--Any of Linda’s or mom’s yummy soups

--Linda’s Italian Peasant Bread

--Anything from the Turkey Day section

Kudrna’s Toffee Bars

1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg yolk

2 cups flour

1 6-ounce package of chocolate chips

1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans), optional

Set oven at 350 degrees.

Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add egg yolk; beat well. Gradually add flour to beaten mixture, beating constantly. Stir in chips and nuts.

Spread in a 13 x 9-inch ungreased casserole dish or baking pan (or smaller to make the bars thicker). Bake for 25 minutes. Makes about 30 bars.

Preparation variation: Add all ingredients except chocolate chips and nuts. Bake. When you take out of oven, sprinkle chocolate chips on top. As they melt, spread with a knife. Then sprinkle with nuts.

Mixed Nut Bars

1½ cups flour

¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

½ cup margarine

1 tsp. salt

2 cups salted mixed nuts, crushed

6-ounces butterscotch chips

½ cup light corn syrup

1 Tbsp. margarine

Set oven at 350 degrees.

Cream or mix ingredients for crust. Press into a 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Cook for 10 minutes. Cool. Layer nuts over cooled crust.

Layered Cookies in a Jar

Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a Jar

½ cup sugar

½ cup chopped pecans

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

2½ cups flour mixed with 1 tsp. baking soda and
¼ tsp. salt

Layer ingredients in order given in a 1-quart “wide mouth” canning jar. Press each layer firmly in place before adding next ingredient.

Provide these instructions with your cookies in a jar:

1.       Empty jar of cookie mix into large mixing bowl. (Use your hands to thoroughly blend.)

2.       Add: 1½ sticks butter or margarine, 1 egg and
1 tsp. vanilla.

3.       Mix until completely blended. You will need to finish mixing with your hands.

4.       Shape into balls the size of walnuts. Place 2” apart on sprayed baking sheets.

5.       Bake at 350 degrees for 13 – 15 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on baking sheet. Remove to racks to finish cooling. These cookies don’t firm up until completely cooled.
Note: These cookies don’t firm up until completely cooled.
Makes 2½ dozen cookies.

Brownie Mix in a Jar

2¼ cups sugar

⅔ cup cocoa (clean inside of jar with a paper towel after this layer)

¾ cup chopped pecans

1¼ cups flour mixed with 1 tsp. baking powder and 1 tsp. salt

Layer ingredients in order given in a 1-quart “wide mouth” canning jar. Press each layer firmly in place before adding next ingredient.

Provide these instructions with your cookies in a jar:

1.       Empty jar of brownie mix into large mixing bowl. (Use your hands to thoroughly blend.)

2.       Add: 1½ sticks butter or margarine, melted, and 4 eggs.

3.       Mix until completely blended.

4.       Spread batter in a sprayed 9 x 13 baking pan.

Helpful Hints for Layered Cookies in a Jar:

Cookies in a jar make great gifts—but they’re a little harder than they look. Here are some helpful hints to make it easier:

ü      Remember to use a quart-size jar. The easiest quart jar to use is a “wide mouth” canning jar. The key is making sure you can get your hand in there to firmly pack down all of the ingredients.

ü      A quart mayo jar is a good example of what won’t work. The neck is too small for you to get your hand in to press down the ingredients.

ü      “Wide Mouth Quart Size Canning Jars” are sold in boxes of 12 with the lids. They are available at grocery stores, discount stores, and some hardware stores and are very inexpensive.

ü      You want to be able to tightly pack each layer. This is necessary to ensure all of the ingredients fit AND to prevent sifting of ingredients—in other words, each layer should be clean.

ü      Use your hand to level, to smooth and to tightly pack each layer.

ü      The flour sometimes has to be added a little at a time and pressed in tightly after each addition to make it all fit.

ü      Use the jar lid to push the last flour down into the jar.

Helpful hints, continued…

ü      If you don’t like the flour sifting lightly into the chocolate chips, cut a circle of thin white cardboard and place it over the chocolate chips before adding flour.

ü      When making the cookies, butter makes a much better tasting cookie than margarine. Never use diet margarine or diet butter of any kind—it won’t work.

ü      When finished, you can easily decorate the jars. Cut a circle of wrapping paper or fabric (in colors to match the occasion) and secure it to the lid with a rubber band. Tie a bow of ribbon or raffia around the lid. Put the fabric under or over the gold ring part of the lid.

ü      It is a good idea to tape the flat gold seal down to keep the mix from spilling out if the ring is unscrewed too quickly.

ü      The person to whom you give the mix will need to have a copy of recipe instructions. The easiest way is to put them on a recipe card and tape them to the front of the jar.

ü      Because these jars contain only dry ingredients, they can be made ahead because there is nothing in them that will spoil over a few months.

Layered Cookies in a Jar

Peanut Butter Cookie Mix in a Jar

¾ cup salted peanuts

¾ cup brown sugar, firmly packed

¾ cup sugar

¾ cup peanut butter chips

1½ cups flour mixed with 1 tsp. baking soda and ¼ tsp. salt

Layer ingredients in order given in a 1-quart “wide mouth” canning jar. Press each layer firmly in place before adding next ingredient.

Provide these instructions with your cookies in a jar:

1.       Empty jar of cookie mix into large mixing bowl. (Use your hands to thoroughly blend.)

2.       Add: 1 stick butter or margarine, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla.

3.       Mix until completely blended. You will need to finish mixing with your hands.

4.       Shape into balls the size of walnuts. Place 2” apart on sprayed baking sheets.

5.       Bake at 350 degrees for 11 – 13 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet. Remove cookies to racks to finish cooling. Makes 3 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Mix in a Jar

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

1½ cups powdered sugar, firmly packed

¾ cup cocoa, firmly packed

1½ cups flour mixed with 1 tsp. baking powder and ¼ tsp. salt

Layer ingredients in order given in a 1-quart “wide mouth” canning jar. Press each layer firmly in place before adding next ingredient. (Clean inside of jar with paper towel after the powdered sugar and cocoa.

Provide these instructions with your cookies in a jar:

1.       Empty jar of cookie mix into large mixing bowl. (Use your hands to thoroughly blend.)

2.       Add: 1 stick butter or margarine, ½ cup creamy peanut butter, 1 egg and 1 tsp. vanilla.

3.       Mix until completely blended. You will need to finish mixing with your hands.

4.       Shape into balls the size of walnuts. Place 2” apart on sprayed baking sheets.

Instant Cocoa with Marshmallows

8½ cups (25.6-ounce package) nonfat dry milk

1½ cups (6-ounce jar) non-dairy coffee creamer

3 cups (16-ounce package) instant chocolate drink mix for milk (like Nestlé’s^©)

1½ cups powdered sugar

1½ cups miniature marshmallows

In a very large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. Then pour into large mason jars with screw top lids or recycled plastic milk jugs. Makes 16 cups of mix.

If given as a gift, be sure to provide them with these instructions: Combine ½ cup mix with boiling water to fill coffee mug; stir.

From Gifts of Good Taste, by L.A., 1989, pg. 93.

Mocha-Flavored Coffee Blend

½ cup decaffeinated instant-coffee granules

½ cup sugar

1 cup powdered milk or powdered coffee creamer

2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

Mix the ingredients together and store in a labeled container

Cinnamon-Flavored Coffee Blend

½ cup decaffeinated instant coffee granules

⅔ cup sugar

⅔ cup powdered milk or powdered coffee creamer

½ tsp. cinnamon

Mix the ingredients together and store in a labeled container.

This is one of my favorite gifts to make from our kitchen. It’s very easy to make.

Tony drinks the chocolate milk that comes in a plastic milk jug throughout the year. I remove the label and wash thoroughly (at least once in the dishwasher) and set aside until Thanksgiving when I start making all of my holiday goodies.

I attach a gift tag indicating how to make the hot cocoa and then add this to my gift bags for family and friends…

Merry have we met,

And merry have we been;

Merry let us part,

And merry meet again.

With our merry sing-song,

Happy, gay, and free,

With a merry ding-dong,

Happy let us be.

Snapshot memories…

Sledding on flexible flyers

Making snow angels

Nighttime. A park. Pulling a toboggan sled behind us, we walk to the top of a platform built upon a snow-covered hill. Everyone climbs aboard. I’m in the very front. Dad’s behind me. A good, strong push and away we go! The sled slices and bounces thru a brief moment in time as we travel down the hill: cold air strikes our scarf-covered faces; bright white lights and glimmering snow blind us. It’s all a blur and then suddenly, the sled comes to a stop. We all jump out. “Let’s do it again! Let’s do it again!” We block out the cold, pretend we’re not shivering and make the trek up the hill to go again…

Snow drifts across roads and driveways

Wet mittens and scarves hung up to dry

Dad shoveling the sidewalk early in the morning. You knew how heavy or light the snowfall was by the length of the shovel scraping without even leaving the comfort of your warm bed

Snowball fights

Dad’s well-worn green corduroy jacket, carrying in arm loads of firewood from the woodpile outside

La: always barefoot, even in the dead of winter

Flannel nightgowns and pink embroidered robes

Clear, cold nights

Amaretto Coffee Creamer

¾ cup non-dairy coffee creamer

1 tsp. almond extract

1 tsp. cinnamon

¾ cup powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to blend. Store in airtight container and give creamer with this recipe: Combine 2 tablespoons of creamer with cup of coffee.

Bavarian Mint Coffee Creamer

¾ cup non-dairy coffee creamer

½ cup Dutch processed cocoa

¾ cup powdered sugar

½ tsp. peppermint extract

Combine all ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well to blend. Store in airtight container and give creamer with this recipe: Combine 2 tablespoons of creamer with cup of coffee.

Note: I like to use recycled Starbucks coffee jugs for my homemade coffee creamers. Just remove the label (it comes off very easily), wash (at least once in the dishwasher), and dry. Pour in either of the creamers. Then I create a label with instructions on how to make the coffee and tie on with curly ribbon. Just try it. It’s easy!

Trail Mix

1 large jar plain, unsalted peanuts or cashews

1 large bag holiday M & M’s

1 large bag yogurt-covered raisins (preferably white)

1 large bag mini holiday mints

1 large bag spice drops or 1 large bag candy corn

In a very large bowl, pour in above ingredients. Mix well. Then scoop into clean jars or plastic containers with lids. Double or triple the recipe, as needed, to make the appropriate number of gifts. Also try combinations, like cashews or almonds, Peanut M & Ms, regular raisins—whatever sounds good.

Be prepared: This is SOOOOO easy and quick to make—but it can be very expensive. Buy the above ingredients on sale, when possible.

Word of caution: If giving to young children, make sure you know whether they have an allergy to nuts FIRST. You don’t want anyone having an allergic reaction to something you’ve given as a gift.

Homemade Dog Bones

2¼ cups whole wheat flour (not the white kind)

½ cup nonfat dry milk

1 egg

½ cup vegetable oil

1 beef bouillon cube, dissolved in ½ cup hot water

1 Tbsp. brown sugar

Set oven at 300 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients, stirring until well blended. Knead dough 2 minutes. On a floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll out dough to ¼-inch thickness. Use a 2½-inch long bone-shaped cookie cutter to cut out bones. Bake 30 minutes on an ungreased baking sheet. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen dog bones.

These dog bones make a great gift for family and friends that have dogs. Mom and I made these together one year and had a blast doing it. I had to go out to a local Gourmet Shop to find a cookie cutter in the shape of a dog bone.

When we made them the first time, we rolled the dough out a little on the thin side. After they finished cooking, they were a little brittle. I suggest making the dough at least ¼-inch thick—maybe a little thicker.

After they cooled completely, I placed 3 – 6 bones into small sandwich bags and added them to Christmas gift bags made up for friends and family.

There’s no better way to add holiday fragrance to your home than with simmers. This also makes a great gift!

Kitchen Potpourri

1 cup dried lemon peel

1 cup dried orange peel

1 cup whole cloves

12 cinnamon sticks, broken into 2-inch pcs

½ cup whole allspice

¼ cup ground nutmeg, optional

The most practical way to accumulate the necessary peels is to do so gradually, as fruits are used for other purposes. Save the peels, cut them into thin strips, spread them on a tray, and let them dry naturally in a warm, well-aired room, about 3 to 7 days.

If you’re in a hurry, peel the fruits and cut the rinds into thin strips (about 3 cups to make 1 cup when dried), and spread on a baking sheet. Dry in the oven set at its lowest temperature until the peels are dry and brittle to touch.

To make the potpourri, combine the thoroughly dried peels with the spices and store in an airtight jar.

To use: place a heaping spoonful of this blend of spices and peels in an open pan of water (about 1 cup) on the back of the stove. Bring to a boil; then lower the temperature and simmer.

Variation:
If you don’t have orange or lemon peels readily available, No Worries! Use what you’ve got. 1 cup mixed dry “pine” needles (like Cedar, white pine or spruce work well) along with 1 cup small cones, and/or 1 cup rosemary branches, which has a very woody spruce-like aroma. Then combine with the spices in the above recipe.

Parmesan-Garlic Popcorn Spice

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. salt, optional

3 tsp. dried tarragon

3 tsp. garlic powder

3 tsp. parsley flakes

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl; stir until well blended. Store in an airtight container. If given as a gift, provide the following instructions: to serve, melt ¼ cup butter in a small saucepan over low heat (or heat in microwave). Stir in 1 Tablespoon popcorn spice. Pour over popped corn; stir well. From Christmas Gifts of Good Taste, by Leisure Arts, 1991, pg. 82.

Italian Herb Blend

3 Tbsp. dried basil

3 Tbsp. dried marjoram

3 Tbsp. dried thyme

3 Tbsp. dried tarragon

3 Tbsp. dried summer or winter savory

3 Tbsp. dried oregano

3 Tbsp. dried rosemary (my favorite)

3 Tbsp. dried fennel or dill (or combo)

1 Tbsp. dried lemon peel

1½ tsp. garlic powder

Store bought herbs in tiny tins or glass containers do not have an unlimited shelf life. They last only about 6 months. But most of us have little rusting herb tins sitting in our cupboard from the year we got married! It’s not that they aren’t any good anymore, but they definitely loose their potency after a long period of time—especially if exposed to sunlight. A great way to use up the herbs is to make herb blends. It’s simple and fun!

Chili Seasoning Mix

⅓ cup chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. paprika

1 tsp. cilantro

1 Tbsp. dried onion flakes

1 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. sugar

½ tsp. red pepper

Place all ingredients in a container with a lid and shake until well blended. Then place in a plastic sandwich bag or recycled seasoning jar. Give as a gift with the Easy Chili recipe found in the Main Meals section.

Italian Dressing Mix

1 tsp. dried onion flakes

1 Tbsp. dried parsley flakes

¼ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. dried sweet basil

¼ tsp. dried thyme

¼ tsp. dried marjoram

½ tsp. celery seeds

½ tsp. garlic powder

2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

1 tsp. sugar

¼ tsp. pepper

Place all ingredients in a container with a lid and shake until well blended. Then place in a plastic sandwich bag or recycled seasoning jar.

If giving as a gift, here are two quick recipes:
Herb Bread: Use frozen white bread dough. Thaw bread loaf, based on package directions. Knead in the above ingredients and finish rising and cooking, based on package directions.

Snapshot memories…

The Salvation Army, bell ringing and spare change

Milk and cookies left out for Santa on Christmas Eve

Large boxes of grapefruit

Playing with the old Nativity set tucked under the Christmas tree

Cross-stitch pieces made with love

Playing Santa on Christmas morning!

Sheer chaos when we begin opening presents; torn wrapping paper, boxes and bows flying thru the air. The floor is covered with little kids, gifts and debris; moving around is like navigating thru a minefield: there’s no safe place to walk!

Decorating the tree with scratchy Chipmunks albums playing in the background. “Alvin? Al-vin?” “O-KAY!!”

Dog-sitting Bejet during Christmas break

Big blocks of very strong Swiss Cheese. Yummy!

Dad’s favorite: Edelweiss

Stuffed Santa with plastic rosy cheeks, shiny black belt and fluffy white beard

Sparkling outdoor Christmas lights strung on a Spruce tree, lightly blanketed with snow

How to Store Oils and Vinegars

Store flavored vinegars in sterilized glass bottles with airtight, nonmetallic lids in a cool, dark place. Store flavored oils in airtight bottles (the darker the better) in a cool, dark place or in the refrigerator. Oils flavored with garlic, herbs, or anything else that grows in the soil should be kept in the refrigerator. Some oils solidify when chilled, but they’ll return to normal when allowed to come to room temperature. Oils become rancid quickly, so discard any that develop an off-flavor.

Excerpt from Low Fat, High-Flavor Cookbook, published in 1995, pg. 38.

I’m a nail-biter. Always have been. Always will be. But, mom did give a valiant effort to try to break me of this habit when I was little.

One thing she tried was dipping my fingers in vinegar. Let me tell ya how successful that worked: vinegar and oil is my favorite salad dressing. Need I say more?!

“Christmas is a time when you get homesick—even when you're home.”
Carol Nelson

Rosemary and White Wine Vinegar

1 package fresh rosemary sprigs (found in the fresh vegetables section at your grocery) or 4 just cut sprigs

6 cups white wine vinegar

Rinse off rosemary sprigs; pat dry with paper towels. Crush the rosemary lightly with the back of a spoon to release the essential oils in the herb. In a medium stainless steel saucepan, combine rosemary sprigs and vinegar. Bring almost to boiling. Remove from the heat; cool. Pour the mixture into a clean, recycled wine bottle. Cover with a cork. Let stand in a cool dark place for 2 weeks.

Strain the vinegar; discard rosemary. Transfer the flavored vinegar to another clean, recycled bottle.

If giving as gift, vinegar can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months and can be used in fresh green salads, pasta salads and meat marinades.

Other flavored vinegars:

Experiment and use different herbs alone or in interesting combinations. Here are some other herbs to try with white or red wine vinegar: oregano, basil, tarragon, mint, thyme—whatever you have available. And jalapeno peppers can add some zing to flavored vinegars, too. Do avoid adding garlic cloves, however—unless planning to use the flavored vinegar right away. Since most vinegars are used over a period of 6 months, the fresh garlic can cause botulism. And we don’t want that.

Homemade Strawberry Jam

2 quarts (8 cups) strawberries, washed, capped, and mashed

1 (1¾-ounce) package powdered pectin

¼ cup lemon juice

7 cups sugar

It’s very important your jars are clean prior to using them. Run your jars through the dishwasher the same day you’ll be using them. Remove them from the dishwasher, one at a time, as you make your jam. Or, boil them. (I just don’t have a big enough kitchen for yet another pan on the stove. That’s why I use the dishwasher for the jars.)

Using a large canner pot, fill with water, at least half full and boil. (Once the rack is lowered with your filled jars, you want the water to cover the jars by 1 – 2 inches, so adjust the water level, as needed.)

In a second smaller saucepan, fill with water and boil. Throw your two-piece jar lids in the boiling water and remove the lids as you need them.

I’m not going to try and fool you. Making jams and jellies are a lot of work—but it’s also fun and the end product is delicious. Try it sometime when you’re feeling domestic and have some free time. I betcha can’t make just one batch!

Tips for Making Strawberry Jam

Items you’ll need when making jams:

ü      ½ pint or pint jars, cleaned, with lids

ü      Masher (like for potatoes)

ü      Large canner pot with wire rack inside

ü      Jar lifter (these are like large tongs)

ü      Plastic funnel to help fill your jars

ü      Large Dutch oven or soup pot

ü      Smaller sauce pan for boiling lids

When choosing strawberries: go for the smaller ones that are locally grown vs. the large, bright red ones grown out west. The reason? The smaller ones tend to be much sweeter and juicier. The big ones from California that you buy in a large grocery chain tend to be hard and not very sweet or juicy. Those types of strawberries are not best for jams and jellies.

Use your strawberries quickly after purchasing them. Here in Kentucky, May can be a soggy/muggy time of the year. If you sit on strawberries—just two days—you’ll end up throwing away some of them because of mold or bad spots. Any strawberries that have blemishes on them or are really mushy just throw away.

“Happiness is like jam. You can't spread even a little without getting some on yourself.”

Snapshot memories…

Hearing what MUST BE reindeer hooves on our snow covered rooftop Christmas Eve

Going to see the Nut Cracker and A Christmas Carol

Making homemade gifts for family and friends

Adults-only Christmas Dinner Out

Mom and dad smooching under the plastic mistletoe; a mischievous elf dangling from the chain

Pooling together our shekels to buy mom and dad a Christmas gift

Carefully hanging mom’s old tin and glass ornaments with peeled and faded paint onto the Christmas tree

Making last minute food runs to the local Piggly Wiggly

Ebenezer Scrooge (sometimes dad), “Bah humbug!”

The white garish Christmas tree with the bows and gold fans that dad won. It was SO 70’s!

Mint Jelly

4 cups unsweetened apple juice

¼ cup lemon juice

1¾ ounces powdered fruit pectin

4½ cups sugar

1 cup chopped mint leaves

Green food coloring

Combine apple juice, lemon juice and fruit pectin in an 8-quart pot. Let stand for 2 minutes, stir to dissolve, and bring to a full boil, stirring often. Now stir in sugar and chopped mint leaves. Return to a full boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Now add green food coloring—about 6 drops.

Note: Removing the chopped leaves can be difficult. Consider placing chopped leaves in a muslin bag. This will be easier to remove than tiny mint pieces.

Remove from heat, skim the foam, and strain out the mint. Ladle (or funnel) into six hot, sterilized half-pint jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Cover with sterilized lids and process in boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and cool.

Freezer Strawberry Jam

2 cups finely mashed strawberries

4 cups sugar

1 package powdered pectin

1 cup water

Or:

24 ounces sliced, frozen, unsweetened strawberries

3 cups water

4 Tbsp. lemon juice

1 package powdered pectin

1 cup minus 2 Tbsp. water

Chocolate or White Bark

1 package chocolate or white bark coating

1 large jar or package of nuts (we normally use peanuts, but it’s good with any)

Or: finely chopped red or green peppermint candies (about 20 – 25)

Using a double boiler, heat water in bottom of double boiler to boiling. Remove from heat and add coating in top of double boiler. Stir until melted.

Note: Do not overheat (it’ll cause scorching) and use dry utensils—moisture will cause the coating to separate and will ruin the candy.

Once melted, stir in nuts or finely chopped peppermint candies. Stir well.

Then pour onto an ungreased cookie or pizza pan. Spread quickly and evenly over the entire pan. Refrigerate until hard. (This won’t take too long.)

Once the candy is set, break into pieces and put into clean tins or plastic containers until needed.

Holiday Candy Molds

1 package chocolate, white bark coating or
candy melts

Plastic or tin holiday candy mold of choice

Couple drops of oil-based candy flavor, optional

Couple drops candy color, optional

Using a double boiler, heat water in bottom of double boiler to boiling. Remove from heat and add candy in top of double boiler. Stir until melted.

And here are two designs for the back of your tag. If you do not want to make a double-sided tag, just go with one of the designs below.

Linda’s Caramel Corn

5 – 6 quarts popped popcorn

2 cups brown sugar

1 cup butter

½ cup dark corn syrup

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. baking soda

Set oven to 250 degrees.

Put popcorn in roasting pan large enough to stir popcorn in.

Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup & salt in saucepan; boil 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda. Immediately pour over popcorn and stir.

Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes to distribute caramel coating evenly. Let cool before eating. Little Big Dave really loves this, too!

Sandy McNeil’s Mini-Cheese Cakes

Graham cracker crumbs

3 egg whites

¾ cup sugar

2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese

3 egg yolks

¾ cup sour cream

2½ tsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Butter mini-muffin tins well with fingers. Coat with graham cracker crumbs and shake ‘til sides are coated well. Beat egg whites ‘til stiff. In a separate bowl, beat sugar, cream cheese, and yolks. Fold both mixtures together. Spoon in mixture and fill to top. Bake 15 minutes. Remove and cool.

Mom’s Mini Pumpkin Breads

1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed

½ cup shortening (like Crisco)

2 unbeaten eggs

1 cup of pumpkin

¼ cup dark molasses

⅛ cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla

2 cups flour

½ tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. cinnamon

¼ tsp. ginger

1 cup chopped nuts

Set oven at 350 degrees.

Mix brown sugar, shortening, eggs. Beat together. Then add the pumpkin, molasses, milk, and vanilla. Mix with the flour, nutmeg, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger. Mix well. Fold in the nuts.

This is enough for one
9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan or five mini loaves.

Bake for 40 – 45 minutes. The smaller loaves may take less time. Monitor closely and poke with a toothpick. When it comes out clear, they’re done.

These make excellent Christmas gifts. You can also freeze to give at a later date. Wait until completely cooled. Then wrap with 2 layers of tin foil. Freeze for up to 45 days.

Decorating the Christmas tree…

As kids, decorating the Christmas tree was a family affair. To get us in the holiday spirit as we opened the storage boxes, we always played our favorite Christmas music like Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass and The Chipmunks!

Dad was in charge of putting up the artificial tree (no real ones for us thanks to La’s allergy to anything Evergreen), while the kids were responsible for helping mom unwrap the holiday decorations.

One of the first items unpacked was the colored Christmas lights. We’d start unwinding them in the living room and run them all the way into the kitchen! “Watch where ya step,” we’d yell, as folks wandered through the house with armfuls of holiday decorations.

We always got excited when, as the lights warmed up, they’d start to blink. And boy, were we bummed out when a strand (or worse, half a strand) didn’t light up. Then dad would make us check, ever so tediously, every bulb on the strand to find the dud.

The Christmas lights, like all personal items, were tended and packed away with care so that we might enjoy them again for years to come.

After dad strung up the lights, we would add the old strands of glass and tin beads. They were a pain in the neck to unravel and we were hesitant to handle them because many of the beads were chipped and broken, hanging precariously by a thread. In fact, every year we thought they were a lost cause and perhaps should (FINALLY!) be thrown away. But they had an old charm about them. And with mom’s loving touch, helped to make our tree special. I can’t even imagine our family tree without them!

After that, mom and dad would renew their annual dispute regarding the gold tinsel garland: do we hang the garland before or after the ornaments? Both made very valid points, but we always had the same conclusion: BEFORE the ornaments. Two points for mom, negative 10 for dad! (He rarely won arguments like that—especially when his girls would gang up on him and side with mom.) “Who asked for your two cents anyway?” he’d ask when one of us butted in. But he still conceded, every year. You gotta love tradition!

Strawberry Bread

3 cups buttermilk biscuit mix

½ cup sugar

1 3-ounce box strawberry-flavored gelatin

1 tsp. dried lemon peel

2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen sliced strawberries, thawed and divided