Me and Santa

Wow, this picture lets me know that faux fur has always been haute.

Right now I am listening to Mariah Carey Christmas CD and other smooth tunes.  KEM sounds so soothing.  Well I hope that everyone has a Merry Christmas and a Happy Holidays.

In my neck of the woods we received snow from above on Christmas Eve.  I love it, so beautiful.

Happy Friend Friday !

1. Your favorite holiday memory:

Christmas at my Grandmother

My favorite holiday memory is my mother and grandmother preparing a feast for the whole family.  Everything would look so good and it was such a wonderful time.  I remember making rolls with my grandmother. She would show me how to roll them and how long it would take for them to get brown on top. My mother, grandmother and I would drive downtown Saint Louis to Ms. Hulling’s Cafeteria to pick up a German chocolate cake (yum yum) and a split lemon cake. My grandmother would also bake at least 9 sweet potato pies for each family member to take home with them.  I have such fond memories of my Dad helping me put together my doll house and he would play tea time with me.  I am the only child so my Dad and Mother would always be included in the re-enactments of the doll playing. I also remember leaving cookies for Santa and ice cold milk. I would try to stay up to see him but fell asleep.   By morning the cookies and milk were always gone.

2. Were you ever a victim of those family Christmas party photo
shoots? What do you think about them now? Care to share an old photo?
I must admit that I look back and my clothes looked so big on me.  In these pictures, clothes and being a fashion victim was the last thing on my mind. I was going through some things; but thank the Lord I went through them and I have overcome them.  So now, I look and I don’t feel the least bad about any of it because I know that young girl in those photos had so much growing and learning to do so it’s okay. I am constantly learning and growing, we all are so that was just a moment in time.

Pictures of me and my Grandmother and I

3. Best Christmas gift you ever gave:
I must admit I don’t focus a lot on gifts for Christmas so I really have to think about this question.  I have had to take care of both of my parents who are no longer with me now so that is the best gift I could give is me, that’s all I had to give. I have to give a big hug and thank you to my husband who helped me take care of my father, I couldn’t have done it without him.

4. Craziest/funniest holiday family tradition:
I will not say it is crazy or a funny holiday tradition; but it is very precious to my heart.  My family would always have fun decorating the tree.  In my grandmother’s case, she decorated at least two, sometimes three trees.  She loved Christmas and I know because my family loved it so that the tradition has filled my heart and my husband’s heart.  My Mother would always put under the tree my favorite Christmas coloring books and a Twas The Night Before Christmas book that she and my Dad gave to me as a young child. So many years later, I put these same books under the tree, on top of the tree skirt. My husband arranges the manger sets and other decorations while I put on the ornaments on the tree. This year we decided to start a new tradition by getting our first real tree, a balsam fir. We love it. This makes me feel so good inside.

Hubby with Balsam Fir

5. Favorite Cookie: Surprise Cookie

Evening Guild of St. Jacobi Lutheran Church Cookbook called a Surprise Cookie and it’s super easy.

1 Cup of Peanut Butter

1 Egg

1 Cup of White Sugar

½ tsp. Vanilla

Mix together and drop by ½ teaspoons on ungreased cookie sheet.  I like to take a fork and do a criss- cross mark on each cookie.  Bake in a 350 degree oven. Cook until lightly brown.  The recipe does not tell you how long to cook them.

Favorite Peanut Brittle from Better Homes & Garden Dessert Cook book, ca. 1967.

Peanut Brittle

Peanut Brittle

2 cups Sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

2 cups unroasted (raw) Spanish peanuts

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon butter or margarine

¼ teaspoon soda

Slowly cook sugar, corn syrup and 1 cup water in heavy skillet, stirring till sugar dissolves. Cook to soft-ball stage (test a few drops in cold water). Add peanuts and salt. Cook to hard-crack stage, stirring constantly (remove from heat while testing). Add butter and soda; stir to blend. (Mixture will bubble). Pour onto butter splatters.
Cool partially by lifting edges with spatula. Keep spatula moving under mixture so it won’t stick. When firm but still warm, turn over; pull edges to make brittle thinner in center. Break in pieces when cold.
Or use unroasted Virginia peanuts, but you’ll need to blanch these ahead. Cover with boiling water, let stand 3 minutes; run under cold water. Remove coating.

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