Early Christmas for us!

We had our family together so it was good, after Thanksgiving, to go ahead and put up the tree!

 

 

The grands were so excited to help!

First the ornaments.....

 

 

This is Nina's "area".......love how she groups the pinks!!! 

 

Then running to put presents under the tree!!!

 

The next day, after breakfast, opening and playing with the presents!

 

Art supplies and troll dolls. 

Here is the art work....in the sketch book!

 

That afternoon we baked and decorated cookies! Tasha Tudor sugar cookies!

Here is the recipe!

 

 

 

 

 

Then to make a great moment, we took the little ones downtown to see the Lights of the Ozarks!..

 

 

Happy girls riding ponies!

 

Steve and Laura share a hug!

 

Then bedtime, and a bedtime story!

 

Happy times for us!

I first posted this recipe in December 2006.

It is worth doing again, it is one of our family Christmas traditions.

Tasha Tudor Christmas Sugar Cookies
1 pound of (real) butter
2 eggs
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
a pinch of salt
1 T. vanilla
1 t. baking soda dissolved in 3 T. milk


Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix until a smooth dough is formed. Form into a ball, dust with flour and chill thoroughly before using.Then break into conveniently sized pieces, adding a bit more flour as needed. Roll out to a scant 1/4 " thickness...or as thin as possible. Dust with granulated sugar and nutmeg and cut into shapes. Bake until light brown in a 350 degree oven (about 12 minutes). This recipe makes 5 or 6 dozen cookies. Cookies may be made in advance and stored in an airtight container.

[The wonderful artist, Tasha Tudor, passed away on June 18th this year, but her life will not be quickly forgotten!]
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I am planning to make this dough tomorrow and have it ready to make the cookies.
Mr. Pear and son Andrew should arrive late tomorrow, followed by daughter-in-law Mary on Tuesday. As the house fills up, it will be fun to do some baking together!
I also plan to make some no-bake orange coconut balls.

ORANGE COCONUT BALLS

Ingredients:
12 ounces vanilla wafer cookies, crushed
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 cup orange juice concentrate, thawed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup chopped pecans
sifted confectioners' sugar or coconut for coating
Preparation:Combine cookie crumbs and 1 cup confectioners' sugar; blend in butter. Stir in orange juice concentrate; add vanilla and nuts. Shape mixture into balls about the size of walnuts; shake in food storage bag with sifted confectioners' sugar or coconut. Arrange orange balls in single layer on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet; store uncovered overnight in refrigerator for best flavor. Makes about 3 dozen.

I hope you have a lovely Christmas week. I'll be stopping by your blogs as time permits. [tonight I am on-line late, I'm babysitting the grandchildren and thank goodness the baby has fallen asleep. The parents are out with a party of friends in a limosine for a night on the town!]

One dream I have is to get tickets for Mr. Pear and I to take granddaughter Lilia to see the Nutcracker ballet at the Fox theater downtown. That would be fabulous!

It's ABC Wednesday at Mrs. Nesbitts! Today's letter is "K".

"K" is for kids!

My children coloring Easter eggs a couple of decades ago!!!!!

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NOW a fun little test....yoga related perhaps?

Your Dosha is Pitta

You have a quick mind, a gift for persuasion, and a sharp sense of humor. You have both the drive and people skills to be a very successful leader. Argumentative and a bit stubborn, you have been known to be a little too set in your ways. But while you may be biased toward your own point of view, you are always honest, fair, and ethical. With friends: You are outgoing and open to anyone who might want to talk to you In love: You are picky but passionate To achieve more balance: Be less judgmental of those around you, and take cool walks in the moonlight.

What's" Your Dosha?

[Don't know if I agree with my results...I am NOT argumentative, hmmmph!]

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What I am baking this afternoon.....and I will use an antique bird cookie cutter to cut these out....

SHORT BREAD CUTOUT COOKIES

1 c. butter (cold)

1/2 c. sugar

2 c. flour

2 T. dried lavendar (optional)

Cut butter into sugar and flour with pastry cutter until well blended. Roll about 1/3 of dough out on floured surface to about 1/8 inch. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 on ungreased light colored cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes. Bake only until set and slightly brown on bottoms. Very good plain, or frost with butter cream frosting if desired. Makes about 4 dozen.

We did get the tree decorated!

You can see all the things still calling for attention...my "broken" sewing machine, a framed painting, packages to ship....

Instead, Mr. Pear is down with a cold....so to make our world more cozy and comforting, I am making some chocolate chip oatmeal cookies!

To stir the dough, I love to use this slotted spatula. It is now one of my favorite kitchen tools ( and I am giving some for gifts!). I think it was created to lift fish from being poached...but it works so well for stirring, mixing (almost like a whisk) not to mention, flipping pancakes and removing cookies from the baking sheet once they are done!



Now for that oatmeal cookie recipe!

Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Cookies


Yields 18 large cookies



1 1/2 cups FLOUR
1/2 teaspoon SALT
1/2 teaspoon BAKING POWDER
8 ounces (2 sticks) UNSALTED BUTTER, softened
1 cup LIGHT BROWN SUGAR, packed
1 cup GRANULATED SUGAR
2 large EGGS
3 cups OATS
1 1/2 cups CHOCOLATE CHIPS



1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Whisk flour, salt and baking powder together in a medium bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, by hand or by mixer, beat butter until creamy. Add sugars and beat the mixture until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time.
4. Stir dry ingredients into butter-sugar mixture with a wooden spoon or a large rubber spatula. Stir in oats and chocolate chips.
5. Place dough onto parchment-lined cookie sheets by large spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons each), leaving at least 2 inches between.
6. Bake until cookie edges turn golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Slide cookies (on parchment) onto cooling rack. Let cool, and store in airtight container.



Lila's variation:


Add grated zest of one orange and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon to the dough!

Yummmmm!!!!!

It will soon be St. Nicholas Day.....one of the first "Christmas" events we celebrated with our children. On Dec. 5th, the eve of St. Nicholas Day, we would let them set out their shoes, to be filled with small treats by St. Nicholas.

This tradition comes from Holland, I think. We enjoy many ideas from other lands even if they aren't part of our family ethnic background.

The following cookie recipe is also from Holland. (And is very easy to make!!!)









Jan Hagels

Deliciously Dutch

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 egg white
1 teaspoon water
8 ounces sliced almonds


Method
Pre-heat oven to 325 F.
Beat together butter, sugar and egg yolk with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Stir in flour and cinnamon. Separate dough into 3 portions and spead thinly over 3 small baking sheets (or 2 larger ones).
Beat egg white and water in a small bowl until frothy. Spread over dough. Arrange the almonds in a mosaic pattern on top.
Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and slice into diamond shapes while hot.

Find more wonderful cookie recipes here.



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I am also delighted that I have won a book from Mary Timme's Christmas book giveaway. The book is Debbie Macomber's "Where Angels Go". Thank-you, Mary!!!

The Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cookies I am baking right now!
They are delicious! The recipe is from "Cottage Living" magazine September 2004!



I am also reading a bit while at Mom's....

The first book, "Yarn Harlot...the secret life of a knitter," is a
humorous series of essays about her knitting addiction, by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee who also has a blog.


Speaking of knitting, I visited a new blogging friend, Marilyn from New Mexico. Reading her post, from a few days back, made me want the latest issue of Interweave Knit...Fall 2007. For this pattern.

I love the easy swing and asymmetrical closure of this cardigan...I think Marilyn planning to knit it too!

I am very intrigued by this book from Great Britain," Jane Brockett: The Gentle Art of Domesticity", just published by a domestic goddess and articulate blogger/photographer, Jane Brockett. Every photograph she uses on her blog is luscious....and her book would be a true delight. It has just been published and I may "need" a copy to celebrate my recent birthday!





Finally, both of these bloggers, Jane and Marilyn recommended visiting this knitting designer!