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Showing posts from December, 2012

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

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Tomorrow will come early for us, I'm afraid.  Presents will be unwrapped and cinnamon rolls baked before the sun is up- that's how it is in this house!  But tonight, the preparations are finished.  The last 4 weeks have been busy- planning, cooking, shopping, cleaning, teaching; all to get ready for tomorrow. To celebrate, remember, gift each other, and spend time with family.  I'm exhausted from all the preparations, but I know I'd do it all over again... and I will... next year.

Sandbakkels

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Out of all of the things I wanted to keep of my  Grandma's , her Sandbakkel tins were first and foremost. Of all the many, MANY delicasies she make at Christmastime, these were my favorite.  Sandbakkels are a delicate almond-flavored shortbread tart.  I loved to use them to scoop up the homemade ice cream that was also a tradition at Grandma's house on Christmas night. And so, today I got the ancient box down (the instructions even say to bake in a "middle-hot" oven), and took out the tins that her hands had pressed the sugary, buttery dough into time and time again.  I used her hand-written recipe to instruct me, and found myself smiling that my sandbakkels were definitely NOT up to Grandma standards.  Her's were always perfect. Sandbakkels 1 cup butter 1/2 cup sugar 1 egg 3/4 tsp almond extract 2.5 cups flour Cream butter and sugar together. Beat in egg and extract.  Beat in flour until dough is stiff.  Press dough (in about 1"

Christmas Crafty

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I did some Christmas Crafts last weekend.  I'm kind of proud of them because 1) I'm not naturally very crafty- I WANT to be, but it isn't something I grew up doing 2) They were really cheap crafts 3) They look pretty darn good! Craft #1:  Tomato Cage Christmas Tree 1) Take a tomato cage 2) Invert it onto an appropriately sized pot (I just used an old cracked one from my back yard) 3) String lights on the tomato cage (I used 300 lights).  Pinch the top wires together to form a point and wrap with lights 4) Take some garland and tuck around the base My cost (the lights were the only thing I bought):  $6 Craft #2:  "Snowy" Candle Jars 1) Take some old jars (salsa, canning, jelly, whatever) 2) Fill half-way with epsom salt 3) Place a tea-light in the salt 4) Tie a ribbon or piece of twine around the jar My cost:  $4 (epsom salt, tea lights and ribbon all purchased at the dollar store) Inspired by some shiny coffeti I had stashed away i