My Favourite Time of Year--A Contest to Celebrate!

gifts but I get mostly gift cards as I can not please most of the people I buy for or it is so hard to ship gifts that it is just easier to send a gift card. 

What kind of cookies are you looking for a recipe for?  I have a lot of cookbooks and will try and find some for you. 

I have a hard time with the holidays, as I'm not close, geographically, to family and am on my own here now (divorced). In past years I've spent Xmas Day with a friend and her family, which has been fine because they are wonderful people, but I've always felt like the proverbial fifth wheel. Not sure what I will do this year, probably just have a quiet day on my own with the fur kids. It bothers me a bit, but boy, there are a LOT of people who are on their own, with no place to go over the holidays. It's not all happy, happy, joy, joy for many. (My dearest friend is going through a divorce right now, after 18 years of marriage, so it's not going to be a happy time for her, either. Would that we lived closer!)

As for holiday shopping, usually I do a bit, especially for family, but this year I've been side-swiped by recent BIG vet bills and I haven't the funds to do much. Lest this turn into a bring-out-the-violins post (which is NOT my intent), I'll add that I've created a couple of photo calendars for gifts (my own photos, of course) and probably will frame a few of my printed photos as well. That's inexpensive and a bit more personal that other things I might do. So it's not too bad!

I do have a dead-simple meltaway shortbread cookie recipe, no rolling or chilling of dough required, but don't have it handy, as I'm at the office. If I think of it later this evening I'll post it. It's super high in fat, but oh, so yummy. LOL.

The family gathers at my parents house for supper. After supper some of head off to church for the children's Christmas program. While we are gone Santa comes visitting but nobody that stayed behind saw anything (they were either outside having a smoke, downstairs or napping)Then it's time to open presents. Our tradition has always been to celebrate Christmas Eve. That way members of the family that need to be somewhere else Christmas Day don't have to worry about where to spend the holidays

For shopping since most family members are on a strict budget, we limit presents to kids only. So I really only need to buy for 4(two more this year because a granddaughter and neice were added.)

So good...unless you hate coconut!

1/2 cup butter (I've used both salted and unsalted)

1/2 cup oil (anything but olive oil should do)

3 TBSP sugar

2 SCANT cups of white flour

1 cup coconut

Mix all ingredients (I usually get my hands in there), roll into 1-inch balls. Bake at 375F for 20 minutes, roll in granulated sugar while still warm. Recipe can be doubled or tripled.

Super easy!

I love decorating, and used to bake up a storm.  But as the years have progressed, we do less entertaining and people watch what they eat - not least myself.  So I bake much less, unless my sons specifically ask for something, and then I recruit them to help.

The favorite in my family is a recipe my mother handed down, and simply calls Crunchies.

1 heaping cup chocolate chips

1 heaping cup Butterscotch chips (DH prefers Peanut Butter chips)

melt together in a double boiler until smooth

remove from heat

Stir in 1 cup salted peanuts and 2 cups dried chow mein noodles

Stir until everything is coated, then drop onto cookie sheets lined with waxed paper.  Refrigerate until set.  Keep in Fridge or Freezer until ready to serve.  

I can remember Mom setting them out with other cookies, but I don't know if its the chocolate I use, or my memory - I find that they get too messy if they reach room temperature, and are best slightly chilled.

In fact, I'm thinking that this weekend will be the perfect time to get ready for the Christmas holidays.  We're having our family "Christmas" this Sunday (somewhere else), but I'm thinking that the house should be spruced up to "get in the mood".  We get together mid November every year before the hustle and bustle begins; in this way, most of us can attend.  In the olden days, Santa appeared bearing gifts for the wee ones.  Now that wee ones have wee ones, we actually just call it a "get together" rather than Christmas, so Santa doesn't come.  He might return in future years, though!

Holiday shopping starts the previous year or so.  I have tons of stuff set aside, all bought on sale, of course, but I'm sure there will be some last-minute purchases made, especially by my DH....

One of the traditions we have is that on Christmas Eve after church, we drive around our fair city and check out all the Christmas decorations.  It's so festive!  Then we attend a friend's party for a couple of hours, where lots of good food and drinks abound.  We come home and get out all the presents, set them out dutifully, and wait for morning to arrive.  Now that my kids are in their twenties, it's really neat that they buy stuffers and big presents too, so there are lots of good laughs Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Before all that can happen, though, apparently I must write some Christmas poetry.  I used to do something like a newsletter and individualize everyone's comments, but a few years back I wrote a poem bringing people up-to-date on our year.  I had so many people tell me that I just had to continue this "tradition", so now I write our updates every November.  Since our family "get together" is this Sunday, I'm thinking I'd better write that update tomorrow or so.  Bah, humbug (just kidding).

Thanks for the reminder!

I'm loving all of ya'lls recipes. So... here's mine:

Pralines:1c. white sugar

              1/2 c. brown sugar (I mix light & dark)

              1/2 c. evaporated milk (4oz)

               1 small box vanilla pudding (COOK type)

               2 tbsp. margarine or butter

                1 c. coarsely chopped pecans

Combine ALL but pecans in a microwave bowl; Microwave 5 minutes on High -- watch for boil over; Cook 5 mins on 70%; Take out, stir, add pecans; drop onto parchment paper or waxpaper that's on cooking racks.Let cool & harden. And make these on a dry day-- humiditiy keeps them from setting up. Enjoy!

Tammy, congratulations!!

Happy Reading!