Sauerkraut and Pork

This post is inspired by a prompt from Reflections of a Mother's Heart

The prompt was "New Year’s Traditions"

Pork and Sauerkraut

That’s pretty much what I think of when I think about New Year’s Eve.

It’s a German tradition which is supposed to give you blessings and wealth for the new year. At our house, it was eaten at midnight. I’m not sure that was part of the tradition or not.

What I do know is that we were blessed on the farm growing up. We may not have always had lots of wealth, but we had good friends. Friends that could be apart for a whole year, but pick up right where you left off when you got back together.

Christmas Program Stories

This post is inspired by a prompt from Reflections of a Mother's Heart

The prompt was "Have you ever been in a Christmas program?"

“I feel like an upside down bumble bee!”

When I think of Christmas programs, I am often reminded of one from early on in my childhood. We attended Bethany UMC in North Canton. One small boy got up to say his part and promptly forgot it. What came out was, “I feel like an upside down bumble bee.”

Almond Kringle

1 (12 oz) Solo almond filling   (or any preferred flavor)
2 C. sifted flour
1/2 teas salt
1 T. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 pkg active dry yeast
3/4 c. warm water
1/4 c. cold milk
1 egg, beaten

Cinnamon Rolls and Christmas Carols

This post is inspired by a prompt from Reflections of a Mother's Heart

The prompt was "Tell about a Christmas tradition"

My life centers around music and baking. These are two of the things that bring joy into my life. Ask anyone and they'll say, you could usually find me in the kitchen baking and singing... even in the college dormitory. And this is what makes Christmas the most joyful time of the year for me. 

I shared last week about baking cookies. To me there is nothing better than making cookies. It's just good therapy. It’s something I did every time I got a chance when I was growing up and  I don’t recall there being any complaints when I did. I still love to mix up a batch of cookies now and again.

The other divine delectable that I love to create is cinnamon rolls. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. Cinnamon. There is nothing better than cinnamon. The smell. The taste. It’s just good .. Oh so good. And this is the Christmas tradition I want to share today. Cinnamon Rolls.

Just a few days before Christmas, we would begin the process of making sweet cinnamon rolls. Pans of them. Dozens of pans of cinnamon rolls iced and topped with green and red candied cherries for that Christmas-y look.

Swedish Tea Ring

from the kitchen of Elaine Dawson

Prepare one recipe of Basic Sweet Dough as directed.

When double in bulk, punch down & divide in half.

Roll out each half into oblong 14x12x1/4"

Brush lightly with melted butter.

Mix together
3/4 C. brown sugar
1 to 1/2 tea cinnamon
1/2 C. currants, raisins, or dates (if desired)

Sprinkle half on each oblong of dough.

Roll up lengthwise.

Place on greased baking sheet

Form into a circle and seal ends together. With water dampen each end & press together.

Cut 1 inch slices almost through with scissors.

Turn each slice partly on its side, pointing away from the center.

Decorate with red & green candied cherries.

Cover. Let rise til double in size

Beat together
1 egg
2 Tbs milk

Brush egg mixture on top of roll.

Bake at 350 degree for 30 minutes.

Ice while warm.

Icing

1/2 c. sifted confectioner's sugar
2 teas milk
1/8 teas vanilla

Cinnamon Rolls

Elaine's Cinnamon Rolls

Prepare Basic Sweet dough.

When double in bulk, punch down and divide into 3 parts.

Roll each piece into 14x8x1/4

Brush with melted butter

Mix together

2 C. Sugar

1 Tbs Cinnamon

3/4 C. raisins (optional)

Sprinkle 1/3 of mixture on each oblong

Roll up lengthwise.

Slice 1 inch thick & Place in tins

Cover.

Let rise until double in bulk.

Bake at 425 degrees about 20 minutes

Ice while still warm.

Basic Sweet Dough

Elaine's Basic Sweet Dough  

Scald 2/3 c. milk

Add & stir in

1/2 c. sugar
1 1/2 tea. salt
6 TBS shortening
1 tea. vanilla   

Cool to lukewarm.

Measure into a separate bowl

2/3c. lukewarm water
2 TBS sugar  

Sprinkle or crumble in 2 pkg of yeast

Let stand until dissolved (5-10 minutes)

Add lukewarm milk mixture.

Add and stir in

3 eggs, beaten
3 C. all purpose flour

Beat until smooth.

Add an additional

3 C. all purpose flour

Turn dough onto lightly floured board.

Knead.

Place in greased bowl & brush top lightly with melted shortening.

Cover with clean towel.

Let rise in warm place until doubled (1 1/2 hour)

Form into one more shapes. (Tea rings, cinnamon rolls, etc)

Cream Cheese Mints

Cream Cheese Mints

3 oz Cream Cheese

3 C. powdered sugar

paste or gel coloring

oil peppermint flavoring to taste

Roll into a small ball.

Roll in sugar

Press into design mold or press down with a fork.

Let dry.

These are good covered in chocolate as well.

How to Get a Proper Sugar High

This post is inspired by a prompt from Reflections of a Mother's Heart

The prompt was "Share a favorite Christmas recipe"

It’s hard to choose just one favorite recipe; so, I have been sharing recipes all month. But having to do with holiday recipes, one of my favorite traditions is Christmas Cookie Baking Day.  {TWEET THIS}

It went something like this. I've left some links along the way.

1. Choose the best day.

For our family the best day for a sugar high is the day of Thanksgiving. This day was reserved for kicking off the Christmas season with decorating for Christmas, but most of all for making Christmas cookies.

2. Gather your family and/or best friends.

We invited all the aunts and our girls cousins to the farm. I specifically remember that Mom’s sister and her girls, (my cousins) would come to the farm and we would start to work.

Being in the ministry now, we were usually far from family. Many times I invited girls from the church to come over to help. We had a great time together.

Cathedral Windows

Cathedral Windows

1/2 c. butter
12 0z semisweet chocolate chips

Melt in microwave - careful not too hot

Cool a bit.

Add 10 oz  colored mini marshmallows

Wrap into saran wrap shaping into a log.

Refrigerate.

Slice 1/4 to 1/2" slices to serve.

mmm. mmm. good

Pecan Tassies

Pecan Tassies

CRUST

Cream together:
3 oz cream cheese
1/2 c. butter

ADd 1 c. Sifted flour

Chill 1 hour

Shape into 24 - 1" balls
Place in mini muffin tins (ungreased)
Press dough to the sides and bottom

FILLING

1 egg
3/4 c. brown sugar
1T soft butter
1 teas vanilla
dash of salt
Beat until smooth

Divide 1/3c chopped pecans evenly among tarts
Add the egg mixture

Top with another 1/3 c. chopped pecans


Bake at 325 degrees
25 minutes until filling is set

Cool.

Remove from muffin pan.

Butter Balls

Butter Balls

Submitted by Kandy Chimento

1 c. soft butter
1/4 c. sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts (I like pecans, others like walnuts)

Combine ingredients.

Roll into 1" balls

On ungreased cookie sheet

Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

Cool slightly & roll in powdered sugar.

Makes about 40.

I never made them chocolate before. But I notice she has instructions for that too ...
decrease butter to 3/4 c.
add 2 oz unsweetened cocoa
add addtl 2 T sugar

Buckeyes

"Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Balls"


Mix together

1 stick of butter
1 # powdered sugar
2 c. peanut Butter
1/2 teas vanilla


mix well.

roll into nut size balls

cool.

cover with chocolate, leaving a round portion open so that they look like a buckeye.

Refrigerated Cut Out Cookies

"Sugar Christmas Cookies"

Everyone loves these! Here is Mom's (Elaine's) Recipe
NOTE: This is a large recipe.

Mix in a large bowl and set aside

2 T. lemon juice
1 teas soda

in a separate bowl, mix together

3 1/2 c. confectioner's sugar
1 lb of butter
4 eggs
4 T milk

Add alternately,

lemon juice mixture (above) and
4 c. flour (a little more if using large eggs)


Refrigerate over night.

Roll out dough to 1/4" and cutout desired shapes.

Bake at 375 degrees. 8-10 minutes

Decorate if desired.

Peanut Butter Spritz

Christmas Tree Spritz

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 large egg
1/2 teas vanilla
1 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 teas baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teas salt

1. Cream butter and peanut butter in large mixing bowl
2. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well
3. Combine flour, baking powder. baking soda, & salt in separate bowl
4. Add to peanut / sugar mixture in three additions; mixing well between each addition. dough should be stiff
5. Press cookies on ungreased, uncoated baking sheet
6. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-12 minutes or until golden around the edges. Do not over bake.

Chocolate Spritz [Press Cookies]

Chocolate Spritz

These are favorites at our place. Growing up we quadrupled the recipe



Preheat oven to 375*

Cream together:
1 C. Shortening (we used real butter)
2 C. sugar

Add in:
2 eggs
1 TBS. almond extract (optional)

sift together
4 oz. baking chocolate (if using liquid or paste add this to butter mixture above)
3 1/2 c. All purpose flour
1 tsp salt

4 T. milk
Combine dry ingredients alternating with milk

Press dough onto an ungreased baking sheet.




Bake for 8-10 minutes

Cool on sheet for 5 minutes and remove.


Enjoy!

What is your favorite cookie recipe?