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.

3. Select the best place.

We had a large basement used for many things, such as laundry and rolling skating. But on this particular day, baking cookies. Our basement was set up with one or two ovens and a large space where we set up tables. If I’m not mistaken, we used saw horses and plywood pieces to create large tables because we would definitely need more space than a counter would offer.

4. Create atmosphere.

These days with the internet and Bluetooth it wouldn’t be hard to pipe in some music. But back in the day, we would take a radio down with us. Or maybe put on the stack of Christmas records and turn up the sound.

5. Start mixing up Christmas Cookie Dough.

Start with any doughs that have to be refrigerated. This means we start with the favorite sugar cookies. Mom usually had mixed up a huge batch of dough the previous night.

6. Roll out the Cookie Dough for Cutting Shapes.

We began rolling out the dough into thin layers, ready to be cut into various Christmas shapes. Christmas trees, bells, santas, stars, and probably a few others. Placed on baking sheets and baked. I loved to sneak the extra dough left behind after cutting. (The first ingestion of sugar) We baked dozens and dozens of these cookies because everyone loves a sugar cookie. And there would be many parties to take a cookie plate along with us.

7. Frost and Decorate.

This would be another chance to intake lots of sugar. We lightly frosted our cookies, really just enough to get the sprinkles to stick to the cookies. Mom figured out later with the grandkids that a thin frosting worked well for the kids. Then she gave each one a pastry brush instead of a knife. There would be a lot of licking and tasting at this  point.

8. Mix up a Large Batch of Chocolate Spritz Cookies.

While you are at it. Go ahead and mix up some Peanut Butter Spritz as well. Again, take in a bit of sugar here because you really must taste the dough while mixing.

9. Press out Christmas trees and wreaths.

Back then, our cookie press was manual. It was a metal tube with a screw type handle on the top. You would have to turn the screw to press out the dough. This could get a bit achy for your wrist. So take turns and go ahead and test the dough again. After all, you need the energy. Now a days, you should be able to find a battery operated press or a manual squeeze-and-click version. They all have there issues.

10. Mix up some Butter Balls.

Some people call these Wedding Cookies. What ever you call them they are to die for. By indication of their name, be sure you use real butter. After all, we do live on a dairy farm. These don’t have much sugar, so this is your chance for a break if you are getting a little dizzy and overwhelmed by the sugar. Rolling and rolling .. Dozens and dozens of these little white balls. Bake them. Cool them. Shake them in a bag of powdered sugar. Oops, well forget that about “not much sugar”.

10. Make some candies.

Buckeyes, because we live in Ohio are peanut butter balls covered in chocolate with the exception of a small round portion which makes them look like a buckeye. And oh, the mints. I still love the mints. Again rolling and rolling little balls of delicacies. We would roll the cream cheese mints and the peanut butter dough. Mints were pressed down with a fork and then cooled. It looked like railroad tracks. You could leave them like this or dip them in chocolate. Oh my goodness.

Speaking of Chocolate, you might want to whip up a quick  roll of Cathedral Windows for slicing later.

Are you eyes rolling back in your head yet?

There's more of course, but you'll have to go the the recipe page for them.

You should have a good buzz by now. 

So, take a break.

Get a tall glass of ice water and relax the rest of the day. 

Maybe eat a protein bar.

Later this month, we'll do it again with cinnamon rolls.

Reminiscing,

#reflections

#raisedonafarm