Cookies for Santa!

This week was one spent almost entirely in the kitchen. I made peanut brittle and chocolate dipped pretzels.

Followed by thumbprint cookies.....

Candy cane cookies....

and cut out sugar cookies. Last night cute son and cute Fiancé came for dinner after which we decorated the cookies. Hmmmm... someone was naughty and put 3 eyeballs on some of my angels.

And so my baking is done, all our gifts were mailed to family and friends which is always a big sigh of relief as we have so many out of towners. My house is decorated and so for once I feel all that remains is time to enjoy the season and spend some time back in my sewing room. 

Fa la la la la.... Christmas is coming!

The stockings were hung

Oh my, it's getting a little hectic now isn't it! My decorating is finished, all four stockings hang by the chimney with care, Cleos right next to her "brothers" in hopes that Santa might leave some of those catnip treats in there.

The tree is up, Cleos tree skirt spread underneath.

And her ornaments are hung.

They are taking over the tree, LOL! She is a very spoiled kitty don't you think?

This afternoon I made thumbprint cookies, Hershey Kiss pretzels and a huge batch of potato salad for Jon to take to his work Christmas party tomorrow.

Spending these next few days in the kitchen with my apron on, how about you?

Pink Friday!

It's Friday and I am loving pink today! First of all more fabric arrived yesterday, darling pink kitties and puppies and more. Pink... so frothy, sweet and girly!

I'll probably spend a little time drawing today. Don't you just love my vintage pencil jar? I do, it makes me smile, and it has a pink sweater on :)

Pink Christmas cookies, thought I would see if you're awake there. I make these every year and no I don't have any left over but I sure wish I did. I could love a sugar cookie right now!



Cleo feels so special and pretty when I let her wear a pretty pink bow for company.

Have a fabulous weekend, I'm off to go buy some pink thread!

Cookies day 2!

Just whipping out these cookies right and left here! Today it was Thumbprints. If you have not made these before, and I just can't believe you have not, the recipe is below. These are fairly easy and one of my favorites!

MOMS THUMBPRINTS

One 10 oz Bag of Chopped Walnuts
Beat together:
1 Cup Shortening (1/2 butter)
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
2 Egg Yolk (reserve the whites in a separate bowl)
1 tsp Vanilla
Sift and stir in:
2 Cups Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
Roll dough into 1-inch balls. Dip balls in egg whites and roll in chopped nuts. Place on ungreased sheet, press thumb or paws in to centers.
Bake 375 degrees/10-12 minutes
Fill centers with icing. Recipe makes about 2-1/2 dozen cookies.
Butter cream Icing
Beat together 1/2 stick Margarine, 1 tsp Vanilla, 1 Tb Milk
I use about 1/2 of a 2LB bag Powdered Sugar
Add powdered sugar alternately with more milk (1 Tb at a time) until icing is nice and fluffy.

Snowin' and blowin"!

Baby it is COLD out there! It started snowing this morning, the wind is whipping it around and our temps for tonight will be about 14. BRRRRR.... Definitely a good day to stay inside which is what I did. Our son Jon threw a little tantrum this morning, he wanted to know where his Christmas cookies were! Well if you have been reading my blog since last December you will know I gave my cookie cutters away, oh yes I did, I gave them to my daughters. I thought after 37 years of baking my Moms cookies it was time to pass the tradition their way. My Moms recipes are labor intensive, especially the cut outs which makes about 6 dozen cookies and there are only 3 of us here now. Jon said quote" well you have been making those cookies since I was a baby and you just have to make them" or something like that! I rolled my eyes to heaven and asked Mom what should I do.

And here is her answer LOL! Just bake the cookies Barbie Jo. So I put the Christmas music station on and got busy. I had only kept one cookie cutter, a gingerbread girl. I used drinking glasses to cut out wreaths and balls for the rest. I spent the ENTIRE day in the kitchen. But the oven kept me toasty and warm, the music was fun, and the cookies are cute as ever. I really kind of missed them too!