Christmas... the most wonderful time of the year! And I'm at it again, baking old favorites like gingerbread men, frosted lemon-sugar cookies; and I'm making some new favorites, like a recent recipe I found for Hermit bars that taste just like the fruit bars I loved eating as a kid that came from our family's favorite bakery, Smith's. Here they are:
These are so good with their chewy texture, just the right amount of spices and raisins.
I bake this lemon-sugar cookie every year, but this time I made them all in miniature size--what fun! They are just right to pop one in your mouth. Bite size! I frosted them with royal icing and added sprinkles. That's all.
Cookies all nestled in their cozy tin waiting to go to neighbors! Sugar cookies with nonpareils, orange-cranberry cookies, Hermits, and lastly, Krumkakes.
This is my old favorite Krumkake iron I used to make my Krumkakes, which are Scandinavian waffle cookies spiced with cardamom and served around the holidays.
They are a delicate, delicious cookie that can be eaten plain, or stuffed with whipped cream, fruit, or custard... or anything else you want. Ice cream would be good, too!
Gingerbread people are a "must" to make every year! They're so fun to make and smell up the house real good. All that cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and molasses. I just love these!
Thanksgiving Day has passed and now we're looking forward to Christmas. So many wonderful memories. So much to be thankful for and so much to look forward to. And I don't know why but I've been snuggling more under my cozy blanket, wanting to watch old movies, and craving lots of old-fashioned comfort food.
Like this hot roast beef sandwich smothered in good brown gravy with sides of homemade whipped mashed potatoes and baby green peas. Mmmmm... wanting this now. Reminds me of my Goggy.
And here was our Thanksgiving meal. It was so satisfying with a deliciously moist turkey, homemade bread stuffing with onions, mushrooms and celery, and lots of mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes with marshmallows, green bean casserole, maple-roasted brussels sprouts, and hot rosemary rolls fresh out of the oven! Comfort food.
Oh my! One of my all-time favorites! Fried chicken tenders with mashed potatoes and gravy! Nothing more.
And sometimes I just crave a good old-fashioned meat pie--well, that's what we call it. Ground beef cooked with onions, garlic, tomatoes and seasonings, layered with French cut green beans, fresh cooked sliced carrots, and topped with mashed potatoes with cheese on top! So good.
Well, I couldn't resist more fried chicken! Here I used just legs and thighs, shook them up good in well-seasoned flour and fried them in hot vegetable oil. I've been frying chicken a long time, and this is the best way to do it in my estimation, and David's and Collin's too!
And now on to, hmmm, baking cookies for Christmas! Maybe I will make some mini cakes and cupcakes, too.
