Sunday, December 31, 2023

Monday, December 25, 2023

GROAN FOR THE DAY - DOG CHRISTMASES

THOUGHT FOR CHRISTMAS DAY - "BUMMER LAMBS"

SPECIAL WISH ON THIS CHRISTMAS DAY

Dear Readers:

I know that most of my readers celebrate the Christmas Season, some may have other traditions that they observe, and even some who do not celebrate at all.  However you choose to observe, may you pass on a kindness everyday, without any expectation of receiving anything in return except for a feeling of joy knowing that you have given a smile to the one you have helped.  My wish for all of you is to have a moment of peace and love with family and friends, but most of all within your own heart. 
Merry Christmas!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO OUR TROOPS!


Wednesday, December 20, 2023

SANTA'S 2ND FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIE - PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES RECIPE



PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

Here is another of my grandmother's cookie recipes.  This recipe also has to be about 100 years old.  After she would bake the Rocks (see BELOW), she would then bake the peanut butter cookies.  The holidays were the only time she would bake these cookies.  Me?  I like to bake them anytime, but I always bake them at Christmas.  Just today, I baked the Rocks, some of which I will give as gifts.  Tomorrow is the Peanut Butter cookies.  When baking cookies, use parchment paper on the cookie sheet.  You do not have to place a new sheet for each batch you bake, just reuse.  Parchment paper keeps the cookie sheet clean, just wipe it off when finished baking. 

1 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt (I use sea salt - better for you)

1 cup peanut butter (I use natural peanut butter) smooth or crunchy - your option

Cream sugars and shortening.  Add well-beaten eggs and vanilla.  Mix together flour, soda, and salt then add to mixture.  Mix.  Add peanut butter and mix well.  Roll dough into individual balls about the size of a walnut.  I usually 'roll' the whole batch of dough, while waiting for the first batch of cookies to bake.  Place the balls on the cookie sheet and using a fork that you've dipped in some flour, press down on the cookie.  I usually make a criss-cross pattern.  Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

When I bake these at Christmas, I put red and green sprinkles on the top.  

NOEL!

Saturday, December 9, 2023

MY FAVORITE CHRISTMAS COOKIE RECIPE - "ROCKS" - P.S. SANTA LIKES THESE TOO!

ROCKS

These are my absolute favorite cookies.  My grandmother would bake these cookies right after Thanksgiving, place them in a tall storage tin, and place the tin in cool place in the attic.  Just before Christmas, out would come the cookies!  The secret to these cookies is using 'black' walnuts.  Although you can use regular walnuts, the taste is not quite the same.  The recipe makes about 12 dozen, (and I mean 12 dozen nice sized cookies) but they keep well.  I hope you enjoy these as much as I did as a kid, and still do as an adult.

2 cup shortening 
3 cups brown sugar
6 eggs
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pound black walnuts chopped
1 pound raisins*
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda in 1/4 cup warm water*
*Place the raisins in a large bowl with water and put in microwave for about 2 minutes.  This softens the raisins.  Drain the raisins after you take a cooled 1/4 cup of the raisin water to use in the recipe.  

Cream the shortening and sugar.  Add the eggs.  Add cinnamon, nuts, raisins, baking soda and warm water and mix.  Then add flour.  [I use my dough hooks on my mixer. to do this part since this is a very thick dough]  Drop cookies from spoon.  Bake at 400 degrees - lower if too hot - I usually bake at 375 for 10 to 12 minutes. 

Enjoy!!