Favorite Holiday Recipes
1. Anything pumpkin. For years I made a quadruple batch of pumpkin bread for anyone I had ever met at my kids’ schools. (In addition we always gave fat mall or bookstore gift certificates to the teachers. Be generous to the person who is teaching my child was always my philosophy.) The thing about the bread though is that it is nerve-wracking trying to bake a ton of the loaves, monitoring them to make sure they bake through with out burning. School presents are no longer an issue, but we like to give to neighbors too. This year I think I am going to make Sheila’s (Musings of a Mommy) Pumpkin Muffins. I have already made a double batch and they are delightful and so much easier to bake.
2. Spritz cookies – Paul grew up with these and I learned to make them to please him. It took some doing to figure out the cookie press, (Is it 3 1/2 turns or 2 3/4 turns? Every year there is a learning curve.) but once I got that down they are easy to make. We make pretty pale green trees. They are pleasing to the eye and the tongue. Delicately bite from the tip of the tree to the trunk. Each section will gently break off – a sensory delight.
3. Frosted sugar cookies – I would not do this if it wasn’t for my sister Torey but she loves this so through the years we have developed a system that is fun for all. We do not use homemade dough, rolling and cutting out the cookies ourselves. We are all about the colors. We buy pre-formed cookies at GFS (Gordon Food Service) which come in trees, stars and Santas. Torey mixes about 10 colors – grass green, sky blue, pale pink, deep rose, bright yellow, soft yellow, purple, soft green, and more. I think we use prepared frosting too. (I know, gasp gasp!) We have tons of things to sprinkle and accent. One year we did portraits of each other. The two of us and all the kids sit around the table, talking and laughing and we have fun! The quality is poor, but the experience is wonderful and the results are delicious. This is revolutionary for us as we were raised to use only the best ingredients, make everything from scratch and keep the children at bay.
I’m so happy that you got your laptop. Hopefully it will make writing easier for you. Have you got a trader joe’s yet in GR? well, if so, they have a simple pumpkin bread/muffin mix in a box that is “to die” for. I glaze it with vanilla powdered sugar glaze or chocolate frosting. I’m really into chocolate and pumpkin lately….great balance.
Fantastic idea with the cookies. I never do them because after the rolling, the cookie cutters, the baking and cooling, I need a nap. I have nothing left for frosting and sprinkles. Last year we did those pre-cut packaged sugar cookie dough, and they were really good. They come with red and green frosting, too – the kind with waaaay too much food coloring.
Glad you are liking the muffins 🙂 it makes me happy!
We need to get a truffle making party on the books, and soon!
I think you need to treat yourself to a bookstore gift certificate–you know, be generous to the person who is teaching your children and all.
It is funny for me to see Gordon Food Service in print like this. GFS has always just been the place where my uncle works. He has worked at the manufacturing plant since he was a very young man and is now very close to a full retirement. I remember taking a tour of the plant once when I was a kid. It was fascinating and I gained a new respect for my uncle.
Enjoy your snow today. Looks like you’ll be getting a lot of it.
Ali, NO Trader Joe’s, the sorrow! That mix sounds delicious and anything that combines pumpkin and chocolate…perfect balance.
Sheila, I have so many beautiful cookie cutters, but by the time the cookies are cut and baked I am exhausted and the kids are going into comas from sugar crashing.
We are loving the muffins. I made a double batch – half large with the cream cheese and half mini with two chocolate chips per muffin. The little girls carefully placed the chocolate chips and were very proud.
Dan, Let’s make a date! We haven’t been galivanting off…oh wait, I plan to galivant next week..anytime after 12/12.
Sherry, I am taking care of her. (Details to follow.)