Some Treasures from Christmas

Molly dressed for Christmas...

Snowy Morning

We have a historical blizzard in Virgnia this weekend.What better way to start it off than with french toast and sausage?As I was cooking and seeing the snow,it so reminded me of Tasha Tudor today.

I found a little surprise in the backyard tree...

Yes,a beautiful red cardinal looking at me.I was so surprised.Birds are enjoying the back and front yard birdfeeders...


My husband cleaned the walkway,look at how high the snow is,as of now it's 17 inches...

It's Snowing...

Sleighbells Ring are you listening,in the lane snow is glistening.It's getting deeper...

Christmas Sand Lights...

I was using little tealights in the sand,but this year,I am using battery lights.I got some playsand at Lowe's and these bags I use every year with the holes in them.You can use regular lunch bags and put holes with a hole punch.A fun Christmas craft project for kids would be to decorate the outside of the bags with glitter and coloring.

Put two to three cups of sand in each bag and little lights on top.

These little battery lights are cheap in the Christmas section,about the size of tealights.

Got our Tree up...

Christmas Cookies

First I had to wash up my cookie cutters.

I first mixed my dry ingredients of 1 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar,2 and 1/2 cups of flour,1 tsp cream of tartar and 1 tsp baking soda.I mix it up good by spoon.Then I mixed up 1 cup butter,softened,and 1 egg,1 tsp vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond flavoring.Use a big bowl and I mixed the dry and wet ingredients together by hand,the flour will go everywhere like a fine dust,but when I do it by hand it goes well.Then I put the dough in a baggy in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours,I just do two hours.While I'm waiting I make the frosting,recipe on powdered sugar box.I make mine thicker for cookies.Preheat oven 350 degrees.

I separate the dough in four pieces,roll out one section at a time as the butter gets softer and cookie cutters will get more stuck,so while rolling a section.Put the other in the refrigerator.Roll it out thin enough for cookies,the thicker it is the bigger the cookie,too thin and the cookies will be hard,after one baking pan done,you'll get the feel of how thin or thick you want the cookies.You can try a small amount first to see how thick you want the rest.I separate the cookies about an inch and a half apart.

I just add the dough around cookie cutter pieces back into the dough.After you have enough for a pan full,put dough back in frig.Bake 6 to 8 minutes,just until edges get a little brown.

I really need a new pan,but you get used to the ones you've used for so long,but for looks sake,a new one would be nice. :)Frost and decorate when cool.I used to make my own colored sugar with food coloring and sugar,then it had to dry,so I made it the next day and didn't put it back into baggies till it was completely dry.You can also food color your frosting.This year we used cake decorating icing trim and Christmas sprinkles on white frosting. Frost when cool,which doesn't take long at all with these cookies.

Powdered Sugar Cookies

1 and 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
2 and 1/2 cups of flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar

1 cup softened butter,let butter sit out till softened
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp almond flavoring,(if you don't have any,just use vanilla flavoring)


We put the dough in the frig for a couple of hours covered, then roll them out to use the cut outs. Preheat oven, cook for 8 to 10 minutes on 350.  
 
Powdered Sugar Frosting

Recipe on box,but I use about a box,one stick of butter,1 tsp vanilla and enough milk to make it your thickness,maybe a few tablespoons,but recipe will tell you and you can work it to your taste.Just remember a little milk at a time,I've ran out of powdered sugar and had put too much milk,eek!Yep,these cookies take time,but kids love making them and will remember decorating cookies at Christmas,so it's really worth it.