Jars, Just in Time
Two days before Christmas, my guy scrambled to think of gifts for his little cousins. All four of them loved Angry Birds, but their parents had already bought every toy and game that Walmart stocked. With the sky-high prices to FedEx online orders overnight, my guy was ready to wave the white flag and wrap each of them a paperclip.
As I prepared the adults’ presents, cornbread-in-a-jar, I nearly knocked over a box of Rice Krispies while reaching for the sugar, which caused the light bulb above my head to flicker.
What about making Rice-Krispie-treats-in-a-jar for the kids? Continue reading for recipe.
Sweets for the Sweet
On Christmas Eve when my man set my wrapped gift under the tree, he placed another present down with it. Although I had only met her once, his grandmother sent me a set of four glittery red boxes filled with saltwater taffy, caramel corn, and peanut brittle. How sweet! (No pun intended…) Continue reading for recipe.
One More Present!
Torn wrapping paper, untied ribbon fragments, and leftover honey-baked ham usually fill our house on the day after Christmas. The magic and excitement from opening gifts begins to fade, and the reality of writing thank-you cards for itchy sweaters and cheese graters starts sinking in.
But this year, I’m still handing out presents on Boxing Day! Miss Marzipan generously nominated me for a Liebster Award, and I’d like to give it to the following 11 deserving bloggers too.
First for the rules…
Share 11 facts about yourself.
Answer the awarder’s 11 questions.
Ask 11 questions of your own.
Nominate 11 bloggers.
*Note: The Liebster Award is given to up-and-coming bloggers with less than 200 followers.
Fudging Through a New Tradition
Every December, various family members bake large batches of gingerbread cookies, fruitcakes, and buckeye balls to share and mail. But not once, in all of my sugary Christmas seasons, can I remember a single relative sending fudge our way. We surely didn’t make our own—the chocolate would have disappeared before Mom pulled out the recipe!—so any fudge came from the store or a neighbor. Continue reading for recipe.
Sprinkle A Little Cheer
I dragged my mom out to Ross in the afternoon on Black Friday, well after the early-morning shoppers had collapsed into their beds for a long nap. As we strode past the perfumes and workout gear, a Christmas display called out my name.
Not one to resist a little holiday cheer, I doubled back to gaze at the goods. As I turned away from the stockings and candles, a muffin pan swayed on the hanging rack as another customer walked past.
This wasn’t just any old muffin pan. No, this was a bright green silicon muffin pan with cups shaped like gingerbread men, stockings, and Christmas trees. Continue reading for recipe.
Death By Flour (And Chocolatey Nutella)
My mother nearly killed me a few weeks ago. She drove up to visit, and as I munched on my afternoon snack, she dropped this on me: “I’m giving up flour!”
Choking on my carrot, I barely spluttered out, “W-w-what?” as I reached for my water glass.
“I’m giving up flour,” she repeated.
“Forever?” My mind was racing… How could my mother, my one and only mother, omit flour from her diet when her daughter dreams of becoming a baker??
She reassured me that no, this was a temporary diet-change-for-weight-loss thing, and she still enjoyed the occasional English muffin or fudgy brownie… In moderation. Limited moderation.
(You can call the ambulance driver back; I’m not going to die from a heart attack after all.) Continue reading for recipe.
Pretty Please, With Marshmallows on Top?
Our Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners taste almost exactly the same; we just swap out the platter of turkey for honey-baked ham (much to Grandma’s dismay, who is the only person every year to eat more than two “ceremonial” bites of the bird). We make homemade rolls, mashed potatoes, cranberry salad, pecan pie, and, of course… Sweet potatoes. Continue reading for recipe.
Party Favors
Over the weekend, my guy planned to attend a pre-Thanksgiving potluck hosted by an old college buddy. While many of the men brought premade deli sandwiches or store-bought pumpkin pie, I promised to bake him a treat to take instead. Continue reading for recipe.
Merry Christmas!
This year, my parents waited until everyone drove into town to decorate the house for Christmas. Two days before, we tangled the tree in three strands of colored lights and haphazardly scattered a small shoebox of ornaments around its branches. We hung the handmade stockings a few hours before Santa’s arrival and dug around the kitchen cabinets to pull out the dusty holiday Spode dishware. But we neglected to carry the Christmas wreath down from the attic to decorate the front door. Continue reading for recipe.
Christmas Cookies for Santa: The Final Cookie
After reviewing the 12 different desserts I prepared to find Santa’s favorite, I realized how much doubting and overthinking influenced my decisions. Worried about texture, fillings, chocolate, and sugar, I jumped from cookie to cookie until I wasn’t even baking cookies anymore!
Does that happen to you too? During the holidays, do you run around trying to buy the perfect gift for every grandparent, sibling, niece, nephew, and dog? Do you re-hang the ornaments until each one reflects the sparkling lights? Do you plan a five-course Christmas dinner to meet everyone’s low-fat, low-carb, and allergy needs? Do you spend so much time behind the camera recording every excited child’s face that you forget to smile yourself? Continue reading for recipe.
Foods for the Soul 