What was one of your favorite childhood gifts that you gave?
I remember getting my sister a "pound puppy doll" when they were so hot. The cool part about it was my friend Barb and I were allowed to go shopping for it alone. Christmas shopping alone! at the Mall! Very exciting to us.
Recipe I can't do without: Candy Cane Coffee Cake
My sister actually called me for a clarification of the recipe this week. It is shaped like a candy cane...it doesn't taste like one. We had it every Christmas for breakfast with cocoa. I have cheated on the recipe for about 7 years now. My sister is appalled.
Candy Cane Coffee Cake (the cheatin kind)
1 can refrigerated dough (not the yeast, sour cream and flour mess everywhere, and hour to rise, blah blah) I have been using the can of roll out Pizza crust actually.
chopped nuts
brown sugar
cinnamon
butter
Candied cherries for decoration...red food coloring perhaps.
Preheat to 400
Spray cookie sheet with Pam
Lay out the dough lengthwise on a cookie sheet
Use a sharp knife to cut a "fringe" on each side of the dough
Each cut should be about 3/4 of an inch from the next and you must leave a 2.5 inch channel in the middle for the filling. This is all rough measurements.
In a bowl, mix the nuts sugar and cinnamon with a little bit of melted butter , a tablespoon maybe. Lay that in the channel.
Now "braid the fringe across the channel, making sure that no filling can leak. Good luck with that by the way...mine always leak.
When you've finished braiding, carefully curve the top so it looks like a candy cane.
You can brush the top with butter or egg if you like.
You could use some colored sugar, food coloring or, as we do, stud it with candies cherries.
Bake for 8-10 minutes and check it until its a lovely brown color.
Eat!
Tradition we can't do without.
Hmmm. So many traditions have changed and changed over the years, but Hubby and I were talking today about how Santa's presents were always wrapped in different paper, and in Hubby's family it was Santa themed paper. I went hunting for more gift wrap today. Hubby's family also had a present you opened on Christmas eve, and it was always new pajamas. We never had any presents under the tree until Christmas morning. There's always practical things in stockings, and always a new toothbrush.
Pastors and other church folk often have very strange traditions dictated by the "work" of the holidays. What happens at your place?
I guess we'll see. Hubby and I are talking about Flash and I not being at church on Christmas Eve. Our service is at 7 p.m. We won't be out before 8:30. So, we'll be in the nursery the whole time, and unhappy and it will be hard to get him to bed before Santa arrives. I know we're the pastor's family but, I think everyone will be happier if we aren't there.
If you could just ditch all the traditions and do something unexpected... what would it be?
Well, as I've said things have changed and changed again. Not sure what I can drop at this point. How about dropping Christmas dinner? Who wants to cook it, really? And it seems a bit like Thanksgiving redux. How about a lasagna? Its the right colors.
Bonus idea!
I was so excited that our town has planned a hike (on the miles of walking trails) for Dec 26. Weather permitting!
I am thinking of making that a tradition, weather permitting.
10 comments:
I think Lasagna sounds like a great plan! Thanks for playing!
Lasagna is turning into a theme. I'm for it. I'll come!
You know that candy cane coffee cake? That sounds really pretty neat. I would love step by step pictures of what you do - so I can visualize it.
Enjoyed the post!
I may try to do a step-by-step with photos over the weekend. Stay tuned!
great play!
being the pastor's family carries crazy expectations--definately do what is best for "the pastor's family"--if they can't get that then THEY have a problem--not you! sorry, can you tell this is an issue for me?
i'm totally with you on Christmas dinner! i'm thinking chili this year just cause it's easy to put in the crock pot!
Merry Christmas and many blessings on 2008!
I like your "cheater's" version of candy cane coffee cake. If I can find a refrigerated dough without milk (allergies) I think I might try this. I don't wanna deal with flour mess either just now. I know most of the regular bread doughs I've checked have milk, but I haven't checked the pizza crusts. I know my daughter would love this.
Best of Luck on the job search waiting.
A present on Christmas eve is cheating, in my book.
That coffee cake sounds good...and easy! A great combo. Amen to revhipchick on the pastor's family. Gotta do what works, and keeps you sane! Great play.
Although we can't give up our roast pork with apples and prunes, I would say that whatever dinner you have at Christmas is your Christmas dinner - so lasagne sounds great. I was hoping people were getting less "expectationy" about pastors' families -- but maybe not quite yet.
Pillsbury Pizza crust doesn't seem to have milk...it isn't listed in the allergy warning, just wheat.
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