food, crochet, merriment
I’m like a child about Christmas.
I still believe.
To me, the sparkle and the glitter are real,
and the gifts that I receive–
come from the heart.
The season is it’s own excuse for giving,
and I love
the generosity I feel.
The tree,
the ornaments,
the lights
are all for me.
It’s magic, and I feel it
every year.
Maybe that’s because
I still believe.
Here’s a little slice of Heaven you may just want to sneak into your holiday preparations this year. It has all the right stuff to earn a regular spot on the “Santa plate.”
The elves and I used the Brownie cookie recipe from a few years back and–how shall we say–tweaked it a little. We just sprinkled in–ok, ok, dumped in Andes Mint Morsels with wild abandon, and we haven’t recovered yet.
DIVINE I tell you…di-vine.
So fill up the plate–if there are any left for the old bearded fellow.
Ours are long gone.
Dude’s getting Oreos.
Tip toe on over here and let me show you something. Oh, wait. I really don’t want my kids to see–so I’ll meet you behind the “Secrets” tab…or just CLICK HERE. You’ll see a bit of what’s up for Christmas in these parts.
:} hee, hee…
Oh, yes–and Happy Winter Solstice everyone. This day–Tuesday December 21 is an amazing rarity. Find out why–right HERE. Winter officially begins today at 3:38 pm. Imagine that!
Seriously now–who, on your list couldn’t use a lovely jar of homemade cocoa mix–hmmmm?
Luckily, it very simple to toss together and makes positively a ton…or about 10-11 cups of cocoa mix. Just perfect for funneling into a few pretty jars and tying with ribbon.
Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups Hershey’s Cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
5 cups Carnation powdered milk
1 cup Borden’s Non-Dairy Creamer
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions:
Measure all of the ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk them until they are evenly blended. Store the mix in a tightly covered container at room temperature until you’re ready to package it and pass it around to the neighbors.
Unless, of course, you intend to save it all for…ummm…
food storage.
Hey–not a bad idea!
NOTE: Be sure to add a tag to the jar that says,
“Spoon about 1/4 cup of mix into a large mug. Stir in very hot water. Top with mini marshmallows or whipped cream. Sip ever so slowly in front of a nice, warm, crackling fire.”
For a little variety, try crushing candy canes and adding 1/2 to 2/3 cup to the mix.
It’s funny–isn’t it–that these little ones don’t really question…
all the boxes and crates and tins that we carry in from wherever they’ve been hiding since last Christmas.
Do you think they wonder why this time of year we surround ourselves with sparkly stars, gingerbread, pine cones and tiny shepherds?
Or do you think, maybe…
that in their gentle angel hearts…
They already know?
