It's been too long since we've talked and I have missed you so much. Rather than going into a lengthy explanation, I think I will just dive back into the writing.
In my family, the holidays are all about spending time together. For my mom and me, our time is spent in the kitchen baking all sorts of goodies. (And we wonder why we all have weight issues! That's a completely different discussion and something to explore AFTER Christmas.)
Baking is a chance for us to remember treasured memories and make new memories together. Here are some photos of our recent adventures in the kitchen.
My earliest memories in the kitchen with Mom revolved around cookies. Traditionally we would bake M&M cookies or chocolate chips. They were yummy, but not always very pretty. Several years ago, we bought a cookie shooter from a friend; this year, we decided to finally open the box and try the gadget out. For a first try, I think they turned out pretty cute! Some of the templates were more difficult to use than others (that explains why we have Christmas umbrellas on the plate!). The cookie is a butter cookie; nice and firm to hold the shape, but a little lacking in flavor. Later this week, we're going to try a sugar cookie dough in the shooter to see what we end up with.
Candy making has become my department. Having perfected my version of cherry divinity, I decided to try my hand at peanut brittle this year. The recipe was surprisingly easy and wasn't a lot of hassle. The great thing is that the peanuts didn't scorch, the brittle isn't so hard that you nearly break your teeth when biting, and it's delicious. My parents and I have nearly eaten all of it; requests have already been made to make more next week before Christmas! Definitely a keeper of a recipe.
Since we spend so much time in the kitchen, Mom and I wanted to have some Christmas decorations there as well. I put the pictures here for two reasons. I think they turned out cute and I want a memory of my gumdrop tree. My fingers are STILL sore from shoving all those blasted toothpicks into the Styrofoam tree. Not sure that I'll make another one of those for some time. Oh yeah....someone forgot to tell me that NO ONE in my family eats candy canes anymore.....something about acid reflux disease.
Last, but not least, the elusive Red Velvet Cake. This was a holiday tradition during my childhood visits to Texas. The cake is associated with good memories and has become one of my favorite holiday treats. Several years ago, Mom and I tried our hand at making the cake and it turned out amazingly. Sadly, the weather was unusually warm and there was no room for the cake in the refrigerator.....so the cream cheese icing went sour! Since then, this cake has become our annual search for the Holy Grail. You see, we were foolish and didn't earmark the recipe we enjoyed so much (a common trend in our house); now each year is a search for the perfect recipe. This one turned out fine, but doesn't have any cocoa in it.....and it is definitely missing the added kick of flavor. Oh well, that just means we have to make another one next year!
Hope you are all enjoying your holidays and making memories with your friends and family that will last for years to come.
Kennith
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