Wednesday, December 21, 2016

One Of Our Family's Traditional Christmas Cookies: Thumbprint Cookies




This recipe comes from my father's mother, Grandma Baldwin.  My mom traditionally made it at Christmas, and I make it every year too!

This is a truly scrumptious little cookie.  The cookie part is a buttery and nutty base with the the jam or jelly giving just the right amount of sweetness.  

In my family, we've always used red raspberry jam or jelly.  This year, because I had it on hand, I used a raspberry, blueberry, strawberry jam blend that I preserved earlier in the year.  You can really use any jam or jelly you like the best, but raspberry is really yummy!  

Here's the recipe: 

Grandma Baldwin's Thumbprint Cookies

2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt 
1 egg
1 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2-1/2 cups chopped walnuts
Red raspberry jelly

Preheat oven to 375-degrees

Mix dry ingredients.  Work in egg, butter, vanilla and nuts.  Blend well.  

Shape dough into marble sized balls. Make indention with thumb.  

Bake 10 minutes.  Take out of oven and put in a dab of jam or jelly into indention.  

Return to oven and finish baking 8-12 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.  

Let cool for a few minutes (the jelly will be very hot) and then move to a cooling rack.   

I store this in a pan with wax paper between the layers.    

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Give this a try.  It's easy to make and oh, so worth the effort!







Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Hoar Frost and a Jack Frost Frolic


Brrrr!

It's very, very cold today and we had clear skies last night - leading to hoar frost.  The earth has been painted with a white palette of crystals.  












This lovely little school primer was always around the house when I was growing up.  I found the stories and illustrations incredibly fascinating and read it many, many times.  

So, when I see frost, my mind turns to this simple little story of Jack Frost and his antics. 



Note that is was written by Mary E. Pennell - Formerly Assistant Supervisor of Schools, Kansas City, Missouri and Alice M. Cusack - Directory of Kindergarten and Primary Grades, Kansas City Missouri


In 1929!
I hope I'm not infringing any copyrights by printing these few pages.  They're just to lovely to not share!


I wonder where Jimmie Dale and Beverly might be now.  


And the story begins.   Don't you just love the simply colored but incredibly stylistic illustrations? 





This and the page below are what I think about when I see a fancifully frosted window.  


Isn't imagination a wonderful thing?









Tuesday, December 13, 2016

Winter Has Come!


Winter has come in all it's "glory" with...

...frosty whiskers...



...fuzzy coats....


...water issues...


(no more water wagon, now water comes sled delivered)


...and treacherous roofs!