Christmas 2014

We finally got snow.  It was a Christmas Miracle.  We have not had much snow this year.  Our little dog Charlie loves snow.  I thought we had a black dog, but when he was done playing, we had a white dog.  

I made Gingerbread cookies.  I was craving something ginger for the holidays.  I know a lot of people with allergies so I am always looking for recipes without the offending ingredient.  This is a good recipe for egg allergies.

Gingerbread Cookies

1 and 1/2 cup dark molasses
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup shortening
7 cups flour (plus more for rolling out the dough)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 tsp allspice
2 tsp ginger
1 tsp cloves
1 tsp cinnamon

Mix together the wet ingredients and sugar.  Add dry ingredients and mix until it clumps together.  Form into a ball, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.  Roll out and cut into shapes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 min.

I like to roll it out and cover it instead of ball it and cover when I refrigerate.  Makes rolling out later so much easier.

I pulled out all my Christmas cookie cutters.  I have too many cookie cutters which are sadly underused.  I either need to stop buying cute cookie cutters or make more cookies.

This was a significant batch of gingerbread cookies in that it was the first time #1 - I did not burn them and #2 - I did not break any coming off the pan.  I think my problem is that I always roll out too thin.  But if I roll it out too thick the shape deforms in the oven.  I have not quite got the perfect thickness down yet, but I am working on it.

These were, I can honestly say, the Best Gingerbread cookies I have ever made.

As per adult tradition; we have a nice family Christmas dinner the Sunday before Christmas.  On Christmas day everyone comes over to my parent's house for Christmas breakfast and to open gifts.  With 5 kids in the family, we have always drawn names.

This year I got Richard.  Knowing he is a Captain America fan (who isn't) we got him a deck of cards and a magnet.  Since he plans on traveling we wanted to get him something small that he could take with him on his world expeditions.

I love my parents.

Over the past few years grandkids have been added to our family Christmas.

I got J a Star Trek tricorder lunchbox.  He loves Star Trek.

I think baby Ava would have been happiest if we just got her paper.

I got a new vacuum.  I spent the next day vacuuming my entire house.  I love to vacuum.

Ava and her paper.

Dad has recently taken up stained glass making so we got him his own Glass Grinder.

Mom has decided to take up oil painting again and got some canvases.  I love to see my parents enjoy artistic hobbies.

This was my favorite present from my husband Jody.

I received all 4 Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa tins for Christmas last year and decided to make them my entry way table Christmas display.  Then  I found out there was a Penguin.  Due to my OCD I became obsessed with obtaining the penguin.  I saw it at my parent's house.  I could not stop talking about it for at least two weeks,  Since I could not find it in any store (I checked 5) on Christmas Day I took my parent's penguin.  Then the next day I went back for the hot chocolate.

Now my life is complete.  I have the best husband in the world, a new vacuum, gingerbread cookies, and the penguin.

Merry Christmas.
K.