A Holiday Wish!

May you have a wonderful Holiday Meal

With all your Friends and Family

~Peace to All on this Earth~

Cookies, Anyone?

Last Sunday, a group of friends met for a cookie exchange~like we needed cookies to eat! We really wanted the opportunity to get together. Our time that afternoon was very special and we had a wonderful selection of cookies to exchange. Several of the gals mentioned cookie experiences from past holidays as we lunched on home made tomato soup, grilled cheese and egg salad sandwiches.

This was the first cookie exchange for most of us. There must be a thousand different methods to this exchange madness, however, we managed to make certain we had plenty to take home.

Trying to remember the cookie I preferred the most around the holidays, the classic Peanut Butter Blossoms came to mind. These are a one bite and disappear cookie, good frozen or served at room temperature and easy to prepare. I loved these cookies as a child and as an adult, I will root around the cookie tray to single out the Peanut Blossoms ! I don't do this all the time!

Ingredients:

48 Hershey's Kisses

1/2 c. shortening

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

1/3 c. light brown sugar

1/3 c.granulated sugar

1 egg

1 t.vanilla

2 T. milk

1 1/2 c. all purpose flour

1 t. baking soda

dash of salt

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Beat the shortening and the peanut butter until well blended. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add the egg, milk and vanilla. Stir together the flour, baking soda and a dash of salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll dough balls in the granulated sugar; place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a kiss into the center of each cookie. Remove cookie after a few minutes of cooling and then place on racks to cool.

White and Green

White and green and delicious! One of my favorite vegetable dishes to prepare around the holidays.......it dresses up turkey, ham or your favorite roast. My French sister taught me how to peel each stalk and steam it perfectly. I have a recipe to make homemade mayonnaise to top the asparagus, but it appears I just do not have the know-how or expertise to make the mayo as good as she does~so, the Hellman's appears! This side dish can be served chilled or hot, either way, it makes a beautiful presentation.