Twas the season ...

I love the holidays, especially Christmas. I've always tried to make them  meaningful, personal, incorporate community service projects whenever we could and develope special customs and traditions into our household celebrations. It takes so much time to prepare for that we have always left our tree and decorations up well into the second or third week of January. In fact we just packed the last of the lights up today and gave the house another thorough clean.

Our tree has had the same angel for the past 20 years and has had to have "rainbow" lights for Lindsay who began requesting them from a very young age. The ornaments are all personal and many hand made by the girls, some with pictures of their Christmas pasts framed in popsicle stick stars. Morgen took up hanging the outdoor lights a few years back and Amber now makes the fresh greens wreath for our door every year through her 4H group. We use a small wooden, hand carved creache' from Germany that is a cherished wedding gift. It was always fun watching the girls count down the days to putting baby Jesus in the manger and using their special Advent candy boxes which always had to include Rolo caramels. There's a short verse or psalm under the lid, leading up to Christ's anticipated birth but I'm certain it's the Rolo's that make them ensure it still gets filled and placed on the coffee table, even now that they're all older.  After eating the candy and sharing the reading, the ornamental boxes are hung on the tree, until there are no more remaining in the basket. Everyone usually helps put Christmas dinner together which for us often consists of ham, mashed or sweet potaoes, pineapple stuffing, green bean bake and Aunt Kathleen's famous old fashioned cheesecake for dessert ... which several people told me I'd never be able to acquire the recipe for (happily shared below).

This holiday season was alot more challenging because of my work schedule and Morgen's unexpected illness that landed her in the hospital the week before X-mas but with the help of everyone, it came together nicely and was surprisingly one of my most relaxing and enjoyable holiday seasons I've had in awhile. I worked New Years Eve too this year but was able to be home before the ball dropped.

I was glad I had begun celebrating earlier than usual this year by accepting an invitation from my good friend Sue to attend a new cookie swap (new to me) early in December. The hostess had been throwing this event for many years, at one time growing very large, and then over recent years reducing it to her closest friends and family and sometimes their acquantances (me smiling) . Her home was decorated so beautifully (envision an Old Toy Christmas) and she was the most organized, relaxed and gracious of hostesses. I am looking forward to attending again next year and even already purchased the polyanna.

We all made a dozen cookies for each person in attendence (wrapping or packaging them seperately, which worked out great when it came time to *swap*; all each person had to do was collect one containered or wrapped dozen from each person instead of counting out individual cookies) and bring one extra dozen for the sample table. Unbenounced to anyone, she asked her son to taste test and determine "best cookie" and it turned out that my Vanilla Pecan Crescent Cookies was his pick. Pennsylvania Dutch Eggnog served with floating french vanilla or eggnog icecream, also served at the swap, has become my new traditional holiday (and post holiday) drink. I'd never liked it as a kid but was I ever glad I tried it again. Here's some pics and the cookie recipe which I origionally acquired and adapted from Taste of Home by adding jam to some batches (gotta have at least one good flaky pastry and jam cookie) and substituting pecans for the walnuts that I'm allergic too.

Vanilla Pecan/Jelly Crescent Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 tsp. salt

1 cup cold butter

1 egg, seperated

2/3 cup sour cream

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2/3 cup finely chopped pecans (or walnuts)

2/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Jam - optional (I used mango jam)

In large bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolk, sour cream and vanilla; add to crumb mixture and mix well.  Cover and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

Devide dough into thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll each portion into a 10" circle. If using jam, spread circle to 1/4" from edge. Combine nuts, sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle 1/4 cup over jam or dough surface and

then cut into 12 wedges.

Roll each wedge from widest end and place point side down, 1" apart on greased baking sheets. Curve ends to form crescents. Whisk egg white until foamy and brush over tops of cookies. Sprinkle with remaining nut mixture.

Bake at 350* for 18-20 min. or until light brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container.

And here's the cheesecake Recipe too. It is sooooo rich, we only make this once a year at Christmas time, but have to make more than one pan, because it's become tradition to visitors too .

Aunt Kathleen's Old Fashioned Cheesecake

Pie Crust:

Mix together and line a 9"x13" non greased pan by working dough gently and as evenly as possible across bottom and up sides by at least 1 1/2 inches. Take your time, this dough works very nicely.

2 cups sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 pound butter (melted)

2 large eggs

6 tbsp. sugar

Filling:

Combine ingrediants and beat well. Pour into crust and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon before baking 300* for 1 hour. Cool before refrigerating.

2 - 8oz pkg cream cheese

6 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

1/2 pint sour cream (1 cup or 8 oz.)

2 tbsp. flour

1 tsp. vanilla

Note: Best when made 1-2 days before serving.