Christmas Cookies

It's that time of year again!  Christmas cookie time!  I spent a lot of time this past weekend in the kitchen making cookies and listening to Christmas music.  I started with sugar cookies.  I never have a recipe handy so I'm usually googling the easiest recipe.  I threw everything together and then let the dough chill over night.





I started rolling out the dough Sunday morning, but it wasn't the best.  It was too sticky and needed a little more time to warm up to room temperature before it wouldn't stick to the counters and take the shapes I wanted.  But after a little patience the cookies were baked and ready for frosting.





I found a three ingredient recipe for frosting in a cookbook we have at home.  The red dye went in and I started frosting about half of the cookies.  It tasted a little too much like the powdered sugar and less like the vanilla that I had added.  So, I'm finding a new recipe for the green frosting.

I continued the tradition of making "No- Bake Cookies."   These are by far the easiest ones to make.  I think I may have added a little too much cocoa.  They are extra chocolatey, but I don't think anyone is complaining much.  I was able to start and finish these cookies on Saturday before I started wrapping gifts.







Yes, Saturday was a full blow Christmas day.  The shopping, the wrapping, the cookies, and of course the music!

Potato Soup

I've been coming across recipes for potato soup like crazy.  And since it's finally getting cold outside I figured I needed to try one of the recipes.  I found a recipe on Crockin' Girls website and decided this is the one I'm going to try.  It was super easy to make.  I think next time I'll use more real potato and celery and maybe a little more seasoning.  The recipe doesn't call for much salt or pepper, however, I added pepper and garlic salt for some more flavor.  But over all I think it came out very good for a first time.



Ingredients:

1 bag (32 oz) frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes, thawed

1/2 cup frozen chopped onion (from 12-oz bag), thawed

1 medium stalk celery, diced (1/2 cup)

1 carton (32-oz) Progresso® chicken broth

1 cup water

3 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

1 bag (8 oz) shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (2 cups)

1/4 cup real bacon pieces (from 2.8-oz package)

4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)

Directions

In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water.

Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

In small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase heat setting to High. Cover; cook 20 to 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions. Sprinkle with pepper if desired.

Rat Pack Christmas

what an amazing show at the Fox Theater!  I didn't know what to expect going in, all I knew is that I wanted to see this show.  And we were both amazed with the performance!

The performance started with Frank Sinatra being introduced at the Sands for his show with friends Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr.  Each artist sang a few of their hits mixed in with some Christmas songs mixed in with a few sketches.  Each actor had the voices and mannerisms of the artists. 

Everyone was singing along and even some in the audience let us know which songs they "hated" - Little Drummer Boy, espically.  I can't wait to see another show with these guys.

Oh Christmas Tree

We finally got our tree!  It was an adventure this year to go get the tree, this past Sunday.  On Saturday I hung out with Kristin and Tom and went here for lunch:

[caption id="attachment_1718" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Blues City Deli"][/caption]

Scott and I had decided that we would get our tree on Sunday.  I was completely fine with that until it was raining Sunday morning.  Plus I still wasn't 100% from whatever illness hit me Saturday.  So, we waited till 1 and grabbed some Bread Co. for lunch and went on a drive.

The last 2 years we have gone to Meert's Tree Farm in Festus.  It wasn't bad, it was an easy drive but a little far from our house.  This year Scott wanted to see if we could find some place closer.  I looked online and decided that Heritage Village was closer to home.  It wasn't.  We drove for about an hour and a half, some of it out of our way, just to get there.

Once we got there we were greeted by Santa and then found our way to the saws.  We picked up a sled and we were off to find our tree.



Somehow, this year it was much easier to find our tree, have Scott cut it down and load up the car than it ever had at the other farm.  Finding our tree was easiest part of the whole process.

[caption id="attachment_1720" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Us with our tree"][/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1721" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="And the wagon is good to go"][/caption]

Once we paid we loaded up the car and took a quick walk inside the house and we were back on the road!

[caption id="attachment_1722" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Last Christmas for the CR-V"][/caption]

Our drive home was a little shorter.  We found highway 94 and cut across that instead of going all the way back to 70.  Google Maps can give such interesting directions.

Once home we got the tree set up and Scott put the lights on while I made a roast for dinner.  By the time I finished cooking Scott was done with the lights and it was time to put the ornaments one.  We had to put the ornament from Scott's sister, Jeni, up first.



Then the rest of the tree went up rather quickly.  It turned out really nice and the house is officially maxed out with Christmas!



And don't forget the family picture with Reily!



 

 

A Christmas Carol

  We have another year of going to the Fox Theater and seeing A Christmas Carol in the books.  We went Friday night and it was the first show in the performance series.  Our seats were great and it didn't seem as crowded as it usually is when we go on Saturday nights.  I was busy taking pictures inside the theater and then I was the only one to was told to stop because of the flash, but here is a view from our seats.

[caption id="attachment_1714" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="The curtain before the show"][/caption]



There was a new actor playing Scrooge this year and he played the role a little more comical that I'm used to.  I don't know if they were trying to please a younger crowd or not.  He was good, however, I prefer the more serious take on the role, like George C. Scott.  At intermission both Scott and I were on the same page.  The second half flew by all the way to Tiny Tim saying "God Bless us, everyone!"

Francis Park

We attended for the 3rd year in a row, the Francis Park tree lighting.  I'm loving the simple traditions that we have started.  We headed over to the Birch's house to see Reily for the first time since getting back from Chicago and hang with the kids.  We had a little chili and helped get the kids dressed and were out the door and down the street.

Ben was already busy helping people get on the horse drawn carriage rides up and down Nottingham.  The line was really long before everything started.  Then the Mayor said a few words and Fred Bird helped with the countdown and then the tree was lit!  And then it went out!  We managed to get some goodies and hot chocolate while we waited for the tree to come back on.

While waiting we walked around and I found out that this would have been the place where Scott was initially going to pop the question last year.  Oh well, just knowing that he thought about that makes it so much more important.  I love the history that I have with that park!



The lights cam back out and we took a quick picture and headed for warmth and home shortly after.  A great start to a wonderful holiday season!

December

I can't believe it's December 1st already?  Where did this year go?  I love the holiday season, from Thanksgiving to New Years Eve!

It's now the countdown till Christmas, trip to San Antonio and New Years Eve!  So much to look forward to in the next few weeks.  Happy Holidays!