12/14

Sharing Holiday Traditions … Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

My Momma was a serious magic maker for the holidays. She is the queen of Christmas spirit. Our house was decorated from top to bottom.  Although we did not have much in the way of money, my mom took every opportunity to make Christmas extra special for my brother and I.

Some of my very favorite holiday memories are when my Momma would point up to the sky as we were driving along asking if this or that was Santa on his sleigh.  Or when she swore up and down that Santa was throwing oranges to my Grandma out in the garden and my grandma caught them all in her apron!! I can’t forget giggly Christmas Eve nights with my brother, anxiously waiting the precise moment we could spring from our beds to race down to the tree to see what Santa had brought for us.  If our belief in good ole Saint Nick was starting to waver, she would simply say “That’s fine, but I believe!”  She said it with such conviction that I knew with every fiber of my being that Santa was real.

Some of my earliest holiday memories are baking with my Momma.  It was a huge part of our holiday traditions.  Now as a Momma with a little family of my own, it’s my turn to bring on the Christmas spirit.  I absolutely love to bake with Brooks.  He is always game to help me out in the kitchen.  It may be because he gets to be the number one taste taster!

This year was the first year that Brooks really was old enough to participate in the sugar cookie making.  He was my chief cookie decorator and candy sprinkle eater.  Not to be outdone, my baby to be got in on the cookie making action, too.  Check out all the flour on my belly bump!!

Here is my family’s recipe for sugar cookies…

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup shortening
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 egg
• 4 teaspoons milk
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

 Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Cream shortening, vanilla and beat in sugar gradually.
• Add egg, beat until fluffy.
• Add milk.
• Sift together dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add it to the creamed mixture.
• Divide dough into two balls and chill for an hour.
• Roll out onto a lightly floured surface and cut into desired shapes.
• Bake on a greased cookie sheet for 6-8 minutes.

Icing:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons of milk

Mix together adding the milk one tablespoon at a time for desired consistency.

My sincerest wish is that you have the BEST holidays season with your family.

Whether your family members are near or far, may the spirit of the holidays bring you close in your hearts.