It’s a Gray Winter Day
I am sitting here at 12:30 p.m. in my red flannel gingerbread man Christmas jammies, drinking hot cocoa. I love Saturdays! It is one of those gray days out - we’re supposed to get some snow/sleet/rain/ice… Whatever happens to fall from the sky this aftenoon. We already had a short 20 min. bout of it and supposedly there is more to come. Matt was going to go out and put up the Christmas lights… but it is COLD so I am guessing that will wait for another (probably cold) day… but cold sounds like a good excuse at the moment, I guess.
I have my couch covered with half wrapped Christmas gifs. Hopefully I will get the rest of those wrapped up and ready to go today. I am getting close to being done with the Christmas shopping stuff… however, I still have the most important ones left.. the kids. Matt is building them a big tree house, so that is their main gift… but of course we always end up spoiling them anyway… I suppose he will have to go out in the COLD to work on that as well. Maybe the weather will cooperate and warm up a bit for us - if the wind would just not blow it would be tolerable.
Are you doing Christmas Cookie Baking this year? We used to make dozens and dozens and dozens of cookies and deliver them to the neighbors- it was so much fun. However, now that Matt is a pastor (and we live in a complete rural area) we have no need to make cookies… We are blessed with more then we can handle by the all the wonderful ladies of the church. I am trying to do Weight Watchers, so I will have to be extra disciplined (which is not my strong point). Anyway, for those of you who are doing Christmas Cookie Baking, Exchanges etc. I thought I would share my favorite Christmas Cookie Recipe:
Scandinavian Almond Bars
Makes 4 Dozen
1 3/4 C. All Purpose Flour
2 t. Baking Powder
1/4 t. Salt
1/2 C. Butter
1 C. Sugar
1 Egg
1/2 t. Almond Extract
Milk
1/2 C Sliced Almonds
Almond Icing:
Stir together 1 C. sifted powdered sugar, 1/4 t. almod extract and enough milk (3-4 t.) to make icing of drizzling consistency.
Stir together four, bakign powder, and salt. In a large mixing bowl beat butter until softened. Add sugar and beat tll fluffy. Add egg and almond extract and beat well. Add flour mixure and beat till well mixed.
Divide dough into fourths. Form each into a 12″ roll. Place two rolls 4-5 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten till 3 inches wide. Repeat with remaining rolls.
Brush flattened rolls with milk and sprinkle with almonds. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. While cookies are still warm, cut them crosswise at a diagonal into 1″ strips. Cool. Drizzle with Almond Icing.
Please share your favorite Christmas Cookie Recipe in the comments area for other to enjoy!
