Christmas Is...

Christmas is...

...the joy of receiving, like this unexpected box of homemade goodies from the kitchen of a dear friend who just happens to be my son-in-law's mother. Receiving anything from the kitchen of this great cook, is a real treat. With tags, ribbons and cords she makes everything look so attractive. Can you imagine how excited we will be to eat this loaf of her homemade banana bread!!!

She cans most of the treats in her very own Southern kitchen, and each Christmas I am the fortunate recipient. This year it is homemade applesause and southern chow chow. If you are someone who labors in the kitchen, canning food from your garden, I want you to know how much your friends would treasure a gift from you.

Homemade caramel popcorn...it is so good!!! In fact, it is so good that I am thinking about putting a lock on the tin lid. Wish I could share it with you.

I won this adorable, beautiful Winterberry snowman footed cake plate from the blog of a special lady. I think it was provided by a dining room company near her home. My name was drawn and I was the winner through the generosity of a beautiful lady named Kim at ...happy@home.blogspot.com/. Please visit this blog and scroll down through each of her colorful, interesting, meaningful and gorgeous posts. I promise you that it will be a blessing to you. Another totally unexpected gift this Christmas.




This is one of those treasured homemade gifts that I received from the kitchen of an equally great cook. My husband and I consider this to be some of the best granola that we have tasted. My good friend makes this each Christmas and I can tell you that it is something we always look forward to. Maybe someday I will share her recipe with you. Doesn't it dress up the cellophane bag with the green Christmas ribbon?

And Christmas is the joy of giving...Just in case you are looking for a gift from your kitchen, this is one fast, delicious creation that I give often from my kitchen. Pillsbury has just made this recipe easier with by coming up with this Crescent seamless dough sheet. Thank you Pillsbury.

Put a few drops of water on you kitchen counter. Lay a sheet of parchment paper on top of it. The water keeps it from sliding around while you are working with it. Lay sheet of dough out on parchment paper. Spread all over with softened butter. Sprinkle liberally with a combination of cinnamon sugar. If you don't have cinnamon sugar on hand, add 1/2 cup of sugar with 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Stir and sprinkle on dough. Using the parchment paper, start rolling dough into a long roll. Slice with a serated knife, into 1 inch slices.

Put the slices into a small sprayed muffin tin. Bake in a preheated oven, at 350 degrees, for 18 minutes or until slightly firm to touch. Remove from oven. Cool for ten minutes, remove from pan unto serving plate. In separate bowl combine 3/4 cup of powdered sugar with 1 teaspoon of orange juice(or as needed to make a glaze consistency). Drizzle over the tea rolls. Place on a pretty glass or paper dish and give as a gift.

I have found this recipe is one that is most often requested after the gift is given. It looks like it might be complicated to make but it is not. I know that everyone is watching calories over the holidays, but this might bless someone's day today or any time between now and
Christmas, like the homemade gifts I received, have blessed mine. I am so grateful for these unexpected blessings.

Yesterday, I learned that a fellow blogger's special 10 year old son lost his short battle with brain cancer. Oh, how my hearts aches for this beautiful lady, her husband and their teenage children. I never met this lady, but my many visits to her blog helped me to know at the beginning, how her children were a huge part of her life. Andrew's bout with brain cancer went so quickly. As she shared her heart and her tears through this journey, she gathered many thoughts and tears from all of us. Please remember this blogger and her dear family as they face the holidays with this great loss in their lives.

Giving and receiving...in so many different ways, whether time, food, prayers, tears, hugs, or letters, is truly what this Christmas season is all about.