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Christmas Cappuccino
1 1/2 cups Espresso beans
3 cups boiling water
2 tblsp sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
4 cups milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Whipped cream
In a coffee mill, finely grind beans. In a coffee maker, brew espresso
with the boiling water. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sugar and
cinnamon and set aside. Using a small knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean
into a medium saucepan. Pour in milk and scald over moderate heat about 5
minutes. Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until melted. Cover and
keep warm over very low heat. Divide hot espresso into 4 cups. In blender,
begin whipping half of the warm chocolate milk at low speed. Gradually
increase speed to high and blend until frothy, about 1 minute. Pour
chocolate milk into cups of coffee, stir briefly and top each serving with
some of the milk froth. Sprinkle reserved cinnamon sugar on top. Serve
immediately with a dollop of whipped cream.
1 1/2 cups Espresso beans
3 cups boiling water
2 tblsp sugar
1 vanilla bean, split
4 cups milk
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Whipped cream
In a coffee mill, finely grind beans. In a coffee maker, brew espresso
with the boiling water. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sugar and
cinnamon and set aside. Using a small knife, scrape seeds from vanilla bean
into a medium saucepan. Pour in milk and scald over moderate heat about 5
minutes. Remove from heat, add chocolate and stir until melted. Cover and
keep warm over very low heat. Divide hot espresso into 4 cups. In blender,
begin whipping half of the warm chocolate milk at low speed. Gradually
increase speed to high and blend until frothy, about 1 minute. Pour
chocolate milk into cups of coffee, stir briefly and top each serving with
some of the milk froth. Sprinkle reserved cinnamon sugar on top. Serve
immediately with a dollop of whipped cream.
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Christmas Carrot Cake Cookies
1 C. Packed light-brown sugar
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 t. Pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 C. All-purpose flour
1 t. Baking soda
1 t. Baking powder
1/4 t. Salt
1 t. Ground cinnamon
1/2 t. Ground nutmeg
1/2 t. Ground ginger
2 C. Old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 C. Finely grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
1 C. Raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting (below)
1/2 lb. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 t. Pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 C. All-purpose flour
1 t. Baking soda
1 t. Baking powder
1/4 t. Salt
1 t. Ground cinnamon
1/2 t. Ground nutmeg
1/2 t. Ground ginger
2 C. Old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/2 C. Finely grated carrots (about 3 large carrots)
1 C. Raisins
Cream Cheese Frosting (below)
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line two baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or Parchment paper, and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with The paddle attachment, combine sugar and butter; beat until light and fluffy About 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until well combined.
In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger; stir to combine. Gradually add flour to butter Mixture; mix on a low speed until just blended. Mix in oats, carrots, and Raisins.
Chill dough in refrigerator for 30 minutes. Using a 1/2-ounce ice-cream scoop, scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between Cookies. Transfer to oven, and bake until browned and crisped, rotating pan Halfway through baking to ensure even color, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a Wire rack to cool. Repeat baking process with remaining dough. Once cooled Completely, use an offset spatula to spread about 2 teaspoons of Cream-cheese filling onto a cookie. Sandwich together with a second cookie.Repeat with remaining cookies. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 Days in the refrigerator.
Makes about 25 sandwiches
Makes about 25 sandwiches
Cream-Cheese Filling
Makes about 2 cups
Makes about 2 cups
8 oz. Cream cheese, room temperature
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter cut into pieces, room temperature
1 C. Confectioners's sugar
1 t. Pure vanilla extract
8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter cut into pieces, room temperature
1 C. Confectioners's sugar
1 t. Pure vanilla extract
Place the cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, Soften the cream cheese. Gradually add the butter, and continue beating Until smooth and well blended. Sift in the confectioners' sugar, and Continue beating until smooth. Add vanilla, and stir to combine.
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"The Snow Comes Down"
by Harriet Markham Gill
IDEALS Christmas Magazine 1960
When winter stalks across the land,
And trees stand stark and bare;
The snow comes down on silken wings,
And gives them ermine cloaks to wear.
It gives the mountains sable robes,
And dresses hills in white;
And beauty lingers there by day,
And lights white firs by night.
IDEALS Christmas Magazine 1960
When winter stalks across the land,
And trees stand stark and bare;
The snow comes down on silken wings,
And gives them ermine cloaks to wear.
It gives the mountains sable robes,
And dresses hills in white;
And beauty lingers there by day,
And lights white firs by night.
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By Wendell T. Webber
Build a Frosty that will last no matter what the forecast. Roll balls of oven-bake clay (find it at craft or art supplies stores) into tiered sizes, with the bottom, largest one roughly three inches tall. Wind white yarn (whatever is in your budget: anything from fuzzy white angora to inexpensive acrylic yarn will work) around each until clay is completely covered. To connect the snowman, break a wooden skewer down to size, then spear the top and bottom of the "tummy," sticking on the "head" and "bottom" on either side. Give your snowpal evergreen sprigs for arms and a sense of style by dressing him up with assorted buttons, pins, construction paper, and felt, all from a crafts store.
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things to do at Christmas time, Play the Charlie Brown Christmas game.
Celebrating the classic "A Charlie Brown Christmas" with Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, and Snoopy! Help the Peanuts crew understanding the true meaning of Christmas by decorating Charlie Brown
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A Christmas Story House, now restored to its movie splendor, is open year round to the public for tours. Directly across the street from the house is the official A Christmas Story House Museum.
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Bend over the top third or so of the pool noodle and secure it in place with a loop of fishing line. 
Give the cane a stripe by stuffing one end of the ribbon inside the hole at one end of the noodle, securing it in place with straight pins. Wind the ribbon around the noodle and attach it at the other end in the same manner. Secure the ribbon along the length of the candy cane with more pins, if needed. Use more fishing line to anchor your candy cane to a mailbox or tree, or to tie it onto other holiday decorations such as greenery. (Be sure to remove all of the pins before swimming season begins.)
Just before Christmas, my mother would bring out the box of "picture candles" from the big box of decorations in the attic. With the flames lit, the familiar holiday images would dance in the soft candle light.
Print your image on the vellum paper, and cut it out
Hold the candle by the wick (you may want to use pliers) and dip it straight down into the hot wax. Lift it out after a few seconds and let it dry. You can dip it a second time if you wish, but the image will become more obscured with each dip. Let it cool for an hour before lighting it.
With the mixer on low, begin beating the wax until it begins to thicken and froth. This will take as long as 15 minutes, but you don't need to mix constantly. Let it sit and cool for a few minutes now and then.
