Still in the kitchen♥

I really do love Christmas..and the preparations..I always have..my husband loves it even more I think..And our girls are the same..their trees are up..the Elf On The Shelf is creatively popping up everywhere in their homes every morning..

I listen to Christmas music while baking..and wrapping.
I know it is all so commercialized now..
Bu it's the feeling I get ..that is so NOT commercial ..that I love.
It's cozy..snowy..memories flow in and out of my mind..I think of words spoken..sentiments shared.
I think of those I have lost and loved..
and those I love now.I love to thank people who have been kind to me..like the pharmacist's aide..doctors..mail carriers..If I could catch my garbage men..
You know the people that do their jobs with heart..
Not easy..  and yet they do it.
Great moms..  good neighbours..blogging friends..
Thanks..thanks so much.

And Ricardo:)

Just thought I would share this great little icebox cookie recipe and how I decided to wrap them ..if giving..
Icebox cookies are great because you can keep them frozen or refrigerated..and slice and bake as you need.
Ricardo had these pecan ones..in his latest magazine..


La Recette~

2 cups of flour
1 cup icing sugar
1 egg
1 cup chopped pecans
 1 cup room temp butter(soft..I actually have to warm mine a bit these days because of a cooler kitchen when no sun)
I use salted butter so I don't salt..
Cream butter and icing sugar until soft and fluffy
add the egg and blend in well
add the flour and mix..add the pecans..
Form into 2 logs..and refrigerate..
I roll my logs by wrapping in Saran Wrap and twirling..at the ends..so the cylinders are nice and tight..
For gift giving ..or even for me to know which is which when making a few kinds of ice box cookies..
I take plain paper..stamp..roll over the saran..add some bows or twine..and there you have them.
You could even type the instructions etc..

Oh..Bake at 350 F 12-14 Minutes..

I love the way my fruitcake turned out ..I made 2 small ones and Jacques wanted to try one..so I decorated it to practice the Christmas table one..with the cute things I was able to find  here..

I don't put almond paste on my fruitcake..I make an icing with butter..icing sugar..almond extract and some milk..Beating everything to the consistency I want:)And the flavor I like.
They are small..I think no more than 5 inches across.
Thanks Gail..for mentioning the CD of Bing..I got it to add to our Christmas CD collection..ongoing for so many years.
I also bought The Downtown Abbey double CD w/ 45 tracks..it's classic and lovely.Quite classical.. you have to enjoy old world..classical..and I do..
I also love Ryan Smith and Benjamin Francis Leftwich:)and Rod McKuen..and Francis Cabrel..and Adele..and Norah Jones ..Serge Lama..Aznavour..
I have favorite Christmas cds we have collected over the years..
..Kenny G Miracles..Rod Stewart..James Taylor,Rosemary Clooney..The Carpenters..Andrea..André Gagnon....Tony Bennett..Diana Krall..the list goes on and on.
André Hervieux..Michael Bublé..even Victoria's Secret CD collection..must be 20 yrs old..
Anyways..just saying ..I enjoy listening to these at this time of year~That's my gift.:)

PS..I ordered a few items..intermittently ..from  a company..that I favor..Archambault..
All items arrived within 2 days..free shipping..customer service on the phone was impeccable..as everything that was packaged and delivered.oh..and the  free shipping?..no minimum required..a QC company..
I called them to tell them how happy I was with them..and she was surprised.. she said usually we get phone calls for problems some people feel they may have encountered..but it is rare we get a call just to say thank you..
It made me think..
Life is short..you have a compliment..say it..you love someone..say it..you think soemeone is special..say it..you think someone is talented..say it.
you think someone needs a smile..smile..'
La vie.. est belle lorsqu'on démontre notre appréciation.
So easy to be bah humbug..I know..I feel it too.
But I find it easier..much easier and feel good..to say..
You did a good job.Thank you.
I love you.
♥
PS..I also ♥ the Christmas cards in the mail..snail mail can be such a nice surprise..we received one from Australia..German friends..that skipped Fl to visit Australia..how cute is that?Of course we can't understand it..Ushi wrote in German:) We will have them translate:)
Auntie Bernice..living in a new home with her daughter..now I have her address..
Fl friends..etc..
A little pick me up at the mail boxes!
Stamps are $ now..But I don't want to give it up yet.
Do you still write cards?~
Just curious..:)


I'll be winding down now..

I am practicing these for Christmas morning.. freeze unbake or baked..I will let you know..so far..fresh..yum..not too sweet just right.


But these are things I would still like to make..there are more..but I am yawning at my words by myself.. rosemary shortbreads.. a Xmas tree bread stuffed w/ chocoltae..(I tried..:( )
..pity it's only the two of us on an ongoing basis:)

These snowflake trees..
How cute are they? Mine will have to be stars..I don't have graduated snowflakes..

This BREAD!
If I could make it the day before Christmas breakfast here I would..But I will probably make on another occasion..Love that blog and I reprimand myself for not commenting ..except once in a blue moon.When I should every single time I see her posts.

This bark..  but that mold was nowhere to be found in Canada..Believe me..I looked.:(

This Challah..and not only because of her cute helper:)
A small footnote..since our return from Florida..the sun shone once for 1 hr..when I took the church photo.. across Ice Lake.  A book written here..about here.

Last but not least..we get Macleans magazine..Jacques put one of them aside and said..read Martin Short's story..

He talks about losing his wife..I said:"It will be too sad..it is the week I lost my mom.."..he said:" no read it..it's lovely.."
And I did and it was..
And that's when I realized I was Teflon coated.
This is but an excerpt..the whole story is a keeper.♥