Christmas Cooking
 

Does everyone do Christmas cooking? Rich fruit cakes, Cherry cakes, Plum puddings, Almond bread and Gingerbread have been long standing favourites in our families for generations and I still keep up with these traditions. I have made a Rich fruit cake and Cherry cake and plum pudding for my daughter and gingerbread for my little grandsons. I finished icing the rich fruit cakes and gingerbread today. Very quick and plain, I am only a self taught cake decorator and a bit out of practice. We are going to our daughters for Christmas and then they will come to us for New Year.

I also gave a gift tray of a small Cherry Cake, small plum pudding, a bag of a almond bread and a bag of apricot balls and run balls to my two best friends.

Yowzers! What gorgeous baking! Shortbread and maybe a few bars is the extent of my Christmas Baking... although I do enjoy baking.

Wow! Amazing, nothing like that will ever come out of my kitchen!

Your cakes look lovely.

My family is from the British Isles a few generations ago, but I find I am drawn to different Christmas treats now.

I purchase Shortbread, as my son does not care for it, I do not entertain very much and a local bakery makes lovely all butter shortbread.

I do make fudge, Nanaimo Bars, Butter Tarts, Mince Tarts (not this year as I ran out of the homemade mincemeat), Almond Rocha.

I buy Stollen and Panettone from two other bakeries. I like that they are lighter than traditional fruitcake.

In the past I would make 12 plus different types of cookies and about 5 different candy/Chocolates, but I do not eat much myself and once I am through exams in mid December I am looking forward to a break, not more work.

December was a big month at work for me when our children were home, so I did meat and cheese, chips and dips which we seldom had around. They still prefer that. My rule is bake 3 things and only 3. I might dress up the tray with foil covered candies. I usually make a batch of cut outs, I try one new item and the 3rd item is something from a previous year.

Oh these are so beautiful!!! I love to see others baking traditions. We do Christmas cookies here of various types. I'm trying to avoid chocolate right now so I've been digging out old family recipes that have butter and nuts! :)

My husband's heritage is German, but it's been several generations since his family line has been in the United States. I wish I had a good recipe to make Lebkuchen, but we usually end up buying it in packages.

Betty, your bking is as delicious looking as your quilty gifts are. Everything looks so delicious.Those cookies are a dream. you decorated the cookies and cakes like a pro!

Your cakes look like they came from the best bakery in town! Lucky family and friends you have!

Your baking looks wonderful! I used to bake quite a lot, including fruitcake using my Mother's traditional recipe. However, as a family, we decided that we did not need all of those calories and things we shouldn't have in our diets. We are happy to have fewer 'treats'. If we do have any treats they are made at home and never purchased. I confess, I am a food purist.

I have made more Chex Party Mix this year than I ever have, and there is never any of it around -- the whole family likes it so much. I've done fudge and reindeer bait and moose poop for my wife to take to work. My daughter has given all three to her fellow teachers as holiday gifts, too. I still have lots of ingredients for more party mix and more fudge -- so many that I haven't seen the counter top in weeks!! This retirement "stuff" is really great -- and still enough time to make blankets as Christmas gifts and piece a couple of quilt tops.

You seem very talented...and your goodies look delightful. I love to bake but since it is just my husband and I and I work out at the YMCA 3 or 4 times a week, I don’t need the temptation hanging around the house. LOL

Wow Betty your baking looks delicious. I have cut way back on my baking. My DH and I don't need to be eating it. I have made 4 kinds of cookies this year. I have one more I would like to bake. I will see if I have time.

Everything looks professional and delicious!!!

Your baked goods are gorgeous! I'd love to be on the receiving end of your holiday baking! We don't go all out for sweet, baked goods during Christmas, but we do make a couple of kinds of cookies: Chocolate Ginger cookies (Martha) and Mexican wedding cakes are standards. My daughter and I usually make them together. We used to do the traditional, decorated, sugar cookies, but the kids are grown now, so I'm a little relieved that mess is over and done. I still have blue stains from the food coloring on a few of my linens.

~ C

What recipe do you use for the Chex mix. I saw one online, somewhere, that uses dill in the spices. Need to find it as my one GD loves dill pickles.
You have been busy in the kitchen and making gifts.

A wonderful, tasty Christmas is in store for you and your family. Great that you are keeping up with the family traditions

I made Pfeffernusse, oatmeal cookies, and spiced raisins.

recipegoldmine.com has a good one if you want to make them Kristi.

Betty!! Wow, you are so perfect with your decorated bake goods. I am very impressed indeed.

Oh , everything looks sooooooooooooo good .;)

I used the over-ripe bananas to make a sour cream, pecan, honey banana bread. I was watching TV and did not hear the timer go off so it is past done. The recipe is in The Garden Way Bread book. It takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to bake it and it's not underdone.

Marcia

Even though I am by myself for Christmas, I felt drawn to make sugar cookies, my mom's recipe. I roll them out really thin and they come out so crisp like potato chips!! And with NO calories, imagine that!! But you have to watch them SO carefully in the oven, they will get dark in seconds after being done. I wound up with over 80 and about 20 had to be kept for home consumption due to being overdone. The others went to the PO clerk, library staff, my neighbor/landlord, and his friend who comes to visit and look after him.

You do beautiful baking! I only made candy this year, divinity, caramel and marshmallows. Yum!

May I be your friend and family? Love fruitcake! I used to make over 20 different cookies every Christmas, but old age and arthritis stopped that. Still miss doing it.
My husband died 4 months ago, so no Christmas for me this year.

Lands! If MY kitchen turned out gorgeous things like this, I'd go into business!!
My daughter has a very serious gluten intolerance so, here in Savannah, we are not doing any baking. She is also candy picky, so I am just biding my time til I get home again to make the things I am missing, LOL:)
Have enjoyed seeing yours!

Jan in VA

Wow! You are better than the professionals. Such beautiful baking.

Wow! Everything is gorgeous. So professional looking.

Turkey and all the trimmings, sweet potatoes, home-made stuffing, many veggies for picky eaters, hot rolls,Christmas pudding, Scottish shortbread, German pfeffernusse, chocolate covered orange peel, apple, cherry, pumpkin and pecan pies, hot cider, marzipan stollen, and I know there are plenty more, but I made myself hungry so am going for a snack. :) VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND PEACE ON EARTH!

Your baked goods are gorgeous! It would be hard for me to cut into it...unless there is chcolate in it!