Sunday, December 5, 2010

Let's Ease Into Christmas With Bette Midler


Christmas is three weeks away.  Tonight I'm attending a tree lighting.  Have you decorated, or completed your shopping?  I'm not quite ready to sing Christmas carols just yet, so I'm going to ease us all into the spirit by sharing a tune, which beautifully expresses what Christmas is all about, even though it's not really a Christmas song.  Next weekend I'll pull out the decorations and Christmas albums.  But I'm not quite there yet.

Also next week, I'll bake my first batch of Christmas cookies.  Called Russian Tea Cakes, they are very popular among my family and friends.  These holiday sweets are often sold in specialty shops, but are simple to make at home:

Russian Tea Cakes

Ingredients: 

1 cup butter
½ cup confectionary sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
¾ cup chopped pecans [or walnuts]

Directions: 

1) Heat the oven to 350 F
2) Thoroughly mix the butter, sugar and vanilla.
3) Work in the flour, salt and nuts until a dough forms and holds together. (You want a dry dough.)
4) Shape the dough into 1-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet brushed lightly with oil.
5) Bake 10 - 12 minutes until set, but not brown.
6) While warm, roll in confectionary sugar.  Cool and roll in sugar again to look like snowballs.

Makes about 30 cookies.  Costs: Less than $5.

Above ... Miss M is divine, as are the teacakes.  Enjoy!

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