Buckingham Palace Gingerbread Cookies

Photo: Royal/UK

There are Christmas cookies I make every year. Gingerbread cookies are not one of them. Often we bought Lebkuchen dipped in dark chocolate from a German bakery, so there was no need to make gingerbread cookies. Our confections tended to be cookies we could make better ourselves at home. But I do like to try new recipes. A British Facebook friend gave me this Christmas cookie recipe, and they are very simple to bake:

Buckingham Palace Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

7/8 cup self raising flour (I will  substitute 7/8 cup of all-purpose flour, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt because I do not buy self-rising flour.)
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon mixed spice (includes cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice)

Photo: McCormick

1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup soft dark brown sugar
2 tablespoon granulated sugar for dusting
3/8 cup milk (= 6 tablespoons)

Directions: 

1) Add the ingredients, one-by-one, to a mixing bowl and incorporate.

2) Chill the dough in the refrigerator for up to 1/2 hour.

3) With a rolling pin, roll out the dough flat. Eyeball it, not too thick or thin. 

4) With cookie cutters, cut your dough into shapes. Dusk with a little sugar.

5) Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes. Let cool.

Royal Icing to decorate the cookies:

Wilton.com

Ingredients: 

2 pasteurized egg whites
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Optional: Food coloring of your choice; or leave the frosting white

Directions:

Mix and decorate your gingerbread cookies however you like. If you don't have a special icing tool, cut one corner off of a plastic sandwich bag to fill and squirt out the icing to decorate. The cookies that look like the work of a first grader, get eaten quickly!

What surprises me is, there is no call for an egg in the recipe, a fact I didn't know about gingerbread cookies.

As readers are aware, not only do I feature recipes in order to share them, but so I can return here to remember how to make them again!  Lately cooking and baking requires grabbing an iPad. Oh, what a digital age we live in!

For very busy people, Voorman is a small cookie company on the East coast. Their cookies are nearly as good as homemade and available at Rite-Aid and Target for about $3 for a 14 ounce bag. There is no shame in buying a bag!

Enjoy!


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Last Minute Shoppers Head To T.J. Maxx

Photo: Echo silk scarves, a favorite of mine

If busyness stopped you from completing your Christmas shopping, do not despire! Run (don't walk) to T.J. Maxx. I'm always astonished by the quality, value, variety and ever changing stock of merchandise on its shelves. High end labels are affordable! I never fail to discover new designers and brands by shopping there.

I will never buy another purse, backpack or suitcase any place else! I found the perfect handbag and briefcase/backpack for $25 each.  

Pots and pans of all sizes and kitchen tools are professional grade, so there's no need to go elsewhere where you will pay more.

Furthermore, I love the beauty products! The skin care and makeup are top-notch even if you covet organic and all natural based ingredients. Recently as a small $6 spurge, I got a lovely rose body oil to try. It has nourishing anti-aging properties and a non-greasy formula, which lets me dab drops on my face too. Now I want to learn more about Natrave, the company that makes it. 

I haven't bought clothes at T.J. Maxx since lately I haven't needed new coats, dresses, trousers or tops, but I see plenty of well known designer names and adorable style in its aisles, and know where to find replacements as I wear articles out!

I picked up baby clothes as gifts; Totes umbrallas; a pair of Nike sneakers, Merrell leather shoes, designer silk scarves and Cuisinart pots and pans. Every item is a fabulous find and a much needed buy for less!

The sensational rose body oil from Natrave I discovered at T.J. Maxx.

So if you still need gifts; or new party attire, certainly you'll found them at T.J. Maxx without compromise or breaking the bank. Moreover, the spectacular inventory is forever changing, and you will love browsing! Guaranteed.🎄

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5 Gifts For New York City Lovers

Judging by the numbers, people love New York City.🏩 It happens to be the most popular U.S. tourist destination. Chances are you know people who enjoy coming to the city. According to EscapeHere, "any season, for any reason, New York has it all!" So for those on your shopping list who are in a New York state of mind, here are 5 charming Gotham themed gift ideas:

1) The Metropolitan Museum of Art: Masterpiece Paintings - For NYC + art lovers: A lavishly illustrated book, with history and descriptions of 500 masterpieces in the Met's iconic collection. There are a slew of other art books and museum gifts on the institution's website.

2) Godinger Silver Art Empire State and Chrysler Building Bottle Stoppers - For NYC + wine lovers: Made of nickle plate.

3) Subway Map Onesie - For NYC lovers + new parents of an infant (as babies don't really want anything): Comes in 3 colors - blue, pink and black.

4) New York Library Lion Bookends - For NYC + book lovers: The famous lion statues on 5th Avenue at 42nd Street watch over Bryant Park, and they have names, Patience and Fortitude. The bookends are carved of pink Tennessee marble laying on bases of Milford granite.

5) NYC MetroCard Charm and chain - For NYC + jewelry lovers: Available in sterling silver, or 14K gold vermeil.

These New York City themed gifts are fun for natives and visitors alike! I was given the wine stoppers at the end of a gala dinner. They are cute and made to last.


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Sweets And Treats As Holiday Gifts

Some people are difficult to buy gifts for because they really don't need anything, or we are unsure of their tastes. For these folks I select delicious treats I'd be delighted to receive. If I don't know what you want, I'll get you what I want, (and ha, maybe you'll share it with me!😋) Here are 5 additional gifts to consider:

1) Dark chocolate Belgium truffles (see above↑) would probably top my list. A special treat at Christmas when visions of sugar plums are dancing in our heads!

2) Dark chocolate is also perfection combined with a thick layer of white chocolate and pieces of peppermint. Williams-Simona offers their peppermint bark starting in November. Select dark, or milk chocolate.

A refreshing and irresistible candy; and this year you can personalize the tin, if you wish. Putting a name on the tin adds an $8 charge.

3) With cookies and sweets in abundance, a gift of deluxe nuts is a lovely change ... and healthy. This salty snack may last into the New Year.

4) A box of chocolate covered Oreos is another holiday gift idea. You can either purchase them finished; or buy Oreos, dip them into melted Baker's chocolate and box them yourself for less money, depending on how busy and industrious you are. Cheapest price/but for 5 lbs at CandyStore.com.

5) The last gift idea is a box of good ole American Russell Stover Chocolate Covered Nuts selling at your local drugstore. As a child, I often got a box for Christmas. A winning combination of milk chocolate and nuts, and the quality of the chocolate is good (which unforturnately isn't always true of American chocolate).

All are gifts people can share with family and friends during the holidays. A hostess needs refreshments to welcome extra people into a home, so thoughtful gifts, indeed!


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Feel The Warmth With KuSan Kits

Still looking for that perfect gift to put under the Christmas tree? Wool hats, gloves and scarves are popular for a reason. Winter is coming!

As temperatures drop, the folks on your holiday list might like to feel the warmth of handmade knitted accessories. KuSan is a merchant of warm knitts, whose offices; design studio; and warehouses are based in North London. The wool used comes from New Zealand; and the items, which also include knitted bags and rugs, are ethically made in Nepal. 

Hand knitters receive fair wages and work humane hours within safe, caring environments. Workers are offered participation in collective bargaining; free association; sufficient breaks; and free staff food. Many have stayed with the company since it began 18 years ago. Since the launch, the company's reputation has grown!

All goods are produced using eco-friendly and substainable practises. 

KuSan sells its woolly goods from London's skate parks to chic boutiques across Europe. Here in the USA customers can find them on Ebay and occassionally at T.J. Maxx. The quality is high end, yet the cost is low.

Super cute style, lovingly handcrafted and affordable, the hats, gloves and scarves are 100% wool and fleece lined. Plus, the retailer is always innovating and updating its collection. I bought a pair of colorful, striped mittens!

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Why A Baby Sleeps in A Cardboard Box

The practice of using baby boxes instead of cribs for sleeping started in Finland (in the 1930s), then took off in the UK before being introduced in the U.S. As it turns out, Finland has one of the lowest infant death rates from SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) in the world since beginning their baby box initiative. The country provides them for all new parents to take home with their infants as they leave the hospital.

To reduce SIDS, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends letting infants sleep in the same room as parents (but not in the same bed) for the 1st six months.

Each cardboard baby box comes with a mattress and fitted sheet. Sometimes retailers include a load of baby essentials like diapers, baby wipes and onesies. California, New Jersey and Ohio have become the first states to sponsor programs to give free baby boxes to expectant and new mothers.

The baby box is easy to move to different rooms for babies to play in, or take naps. Babies should sleep on their backs with all objects removed from the box. A great Christmas gift for expecting parents, perhaps? 

I have to say, I'd still buy a proper crib to elevate the infant overnight. Place the box inside the crib. (I mean, what if you have a flood or a pet?), but use the box to move the baby from room to room and for out-of-town stays. It goes to show how "proper" can be simple without expensive bells and whistles. A nod to Finland! (My mother once said: "Buying a bassinet is a waste of money since a baby outgrows it after a few months.")

Amazon and Walmart offer baby boxes as sets with starter clothes. As you can see, pink for girls; blue for boys. A thoughtful gift, no?

Perhaps I'm writing this blog to have a reason to post this adorable baby photo. Jokingly I sometimes tell friends when the subject of children or puppies arises, I'm at a mind and point where I no longer want to bring anything home that poops.🙂 Still I like seeing and buying gifts for little ones! Nowadays, I'm a fabulous Aunt Debbie. And, as we know, it takes a village to raise children.

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Christmas Cactus or Poinsettia?

Photo: theseedhouse via Etsy

I won't lie. I stopped buying Christmas flowers a few years ago. I've killed too many potted poinsettias to hope they will last after Christmas. Are they meant to live? Because, they don't! The light, temperature and moisture are likely all wrong in a Manhattan apartment for them to thrive. Still their bright red blossoms are beautiful, indeed!

Some sources claim that a Christmas cactus is hardy compared to the more delicate poinsettia. Certainly, they are lovely too. Just like poinsettias, they have the same contrast of vivid green and red Christmas colors. Here is how to care for the latter in case you're looking for holiday plants.

What's more if you lack a green thumb, there's no shame in settling on an artificial plant. Perhaps they can't fully replace real flowers, yet some arrangements can fool you, short of a close inspection. For me, buying a couple of sprigs from Michael's, a NYC art and craft's store, turns the trick, and after the season I store them away with the rest of my Christmas decorations.

What I love about decorating for Christmas is, there are many ways to deck the halls. Everybody has their own tradition. Do you buy potted plants? Christmas cactus, or poinsettia?? 

Photo: 1-800-flowers

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5 Beauty Gift Ideas

If you have makeup loving friends -- who either wear it daily, or want to, have I got 5 thoughtful and affordable gifts for you to consider. Each one has good ingredients wrapped up in a clever presentation sure to please your recipients. The first up is:

1) The Color Workshop Brilliant Beauty Classic Glamour Makeup Palette (↑above) - 41 everything you need cosmetics: 18 eyeshadows, 12 lip glosses, 2 blushes, 1 contour, 1 lip primer, 1 eye primer, powder highlighters, 3 lipsticks -- all housed inside a fancy locking, black train case equipped with a mirror and carrying handle. $9.88.

2) The Color Workshop Nail Pail Nail Polish Gift Set - 15 essential items: 9 wearable nail polish colors,  3 tubs of fun glitter powder, 2 toe separators -- it comes in a sleek, keepsake storage pail. $9.88.

3) Real Techniques Neon Lights Brush Set -  Nearly all women have basic makeup brushes. A few extras in a set (your friend may not have) makes a lovely gift: 5 professional pieces: buffing brush, smugging brush, shadow brush, contour fan brush, plus a complexion blending sponge. These brushes are multi-taskers, so this set either supplements, or upgrades the cosmetic brushes your friend already owns. $13.99. Pretty brush handles to boot!

4) L'Oréal Paris Colour Riche La Palette Lip, $8 - $10 and Maybelline New York Lip Studio Lip Color Palette, $5 - $8 - depending on seller - The quality of L'Oréal and Maybelline lipsticks are top notch. Customers rarely do better even paying 4 to 5 times more for designer lipstick, so why do it? For much less, you can buy your friend both palettes, so she has 16 new beautiful and wearable colors to try.

5) EOS Lip Balm 3-Pack Limited Edition Collection - I bought myself this lip balm set last Christmas. This year they are back!  - Contains beeswax, Shea butter, jojoba oil, olive oil, coconut oil and other moisturizing ingredients in peppermint, ginger and holiday flavors to keep your lips smooth and conditioned during dry seasons. $10.63 for 3.

Festive, useful and affordable gift sets your makeup maven friends can enjoy all year long. Plus, you might be tempted to treat yourself! At these prices, why not?

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Inside A Snow Globe With Santa At Bloomingdale's

On Black Friday I walked to Bloomingdale's to see their Christmas display. There were not many decorations compared to years past, when ornaments and trees took up half the floor. But they had a giant snow globe, and a lovely young lady asked me to step inside of it to have my picture taken with Santa. Sooo I did. (#Bloomies59) The day was very cold outside, and I am bundled up in layers, plus a goose down coat. It's hood was pulled up outside that day.

Photo: Associated Press (click to enlarge)  - The Rockefeller Center Christmas tree was lite tonight.

During the Christmas season, I try to go to Macy's and Saks 5th Avenue also to see who is selling the most beautiful ornaments. Then there's a stroll over to Rockefeller Center to see the Christmas tree, as well as, a stroll up and down 5th Avenue to gaze at store windows. St. Patrick's Cathedral will have a huge Nativity Scene, garland, white lights and poinsettias all over the church.

Let the holiday season begin! Have you, Dear Readers, bought any gifts yet?

Extra Tip: Don't miss the beautiful tree covered in blue lights a block away from Bloomingdale's at Bloomberg news.

The surronding trees are about 12 feet tall. The center one is several office floors tall.

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My Chocolate Pudding With Oreo Cookies

Photo: Fine Cooking

Chocolate pudding is delicious. Oreo cookies are good too. And, chocolate covered Oreos are divine, likely the nectar of the Gods. What if all three ingredients were out driving late one night and crashed into each other, and you could eat them? Well, a vision becomes an easy dessert:

Chocolate Pudding - homemade is the best!

Ingredients for pudding:

4 cups milk
4 tablespoons dark cocoa, or cacao powder (You can substitute dark chocolate bars, or Baker's chocolate.)
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour (You can substitute cornstarch if you wish)
pinch of salt
1/3 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Extras - after you make the pudding: 

Oreo cookies
Chocolate chips, or dark chocolate shavings

Directions to make the pudding:

1) Add all ingredients to a saucepan. Everything goes into cold milk and whisk until all the ingredients are dissolved into the milk. My secret to a smooth pudding is make it smooth before you make it hot.

2) Once the ingredients are incorporated, turn on the stove top heat. 

3) Keep whisking until the mixture boils and thickens, which only takes 4 - 5 minutes once simmering begins. Whisk the entire time to keep it smooth!

Pudding is so simple to make, I never buy pudding mix in a box. If you have a box in your cupboard eat it. After using it up, never buy it again. Instead, make pudding from scratch. (For vanilla pudding, bump up the vanilla extract and leave out the cocoa.)

3) After it thickens, pour into pudding cups.

I eat half my pudding warm (because I'm as bad as a child. Pudding is a comfort food. Refrigerate the other half.

Directions continued (after pudding is made):

4) If you have the self control to wait, line a dessert dish with Oreo cookies and alternate with pudding and chocolate shavings.

5) Refrigerate to chill and serve.

Optional Step 6: ↗If you don't mind going one more step for a fancy presentation: Separate 2 eggs (save the eggs for a custard or main dish). Beat the egg whites into a meringue (add a tablespoon of sugar to it). Top off your chocolate pudding; chocolate shavings; and Oreos with meringue, then brown it in the oven (or use a kitchen torch), before chilling in the refrigerator. Garnish the very top with more chocolate shavings or cookie bits, if you like. (Oh my goodness, the wait! The wait! Only for the strong and patient who have not already eaten half the pudding!)

Photo: thecookingchicks

Ok, I won't lie, I only make this layered dessert for dinner guests, but not for just me, myself and I. I make plenty of pudding, or what would my guests eat ... my portion? I think not!😋

Easy-peasy, tasty chocolate pudding!


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Happy Thanksgiving From The Mandarin Duck

Photo: Wallpaperbackground.com

Each of us can find something to be thankful for, often it's our good health and a comfortable home. Family, friends and the kindness of people we meet. A positive attitude is a blessing. At times life will take a bad turn, but a positive attitude can help us navigate through stresses and challenges until things get better. And ... be thankful for the small stuff!

Photo: Audubon.org

New York City's newest resident, the Mandarin Duck, with his colorful feathers and bright pink beak, is a native of China. Nobody knows how he got to the pond in Central Park. Did he escape, or did someone put him there? He gets along with the other ducks, doesn't seem to mind the cold and has made himself at home. A gift to the city, and we love him!

Photo: Richmond Mom

Like you, today I will likely stuff myself with turkey, dressing and healthy sides including: green beans, asparagus, carrots, butternut squash, cranberries and of course, pumpkin pie. I like fresh and  healthy foods, so never feel deprived or guilty when eating plenty of them.

From our home to yours, Happy Thanksgiving all!🦃     


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