Preparations and Planning

Outside my window there's a bit of drizzle and plenty of grey. Not so indoors where the tree lights twinkle and the fire glows. I started this morning off with list making - menus, shopping, projects to finish. I like a freshly sharpened pencil and a cup of tea to help me think. Ideas flow freely, but it's nearing time to make some decisions and settle on things. I'm happy to report that in between writing the list and writing this post, one item has been checked off! 

Yesterday we celebrated a 9th birthday for this sweet girl. She's fun and feisty, and growing up all too quickly. She had a friend party on Saturday and a family get together yesterday afternoon. 

On Saturday I baked cookies and pulled together something quick for dinner. Shrimp in a garlic sauce with zucchini noodles and a few tomatoes, served over creamy polenta. Easy and satisfying, and there were leftovers for Tim to take to work today! Win win.

Most of the decorating is done. We did the tree last night. My, but it smells good. Fresh and clean, like the outdoors. On the piano are the paper trees I made over 30 years ago, looking a little aged, but pretty as can be with twinkle lights strewn through them. 

In the evenings that draw in so quickly these days, a cup of tea and a cookie by the fire is cozy and warming. On the plate are Rugelach, Cranberry Orange Shortbread, and Peanut Butter Squares. There's plenty for you, and more teacups in the cabinet, so feel free to drop by. 

Back to the list before I go to school to deal with lively students who are more than eager for the Christmas break to begin. 

Five on Friday

1. A cold snap arrived over the weekend and lingers on. Yesterday afternoon snowflakes wafted outside the classroom windows, distracting students and teachers alike. By late afternoon the snow was beginning to stick and this morning there was a fresh white blanket covering the ground. My little pot of spring bulbs didn't seem to mind the chilliness.

2. Beautiful pink streaked just above the horizon this morning. Each window had a different, and equally lovely view. I took this from a back bedroom, looking out over the Sooke Hills. 

Students were really distracted this morning and I think I earned a few points with my French 8s by letting them go play in la neige for the last 10 minutes of class. They were quite surprised when their teacher threw a few snowballs at them, and a few retaliated in kind. It was great fun. 

3. This is another photo from our little getaway last weekend. On China Beach this log looks to me like it bit off more than it could chew. That rock is firmly lodged and not going anywhere. 

4. This evening I made Ginger Snaps, the first in a long while. They come from an old cookbook - The Mennonite Treasury of Recipes, a forerunner of the Mennonite Girls Who Can Cook, perhaps. I like them because they are assertively ginger-flavoured and are crisp and snappy, but can soften to chewiness over time. I put the recipe below.

For a number of years, every time I baked these cookies I would package some up for Tim's mother. This is the first time I've baked them since she left us, and it made me a little sad. She liked them as I do, snappy! 

5. My Christmas cactus decided to bloom in January, and now in February, it has a few more blooms and is growing rapidly. I'm happy to see it flower whenever it chooses. 

Although the Five on Friday link up is no longer happening, the format is fun, as Brenda mentioned the other day. 

Tomorrow may bring more snow, or rain. Possibly some sun. The forecast is a mixed bag.

Here's the recipe for the ginger snaps:

2 cups flour
1 Tablespoon ginger
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
sugar for rolling the cookies

Mix the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium mixing bowl. Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar, then add the egg and molasses. Add the dry ingredients and mix well.

Form into small balls and roll in sugar. Bake on a lined baking sheet for 12 to 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool on rack. 

Busy Hands, Wandering Mind

A morning at home. The wind races around the house and through the trees. I light a candle, make a cup of tea and open the recipe box. Does anyone use recipe boxes anymore? Mine is made by my husband from a piece of scrap oak after I complained about the smallness of store-bought versions. That would be about 38 years ago. 

Is there any season so prone to memory as Christmas? Recipe cards written in so many hands - sister-in-law, friend, mother, daughter. Some doodled upon - ahem. Recipes from my childhood, my husband's childhood, from friends scattered around the globe.

I thought, briefly, about naming this post "Tying.one.on" but soon thought better of it, not wanting the kind of traffic that phrase might bring. As soon as I publish this post, I'll be tying that apron around my waist and starting the Christmas baking. No, that's not quite true - earlier this week I did make Cranberry Orange Shortbread.

I dig through the cookie cutter box. Which ones shall I use this year? Will the little gingerbread man and woman make the grandchildren smile just the way their parents once did? I think so.

While my hands measure and sift, roll and cut, and the smell of freshly baked cookies fills the air, my mind will be wandering over the years, remembering, smiling, and being thankful. 

Have you begun your Christmas baking? Do you have food traditions handed down through the years? 

Meringue Chocolate Almond Cookies

Faced with a quantity of egg whites in the fridge, I made these meringue based cookies. They are light, but addictive. I think it has to do with the way they melt in your mouth, with the added flavors of almonds and chocolate. Easy to make, and they are gluten and dairy free (depending on the chocolate chips used.) 

Meringue Chocolate Almond Cookies

2 egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup chocolate chips or finely chopped chocolate (I used a combination of both)
1 cup sliced almonds, blanched or not

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

In large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and beat until soft peaks form. Begin adding the sugar, two tablespoons at a time, and beat until the mixture is stiff and glossy. Beat in the vanilla. Fold in the chocolate and almonds with a silicone or wooden spatula. 

Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto parchment lined baking sheets. Allow for some spreading. Bake 20 - 25 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the parchment, then carefully remove. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Linking to Tasty Tuesday, hosted by Penny at The Comforts of Home.