Happy New Year

crafted by Jozef

The Christmas Story ... Merry Christmas

narrated by children in New Zealand

The night before Christmas and Christmas morning

milk and cookies for Santa

Lego is still a big favourite

there's always something to eat, something to wear, something to read and something for fun!

Christmas Cookies and it's snowing outside today!

The view from my kitchen today!

Baking dozens of cookies at Christmas
continues as a North American tradition!

Gingerbread Cookies

Pulse together in a food processor:

1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, pinch salt, 1 teaspoon ginger, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and a dash or two of nutmeg.  Pulse in 1/2 cup butter, 2 Tablespoons of molasses and 1 egg.  Chill the dough for 30 minutes and then roll out and bake 10 minutes (until light golden brown).

Growing up in New Zealand my mother often baked ... Traditional Christmas fruit cakes (3-4 per year) including one each for our Birthdays, Belgian biscuits, Anzac biscuits, Afghans, Louise Cake, Ginger crunch, Chocolate coconut slice, Dates loaves, Sultana loaves, Muffins, Melting moments, Kisses, Albert squares with passionfruit icing, Cornflake delights, Date Joys, Cheese cakes ... these are just a few of the goodies that my Mother and my Grandmother baked.