I'll Be Home For Christmas

I don't know about you, but I have barely sat down for the past few days.  Every time I thought I had my act together, I'd remember one last thing that needed to be done.  Yesterday was spent mostly in the kitchen, well, excluding the quick trip to Target and Aldi.  And also excluding the hour or so in the sewing room making Hannah's last minute stocking to hang with all the others from the mantle.

So today, I shall sit.  I shall sit, and read, and relax.  But first, I wanted to show you a Christmas sampler quilt I designed six years ago.  It is one of my all-time favorites.

This quilt I call "I'll Be Home For Christmas."  You see, six years ago, we were waiting for our sweet Maggie to come home from China.  We were also waiting for my brother, Doug, to come home from Iraq.  So, we were missing a couple of very important family members that Christmas.

 

My thoughts turned sentimental as I stitched up this quilt--thoughts of home, family, prayers, stockings, mittens, Christmas trees, snowmen, American flags, and bright, starry nights.

 

 

I stitched some lyrics from one of my favorite Christmas songs all around the border:

"I'll be home for Christmas.  You can plan on me.  

Please have snow and mistletoe, and presents on the tree...."

This year we are waiting again....for a very special little boy to join our family.  He'll be home for Christmas, if only in our dreams.

We love you, Caleb.  Merry Christmas, sweet boy.

And Merry Christmas to all my friends and family!

Love,

Cranberry Pecan Panuche

Ginger Crinkles!

Today I'm revisiting a post from last year. This recipe has been requested by several friends. So, here you go!

Time to don the apron and make our first batch of Christmas cookies!  These soft, chewy Ginger Crinkles are my favorite cookie recipe from my childhood.  My mom used to make these year round, actually.  But they are especially great at Christmas.  And I've never met a soul who didn't like them!

No rolling and cutting these babies. You just mix up the dough, form little balls, and roll them in sugar!  They puff up while they're baking, then settle down slightly and crinkle when you remove them from the oven.

I can mix up a batch of these in no time flat.   And with my first "batch" of December company coming tomorrow to spend one night, I thought a little plate of these might be a nice treat.

I hope you'll try them!!

Ginger Crinkles

• 2/3 cup oil
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

*******
1/2 cup sugar for rolling 

Heat oven to  350 degrees.  Mix oil and sugar thoroughly.  Add egg and beat well.  Stir in molasses.  Sift dry ingredients together and add to above mixture.  Drop by teaspoonfuls into sugar and form into balls coated with sugar.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet 2 inches apart.  Bake for about 10 minutes, or till puffy.  Remove to wire rack.  Cookies will flatten and crinkle.

 

Love,