Happy Holidays!

Hello to all of you.... my dear friends!  I'm sorry I missed wishing you all a Merry Christmas!  I sure hope you all had a great day with all of those that you love! We had a wonderful day at HOME for the first time in 3 years.  We usually have to go to Wyoming, where Mike works, and spend Christmas there because he is scheduled to work.  This year his boss ordered that he go home and spend it with his family!  Such a relief! So we had a great Christmas here and didn't even start a vehicle!  I refused to go ANYWHERE!  I put some ham & potatoes in the crockpot, made a fresh batch of Lion House Rolls, made a "Better than Sex Cake", and 2 pies.  It was my goal to not bake a thing, but we know how that works... at least around here! I can't sit down long enough! I swear the kitchen screams my name, so I just go spend all my time there!  It turned out just perfect because everyone showed up right as the rolls came out of the oven, and we all sat down and had a hot roll with honey butter!  So good!

So.... I have this reception to make refreshments for on Friday, but after that.... no orders YET! So, I will be back to blogging!  I got an amazing camera for Christmas and am so excited to learn how to use it!  And I want to learn how to take better food pictures!  I do look back at my first posts and their pictures, and I do believe I have gotten better, but there is still much room to improve!  It's going to be so much fun!

But as for now, I'm trying to decide on which cupcake recipes to use for this reception.... it's a vintage reception and that's right up my alley!  I am baking Cherry Cola Cupcakes for sure... and some White Sour Cream Cupcakes.... and maybe some Chocolate Cupcakes.... but what to fill them with?  hmmmmm..... And then the 175 Cinnamon Twists! We cut them in half for receptions... You know, I have shared my Cinnamon twist recipe here. You really should try them!


My next question for you is.... What are you doing for New Years?  The kids and I will be here alone again this year.  Maybe we'll watch a movie and eat popcorn... then go to bed... perhaps before the new year?  It's a real big possibility! :)  But I would absolutely love to hear what you're all doing?  Are you making any fun recipes?   I think Spinach Artichoke Dip will be first on my list if we do decide to have some guests and make some food!  My mouth waters, just thinking of it!

Oh Yummy!!!!!

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I have to say, I have missed my Grandmas this Christmas!  My dear Grandma Jennie has been gone for two Christmas' now and it's still hard to get used to not taking her a sweet little gift on Christmas day.  She was funny.  Kind of ornery.... or was it just that she was EXTREMELY outspoken!  Never afraid to hurt feelings, but she really didn't mean to... or did she?  A very interesting woman, she was! But damn I have sure missed her!  With all these cinnamon twists I've been making, I just laugh even more!  I would always make a couple extra and add raisins to them, because that's what she liked! But.... I'm not sure they ever had ENOUGH raisins.... actually I am sure! There were never enough! At least, she didn't think so:)  But I always looked forward to hearing from her, even knowing what she was going to tell me! And even though she complained, I know she looked forward to getting them!  Because even though she may not have wanted to admit it, she loved them! :) I sure miss her!

And Grandma Kay.... this is the first Christmas without her here! And it's been sad.  Sad to see Grandpa alone... I miss our phone calls! I miss telling her what I was baking! She taught me alot about baking!  I cherish many of her recipes!  I took on her tradition of bottling hot vegetables and dill pickles!  So, this year I took a bottle of each to Grandpa... it was good to reminisce about Grandma with him.  However, my heart is crying for his broken heart!  To be together for 64 years with the one you love, then to be without them.... oh, what a feeling of pure loneliness it must be!  I hope to be able to get some of Grandma's old candy recipes and try them.  She was the Queen of Peanut Brittle!  So, I need to get her recipe and make us some!  And peanut clusters! Oh my!  We looked forward to Christmas time, when we could go into the little bedroom and grab the Christmas tins filled with peanut clusters!  You know what I always noticed?.... her chocolate had to be perfectly tempered all the time!  Because her chocolate never had white streaks like you see on homemade candies often!  She was pretty amazing!  I miss her!

So, to make a long story short.... please look at all those around you!  All those that you love!  Tell them how much you love them! Tell them often!  Because one day, unfortunately, you won't be able to!

I appreciate each and every one of you, my dear friends!  A Lot!  I look forward to your comments!  So please, feel free to share your thoughts with me!

Happy Cooking!

Teauna