Year: 2010

I met Kim when I was looking for roommates for BEA this past year.  She and comes from our neighboring state of Wisconsin and runs an amazing blog over at Sophisticated Dorkiness (I know… love the name right?) I was able to connect with her again at the Twin Cities Expo in September.

Sheila

 

 

 

One of my very favorite Christmas cookies actually has very little to do with Christmas, and remains a holiday tradition only because I stubbornly resist tearing them apart.

Every year for about as long as I can remember, my mom has hosted an annual Christmas Cookie Bake right around the beginning of December. About 20 women come to our house on a Saturday afternoon and bake hundreds and hundreds of cookies, then do a gift and cookie exchange from the baked goods. Seeing all those cookies spread out on three different giant tables has always been one of the most decadent memories from my childhood.

 

When I was about nine, my aunt came with a recipe for a new cookie that changed my world, simply called the Hershey Kiss Cookie. When you combine Hershey’s Kisses, mini-chocolate chips, sugar, butter, and some other ingredients, how can you go wrong?

(In case you were confused, this cookie is not the sugar/peanut butter cookie rolled in sugar then planted with a Hershey Kiss in the middle, often called “Peanut Butter Blossoms.” The cookies I am in love with are far superior.)

I’m not sure what it is about Hershey Kiss Cookies that as captured my heart and taste buds — I just love them so much I’ve been known to sneak them away from the family cookie stash to keep them for myself, and feel seriously dejected when no one makes them around Christmas.

That’s pretty irrational, for a lot of reasons. First of all, the recipe is really simple. The only tedious part is unwrapping the dozens and dozens of Kisses you need, but with a group it’s a lot of fun. Second, there’s nothing about these cookies that make them a “Christmas only” recipe like Gingerbread Men. They’re chocolate wrapped in modified chocolate chip cookie dough — perfect any time of the year.

I tried making them out of season once, I think in the summer when I was craving them too much to wait six more months. But they just weren’t the same. Something about baking and cooking with family and friends has imprinted these cookies with the holidays, and I just can’t eat them any other season.

I’ve never actually taken a photo of these cookies myself, but they look basically like these from the Hershey’s website (minus the frosting drizzle, I am not that fancy). However, DO NOT use the Hershey recipe — the one I got from my aunt, shared below, is far superior.

 

Hershey Kiss Cookies

1 cup butter
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 cup mini chocolate chip morsels
14 oz bag Hershey’s kisses

Cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar.  Add vanilla.  Add mini morsels. Stir in flour. Take approximately 1 tsp of dough and wrap around 1 kiss.  Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

 

Check in on Kim at Sophisticated Dorkiness

I met Heather at BEA this past May of 2010 and I just thought she was a brilliant book gal!  I loved talking book clubs with her as we are both in a long standing book club and I enjoyed sharing ideas to make our club reviews more involved.

Sheila

I’m so glad Sheila gave me the chance to post at her blog because now I can tell all of you about a wonderful Christmas book you’ve probably never heard of.

The Cole Family Christmas is a children’s book about one Christmas in the real life Cole family, circa 1920. Papa Cole is a miner in the mountains of Kentucky. He and Mama Cole have 9 children, ranging in age from 1-year-old to 18 years old. The family isn’t rich by any stretch of the word but they do have enough, and that’s really all they need.

This particular Christmas Mama and Papa tell the children they can write to Santa and ask for one special thing from the Wish Book (aka the big catalog). However, just a few days before Christmas, a huge snowstorm blows in. Will Papa make it home from his extra shift at the mine? Will Santa be able to make it with their special gifts? And how can the children make amends for breaking one of Mama’s treasured possessions? What will this Christmas be like for the Coles?

I love this book! It is a wonderful tale of family love and it is well worth reading, both for adults and for children.

One thing that makes this book extra special to me is the relationship between the authors. Hazel Cole Kendle is the youngest of the Cole children and the only surviving one as well. Jennifer Liu Bryan is married to Hazel’s grandson. Jennifer wrote the book based on stories Hazel and her siblings told over the years. What a wonderful collaboration between generations!

If you are familiar with my blog (Age 30+ … A Lifetime of Books) you know that I have a great relationship with my grandparents. What you may not know is that I write down all the stories they tell me in the hope that one day I can compile them into an informal book for the rest of the family to enjoy. Knowing what I do about the authors of this book made me love it even more, and inspired me to keep doing what I’m doing with MY grandparents.

I have to add that I loved the illustrations by Jennifer Julich. Not being an artsy person I don’t really know how to describe them except to say that they conveyed the characters in a realistic but still fun way. They are perfect for this book.

To learn more about this wonderful book you can check out The Cole Family Christmas website.

Are there any Christmas books you love that no one else seems to have heard of?  Please share them in the comments!

Stop in and see Heather at Age 30+ A Lifetime Of Books

 

Reagan is a fellow Minnesotan and has been my roommate for BEA and for the Twin Cities Book Expo.  She’s funny, a teacher…. oh – and she is my roommate for BEA 2011 as well!

Sheila

 

Have you met the amazing Alyce?  I remember when I first found Alyce’s blog and I  loved how her sidebar says “Alyce (rhymes with peace)… I think of that whenever  I stop by her blog and it makes me smile.  🙂

Sheila

 

The Christmas tradition that stands out the most in my memory from childhood is that of retrieving boxes of ornaments from the attic and decorating the house.  But the first thing that my mom would do prior to decorating was reach into our cabinet and pull out all of our holiday records and stack them up next to the record player.  There was a lot of Christmas music there, and I know that we did listen to most of the records, but the only one that I remember; the one that got the most play time, was the Elvis Christmas album.  I have so many good memories of dancing around the house and putting up decorations with Elvis singing in the background.

During those first few years of marriage the memories of Christmases blur together, in part because we always celebrated at our parents’ houses.  When we had our kids, however, we wanted to create our own family traditions and I couldn’t resist incorporating Elvis Christmas tunes into our holiday.  So now, each Christmas when my kids get ready to decorate the tree they are accompanied by “Santa Bring My Baby Back to Me” and “If Every Day Was Like Christmas,” among others.  I will be curious to see if those songs will bring back nostalgic memories for them someday when they are older, or if they just melt into the background of Christmas memories.  If there’s one thing I know it’s that nostalgia is different for everyone, and the best we can do is create a lot of fun memories and then wait to see which ones are treasured most by those we love.

I know that making Christmas cookies is a family tradition for many people, but it was not something I remember doing often when I was growing up, so I was excited to make it into a yearly event with my kids.  Every year, at some point during the two-week break from school I get out the cookie press and make dozens of butter cookies.  Most years I buy the boys each a tube of frosting and a large bag of mini-M&Ms to decorate a plate of their own cookies.  Last year though, I discovered that the butter cookies taste even better (at least to me)  if they are made with colored sugar sprinkles  instead of being slathered with frosting and piled high with candy.

Below is the recipe that I like the best for butter cookies (which this recipe calls shortbread cookies).  I think calling them butter cookies makes more sense; after all they are made with a pound of butter!

Shortbread Cookies

1 lb butter
1 cup sifted icing sugar
3 cups sifted flour
½ cup cornstarch

Cream butter, add sugar & gradually add flour & cornstarch sifted together. Whip mixture until fluffy & mixture breaks or looks curdled. Drop by teaspoons or put through cookie press onto cookie sheet.  Bake at 300F until light golden brown (about 20 minutes).

Check out Alyce At Home With Books.

I found Esme over a year ago when I was blog hopping one day and discovered this book reviewer and food lover.  Her book reviews drew me in and then her food pictures and recipes held me there.  I was like a kid in a candy store and I told her I had to start limiting my visits to her blog because it made me hungry!  Who knew that this original connection with this California blogger would eventually put us together as roommates at BEA.  (Yes, another roommate!)  😀 You are also soon to discover… she is handy with a camera too!

Sheila

Hello, I am Esme from Chocolate and Croissants.  It is an honor for me to be guest posting at Book Journey.  Today I am going to take you to one of my favorite places France, as we tour the Christmas markets.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.

This time of the year, Christmas markets can be found along the French-German border.  Given the tumultuous history this area has experienced changing hands between the French and the Germans the food is a beautiful mixture of both French and German cuisine. While each market enjoys it’s own potpourri of decorations, vendors and food, the baked goods reflect the history of the area.

A few years ago, I took the TGV train from Paris to Strasbourg.  Strasbourg home to the printing press was my gateway to a world of epicurean delights and Christmas treasures.

The largest market in Strasbourg could be found in the main square.  All the buildings were decorated with Christmas tinsel and holiday cheer.

From Strasbourg I had a rental car and drove through the French countryside visiting little villages.

These Christmas loaves are full of dried fruit, nuts and a healthy dose of liquor.  Each village had baked Christmas goods different from other villages.  By the time I left, my bags were packed with cakes and cookies to bring back home with me.

Of course, everyone should enjoy a chocolate Santa.

Of course, one must try marrons glace (glazed chestnuts).  Did I? No, I must confess I do not like chestnuts, but I think I really missed out.

Joyeaux Noel and Merry Christmas and be good you never know where Santa may be.

Stop in and bring your appetite at Chocolates and Croissants!