GRANDMA’S KITCHEN

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Christmas truly is “the most wonderful time of the year.” Family get togethers with love, laughter and, of course – food. Decorations all around the home. Children anxious to open presents.

What could be better?

My family gathers late in the day on Christmas Eve so each family has their own family time together Christmas morning.

Our big traditional meal is on Thanksgiving. For Christmas we do finger foods, dips and sweets. Everyone contributes to the meals.

On Thanksgiving we gather around the table and give thanks for all our blessings. On Christmas Eve we fix plates and gather in the living room near the tree.

After food and fellowship, we open presents. I feel certain the grandchildren would prefer to open presents first, but it is good to wait because their anticipation builds.

My family loves homemade bread and I make bread loaves for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Before Christmas the grandchildren and I make sugar cookies together and each carries some home with them. We make sugar cookies because that’s what all of them like. I make the dough

ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator so it is ready when they arrive. We roll them out and they cut out the cookies in Santas, snowmen or whatever shape they like.

Once baked, they decorate the way the mood strikes them. We use the occasion to indulge ourselves as we bake. After all, it is a grandmother’s right to spoil grandchildren (while also ensuring they behave).

My family’s favorite sweet for this time of the year is peanut butter balls closely followed by peanut butter fudge. There’s a joke about nuts in that statement, but I will skip it. You get it anyway, right?

My favorite of all the decorations is the tree. The tree to me represents freshness, a newness of life. That’s what Jesus brought to mankind on the day He entered this earth. The lights that twinkle speak to me of the light He brought into a dark world. I wish everyone could have the joy and peace that knowledge brings.

Whatever your traditions are for Christmas, I wish you and your family the very best Christmas you’ve ever and may there be peace among men.

The recipes are so old I do not remember where I got them. Enjoy!

Sylvia Hughes is a retired newspaper editor and columnist residing in Windsor. In addition to three sons, she has a gaggle of grandchildren, many of whom love cooking with her just as she did with her mother and grandmother.

Buttery Sugar Cookies 2 cups of butter, softened 2 cups sugar 3 large eggs 5 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 6 ½ cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt DIRECTIONS In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for one hour, On a lightly floured surface, roll out to ¼ inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Place 1 inch apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar and cool on racks, or cool on racks and then ice with colored confectioners sugar icing. Makes about 11 dozen cookies

Peanut Butter Balls ½ cup butter, softened 2 teaspoons vanilla 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 cups creamy peanut butter 2 cups confectioners sugar 2 ½ cups graham cracker crumbs 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 tablespoons oil ½ bar wax Stir in 2 cups confectioners sugar and all but ½ cup graham cracker crumbs. Add additional ½ cup only if needed to hold firm. Form into 1-inch balls. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Melt chocolate chips, oil and wax. With two forks, dip, remove and DIRECTIONS Cream butter, vanilla, salt and peanut butter. place on wax paper until chocolate is set. Keep in air tight container. Refrigerate if desired. Makes about 6 dozen.

1 cup creamy peanut butter 3 cups sugar Dash of salt 1 ½ cups evaporated milk ¼ cup margarine 1 teaspoon vanilla DIRECTIONS Mix sugar, salt, evaporated milk and margarine. Cook over medium heat until it comes to a full, rolling boil. (Full, rolling boil is when it cannot be stirred down) Boil to soft ball stage (about 6 minutes) Add peanut butter and vanilla. Beat until creamy. I usually take in outside if it is cold to beat it because it will set up faster. Pour into buttered 8X8 dish. Cut after it has cooled entirely. Peanut Butter Fudge

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