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21 November 2014

Christmas Traditions Series Bake Off Party



Welcome to the Christmas Traditions Bake Off Party!!!

We're celebrating online on Facebook and also over here on the Overcoming With God blog! Post your recipes online (click here) and leave a comment here on the blog to enter for giveaways!

In The Fruitcake Challenge, Tom Jeffries challenges Josephine Christy to make a fruitcake as good as his mother's and he'll marry her.

Do you remember as a young adult or earlier even, learning that your mother's recipes were not the "only" correct way to prepare a certain food item?  My husband, then my 22-year-old boyfriend, invited a bunch of people to his apartment to watch a football game and enjoy some chili that he made, using his mother's, and grandmother's, recipe.  I got my bowl full. Except that it had something weird in it--Spaghettioes!  I pointed that out to Jeffrey and asked why he'd added them to the chili. His response, "because that is how you make it"!!!  The rest of his guests also got their chili. Soon Jeff got his eyes opened to the fact that traditional chili does not have Spaghettioes floating around in it! But the thing was--to him, that was the "right" way. I'm guessing his grandmother added those to get her grandchildren more interested in eating the chili and I think that was pretty clever!

Growing up, fruitcakes were a holiday tradition. My mom made this expensive treat as a gift. And it IS expensive to make. People don't think about that. Instead they bemoan the horrible abused fruitcakes they've had over the years--fruitcakes that weren't prepared properly or were not baked according to the tastes of the recipients. There is no "one" true fruitcake--a point I tried to make in my novella. There may be one that was "classic" for its time and made according to the tastes of that generation but it doesn't make it the end all and be all for fruitcake baking.  For instance, some of the spices used in previous centuries are far too heavy for today's tastes.

Every country seems to have its own version of a fruited cake. My German-American father-in-law favors the Christmas stollen made in the Chicago bakeries. The Victorians especially seemed to enjoy adding fruit either to a cake or as a side accompaniment to cakes.

Mrs. Jeffries, Tom's mother, in The Fruitcake Challenge, loves pound cake, as does her family. She's used her generations old colonial pound cake recipe to which, every year, she adds whatever dried fruits she has available and whatever nuts she can find--preferably walnuts.  So Jo, in her efforts to recreate Tom's favorite recipe hasn't considered that Mrs. Jeffries doesn't prepare a traditional spicy fruitcake. And of course Tom is little help.

One recipe for pound cake is "Million Dollar Pound Cake" recipe from Southern Living (click here.) However, I envisioned Cordelia Jeffries using an old colonial recipe for pound cake which was simply: 1 pound of flour, 1 pound of eggs, 1 pound of sugar, and 1 pound of butter. There was no leavening--air was whipped into the batter by beating the eggs.  This makes a large amount of cake.  Mrs. Jeffries added whatever fruits and nuts she had in her larder come Christmastime. So one year it may be currents, dried cherries, walnuts, and pecans. Another year it could have been other types of fruits and nuts. She believed in being economical and her son just knew he loved what his mother made!   Here poor Jo, in my story, and her father, have worn themselves out with recipes while Mrs. Jeffries' was so very simple! It did, however, require a great deal of mixing. I'd like to think all the ladies in the lumber camp kitchen took turns helping Jo. Even with a hand held rotary beater this would have taken a long time.

My friend, Linda Rash, shared this pound cake recipe with me and is our first winner of a paperback copy of The Fruitcake Challenge! Linda received the recipe from a co-worker and this was his mother's recipe. Both have passed on to be with the Lord, but here is:

Mrs. Hardy's Pound Cake Recipe
6 eggs
3 sticks butter or margarine
3 cups sugar
1 - 8 oz. cream cheese (Philly)
3 cups (plain) flour (not self-rising)

Bring all ingredients to room temperature.
Beat butter and cream cheese together, add sugar, beat until well mixed. Add eggs two at a time and beat well. Add flour, one cup at a time and mix well and scrape bowl good. Add any kind of flavoring you like.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Flour and grease the baking pan well--cook in Angel food or bundt pan. Baker's Joy baking spray can be used in lieu of the grease and flour. Bake  1 1/2 hours or until done. (Sounds divine!)


In Cynthia Hickey's lovely mid-1800's story, Handcarved Christmas, I could just "smell" coffee brewing on the wood stove and I think some nice strong coffee would go great with Mrs. Jeffries' fruitcake or with most of the delicious recipes on our Facebook party page!

In Niki Turner's story, I could anticipate the hot cocoa as her characters got in out of the cold and tried to warm up. What a classic treat. Except that Niki says there is no hot cocoa consumed in her story!!!!  Talk about making associations. I could have sworn that her characters had hot chocolate, maybe because I associate that with growing up in a cold climate where that was a nightly favorite in winter. I bet you've had cocoa made many different ways, too. My mother used Hershey's cocoa, with sugar, and hot milk heated on the stovetop (no microwaves back then!) The product was frequently a little scalded and was a strong tasting cocoa! The marshmallows piled on top were my favorite. Nestle's Quik came along and that was the "go to" for making hot cocoa. Then Swiss Miss and others pre-packaged hot cocoa.

In Darlene Franklin's lovely novella, you can just smell the apples in the orchard and then cooking for holiday celebrations! And what is as American as apple pie? If you check on the party page, you'll see an amazing looking recipe by Gracie Yost for Dutch apple turnovers! I'm going to adapt the recipe and make it gluten free for my mother-in-law when they come for Christmas. Her favorite Thanksgiving memory she says is arriving at our home south of Buffalo, in West Falls, to the scent of apple turnovers baking in the oven and me dressed in an apron meeting them at the door of the 1850 brick farm house!


Question:  Do you have a special memory of a special food or drink for Christmastime? Do you continue to make that recipe?

107 comments:

  1. Yes, I do have a favorite memory of Christmas baking. My grandmother would always make tons of sugar cookies among other cookies at Christmas. We would mix the ingredients and refridgerate. When they were chilled enough we rolled and decorated them. So much fun and so many laughs we had together. I continue this with my children each year and let them pick the cookie cutter and decorations they want to put on the cookies. We have Christmas music and so many laughs and good memories are being made. I treasure these times with my family.

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    1. That is so sweet Deanne! I used to make a lot of cookies. My mom made TONS. I've even done the cookie swaps but sadly my RA and OA don't allow for that any more.

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    2. Carrie, I SO relate to not being able to make all the cookies at Christmas - as I used to - because of health issues. It's something I miss doing, along with some other traditions, but I'm so glad I have those memories along with those of traditions my mother and grandmother used to have. The memories are blessings in themselves!!

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  2. I enjoyed baking those Pecan Tarts with a friend, who was like a mother to me. Yes, I do continue to make them. They make great gifts. ;)

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    1. I LOVE pecans! I saved a Southern Living chocolate pecan salted caramel pie recipe from last year's Thanksgiving issue! That must bring back great memories for you, Caryl!

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    2. My hubby loves pecan pie, so every year for Thanksgiving I make a pie. I never heard of the pie until I married my hubby in 2008!

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    3. Pecan pie, along with pumpkin, is a family tradition for us. That Southern Living recipe sounds fantastic - sounds like an expanded version of our Ky. Derby pie which also has pecans and chocolate.

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    4. Bonnie Roof, we don't usually have pecan pie but I love it. Esp. love chocolate pecan pie and a few years ago I had a KY version of Chocolate Pecan pie that was wonderful so yeah, I bet it its.

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  3. My dad always asked for my homemade peanut brittle.. :) He always got it...
    dkstevensne @ outlook DOTCom

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    1. Oh, I've made that for my hubs who loves peanut brittle! Always afraid I'm gonna burn myself so I've not made it again! What a blessing to your dad and to you!

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    2. My mom always made peanut brittle for my step-dad. I am not sure if she still makes it or not.

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    3. I don't recall anyone in my family ever making peanut brittle - but my grandfather always bought numerous kinds of candy during the Christmas season, peanut brittle was always one of them - my family always loved it. Those were the days when most candy at the local grocers was in bins with glass fronts that allowed you to see what was in each one - the candy was scooped out and weighed by the pound.

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    4. Oh gosh - we used to make that years ago. I'd forgotten. Thanks for the reminder!
      That and popcorn balls.

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  4. Good morning, ladies! What a great day for a party!

    I remember always making a lot of cookies and candy, along with pies with my mom as I grew up. When my daughter was younger I did this with her. Of course, I didn't make as much as my mom. But the memories are there. Now my daughter makes chocolate Ritz peanut butter cookies, and she started making the pies last year.

    I love it when traditions are handed down from family to family, or if you start your own family traditions.

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    1. It's pretty here! So glad my hip pain is calming down! Oh my MIL makes those Ritz chocolate cookies, Regina, yum!!! Yes, I love family traditions, too!

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    2. Love those chocolate Ritz peanut butter cookies, Regina - well, truth is - I love anything with peanut butter in it and if there is chocolate also, how could one not like them, LOL?? Peanut butter fudge is my very fave fudge!!

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  5. My mother always had flavored tea's or flavored cocoa too. Now, I just love the cappuccino's out there. And Mom always did cookie exchanges, so, lots of different cookies to try :)

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    1. My mom grew up in a lumber camp. No flavored cocoa there I'm thinking! My mom gifted her friends with plates of beautiful cookies. She was an amazing cook and baker.

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  6. I don't think we had a special recipe for fruitcake. My dad and I are the only ones who like it!

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    1. The thing about most recipes is you can adjust them to how you like them. But for people who don't like dried fruit or nuts, fruitcake may not be able to be adjusted to please them.

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  7. Didn't Niki say egg nog in her book?

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    1. Okay. Hmm someone mentioned it their book. Or just call me crazy and I'm thinking of a totally different book that is not of this series! Lol

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  8. CARRIE, love that about the spaghettios! lol Maybe she put them in there to make the chili go further?

    My mom made homemade pumpkin pies that were the best! I can remember her rolling out the dough for her crust, and using real pumpkin and adding her own spices. Then she would whip her own topping! I've never tasted one that came even close! I have to admit I don't make mine like she did. I buy Mrs. Smith's Pumpkin Pies and pop them in the oven. lol I am not a baker...cookies and brownies are about the extent of my baking expertise. When I used to see my mom labor for hours over those pies as a child, I think I subconsciously made up my mind that I did not like baking!

    However, my family loves my homemade sweet potato casserole. I cook the yams on the stove, mash them up with sugar, eggs, vanilla, and a little milk. Then I pour into a 13x9 baking dish (sprinkle cinnamon over the top), and make a crispy topping with pecans, br. sugar, butter, and a little milk. Then bake in oven til topping is brown. My kids loves it and I'll probably make it for Thanksgiving this year.

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    1. I want to make that for our Thanksgiving, Dian, TY!

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    2. I use the real deal, Carrie, not canned sweet potatoes. I just boil them in the skins until you can put a fork thru them. The peelings just basically slide right off after you rinse them in cool water.

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    3. Our family loves the sweet potato casserole, Diana - you've got me in the mood to try it with the fresh sweet potatoes, now. Growing up on a farm, we often had farm hands to feed at lunch time - my mother always prepared a full home-cooked meal. I started baking at a very young age when my mother taught my brother and I to make homemade pies (with homemade pie crust) and biscuits - neither of which I take the time to do anymore.

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  9. Regina, I just went back and looked... no egg nog in Sadie's Gift, either! But I think someone else has egg nog in one of the other stories. Now I'm curious! I made homemade egg nog one year when my boys were teenagers, all loved egg nog, and were consuming up to a gallon of the stuff a day. The homemade version was yummy, but time-consuming!

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    1. I have a great coffee egg nog recipe I used to make decades ago before they got concerned about the raw eggs.

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    2. When I was a kid we used to get our milk from our farmer neighbor and we'd always make eggnog for Christmas - several batches. It did take quite a bit of time and care not to scorch it.

      When I was on married and on my own for the first time we were given a pickup load of pumpkins. We both always loved drinking the pumpkin pie batter, so we made up a bunch of it. Drinking it instead of baking it. I think I gained 5 pounds that first week!

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  10. Must have country ham on Christmas morning and breakfast casserole and yummy yeast rolls.

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    1. Yes, Cheryl!! Homemade yeast rolls and country ham was a staple at our family's Christmas dinner also, still have the country ham - the homemade yeast rolls: not often. Love both of them!!

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  11. My favorite Christmas cookie baking memory is when my mom made cut out cookies and us kids got to decorate them with sprinkles. My grandkids love doing that with me now, too! I call them my favorite sprinklers.

    Spaghetti Ohs in chili, huh? That's a first for me! HA! My mom never made chili, so I experimented until I came up with a recipe everyone loves. My brother enters Chili Cook Offs and he's won People's Choice a few times. He says that's better than a prize from the judges because it shows that regular people liked his best. He also likes to experiment with exotic meat and has used deer, as well as things like ostrich and bear. I wish he lived closer to me. We could have a blast cooking together!

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    1. I'm BAA-AA-CCCKKK! Yes the Spagettioes were so funny!!! WOW about your brother's chili!!! Neato!!! I think my brother can microwave prepared food and that is about it.

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  12. My Mom makes something that she calls Ambrosia for breakfast on Christmas day every years..It's may be just fruit salad, but it's not Christmas unless we have it.. ;) ~ Juli

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    1. I love Ambrosia and the word, itself, Julianna - a word you don't often see anymore. It too, brings back wonderful family memories when my grandparents were alive.

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    2. Love Ambrosia and haven't had it in a while! Juli, I know what you mean--that brings back memories of my Aunt's house because she made it! Sure miss her. Bonnie, brings tears to my eyes to think of all those gone ahead of me.

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  13. Hi everyone! What a great party!! I love holiday celebrations and am enjoying all of the wonderful recipes that are being shared. I have never tried fruitcake, so I am eager to make one this year. I'll just have to decide which recipe to try first! :) The most requested dish each year at our family gatherings isn't a dessert, but rather my mother's sweet potato casserole. Her recipe sounds like Diana's recipe above, with the exception of the topping. My mother uses crushed cornflake cereal instead of pecans. Everyone likes lots of topping on the casserole! We'll be enjoying it next week for Thanksgiving. I can't believe it's nearly here and Christmas is right around the corner!

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    1. I LOVe these online parties, Britney! I used to do BIG real life parties but I can't do that anymore with my health issues. So you need to make sure I see a pic of your fruitcake!!! I've hard of the cornflake topped one but haven't ever tried it. Sounds good! ACK!!! YES it's almost here!!!

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  14. We don't have any special fruitcake recipe. But I loved the book! We do have family recipes that are passed down. AND I have yet to eat a yummy fruitcake. LOL

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    1. Oh, bless you, Susan, I'm so glad you enjoyed Jo's story! I hope you will love Niki's novella that you won today! Congrats!

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  15. Oh and I am happy to be here at the party! Congrats on the books, ladies! I promise to try the recipes here today - I want to find a good one.

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  16. I loved it when my cousin Jenny made divinity. Oh it was soooooo good.

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    1. Divinity- another older food name I love, haven't had any for years. Have you ever tried to make it, Jackie?? I haven't, but seems like it may have been one of those family recipes in which a knack was needed to get it "just right"!!

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    2. My mom made the BEST divinity Jackie--all kinds of flavors. Unfortunately I think I'd eat it until I felt sick :(

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    3. Bonnie, it seems like I tried it once and failed. Maybe I should attempt it again!

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  17. As a child I remember my mom fixing candy at Christmas. I keep the tradition going. I start just after Thanksgiving and make numerous kinds. This is what I use as gifts for my children's teachers.

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    1. Ooh that sounds fun! I might just start that one. It would be different than the normal Christmas cookies. Do you have any special ones that you like?

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    2. My mom's candies were so much better than the store bought kind. I do kinda wonder about the wax she coated stuff in though, lol!

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  18. Good morning everyone! Wow! What a great party! Congratulations to all of the Christmas Traditions Ladies on their releases (and the ones yet to come)! One of my favorite traditions is baking with my Mom. Every year, we make pies for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. I make the crusts and she makes the filling(s). And it's so much fun working together. And of course, we've made cinnamon rolls and cookies in years past. Salads, side dishes, and the main course (usually turkey). But it's just the fun of being together and enjoying the time with family. Wishing all Thanksgiving Blessings!

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    1. Sounds wonderful, Angi!! In the rush of the holidays, it was sometimes hard - as a single mother often working more than one job at a time - to fully enjoy the significance of times such as these, a reminder to me as I've aged. Family togetherness - one of the important parts of Christmas and ANY time of the year!! Thanks for the reminder!!

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    2. What a blessing to have your mom! My mom showed me how to make good crust--hers was always perfect and no one else's compared. The secret was in the shortening plus using ice water and only adding one tablespoon at a time Angi. How do you do yours?

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    3. Carrie, we got this pie crust recipe from my Aunt years ago.

      1 cup shortening
      1 tsp. salt
      2 1/2- 3 cups flour
      In a measuring cup, put 1 egg and then add milk and fill between 1/2-2/3 cup. (I usually fill it to 2/3 because it makes the crust easier to work with, not dry)

      Cut shortening, salt, and flour together until it is a pebbly consistency. Add the egg/milk mixture and blend with a fork until combined. Form into a ball and cut into halves or fourths, depending on how big your pie will be and how thick you want your crust.

      I like my crusts a little thicker. Usually, I use a 9 inch pie plate and I can get one double-crust pie or two single-crust pies from this recipe.

      NOTE: I don't use anything but Crisco shortening. I've tried other brands, but I just haven't found anything that makes the crusts as flakey as Crisco.

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    4. Angi, I love Crisco! I cannot stand the other brands of shortening. Can you use butter flavored Crisco? That is what I usually use.

      Sounds like you had wonderful memories with your mom. Did you pass this tradition on to your children?

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    5. Regina, I don't see why you couldn't use butter flavored Crisco. Some recipes do call for butter in their crusts, so I think it would be fine. I'd sure give it a try.

      I have many wonderful memories and we're still making memories together. I'm single, so don't have any children to pass it to. :)

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  19. My best friend had four brothers, and they would always bake and frost sugar cookies to decorate the tree. One year I got to help, and the best part was eating the mistakes, or eating the ones that were broken. Hmm. I might have broken a cookie or two so I could eat more.

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    1. I might have declared all of them mistakes! ;) Love this!

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    2. Yes, I declared as many as I could! :)

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    3. I'm laughing, Suzie!! What fun!!

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    4. Oh yeah! My sister claimed the mistakes since she was the baby! LOL I think my mom would have had a cow if she'd broken one on purpose!

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    5. This is funny! My daughter and I did the same thing but with ginger cookies.

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  20. My father loved mincemeat pie at Christmas. He passed away a few years ago and I made him a mincemeat pie on one of his last Christmases. He loved it. When I think about him at Christmas, I remember the mincemeat pie.

    Mary

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    1. My mom was the ONLY one who liked mincemeat but my poor dad would humor her once in a while and "try" to eat it and like it too. I think, being born in 1918, he associated with some of the early versions of the pie which were gross--literally minced meat and not the raisins etc we think of as later mince meat pie.

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  21. I agree Carrie. Fruit Cakes are expensive to make. My dad n I made them every Thanksgiving n Christmas time each year. He would give them to family n friends as gifts. This is my only cherished memory with him. My Dad passed away 7 years ago and that was the last time one was every made. When this time of year came and stores were putting out the fruits, he would be like a kid in a candy store. Loved baking with him.

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    1. Aww, what a touching story - LeAnn!! None of the men in my family ever cooked or baked!!

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    2. Oh LeAnn, that is SO sad! But SWEET! Do you have kids you could bake with and pass on this cherished memory?

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  22. My Aunt Deloris always made us Santa Claus sugar cookies, decorated perfectly! She even made me some as a 50 yr old and had them sent to me.

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    1. Your Auntie loved you so, Melody!!! What a wonderful gift God gave you!

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  23. Love your post, Carrie!! Thank you so much!!

    Such a flood of wonderful memories my comments are stirring up!! I will be trying that pound cake recipe to see how it compares with the pound cake my grandmother used to make.

    Thinking of the pound cake reminds me that one of the Christmas memories I love the most is my grandmother's homemade custard. We would serve it over vanilla ice cream with some whipped cream and a cherry on top - and rich baked desserts alongside it. I loved it so much I would always have to have a glass of it to drink, along with the ice cream.

    No one in the family seemed to be able to make the custard to taste just like my grandmother's (perhaps it was the memory association as much as the flavor??) - although my aunt's was a close second. My aunt is 90 years old, ill, housebound and no longer able to cook/bake. I probably never had the custard recipe as I didn't feel I could do it justice, however, memories now compel me to see if my aunt can find it, I may be compelled to try my hand at it, if so.

    My grandmother used to make fruitcake, also, Carrie - but it is a recipe that may be lost as it hasn't been made for so many years. My grandmother was known for taking a pie to anyone in the church family, neighbors and family members - each time someone was ill, there was a death, or any number of special occasions arose for them. Another Christmas tradition for her was one that many people follow, as did I until a couple of years ago, that of making many different kinds of cookies. She would arrange them on plates and give to her neighbors, the mailman, etc. - as well as present them along with the custard, cakes and pies during our numerous family Christmas gatherings (another story, LOL)!!

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    1. Ummmm, are we RELATED???? Bonnie that sounds just like my MOTHER!!! She did that, too. I love custard esp. custard sauce, yum! Baking WAS one of my hobbies before my foot got messed up. I wanted to have this party to jump start my baking efforts. Sure hoping it will! Already has!

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  24. Every Christmas we make chocolate chip cookies. Nothing fancy, but they are still yummy. Hope everyone has a good weekend. :)

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    1. My Sunday School teacher requested Toll House Cookies for his fave Christmas cookie as a gift from me (I asked him what he'd like) but my poor hubs loves those too and I'd rarely made them for him. So he got treated too! Have a blessed weekend!

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  25. Just popping in to say, Good Afternoon! Today was my first day back in the church office since my surgery. It feels really good to be doing what I love most....a secretary! I will be heading home to rest soon, just waiting on my ride (goofy doctor will not allow me to drive yet).

    I hope everyone is enjoying the party. I will try and pop back in later. Have a blessed afternoon, ladies!!

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    1. Glad you're able to get out, Regina!! Sounds like you're healing well - PTL!! Easy does it!!

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    2. Wow Regina PTL!!! That is AMAZING to me!!! I bet everyone is so thrilled to have you back at the office!

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    3. It is just Pastor Dan in the office, but yes, he is thrilled to have me back. We had to play catch since I have been out of the office for three weeks, almost a month now.

      I am amazed at how well I am doing. I give God all the credit! My strength only comes from Him!

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  26. One Christmas my mom had made 3 Marble Chiffon cakes, one each for my brothers and I. It was the official birthday cake of the Knells. Because we all came home for Christmas we received them then. This cake has many steps and made in an angel food pan and she made 3! After she passed on, I couldn't make it for myself. My daughter who was 20 at the time, surprised me for my birthday, with it. What a blessing and now I make it for myself every birthday!

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    1. Oh how sweet your mom and daughter did this for you. My mom made my hubs a blueberry pie that was out of this world and it was the last homemade sweet we ever had from her before she died.

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  27. I'm going to share that spagettios story of chili with my daughter, bet the grandchildren would giggle :)

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  28. My mother makes a few different fruit cakes. Some are lighter. Her boiled fruit cake is my favorite I think.

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    1. Have never heard of the boiled fruit cake. Does she just rehydrate the fruit before using it or is the entire recipe boiled first?

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    2. Would love to know how that is made, Mary - do you have the recipe??

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  29. Since we are talking food...what is everyone fixing for dinner? I am making Chicken Fettuccine! I am so hungry after seeing all these delectable sweets! I will have to gather all the recipes that are on facebook.

    I am enjoying this party! Carrie, you throw the most wonderful parties!!

    How is everyone's evening going?

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    1. Yes, the recipes have certainly whet my appetite - however, I'm having left over pot roast from last night (one of my faves).

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    2. Regina, you are the WINNER for the cross promo we're doing for our author visitor Diane Dean White. She has an ebook Christmas story, too! Email me!

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  30. When I was growing up a traditional dish was ambrosia. We never had Turkey(or anything else fowl related as mother couldn't tolerate it and declared it foul!). So now we always have turkey and eggnog-my fave (but it too was considered foul!.

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  31. Easter breakfast yeast bread coffeecake!! with cinammon, sugar and butter but my "new" favorite g/f pumpkin pie
    May I wish all of you a terrific, wonderful, God-blessed day?
    Chris Granville

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  32. My Aunt would make my Daddy a wonderful German Chocolate cake with dates in the topping for his birthday December 26. They are both in Heaven.

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    1. Oh, now I'm hungry for German Chocolate cake! Never heard of dates in the topping though, just coconut.

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  33. Custard pie was always my Dad's favorite and I loved that and pumpkin pie. Always loved getting up the next morning and having a slice for breakfast :)

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  34. Oh my goodness! I forgot to come over to the blog today!!! How dingy is that?! I was so engrossed in the food talk on the FB page :) Maybe I will get one entry anyway. Love y'all!

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  35. Wow! Can't believe all of the comments. This party's been hoppin'! Lot's of great recipes over on the facebook site!

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    1. hmmm apparently Google just won't let ME post!

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    2. Look up top Angi! TY for being our very FIRST responder to the party! Hugs!!!

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    3. YAY! Thank you SO much, Carrie! That little heart bowl is so cute, and the other goodies sound wonderful! I'm so excited! Thank you to all of the Christmas Traditions Ladies for making today so much fun! I've a wonderful time and hope that we can do this again. HUGS!!!!

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  36. Hadn't thought about Custard for ages.. that was so good when Mother made it :)

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  37. I was so busy sharing recipes I forgot to come and register....
    Seems to be working fine now....such a fun gathering~ :)

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    1. Congrats on winning Jo Christy's giveaway package Diane! She loves those wooden spoons and hopes you will, too! And she wishes she had those little mini loaf pans but then again the lumberjacks need massive pans of food, so... And an angel cookie cutter from OWG angels! Come back and see us again! AND in the spirit of reciprocity with another AUTHOR we're giving away a copy of YOUR Christmas ebook!

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  38. Hi! I have been travelling and just got home. My parents always make an Icebox Fruitcake at Christmas. No baking required. Crushed graham crackers. Sweetened condensed milk, pecans, walnuts, cherries, marshmallows, raisons. It is yummy. You keep it in the refrigerator and it lasts a long time!

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  39. Wow! There is 100 comments on this post! That is amazing!

    Carrie, Darlene, Niki, Patty, Jennifer, and Cynthia; along with the other two upcoming authors, thank you for such a delightful party.You ladies are grand! I am so thankful for the friendships that have developed with this promo group! I love each and every one of you!

    ((((((((Hugs all around!))))))))

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  40. Just got home from work - I am looking forward to reading through the recipes and trying many of them 😊

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  41. Thank you Carrie Fancett Pagels and all your great helpers. This was
    indeed a fun bake-off....and one of the less messy ones I've had! :) I look
    forward to those little wooden spoons, and I'm happy you've chosen to
    donate an ebook of WINTER WONDERLAND to another participant.
    Happy Thanksgiving and Eating to you all~ Blessings, Diane Dean White

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