I'm not a huge fan of sweets, and it's rare I will indulge in a dessert after dinner, home or out dinning. Even at a young age...but at Christmas I will admit to indulging in our cookies and family recipes, and other sweets, like yesterdays featured family egg nog recipe. This year I even tried my hand with my late aunt's mince pie recipe. Though I opted to make smaller pies. I even got a crust press to make them look extra special...and they turned out, I'm happy to report very tasty. I had forgotten how good warm mince pie was. On the plate above is a selection of goodies we made over the last week. Starting at the 12 o clock...Mince pie, Pecan and Cashew balls, pecan crescents with drizzled chocolate, Black Walnut balls, Icing Glazed Sugar Cookies, and Chocolate cookies with crushed Peppermint. But the real draw and mass hysertia by friends and family, every year, are my Mother's famous Sandtarts.
She began making them back in November...4 double batches...probably making near 2, 000 cookies!!! I made them a few times, and her method is very time consuming, and one must have the time, and patients to make these things, but I tell you, they are delicious and like eating potato chips. Most say they have had them but never this thin!!
Most of them with exception to family coming Christmas Day and a few friends, they have all been otherwise delivered already. I can recall taking a tin to our beloved Anne Marie and her hubby Todd a few times. She said the tin didn't stand a chance, and they often finished them within a day or two. Yesterday was spent making my grandmother's recipe for Nut roll.
And another of my aunt's recipes...Stollen for our Christmas morning breakfast with coffee.
If this isn't enough, a parcel from Warbucks showed up and these were in it.
Dark Chocolates with a pear Brandy liqueur in the middles...I might add, I nice dose of Brandy too. More later today if I'm not intoxicated or in a sugar coma......
* if anyone wants recipes...happy to share.
I DO love sweets and my mouth is watering. I also love the snowman whose modesty is covered by a fig leaf (ok, I know it's a holly berry and a holly leaf, but still). These all look delicious. And what a wonderful surprise from Warbucks.
ReplyDeleteOh my God Mitchell I didn't even realize how I placed that holly leaf and Berry. You provided the first hard chuckle today!
DeleteHaha Santa's little helper.
DeleteSo many goodies, what till the houseboys look like after the holidays?
ReplyDeleteScrew them I'm more worried about my own waistline! And what are we standing around here talking for come on up to the house and we'll all eat some cookies!
DeleteOne of our local bakers sold stollen in his shop every year and I was devastated when he and his wife retired and closed the bakery.
ReplyDeleteImagine my surprise when Christmas rolled around that year and he showed up at my work with a freshly baked stollen ... something he's does every since he closed up shop.
That's Christmas!
Merry, Merry MM!
Now see Bob there's an example to me of want Christmas is about and community, amazing and heartwarming. I couldn't imagine Christmas morning without stolen. It's so good isn't it? I know you two will enjoy it.
DeleteYour home must smell DELICIOUS what with all the baking. It's a good job I don't live anywhere near you as I'd be round like a shot and eventually have to be airlifted out like a beached whale!
ReplyDeleteHappy holidays, Maddie x
If you lived here you can stop in and Sample the cookies anytime, but you wouldn't be airlifted out dear. I would have just the exercise regime for you to keep the weight off.
Deletewhat the mistress means is his house is like hickory farms...always giving out free samples.
DeleteThose all look delish! We've been equally busy here. 3 batches of Pecan Sticky Buns, 2 batches of Oatmeal Raisin cookies, 2 batches of Walnut Butter Crescents, 2 batches of Walker-style Butter Cookies, 2 batches of Chocolate Chip Cookies, and 6 batches of Christmas Crack (so named because it is so delicious you just can't stop eating it).
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas to you & your mom, and Buster, too!
My God I had no idea you two were such Bakers! If we live close together we could do a cookie swap. Of course it might also want to swap something else with you. Christmas crack? A friend of mine gave me something similar I wonder if it's the same thing? Does it have Chex Mix and white chocolate in it?
DeleteMy teeth are rotting just looking at these..! Jx
ReplyDeleteHence why it's the only time of year I eat sweets. Thank goodness I have good dental hygiene but I'm more worried about getting in my Square Cuts in summer.
DeleteHome made mince pies taste even better with cream or brandy butter
ReplyDeleteI can see you're going to be a bad influence.
DeleteEverything looks delicious! Lucky people who get those gift tins of goodies! It's the time of year to overdo on the sugar. We can all atone in January.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Now see Jennifer, you got the spirit. I like the way you think. I believe Scarlett O'Hara said it best- I'll worry about it later, after all tomorrow is another day.
DeleteI would eat every single thing you pictured on this post! And I am SO impressed with your mince pie crust press work -- I just assumed those little pies were commercially manufactured!
ReplyDeleteI will tell you if they hadn't turned out I might have. I will admit to having three tries on the crust though. My aunt's recipe for the crust is so good, but on the first two tries I don't think I had my water cold enough. And thank God for that handy dandy press I got at Williams-Sonoma to make lovely designs on the crust. It can also be used on cookies.
DeleteGoody goodies, délicieuses desserts pour Noël.
ReplyDeleteMaitresse, les tartes aux pacanes doivent être faites avec du bourbon du Kentucky :)
-Beau Mec à Deauville
Bourbon du Kentucky ! Maintenant, pourquoi n'y ai-je pas pensé ?
DeleteI'm now suddenly craving chocolate, and it's just past eight in the morning here.
ReplyDeleteDear, it's Christmas time it's never too early for a cocktail or chocolate. Cheers my friend!
DeleteI'm addicted to sugar. I'd eat sweets morning, noon, and night - if Jerry would let me.
ReplyDeleteWell, I love sweets (hmm, that's strange, a tooth just popped out of my mouth) so you can send all those cookies my way!
ReplyDeleteI love regional & family recipes. There’s something so special about them! Thanks for sharing this cherished recipe. The cookies look amazing! And yes...I did make your egg nog. This will be the second year for making it...it's a hit.
ReplyDeleteWell I don't bake, and will probably never make these, but would love some with your egg nog. If you made the egg nog it will knock my bloomers clear off! I sure.
ReplyDeleteAnd beware of Warbucks...he's plying you with spirits girl.
I love seeing other people’s old family recipes and cookies – and these look completely delicious.! Not sure I ever had mince pie though.
ReplyDeleteAre all queens as interesting as you Mistress, I like what I see!
All these cookies look yummy. Especially the sand tarts. Since my mother has gotten older she no longer can make them with her hands, and I miss them. The beauty of this cookie is how thin and crisp it is, which makes it so addicting. I haven’t yet met a person who eats just one and can stop.
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas Eve Maddie
I only show up to eat them and drink the egg nog!
ReplyDeleteWhy, anything you made me, egg nog, food or sweets I'd try. Everything looks delicious. And I adore cookies that are nut based. Love Stollen too. My mother used to make sand tarts with one walnut placed carefully on top of a rolled-out star shape. Sandtarts are so good if you get them thin enough like your mother. So last Christmas I tried to make some again. What a disaster. I had no patients and scraped the whole thing!
ReplyDeleteLook at you all making with the baking! I had to take a Metformin after reading this!
ReplyDeleteI love hot minced pie. I do eat sweet and junks foods.
ReplyDeleteThey look sinful, but probably worth it!! And anyone who watches what they eat during the holidays is just a comedogen. This is what Christmas is for. There is time enough the rest of the year to eat healthy I say.
ReplyDeleteIt's been awhile since I was able to properly read blogs. I wanted to wish you happy holidays and I am glad you are hear and part of my life. Hugs.
ReplyDeleteA Happy Christmas Eve to you too dear! I loving reading and "knowing " you too.
DeleteTundra Bunny here...
ReplyDeleteYour baking looks delish, Maddie! I don't like dark chocolate normally, but I'd be sorely tempted to try one of those brandy pears.... and it definitely looks like Warbucks IS trying to tempt you. What's next, filet mignons? As Blanche Deveraux observed, "The man sent you meeeaat!"
And we know I love my meats!!!! Happy Christmas Eve!!!!
DeleteYour goodies look nice and I'm sure they're delicious. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Mistress, I am in Awe of you.
ReplyDeleteWe have an American Black Walnut tree next door. I didn't know you could cook with them.
sugar coma made me laugh!
ReplyDelete