Come in and have a seat by the tree. The fire is roaring and that old-fashioned music you hear is Fred Waring’s Christmas Magic, a staple of my childhood. Go ahead, grab a sugar cookie and warm up with a cup of ginger spice tea!
I finished my holiday baking Friday night around midnight and put the final touches on the tree late the following evening. This year, it’s been a mad rush to the finish line. I still have wrapping and shopping to do for the Christmas Day feast, but that’s all under control. Have you completed your to-do list? Purchased and wrapped that final gift? Whispered your heart’s desire in Old Saint Nick’s ear? Sat on Santa’s lap?
On the 25th, I’m cooking for thirteen people – cherished family and friends. That would have been a medium-sized group in my childhood, but nowadays it counts as a large gathering. I enjoy hosting the dinner. I just wish I had a spare refrigerator! Fitting everything inside seems to be our biggest challenge each year. I start prepping about five days beforehand and quickly run out of space in the fridge. To save time, I’m purchasing the desserts and concentrating on the meal. Of course, I’ll also serve a tray of my homemade cookies and fudge. What are your plans for the holiday?
My husband helped with the candy making. We struggled with a recipe for Penuche. For those unfamiliar with this treat, it’s a maple/pecan type of fudge. Every year we toil to get it right. Producing the perfect candy is a science. My mother, who’d been making fudge since she was a young child and had the scars to prove it, could do it all by feel – me, not so much. I’m ashamed to say that out of six attempts, only two passed muster. We adjusted the temperature, analyzed the difference between the molasses content of light verses dark brown sugar, consulted with Martha Stewart regarding the correct amount of butter, and enjoyed the time spent together. In the end, my husband (a scientist type) declared, “Ah, the Penuche, she is a fickle beast.” We will redouble our efforts next year! If any of you have discovered the secret to this recipe, please have mercy on us and share!
Recipes:
Ice Box Cookies
6 Tablespoons butter 
softened 1 egg yolk, beaten
6 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1 cup sifted flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cream butter & sugar thoroughly. Add vanilla & beat until blended. Add egg yolk, beating well. Add flour gradually, beating. Roll out on floured surface (I roll between 2 sheets of wax paper) – cut out with cutters & bake at 350 degrees for approximately 15 minutes. Cool. Decorate as desired. I beat together 1 box powdered sugar, 1 Tablespoon softened butter, 1 Tablespoon vanilla, & enough boiling water for correct consistency. Divide icing into smaller bowls & tint with food coloring to desired shades. Keep icing under plastic wrap when not in use to avoid crust forming on top. Cookies can be kept in tins or in refrigerator after icing dries.
Farmhand Snowballs
12 oz. white chocolate chips
24 Ritz crackers
1/4 cup peanut butter
Chocolate chips, coconut, chopped nuts, colored sprinkles, etc. for decorating
Spread cracker with small amount of peanut butter and top with another, creating a 
sandwich. Repeat and set aside. Place desired toppings in small bowls & set aside. Cover cookie racks or cookie sheets with wax paper & set aside.
Melt white chocolate in double boiler until smooth, stirring constantly. Carefully dip sandwiches in chocolate to coat completely. Working quickly, remove the cookie and place on wax paper. Top with choice of decoration. Cool completely. Store in airtight tins. I double this recipe to make two dozen.
NOTES: Utilize tongs to avoid burning your fingers when dipping. Figure out which method works best for you. I also use a large spoon to aid in the coating process. If you want to get crazy, coat both sides of Ritz with peanut butter and vary adding chopped nuts, coconut, and mini chocolate chips to inside of sandwiches before dipping. These cookies are delicious and always a huge hit. People have fun trying to figure out what’s inside and how you made them.
Thank you for joining me and do stop by in the New Year.
Merry Christmas!
COPYRIGHT 2016. VICTORIA BENCHLEY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
My parents had Firestone albums (yes, the vinyl kind) featuring a variety of artists from the nineteen fifties and sixties. We could hear Nat King Cole one minute, and Mantovani and his orchestra the next. I have the feeling these records were inexpensive promotions sold each year by a national merchant, designed to draw in customers. Years later, when my mother suffered from memory loss, she gave them all away to a charity without my father’s agreement. Fortunately, I started my own quest to collect seasonal music twenty-five years ago. I’ve amassed around three dozen CDs, most found in the bargain bins of drugstores or thrift marts. They feature performers ranging from CeeLo Green to Bing Crosby, and we listen to them all every December. When things get too hectic, I’ll crank up the festive tunes, break for a treat, and take a few moments to recuperate.
Victoria Benchley 