Like clockwork the holidays are here, nipping aggressively at our heels. If you’re anything like me, right now you’re juggling holiday baking projects, Christmas shopping (and the subsequent wrapping disaster and shipping nightmare), parties, cookies exchanges and what not. It’s a race and the goal right now is just to keep it together and get it all done. Somehow amidst the chaos, the “holiday spirit” always sneaks up slowly usually as I bat it away with a chocolate coated hand. Truthfully, I never feel fully “spirited” until Christmas Eve when I am able to completely exhale. Let’s face it, this is a stressful time and we all have to adjust our expectations to realistic levels. I’ve found a cocktail here or there usually helps.
For my faithful readers this holiday season (and looking at my analytics, I do realize that someone besides my mom and dad are reading this so thank you) I’m going to put together a few things this week to help you out – gift ideas for the cooks and bakers in your life and today, a lovely give-away. A while back I went to a lovely breakfast hosted by the folks at Spice Islands with the fabulous David Lebovitz. While the whole episode was more than a little embarrassing for me, I met some wonderful people. The blogging world is like that.
The great folks at Spice Islands sent me a great little case full of key baking ingredients I think you’ll find helpful in the coming weeks. Inside this beautiful case are your holiday baking essentials: ground cinnamon, ground cloves and pure vanilla extract. My favorites – all the warm, toasty flavors I adore and just think of all the wonderful things you can make! Right off the top of my head, those are the fixin’s for a fabulous gingerbread.
A quick note about vanilla, one of my very favorite ingredients as I am truly a vanilla person at heart. I don’t think I’m going out on a limb here but pure vanilla extract is absolutely something you should be using. Did you know that imitation vanilla has nothing to do with a vanilla bean and is actually made from artificial flavorings, most of which come from wood byproducts and various chemicals. Yeah – yuck. You wouldn’t eat wood chips so why are you putting them in your pound cake? If you haven’t already switched to pure vanilla, please do so immediately. Yes, of course it’s more expensive – it should be. Vanilla beans are one of the most difficult things to grow – they are the single stamen from a vanilla orchid and have to be hand pollinated. Can you even imagine? I’ve said it before – good food shouldn’t be cheap. Affordable is ok, but cheap is usually not. If it’s at a price that seems too good to be true, it probably is.
So leave a comment below and tell me about your favorite holiday treat – a cookie, candy, cake, what have you. I’ll select a comment randomly via random.org and the box of fabulous goodies will be on its way to the lucky person by early next week. You have until Friday 12/9 5pm CST to leave a comment. I’ll get in contact with the selected winner for shipping info so be sure to leave your email address.
Hang in there – we’ll all make it through. And don’t forget about the power of music to help you make it through these baking and wrapping frenzies! The right tunes can make a huge difference on your mood and for me, it’s never Christmas music that does the trick. I’ve written about it here and for me, it’s more like Funk or Hip-hop – baking and booty-shakin’ go hand in hand in my world.
Spritz…..
Last year I made the Coconut Cookies from Good to the Grain – they are perfect for the holiday season because the coconut coating reminds you of snow! They are perfectly cakey and airy and amazing.
Hmm…I think the classic molasses crinkle cookie is my favorite of all. It doesn’t hurt that they take practically no effort to make! After that, I have a serious fondness for the Scandinavian-style coffeebreads made with freshly ground cardamom. Yay baking season!
My husband and I really love making sugar plums every year. We use various types of dried fruits (plums, figs, and cherries are my favorites), ground nuts, cocoa beans, and coconut. We, sometimes, dip them in dark chocolate too. A delicious holiday snack.
my favorite is an egg nog milkshake
My favorite holiday cookie is a delightful Springerle. My husband found the recipe in an old cookbook that was egg, powdered sugar, flour, anise extract and what not. The cookies are rolled and pressed with a mold then cut apart and allowed to sit overnight. He even made special wooden molds or stamps in holiday designs. In the morning you wet the bottoms and cook on sheets sprinkled with ground anise. The bottoms blow out and the tops stay perfectly crisp with the molded image. Put them in a jar and wait a day they are infused with anise and slightly soft. Perfect with tea or hot chocolate after all that entertaining what could be better?
My favorite holiday treat is definitely eggnog =)
Of all things what I look forward to the most is Cranberry sauce.
I adore ginger snaps! I’m not so great at making them, though.
My great-grandmother’s poundcake. First thing she ever taught me to make. Although I’d really love a box of those tiny cookies you posted about last year!
cookies, cookies, cookies! The chocolatier the better, and fresh out of the oven 🙂
my favorite is bourbon pecan pie. it’s more of a thanksgiving treat, but i am more of a thanksgiving girl 🙂
I love love love my mom’s holiday candy — she makes fantastic almond brittle!
I love kolacky and miniature cookies made by a certain someone in Chicago.
Hoska for breakfast! And if the kitchen gods are doing their job, the top braid doesn’t slide off center.
Every December I make many dozens of chocolate chip cookies. I do not make them any other time of year. All the (extended) family loves them and it is the one gift I know will make everyone happy.
Anything I don’t have to bake so ditto on Pops reply.
I think my favorite is cranberry and pistachio white chocolate fudge. Something about the richness of the white chocolate with the tanginess of the cranberries and then the satisfying crunch of the pistachio…yum!
Oh…and Trader Joe’s dark chocoate almonds with turbinado sugar and sea salt…..my sister always brings those for Christmas.