Christmas Eve

We had our annual breakfast-for-dinner at Grandma Gramlow's house. We made Davenport Coffee Cake. Other items on the menu included scrambled eggs, bacon, orange juice, eggnog and the McMackin's made waffles. After (breakfast) dinner we cleaned up the dishes and the kids sorted the presents. We wait until all the presents are passed out and then we can open them at once. But we then go around the room and everyone gets a chance to "Show and Tell" what they received and who gave them what. We also draw names, so each person brings one gift and receives one gift - but we all get Grandma a gift and she gives us a gift.

Mom got me the Lion House Cakes & Cupcakes book and made a "nest" necklace. Dakota had my name this year and gave me a Vanilla Bean hand soap set from Bath & Body Works, some Plum Jam and Ferrero chocolates. John received a huge jar of pistachios from mom and a blue solid dress shirt from Brian. Audrey received the Madagascar II soundtrack, a pirates book and a large assortment of Coca-Cola dishes from Grandma. She received a family pack of Oreos and a pirate blanket from Shaune. We were able to give gifts to Kathy (a cookbook), Cameron (Lego Hero Factory) and Dakota (Star Wars items).

There is a crazy story about the Star Wars items... Dakota had hinted that he liked the Star Wars popcorn tins. There were 4 different ones. I asked mom to pick up 2 for me while she was getting 2 for her to give - - so he would end up with all 4 patterns. Well, evidently mom was busy so sent Michelle on the errand. When they delivered the 2 tins to my house, Dakota was in the van so they sent him inside. Audrey was home and said Dakota dropped them off and said "These are for Aunt Sam". That's pretty bad when you deliver your own Christmas gift AND think it is for someone else!

Below is a picture (left to right) of James, Dakota, Cameron, Mariska, Brianna, Cheyenne & Audrey. They sure are growing up! Note the pictures in the background? Right beside Mariska's head is "me" and just to the right of Brianna's head is Kathy's baby picture.

ALTON BROWN'S BASIC WAFFLE RECIPE

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 TB sugar

3 whole eggs, beaten

2 oz unsalted butter, melted

16 oz buttermilk

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, soda, baking powder, salt and sugar. In another bowl beat together eggs and melted butter, and then add buttermilk. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until combined. Allow to rest for 5 minutes. Preheat waffle iron, ladle recommended batter on iron, close top and cook until golden on both sides. Serve immediately.

Davenport Hotel Coffeecake

DAVENPORT HOTEL COFFEECAKE

1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

TOPPING
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
2 teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Butter a Bundt or angel food pan; set aside. Cream the butter and sugar together. Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients. Mix until the batter is smooth. Spread half of the batter in the pan. Combine the nuts, cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle half of the mixture over the batter in the pan. Add remaining batter and sprinkle remaining nut mixture on top. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in center comes out clean.

OPTIONAL GLAZE
Combine 2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 3 to 4 tablespoons milk or light cream. Mix until smooth. Add more or less milk to make a thinner or thicker glaze. Drizzle over cake.

Birthday Present Framed

My birthday present did not come framed, so we went together to the store to pick out the frame style. Very pleased with the final results!! Fun to pick it up a few days before Christmas.

Day with Kathy & Brianna and Andes Mint Cookies

Audrey and I had a fun day with Brianna and Kathy. They are visiting for the holidays from Denver and we had reserved this day to play. We baked cookies, talked, watched "Big Bang Theory" and went shopping (Target, Jo-Ann Fabrics, etc). Absolutely a joyful day - thanks for playing with us and for a great Girl's-Day!!


ANDES MINT CHOCOLATE COOKIES
1 Devil's Food Cake Mix
1/2 cup oil
2 eggs
1 package of Andes Mints

Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs together. (Use a STRONG mixer or hand mix.) Drop by spoonfuls onto baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 6-9 minutes. While the cookies are still very hot, place an Andes Mint on top of each cookie. In about 5 minutes, the mint will be melted. Take a spoon and smooth out each mint like frosting.

Gingerbread House

OK, this is totally the way to make gingerbread houses! We got a call from John's mom to come-on-up to her place. They had made gingerbread houses for the grand-kids to put together and had a few extra. So the gingerbread was already baked, assembled and set. The frosting was made and all the candy supplies were set out. So all we had to do was literally decorate. What a fun project! Thanks for doing all the hard work : )

Holiday Cranberry Salad

So yummy!

HOLIDAY CRANBERRY SALAD
2 small packages raspberry Jell-O
1 & 1/2 cups boiling water
20oz can crushed pineapple
1 can whole cranberry sauce
3/4 cup cranberry juice
1 cup pecans, chopped
8oz package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream

Dissolve Jell-O in boiling water. Add crushed pineapple (juice and all), cranberry sauce, liquid mixture, cranberry juice and pecans, reserving some pecans to sprinkle on top. Mix it all together well. Mix well. Pour into a 9"x12" glass dish and refrigerate until firm. Cream together cream cheese, sugar and sour cream until smooth. When the first mixture is firm, spread the creamed ingredients on top. Sprinkle chopped pecans on top.

Holiday Pops

Went with mom to the Holiday Pops with the Spokane Symphony. Music for the evening included numbers by the Spokane Symphony Chorale and the Spokane Area Children's Chorus. The concert started with a jazzy medley on snow - "Let It Snow", "Winter Wonderland" and "Jingle Bells". My favorite new number was "Reindeer Variations" by Lucas Richman, but I also enjoyed "We Three Basses" by James Stephenson. And of course no Holiday Pops concert is complete without Santa directing the symphony on Sleigh Ride. But finally, there is always a Christmas carol sing-along.