I had to pop back in and say hallo before the end of the year!!

We had a wonderful Christmas even though Alan was sick. He has a cold and a keep you awake in the wee hours of the morning and why didn’t you take some medicine damn it cough. But he’s almost better now.

I cooked for Christmas. Or I should say for Christmas Eve. We celebrate Christmas Eve with the family, Alan’s family usually. I don’t cook for Christmas normally but I’ve been in the cooking mood so I made yummies.

I made apple pie. My first apple pie. My first pie ever in fact.

I hand made each leaf. I made 58 individual leaves.

It took FOREVER! Olinda asked me why didn’t I make bigger leaves. Well I don’t know. It’s my first pie ever that’s why. I’m thinking if I ever plan to make this pie again I would much appreciate a leaf cutter. I cooked it a little longer then I should have and it browned more then I would have liked but it was delicious! These are the before pictures (because after pictures would have required a more organized mind which after baking and preparing all night until 5am in the morning meant fuzzy thinking)

And I also made cookies! Vanilla sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies. (again these are the only pictures…fuzzy thinking again)

The gingerbread cookies were a PAIN. They kept sticking even with the flour I was using. I used a cookie cutter in the shape of a tulip and I had two disks of dough. After cutting out the first disk I baked it up thinking if these suck I’m not going to bother with the second disk of dough. But they were so good that I struggled with the second disk and made more.

And I also made a yummy yummy Sage Butter Turkey and green beans with almonds and garlic and mashed potatoes. Everything was delicious. I had a wonderful holiday visiting with family and friends and just got caught up with my sleep today.