Tag Archives: christmas

Christmas Cooky #5 – Candy Cane Cookies!

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These delightful cookies are the crown to my cooky trays. They have a nice texture and are almond flavored.

1/2 cup softened butter

1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1 room temp. egg

1 & 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 & 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon sea salt

Red gel food coloring

1/2 cup crushed candy cane (use the “puff” peppermints for easy crushing. I get them at Dollar Tree)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

Mix Crisco, butter, sugar, eggs, and flavorings until fluffy.  In another bowl, whisk together flour and salt. Blend the flour into the butter mixture. Divide dough in half.

Blend red gel food coloring into one half.

Cover your dough with a damp tea towel to keep it from drying out while you work.

Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper, and preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine the crushed candy cane and sugar.

On a lightly floured board, roll small amounts of each dough into strips. Sprinkle with the candy cane mixture. Roll,  gently twist, and shape into a candy cane shape. Please be sure to use half Crisco or the rolling experience will not go smoothly.

Bake around 9 minutes, till just the lightest golden at the edges.

I always use and recommend sea salt for cooking and baking for a brighter flavor.

A silicone mat is very helpful too. These cookies look spectacular on top of the cooky trays, and they are quite delicious.

We topped each cooky tray with The Candy Cane Gospel tract  from Moments with the Book! 

Merry, joyous, peaceful Christmas to you!

sage

Christmas Cooky #4 – Ultimate Chocolate Crinkles!

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These are absolutely the best chocolate crinkles you will ever try! 

1/2 cup regular olive oil + 2 tablespoons

2 tablespoons melted butter

12 tablespoons cocoa powder (I use Hershey)

2 room temp. eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 cup powdered sugar

Mix oil, butter, & cocoa powder.  Blend in eggs one at a time. Add vanilla.  Mix well. 

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into oil mixture. 

Place the mixing bowl into a larger bowl filled half way with ice.

Let the dough chill for half an hour like this. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Get a smaller bowl, and put the powdered sugar in it. Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper.  Remember, insulated cooky sheets topped with parchment produce superior cooky bottoms! 

Using two spoons, drop dollops of dough into the powdered suger, then roll into balls and place on prepared sheet. I estimate a level  tablespoon of dough is ideal.  This dough, for me, is too soft for a scooper.  

Your sheet should look like this. Bake at 350 for 10-12  minutes. Be careful, because chocolate baked goods do not show their browned edges. I always check the cracks on these cookies. If they look at all wet in the crack, they are not done. When done, the exposed cracks will look dry with a slight sheen.

Remove from oven to cooling rack. Cool on the sheet for four minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Rejoice!

sage

Christmas Cookie #1 – Fruit Drops!

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These are old fashioned cookies that store well, much as a fruitcake does. They are not difficult to make, but do get a comfortable seat for all the chopping! 

1/2 cup butter flavored Crisco

1/2 cup softened butter

2 cups packed brown sugar

2 room temp. eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk or sour milk

3 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 & 1/2 cup broken, not chopped, pecans

1 cup chopped red candied cherries

1 cup chopped green candied cherries

2 cups, chopped, pitted, dates

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the Crisco, butter, suger, and eggs well. Stir in the buttermilk. 

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, soda, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the sugar mixture.

Next, add pecans, dates, and cherries. This is better accomplished with a large, sturdy spoon or spatula.

Next important step!  CHILL!  Do not skip chilling for this very soft cooky dough. My favorite method of chilling is the ice bowl method.

Fill a very large bowl half way with ice, and nestle the dough bowl inside it. Even the softest cooky doughs will stay chilled and workable with this method.

Use a cooky scoop, and drop onto parchment paper lined cooky sheets. My preferred sheets are insulated, covered with parchment. This makes for a perfect cooky bottom.

A dozen cookies per sheet, and bake about 8-10 minutes, until lightly golden brown as shown in the picture. Cool on the sheet for 4 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Happy homemaking!

sage

The Vine Vigil wishes you a merry Christmas!

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Please enjoy these treasured hymns as you read the following Scripture.

We here at The Vine Vigil wish you a lovely and very merry Christmas.

Luke 1:26-37

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

29 And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.

30 And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.

31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

34 Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

36 And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

Amen.

~ Cat Mahm

For the Lord’s Day – O Come, O Come, Emmanuel

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“O Come, O Come, Emmanuel”

1. O come, O come, Immanuel,
and ransom captive Israel
that mourns in lonely exile here
until the Son of God appear.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

2. O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

3. O come, O come, great Lord of might,
who to your tribes on Sinai’s height
in ancient times did give the law
in cloud and majesty and awe.

Refrain:
Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel
shall come to you, O Israel.

The Birth of Christ

As we continue our descent into the month of December, we remember the birth of Christ, and we will be posting a selection of some of our favorite Christmas hymns so that you can celebrate this momentous and beloved time with us. This hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” is one of my very favorite Christmas hymns.

As a child, my parents always made Christmas very special. I remember on Christmas morning, waking up to the smell of my mother’s homemade cinnamon rolls with her secret lemon, cream-cheese icing. Of which, I – reminiscent of the prophet Elisha (in my own mind) – did not hesitate to ask for and proudly acquire, my own double portioning. As I sat at the table, bedecked by a Christmas-cheery tablecloth, this would be one of the hymns my mother would play on her record player. Perhaps it is the somber humility with which the verses beckon the coming of Christ, or perhaps it is the overwhelming reverence with which the refrain exclaims, “Rejoice! Rejoice!” this hymn, “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” stirs our hearts into movement and attention in recollection of the birth of Christ.

Isaiah 9:6-7

6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

7 Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.

Cat Mahm