Thursday, October 27, 2011

New Mexico Christmas Cookies - A Recipe For Some Delicious Biscochitos!

Santa & Lights cardNew Mexico Christmas Cookies - A Recipe For Some Delicious Biscochitos!

Author: Benjamin Hedley

Biscochitos are the recognized state dessert of New Mexico. Offered typically at Christmas, at wedding ceremonies, and every other special event, biscochitos really are a type of shortbread. In contrast to conventional shortbread, nevertheless, this particular recipe could be a little difficult to make.

Eventually, you learn how to have a feel for that dough and it will get simpler. It's well worth the work to learn to make these types of scrumptious small snacks.

Biscochitos have a lengthy background that extends all the way to Spain. Referred to as Mantecosos across the Ocean (which means buttery in Spanish), these types of small snacks are occasionally known as Mexican Wedding snacks. Actually, the name of this scrumptious small dessert is responsible for quite a discussion.

In north New Mexico, they're referred to as biscochitos and biscochos in the southern part of New Mexico. If this dessert was made the official state dessert in 1989, their state legislature needed to debate on how to spell the actual title. The Senate lastly selected bizcochito, though you still see it with numerous spellings.

Recipe for Biscochitos

This particular wonderful small dessert is ideal with espresso, tea or perhaps a glass of wine.

Baker Girl apronWhat You Need

One pound of lard

One heaping cup white sugar

Three eggs

One tsp salt

Six teaspoons anise seed

Six cups white flour

Three tsp baking powder

1/8 cup lemon juice concentrate, partly thawed out

1/8 cup red wine

Four teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 cup powdered sugar

The Way You Make It

Mix the lard with a mixing machine set on medium-high. The lard ought to become smooth in consistency; this can take up to 10 minutes. Add sugars and combine well with lard, scraping the edges of the dish often.

Angel keychainAdd eggs individually, combining completely every time. Add sodium and mix. Include the next components in this order: flour, anise, baking powder. Continue to mix well. Include lemon juice concentrate and wine. Beat the mix before dough pulls away from the sides of the combining dish.

Dampen your fingertips and work surface. Move the dough in between two bits of plastic wrap. (Hint: It will help to gently flour the underside bit of plastic wrap.) Attempt to touch the dough as little as feasible as you form it right into a rectangular shape and pat it till it's even.

A marbled moving pin is most effective because of its excess weight and temperature for moving. You want the dough to become about half an inch thick. Reduce the dough in to groups. Drop every quarter into cinnamon sugars and hang lightly on a greased dessert sheet.

Using a little, razor-sharp blade, cut every quarter into strips about 1 inch wide. Flip the holder and cut in the other way so you end up getting small pieces. Make 4 small slashes toward the middle of each bit. Making use of your thumb and forefinger, raise the sides towards the middle, creating a rosette.

Bake the snacks about thirteen minutes or even before edges are browned. Your time can vary depending on the heat of the oven. The completed snacks ought to be crisp.

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Thursday, October 20, 2011

Holly's Magical Snowflake

© 2005 Angela Flemming


santa mad at rudolph shirtHolly was always a happy girl, but she was happiest at Christmas. She loved the Christmas tree and the lights and the presents. She loved the snow if there was any snow. She thought snowflakes were as beautiful as stars. She always looked forward to Christmas. She also believed in Santa Claus, but she thought he lived in Heaven instead of in Antarctica or wherever people say he lives. She thought his elves were angels. I think so too.


At school the teachers got mad at her and the kids made fun of her because she drew candy canes and presents and holly and loads of snowflakes in her study books and in her notebooks. But she was good because she still learnt all her lessons. In fact she was the smartest girl in her class.


Her best friend didn't make fun of her, of course. But her best friend was a year older and so she was in a different grade. But Holly and her best friend Rosie played when it was time to play, and they always walked home together.


One Spring day they were walking home, and Holly looked kind of sad. She wasn't usually sad. "Why are you sad?" her best friend asked.

Silly face tree shirtHolly pointed to the trees. They looked very cloudy and beautiful with pale pink blossoms. "I wish snowflakes grew on those trees", she sighed.


"Don't be silly! Snowflakes don't grow on trees."


"I know! They grow on clouds, and in Winter the clouds scatter them on Earth," said Holly. Then she added: "I wish it were Christmas."


Rosie giggled. "Christmas would be very boring if it were Christmas all the time," she said.


"No, it wouldn't", Holly replied sadly.


Rosie was a bit worried. Why couldn't Holly be HAPPY on a beautiful Spring day, with birdies singing and fluffy white clouds floating in the sky and beautiful flowers blanketing the trees? But she said nothing else about it. Instead she asked: "Wanna come to my house for dinner?"


"Yes!" Holly cried excitedly, "if Mummy lets me." Rosie's house was a very fun place because Rosie's parents were rich; so they had a staircase, and antique furniture, and lots of nice books, and pretty things, and lovely Christmas decorations stored in the closet. She ran towards her house to ask Mummy. Rosie waited outside, and she felt happy because Holly had smiled.

dancing rudolph necklaceMummy said Holly could go. So Holly had a yummy dinner with her friend Rosie and then they played. When they were tired of playing, they went inside to read books and draw pictures.


Rosie drew a Faerie with beautiful butterfly wings. Holly drew a Snowflake. But it looked like just a PIECE of a snowflake and in fact Rosie didn't even know it WAS a snowflake. "What's that?" she asked.


"Wait. I'm going to cut it out."


By and by she did cut it out, and on the table lay a beautiful, lacy snowflake. Rosie picked it up. "That's beautiful, Holly," she said. "How did you make it?"


But Holly only remarked dreamily, "I wonder if you can wish upon a snowflake..."


"You can't even wish upon a STAR."


"Not if you think like that! You have to love the stars, and know that inside every one there is a beautiful angel."


And suddenly she wished upon her snowflake. It began to sparkle and glow and it was really made of snow. Holly whispered,


"Snowflake, Snowflake, wherever I go,
Please make it Christmas, with lots of snow!"


The snowflake grew bigger and Bigger and BIGGER. Soon it was as big as a rug and Holly jumped on top of it. Rosie didn't even notice because the room got so cold suddenly that she went to fetch her sweater.


Wreather decorated with pinecones & bow ornamentThe Snowflake began to rise. It flew out of a window, even though the window was closed. And then it flew up into the sky and it flew and flew until it was Night and then it stopped and descended to...some kind of planet, Holly knew.


But what a lovely planet!!! The whole ground as far as she could see was thickly coated with fluffy sparkly snow. All the houses were made of gingerbread. Reindeer grazed in the snow. Pretty old-fashioned street lamps lit the way, and in their golden light danced hundreds of beautiful snowflakes. In every front yard there was a smiling snowman, and bluish green pine trees strung with coloured lights twinkled and flashed. And all the paths leading to all the gingerbread houses were decorated with real poinsettias.


Holly got off the snowflake and began to dance and jump in the snow, kicking it up so that more sparkly snowflakes flew up into the air and danced with her. She was having so much fun. Then she walked up to one of the houses and began to nibble on it. It tasted really yummy and as soon as she had taken a bite out, the hole filled up all by itself. So she didn't ruin anyone's house.


Everybody on the whole planet must have been at home because she didn't see anyone. She was too shy to knock at anyone's door, so she began to walk, to explore. She found a forest and she wandered into it. All the trees were hung with icicles, snowflakes and coloured lights. Maybe Faeries put them there. Holly was so enchanted that she thought she was in Heaven.


Santa ho ho ho merry christmas postcardSuddenly she saw a blue light, and she ran towards it, because it was very beautiful. When she got closer she saw that the light came from a beautiful Winter Faerie with snowflake covered wings, who was sitting on a rock and wrapping some Christmas presents. "For you," whispered the Faerie sweetly, as soon as she saw Holly.


"For me? But you don't know me," Holly said shyly.


"I do," replied the Faerie, without explaining, and Holly was too shy to ask.


"What is your biggest wish?" asked the Faerie. And without thinking carefully, Holly replied: "I want to be a Christmas Girl."


The Faerie was silent then. When she had finished wrapping all the presents, she told Holly to open them. There was really a heap of them, all for Holly. Holly thought that there were too many presents just for her.


"I wish my best friend were here," she said sadly. "I wish my family were here."


"Just open the presents," commanded the beautiful Faerie.


So Holly did. There were beautiful clothes, and pretty bows and clips for her hair..., and dolls, and plush animals, and picture books, and cookies, and candies, and a beautiful trunk to store all those things in. Holly felt rich and delighted and somehow sad all at once. She wanted to look at her beautiful books, but she wanted to do that at home. "How shall I get home?" she asked the Faerie.


"You can't go home," replied the Faerie. "That’s because you're on the Planet of Christmas, and here it's Christmas all year, and you can play or read all the day, and never go to school, and eat nothing but treats, and have presents every day. But you can go to your home here. There's a beautiful Gingerbread House that was built just for you, and it's fit for a Princess inside. Follow me."


"I don't wanna! I wanna go home! What about my snowflake? Can't I wish upon my snowflake to go home?" Holly cried, feeling so panicky that she forgot her shyness.


"There's only one way you can do that," the Faerie answered. "You must tell me what your favourite gift is. Think before you answer me. Think hard."


The girl looked at each of her beautiful dolls and each of her pretty plushies. She admired her beautiful clothes and books. She thought and thought because she couldn't decide. Then she looked up at the stars in the sky.

Holiday Tree stamp"My parents and my friends are my favourite gifts," she said at last.


"If you want to go home, you must forfeit your dolls and books and all the other nice things."


"I don't care. It's just stuff!" cried Holly passionately.


The Faerie smiled. In her hands appeared a wreath of holly with pretty red berries on it. She placed it on Holly's head, saying, "Your wish is granted. You understood what your true gifts are. You are a Christmas Girl."


And Holly suddenly found herself in her own bed, with her paper snowflake in her hand, and Mummy was kissing her forehead.



angelartiste's Store at Zazzle

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Celebrate Christmas

What is your favorite thing about the Holiday Season? *
Getting to see friends & family
How will you spend Christmas Day this year? *
With family & friends, the more the merrier
How many holiday cards do you send out each year on average? *
0-5
How many Holiday Parties will you attend this year? *
1-3
What is your zazzle Store URL *
What is your favorite Christmas/Holiday food/recipe? What is so special about it?
Sugar cookies decorated with colored sugar! I know they aren't a specific Christmas food, but it is only at Christmas time that you ever see them in stores or can con someone into making them for you. Even through the green and red sugar sprinkles are just sugar, for some reason they taste better than just plain sugar sprinkled on. I am pretty sure that it's a mental thing! It is even better when they are in the shape of gingerbread men, and then you can eat the arms and legs off first and it's like eating five or six cookies at once!

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Celebrate Christmas

What is your favorite thing about the Holiday Season? *
Getting to see friends & family
How will you spend Christmas Day this year? *
With family, a traditional Christmas Celebration
How many holiday cards do you send out each year on average? *
25-50
How many Holiday Parties will you attend this year? *
1-3
What is your zazzle Store URL *
What was your favorite Christmas/Holiday gift you ever received and why?

One of my favorite Christmas gifts I ever got was when I was 5. ---to set the scene--- it is the middle of the night (Santa came around midnight) when we were woken up for our gifts from Santa. That year I got the racing go-cart I had wanted so badly! There was no way I was going to wait until the next morning to drive it! He and my Mom tried to talk me out of driving it basically 'in the dark' - but 5 year old pleading eyes being what they are - I got my way. I was so excited I didn't even want to wait long enough to put on my helmet. Now, I had been racing motorcycles for a little while by this time and had driven a go-cart once or twice so I was SURE I knew exactly what I was doing! We started it up, I put both hands on the wheel - the excitement building up making it hard to even sit still. I put my foot on the gas, pressed down - as hard as I could - and drove like a bat out of he** across the yard and right up a tree! Tha nk goodness, it didn't roll over on me and the only thing I got out of it was a bruised ego! We still laugh about it at Christmas each year...


Sunday, October 16, 2011

Gifting a crockpot for Christmas.

Gifting a crockpot for Christmas.

Author: pooja

baked beans apronTo those of us that don't know, crockpot recipes are among the best out there! Did you receive a crockpot as a gift at your wedding shower or perhaps as a birthday gift and have no idea how to use it? Crockpots are great kitchen tools that offer a convenience like none other. Many meals from basic chicken recipes to fancy Christmas recipes can be made in the crock pot. Crockpot recipes can be made ahead of time, say in the morning, and cooked slowly throughout the day. Then, when you come home from work, tired and worn out, dinner is waiting for you! Finding free recipes is easy.

Chili con Carne bagThere are many websites that offer them recipes free of charge to anyone. Things like fondue recipes and even specialties like Mexican recipes can be easily found. To find these websites, simply type "recipes" in your search box. Many will appear, browse through some until you find what you are looking for. Within the website, you will be able to search for what types of recipes you are looking for. To do this, type in "crockpot recipes" and the will appear. If you do not have the Internet, go to your local library to find books on the types of recipes you are looking for. Crockpot recipes are full of good ingredients. Make sure to purchase the correct flavorings or correct cuts of meat for your recipe. Fresh produce can sometimes be replaced with frozen, but make sure to follow the directions on the recipe.

I love -heart soup mugMany times, you can through together a crockpot dinner from the things you already have within your pantry, refrigerator and freezer. Also, be sure to cut your ingredients to the proper size in order for the to cook properly. Cutting too small will cause them to over cook or turn mushy. Cutting too large, may keep them from being fully cooked. Lastly, make sure you read and understand how to use your crockpot. They have different settings for different types of food. Different types of meat will cook at different speeds. Same goes for vegetables. You need to understand how your crockpot works in order to prepare a delicious meal. Following the instructions on the recipe and understanding your crockpot will surely help you turn out a wonderful meal using simple crockpot recipes!


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Friday, October 14, 2011

Celebrate Christmas

What is your favorite thing about the Holiday Season? *
Getting to see friends & family
How will you spend Christmas Day this year? *
With family & friends, the more the merrier
How many holiday cards do you send out each year on average? *
0-5
How many Holiday Parties will you attend this year? *
1-3
What is your zazzle Store URL *
What was your favorite Christmas/Holiday gift you ever received and why?
One year that all of our family and friends got together and bought different plastic horses from a series for me. I had them lined up on my dresser for a long time! It meant a lot to me as a kid that a)they knew I liked horses and b)they all got together and got the different ones for me. I have no clue what happened to the horses in the move, but my favorite one was the Pinto one. They had hair that could be brushed and were in all different poses, perfect for a kid to play ranch with!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Celebrate Christmas

What is your favorite thing about the Holiday Season? *
Getting to see friends & family
How will you spend Christmas Day this year? *
Like every other day of the year
How many holiday cards do you send out each year on average? *
0-5
How many Holiday Parties will you attend this year? *
0
What is your zazzle Store URL *
What is your favorite Christmas/holiday craft project?
My favourite Christmas craft project is making paper snowflakes--really fancy ones. I've made about a dozen of them, and they are really fancy ones. I work out in my imagination how I wish for the design to turn out, and then I cut all sorts of little pieces out of the folded piece of paper, unfold it and then--voila! I have a nice lacy snowflake. I did not learn how to fold the paper until I was grown up--a nice child, who took a liking to me, showed me how it is done. After that, I could not stop making snowflakes! ^^

Celebrate Christmas

What is your favorite thing about the Holiday Season? *
Getting to see friends & family
How will you spend Christmas Day this year? *
With family, a traditional Christmas Celebration
How many holiday cards do you send out each year on average? *
25-50
How many Holiday Parties will you attend this year? *
0
What is your zazzle Store URL *
What was your favorite christmas gift you ever received and why?
My Favorite present ever was Grumpy Bear - one of the original care bears. I got him from my Grandmom, even though I know she really did not have the money to buy him for me. I knew it was an extra special present coming from her, because I know money was very tight for her yet she still picked out a bear she thought I would like and the bear she thought my brother would like (he got sleepy bear) and saved up her money to get them for us. I still have Grumpy today - over 20 years later!!


Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Personalized cards for your kid - signed by Santa!!


Santa Claus on Chimney
Cute little hand drawn Santa Claus on Chimney with a bag of toys Each card has a message inside from the North Pole for your child. Simply select the card you want and before ordering enter the child's name to the right side of the screen. The card will come pre-printed with the child's name and the selected message. If you have multiple children to order for you will have to select each individually, and there are bulk discounts available. These cards are a great way to send your children or a kid in your life a special message, and teach them how important thank you notes can be!

Thursday, October 6, 2011

How to Enjoy Your Favorite Christmas Recipes

How to Enjoy Your Favorite Christmas Recipes

Author: Sanjay Johari

candy cane poinsettia labelChristmas is a time of holiday and festivity. And delicious food is integral part of the celebrations. You relish food and have fun with your friends and relatives. In this excitement you hardly give sufficient attention to how much you should eat. There is a tendency to overeat at odd times and quite often the associated problems follow.

Is it possible to enjoy our favorite Christmas recipes and have a control on our diet at the same time?

The answer is a big YES.

And this is not limited to Christmas time either. But this is a good time to start on the right path.

In our busy and mechanical life we have long forgotten to pay attention to the subtle indications sent out by our bodies. While attending to the "necessities" of our lives and fulfilling our "obligations", we tend to abuse our bodies. The consequences are there to see within us and all around us.
elf flying box plane card

Yet with just a little self-discipline this situation can be greatly improved. I am not suggesting skipping meals or reducing diet forcibly.

Just try these simple tricks and see the difference.

* Feel Good About Yourself – Before you start your meals get into a happy state of mind. Now don't tell me it isn't possible. You can always think of something positive and pleasant. The idea is to feel happy. Feeling happy is a habit – it is worthwhile cultivating it.

* Be Thankful For Your Food – Saying prayers before your meals is one of the best practices created by the civilization. In all situations it may not be possible to go thru this ritual. But the least you can do is to have your meals with gratefulness in your heart.

* Have a Regular Time Schedule For Eating – This point cannot be over emphasized. Some discipline in the intake of your food can go a long way in regulating your life. This may be difficult to maintain in the midst of festivity, and that is quite excusable. If you are otherwise disciplined in your eating habits, occasional exceptions can be easily tolerated.

* Don't Eat Hurriedly – Don't be in a hurry to devour your food as if it is going to run away. Instead slow down your eating and consciously enjoy the flavor.

* Eat With Full Awareness – While you eat give full attention to your eating. Don't make it a casual or a half-hearted effort. This is a commitment you have to make to yourself. In fact this approach bears positive results with any work you undertake.
elf on snow mobile ornament* Chew Your Food Well – Avoid just gulping down your food. By chewing your food properly not only will you enjoy it, you also help your body to assimilate the food better.

* Pay Attention To Indicators Of Your Body – While eating listen to your body. It will give you sufficient indication when you have had enough. Eat to your heart's content but avoid overindulgence. If you follow the steps outlined here you will "know" when it is time to finish your meals.

I will add one more bullet point here – have regular physical exercise, or physical movement. It need not be a vigorous routine if you don't want it, but it should be enough to make you feel hungry at the next meal.

The points I have outlined here are nothing new – they form a part of age-old formula which also have scientific support. I have not tried to suggest what food you should have – that will depend upon lot of factors I am not aware of including your particular situation and physical condition.

But these simple tricks work well with all situations and you can practice it with any other remedial measures you may be taking. They will certainly help you to enjoy your Christmas recipes better.
========================================
Sanjay Johari is an author and an internet marketer. He has contributed several articles to various ezines. Visit his website for ebooks on all time favorite Christmas recipes:
http://www.sanjay-j.com/recipes/

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