I'll Be Home for Christmas

Start singing: I'll be home for Christmas; You can plan on me. Please have snow and mistletoe; and presents under the tree.

Okay, now take out the snow part and it'd be just about fitting (no snow in SoCal). Tomorrow (Wednesday), I'm flying down home for the holidays. To start, I'm going to Palm Springs to spend some time with the Browns (that would be Josh's parents). Josh and I will be with them for Christmas Eve and early morning. Then we'll jump in the car and head to Encinitas to spend Christmas day and evening with my family. We'll have all our usual Christmas dinner friends & a regular, ole holiday feast.

And, oh boy, I've been preparing and waiting for the big Christmas day. I've been busy in the kitchen making cookies. Of course, Pepparkakor has been baked and enjoyed. Kakor what? It's a traditional Swedish cookie I learned from Grandma Norma. It's like a gingersnap slash sugar cookie because it requires cookie cutters. Then there is my Holiday Biscotti, which is a Giada De Laurentiis recipe that I've been making for a few years now. I've tested two new recipes too. First, I tried Peppernuts (or Pfeffernusse in German) to pay respects to my German heritage and friends. Second new recipe was from my December Cooking Light, Mexican Chocolate. These had pepper and cayenne in them. I used local chocolate, Euphoria, at 70% cocoa. Big hit. Whew, that's all I managed this year. Still a nice array though if you ask me. (And they are packed in my suitcase to bring to everyone).

As I write this very post, I'm watching It's a Wonderful Life. I've just about gone through all my favorite Christmas movies. I've been also listening non-stop to Christmas music!

If I don't post beforehand, Merry Christmas Everyone!!

XmasCookies Xmas Cookies