Taking the Baton this Christmas

My mom has been my biggest inspiration

and most important teacher in the kitchen.

Growing up, I can't say that she made me learn how to cook,

but once I had a need to know, she was there.

Just before I got married,

I scrambled to copy recipes and take notes.

Over the years it became our way of connecting

and how I looked forward to the days

when she'd drive out from Vancouver

to spend the day baking or canning together.

I learned most of what I wanted to learn

but held back on a few things.

Things she had perfected and there

was just no reason for me to try.

Her Perishky and cookies, the best of the best, 

made me feel like a child again ...

spoiled by her goodness.

But this year I realized it's time ...

she's given all she could.

Her recipes are large - in true Mennonite style -

I think she often doubled them -

but I can't ask her anymore.

She looks at me and shakes her head ...

still with a feeling of dismay that she has no clue

about something she used to do with hardly a thought.

Her cookbooks are torn apart -

in her frenzy over the past years to find recipes

or to make sense of them.

Pages charred from laying on her stove top. 

Yet now as I rolled the dough, numerous times,
I knew she'll always be here 

in all the memories that these cookies ignite ...

In the way her fingers pinched and shaped them
and in the loving way each cookie was iced and packaged up.

I did not know they looked so funny before baking them.

So, I went back to the pictures I took of her for the cookbook

to "see" and saw that I was on the right track.

In the oven they puffed beautifully.

Some jam ran out.

I cooked the meringue glaze - over and over again -

determined to get it down to an art -

the way she did it.

Every stage presented a memory of seeing her in her kitchen,
when she was baking for orders, or MCC or family.
There were seasons when
doughs were stacked in the fridge and
counters were filled with cookies drying or ready to go.

Another recipe with the same icing ... are these chocolate honey cookies,
given to grands by the pail full.
When I made them now, I realized how generous she has been.

The chocolate cookie dough also gets refrigerated and,

because I found it hard to remove from the bowl once it set,

I decided to put saran wrap into the bowl first.

This made for easy removal after.

The dough gets divided into four pieces and each piece is rolled into a long roll.

Then each roll gets cut into pieces and rolled into balls.

After icing them,

they keep in a cool place for at least a month ...

little chocolate cakes that melt in your mouth. 

They are my favorite.
 And will always be a sweet hug from her.

♡♡♡

MGCC Christmas 2017

December 3, 2017

Four o'clock in the afternoon ... and everything was ready!

A log in the fire and candles lit.

Each guest's place prepared ..

It was so much fun to do this together!

Every Christmas he strings literally thousands of lights on the outside trees

and puts up a star on top of the weeping cypress in the back yard ...

while I hang garlands on railings and mantles inside.

One day on our walk in the park, we saw a downed birch branch 

which he picked up to do my bidding.

It became part of the table setting along with

burlap runners, garlands, a variety of candle holders from my stash,

cinnamon sticks, fresh greens, twine and pine cones.

I love mixing the woodsy look with the elegant.
A girl can be both, right?

The second table, the one that  faces the back yard ...

and after the candles are lit.

We started with a sangria ...

 and a variety of fun appies ... 

Julie's tortilla roll ups, 

hot artichoke dip with multi grain chips

 nuts and dried fruit brought by Ellen

and Char's red pepper jelly tarts, by Kathy

Judy and Elmer prepared individually plated Mediterranean salads.

Our German buffet menu consisted of

Rouladen

Bev's Spaetzle with caramelized onions

German Fried Potatoes

Red Cabbage

roasted beans and carrots

cucumber salad

Broetchen

I can't believe how serious we can look while getting our food

but I know that in reality there were lots of smiles!

After dinner the girls headed to the living room

where we did our gift exchange game ...

this year, something shared from our kitchens.

Everyone came with one gift and left with one ...

a collection of homemade candied nuts, salsa, jam,

sugar cookies under a dome, meringue glazed cookies in a jar,

tiny bread loaves with a citrus, ginger infused honey, 

roasted coffee beans and even homemade sausage.

We all knew we did not need another present but

making something to share and enjoy was a fun challenge.

We finished with Marg's TV famous hazelnut roll
and Lovella's delicious Black Forrest Cake ...
and a lot of coffee and lingering.
We can't believe that nine years ago we hardly knew each other.

And here we are ... sisters of the heart,
missing Char and Betty,
but always the Mennonite Girls now.
I've gotten used to the label and it's all good.

Spoiling Mimi

Last week I had an unexpected 'extra special' with Jade.

The three youngest Friesens were here for the morning,

and I took them home after lunch.

I was just ready to leave their place when

Jade burst into tears about having left her phone at our place.

I told her that I'd get it for her.

She looked at me like she knew that it would not be soon enough!

"I want to go with you!" she cried ... tears rolling down her face.

My plans for the afternoon just faded into the non-important ...

yet thinking I could maybe squeeze in some of what I'd planned

I told her that if she comes back to Mimi's she has to take a nap.

She promised. 

Riding home, the glimpses I got of her in the backseat were priceless.

Her blanket and 'whoossie" in her "packpack",

she could hardly believe her luck. 

"It's just me and you!" she said several times.

At our house she chose her bed,  asked me to cover her up

with an extra blanket and she went to sleep.

Apparently this was a miracle. 

She came down about 75 minutes later 

and we went to play in the playhouse.

The two story playhouse my H built

for our kids when they were small.

has a kitchen downstairs and a ladder going to a loft

that the kids have dubbed the bedroom. 

I ducked into the kitchen and we sat at the table

while she was busy preparing food.

After a while she said, "I put you to bed."

So up I went and curled up.

She brought me pizza and a hot dog

and three cups of tea ... huffing and puffing

four or five trips up and down  the ladder.

When I was done, she took the dishes and

looked down, both hands full, 

realizing she could not manage the ladder.

With sudden determination

she took the dishes and hucked them downstairs.

As they clattered on the linoleum, she stared after them

feeling she accomplished that quite well.

I had to laugh (quietly).

She laid down in the two square feet of space left,

closed her eyes for ten seconds and then

said she would go get breakfast.

Curled up at the top, by the ladder,

 I happily volunteered to help.

"No, you stay to bed, Mimi!" she firmly stated.

She climbed down and came back with a pot of soup

 and, taking turns, we enjoyed her delicious soup

from the pink pot.

And here I sit now,

thinking it like a dream that

one so little knows how to give so much!

Imaginary and Real Pictures

As I checked my most recent photos on the computer,

 I noticed mostly cakes ...

a reminder that I've been a little focused on updating recipes.

Photos may be one way to track what's been happening here

but you'd miss out on fun little moments 

I can only hope to capture in words ...

Recently, Kristal dropped Evy off first thing in the morning

and on this day she was not too happy to stay.

I let her watch a show while I went to take a quick shower.

When I came back she wanted some cookies.

I said to her, "I thought you didn't want to come to Mimi's!"

She said, "But I changed my mind."

I said, "That's good, because I thought you didn't like Mimi."

She said, "You're funny, Mimi!" 

I also think about Jade,

short and petite in every way, she came in one day

wearing a jean skirt with a white blouse with frills about the waist,

purple tights and black shoes with a strap and some bling on them.

Her blond, curly hair up in a messy bun,

brown eyes squinting up and her hands just so ...

she waited for us to express our joy in seeing her!

The picture has to remain in my mind. 

Priceless.

And just for fun ... I'll share the redone photos too ...

Mystery Dessert 

The easiest cake you could ever make.

Moist and delicious ... we enjoyed this dessert about three nights in a row. 

UBC Ponderosa Cake

A classic Banana Chocolate Bundt cake

Pizza Buns 

So easy to make and great to have in the freezer

for a quick lunch. 

Fruit Explosion Muffins

for any time of the day

Old Fashioned Chocolate Cupcakes

Proven to be great school lunch treats over several generations. 

(the icing hardens enough that you can wrap them in cellophane.

And last, but not least,

Pumpkin Coffee Cake

Perfect for the season ... made with pumpkin and applesauce.

It would make me quite happy if

I've inspired you to write down a special memory

and to bake something yummy.

☕☕☕

Look Who's on the Move

Oh, this sweet boy,
nearly getting lost at the end of the line
as he grows out of baby stage
without much fanfare about what he can do.

So how can I even begin to express

the covert joy he has brought!

As his achievements sneak up on us,
I want him to know his special place,
and the truth that his life matters.

What I know is that a long time ago,

I had my conversations with God

about giving our son a son -

yet only if he would have a heart to know Him.

After three girls - our joy and delight -

I was content to believe 

that all was right and good.

Their family was beautiful, complete.
 Our family was!

Or so I thought until one day -
the unexpected announcement!

With which, in a hallowed moment,
I could not help but know -

even in my unworthiness - know for certain -

that this is the boy I prayed for!

In God's perfect timing

He has given me my petition,

the one I asked of Him.

And oh, how fun the glimpses I get!

But greater still, 

the joy to know Whose he is -

our youngest and dearly loved -

with a tender heart, a soft smile,

leaning in to meet face to face,

forehead to forehead 

in baby embrace.

I sure do love you Jack Benjamin!
♡♡♡

Evy

Looking at this ...

I guess the pac 'n play naps are almost done

even though she is still a good napper.

On this day she asked if I'd given the soo-soos to Jack.,,

which was what mommy had done with theirs for the weaning plan.

I said, "I will yet."

She said, "But did you give them to him?"

I said, "No, I'm going to."

She knew they were there and she had a look like

maybe she could have one more secret nap with a soo=soo ...

but then she just said, "okay" and she laid down and closed her eyes. 

Sweet girl ... bravely facing the changes coming her way.

🤍🤍🤍