December 2002 - January 2003 Edition

Holiday Sanity   By Jeanne Baratta (Fair Lawn's Kitchen Elf) So my dream starts; my house is a mess, I am wearing pajamas, I look out the front window and a hoard of elegantly dressed family members are approaching my front door. I am completely caught off guard. It is Christmas day and I have no food cooking, no presents bought, not a tree in sight, and well like I said, I am in my pajamas! Some of you ladies out there may be blessed with dreams of Brad Pitt or a young Paul Newman, but this is the hand I have been dealt. Of course the dream never really comes true.  It all gets done somehow, but not without an awful lot of stress thrown in. Christmas is always on the 25th of December, but for some reason it always seems to sneak up on me. This year Chanukah starts in November, right after Thanksgiving; you will still be eating leftover turkey for goodness sake! Over the last few years I have been trying my hardest to get this stress level lower, trying to simplify the holiday’s a bit, not just for my sanity, but also for my children. I am trying to get them to appreciate the spirit of the holiday not the commercialism of it. Ironically, it was my son who made me realize this. He was about 7 or 8 years old, and when I asked him what he wanted for Christmas, he said he wanted me to make him a pair of pajamas! I had just started sewing again, and made a few gifts for my nieces. Well I made him those pajamas, and he couldn’t have been happier. That’s when I realized; this is what it is about. I started out slow in my simplifying; it was hard to break old habits. I worried about the kids being disappointed if there were not tons of gifts waiting for them. I took stock of what I felt (and what the family felt) was important. I asked everyone what their favorite thing about the holidays was. Of course the little one would say “the toys”, but I was amazed at what I heard as the conversation progressed. Many things that they cherished were not “things” but feelings, fond memories; being with their cousins, smelling cookies baking, listening to certain holiday songs, a favorite decoration, reading the “Polar Express” every year. So, what did I cut out, how did I simplify? As for the gifts, there was less quantity and more quality. Cooking and baking got easier; I really don’t have to bake over 20 varieties of cookies, I cut it down to about 10, alright maybe 15, and I realized that I do not have to prepare every vegetable known to man to have a lovely holiday meal. Oh and those holiday cards, do I really need to send one to my sister, I mean she lives around the corner, I talk to her a couple of times a week. I have cut that list down plenty, which saves me lots of time to spend on other things. My best timesaver has to be the Internet. I hate the malls, so doing my shopping on-line is a lifesaver to me. In addition, without having to deal with crowds, I can research the items I am buying, read reviews about video games and books, listen to CDs before I buy them. As a parent concerned about content and age appropriate material for my kids, you just can’t beat that! Trying to keep your sanity during this busy time is all in the planning; I start in October, keeping a notebook with all my lists, receipts, menu and party plans, holiday schedules for the kids, etc. I take this notebook with me everywhere I go. I make a daily to-do list because I just love the feeling of crossing something off when it is complete. It’s not perfect yet, it may never be, but it is a lot less stressful. Wishing you “sweet dreams”! Below is a recipe for a cookie I just couldn’t eliminate, The Ultimate Butter Cookie. This cookie is such a favorite that I probably make at least six batches! Now if you know your cookies, you know that butter cookies are rich, but my recipe adds heavy cream, which makes them down right sinful. Don’t eat too many! The Ultimate Butter Cookie Note: I make this cookie using a food processor.  If you do not have a food processor, use a stand or hand mixer. Ingredients 2 sticks of softened butter  1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract ¾ cup sugar 2 ¼ cup flour 2 tablespoons heavy cream  1/8 teaspoon baking powder 2 egg yolks  1/8 teaspoon salt   Directions Preheat your oven to 350F. Put the softened butter into the bowl of the food processor and process for 30 seconds. Add the sugar and continue to process until smooth. Add the cream, egg yolks, and vanilla and beat well. If you wish to color your cookies, add a few drops of liquid or paste food coloring now and process till blended. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the processor bowl and pulse a few times to combine then process for about 20 more seconds (do not over process or your cookies will be tough). Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes. This cookie is best made with a cookie press, but they may be rolled out and cut with a cookie cutter. If using a cookie press, fill the barrel with dough and press out using even pressure, spacing the cookies on the ungreased baking sheet. If rolling out the dough, roll out to 1/8 inch thickness on a lightly floured board. Cut into desired shapes and place 1 inch apart on ungreased backing sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars if desired and bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from oven and place on racks to cool. Makes about 60 cookies.     Check out the Kitchen Elf's Other Wonderful Articles For The Birds  (October 2002) In My Vegetable Garden  (August 2002) What To Do With Kids on Summer Vacation  (June 2002) Family Time and Dinner Time  (April 2002) What To Give (And Not Give) Your Wife (February 2002)  Kitchen Elf on Staying Fit  (December 2001) New Market and Gourmet Apples  (October 2001)