Naughty or Nice?

 (Published on surfKY News on November 30, 2011)

T-minus 24 days and counting. Ask any person under the age of 12 and they will tell you exactly what will be in 24 days. This is also the time of year that you can get your child to jump up and do just about any chore that needs to be done. They know this is the time of the year that Santa is making out his list of who is naughty and who is nice.

I can remember the excitement that would be brewing in my home when my JoJo was little. It was so exciting. We would put up the Christmas tree as soon as the turkey was put away and we always made a chain out of colored construction paper. Each day, we would remove a chain and each day, we would get closer to the arrival of Jolly St. Nick. There is just something magical about the Christmas season when you have a child to celebrate it with. But as we grow older, we must keep the magic going. We must continue to believe.


My grandmother was the biggest kid I ever knew. She loved Christmas and there was not one area of her house that was not decorated. As I got older and began thinking I was too big to “believe”, she taught me the importance of believing in the magic. She would say, “If you don't believe in Santa, he will not come to visit you.” So, yes, I believe in Santa. I believe in the magic of the season. I believe that somewhere, there is a list for those that are naughty and those that are nice.

As we go into this holiday season, let us take some time out of our busy schedules and look for the magic. Let us go back to when we believed in a simpler time, back to when the thought of being put on the Naughty List or the Nice List would dictate our actions.

 
Enjoy these fun Christmas recipes, have fun and be a kid again!

 
RUDOLPH CUPCAKES

●1 package cake mix of your choice
●1 can (16 ounces) chocolate frosting
●48 animal crackers
●24 miniature marshmallows, halved
●48 miniature chocolate chips or raisins
●24 red jelly beans

Prepare and bake cake according to package directions for cupcakes, using foil or paper-lined muffin cups. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

Frost cupcake tops. Insert two animal crackers into each cupcake for antlers. For the eyes, place two marshmallow halves, cut side up, with a chocolate chip in the center of each. Add a jelly bean for nose. Yield: 2 dozen.

 
GUMDROP FUDGE

●½ lb white candy coating, coarsely chopped
●1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
●1/8 teaspoon salt
●1-1/2 teaspoons Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
●1-1/2 cups chopped gumdrops

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine the candy coating, milk and salt. Cook and stir over low heat until chips are melted. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and gumdrops.

Spread into prepared pan. Cover and refrigerate until firm. Using foil, remove fudge from the pan; cut into 1-in. squares. Store at room temperature.

 
REINDEER POOP

●3 cups oats
●2 cups sugar
●1/4 cup cocoa
●½ cup milk
●½ cup butter
●¾ cup peanut butter
●1 tsp vanilla

Bring milk, butter, sugar and cocoa to boil in medium sauce pan. Boil while stirring for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in oats. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir well. Let sit 10 minutes. Spoon by teaspoon onto parchment paper. Let sit at least one hour.

 
NEXT WEEK—More Christmas Cheer

 
Remember......Life is short. Eat Dessert first!!

Leigh Douglas
culinarycraftsbyleigh@gmail.com
www.culinarycraftsbyleigh.blogspot.com