In Memory Of One Man On His Birthday in Heaven

I suppose that there are those
Who'll say he had it easy
Had it made in fact
Before hed even begun
But they dont know the things I know
I was always with him
It may sound strange
We were more than friends

Its hard to tell the truth
When no one wants to listen
When no one really cares
Whats going on
And its hard to stand alone
When you need someone beside you
Your spirit and your faith
They must be strong

What one man can do is dream
What one man can do is love
What one man can do is change the world
And make it young again
Here you see what one man can do

As shaded as his eyes might be
Thats how bright his mind is
Thats how strong his love
For you and me
A friend to all the universe
Grandfather of the future
And everything I would like to be

What one man can do is dream
What one man can do is love
What one man can do is change the world
And make it young again
Here you see what one man can do

What one man can do is dream
What one man can do is love
What one man can do is change the world
And make it young again
Here you see what one man can do

Words and music by John Denver 

Peace

A Visit From A White Dove

An Excerpt from my diary, August 19,  2010

Yesterday afternoon while my daughter Jennifer and I were grocery shopping I experienced something marvelous. As we were pulling into the Marlin Meat Market approximately six miles north of Pottsville, we noticed a rather elderly lady walking away from the market with two heavy laden bags in her hands. She looked as though she could hardly move. I mentioned to Jen that she looked like she needed a lift to her home.

I pulled into the parking space, and Jen got out to go in for her order. As she walked to the front of the store she looked back at the elderly lady fumbling along. I told the kids to stay in their safety seats, as we were going back to give her a much needed lift home. I backed out of my space and pulled out onto the street, as she did not get even to the end of the block. I rolled the window down and asked her if she would like a ride home. She very graciously excepted, and hopped on into our van.

When I asked her where she lived she replied, "I missed my bus, I live in Pottsville". At first I was a little taken back, as I thought she most likely lived in the same neighborhood as the meat market. Then I told her that we had to go back to the meat market as my daughter was in there shopping. She was completely fine with that, and just grateful for the ride.

While we sat in the parking lot waiting for my daughter, we talked. Her name was Sylvie and she originally was from Antigua, but had lived in NYC, and then Pottsville for many years. Her husband died two years ago, and she had two grown daughters. She loved living independently and had refused living with a daughter. She never learned to drive despite her husband's insistence. She was a home body type person, and didn't care to travel.

Sylvie stated that as a person of color she was thrilled that Barack Obama was President. All of her life she mostly associated with persons of her own race, and didn't know much of the culture of others. I discussed with her the fact that when I saw the movie "Soul Food" I realized how much my family mirrored the family in the movie. My mother always had her grown up children show up for a huge Sunday dinner too. We had our various personality quirks amongst the five siblings, and lots of dysfunction,tears, love and laughter.

Suddenly, a white bird appeared off to the passenger side of the van, and "Clunk!" it landed on the roof right above where Sylvie was seated. Originally I thought it was a seagull, but as we watched its reflection in the window of the car parked next to us, I realized it was a white dove. The white dove of Peace.

The Torah and the Old Testament describe a story in which a dove was released by Noah after the Great Flood in order to find land. The dove came back carrying an olive branch in its beak, proof for Noah that the tumultuous waters of the Great Flood were receding, and humans could soon resume a normal life. Several times in the Bible the dove appears as the Holy Spirit, as when Jesus was baptized by John.

I have been going through many tribulations lately, and after we drove this lovely new friend home yesterday the thoughts of the visit from the dove was quite uplifting and made me feel as though there was a light at the end of the tunnel and it wasn't an oncoming train , but the light of the Holy Spirit who is totally in charge of my life.

This was read at my wedding ceremony: Jeremiah 29:11  'For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".

Time Capsule 2011 An Amazing Year Of Blessings

 This year was the most wonderful year with many blessings and some sad moments too.  This is an album of  many of our favorite memories of 2011.

In Memory of Nanny Nicholas

One very special family member turned 100 on September 27th, and then went on to be with the Lord  on November 17, 2011

January 2011 Manilow

In May we lost our beloved kitty Manilow who would have turned 17 in September had the neighbor's Huskies not taken his life while he was sleeping on the front porch chair.  

But then on December 23 our family got a brand new member to carry on our Dunwell surname for a new generation, when my nephew's wife delivered a healthy baby boy! 

The above Photobucket Slide Show only previews some of the photos in this album. To see all of the photos of the many memorable moments of 2011 please follow the link to View All...

U2 Concert July 14, 2011 Philly

Cyndi Lauper Concert Oct.22, 2011 Reading PA



+

Celtic Woman Concert March 21, 2011 Reading, PA

Johnny Mathis, Gary Mule Deer Concert April 28, 2011

Ryan Pelton Concert August 4, 2011 Schuylkill County Fair

Marie Levin Reba Impersonator Concert Kutztown Fair August 19, 2011

Ferbruary 2011 Trip Epcot  Walt Disney World Florida

December trip to Florida Magic Kingdom with Princess Abigayle on her 9th Birthday

My 60th Birthday Bash October 2011

May The Blessing Of Peace Be With You This Christmas and Always

Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
A new-born king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum

Come they told me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
A new-born king to see pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Our finest gifts we bring pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
to lay before the king pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum
so to honour him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
when we come

Little baby pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
I stood beside him there pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
I played my drum for him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
I played my best for him pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
Rum-pum-pum-pum, rum-pum-pum-pum
And he smiled at me pa-rum-pum-pum-pum
me and my drum

Peace on Earth, can it be
Years from now, perhaps we'll see
See the day of glory
See the day, when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be
Every child must be made aware
Every child must be made to care
Care enough for his fellow man
To give all the love that he can

I pray my wish will come true
For my child and your child too
He'll see the day of glory
See the day when men of good will
Live in peace, live in peace again

Peace on Earth, can it be
Can it be

A Poem From My Daughter Jamiann's Mother-In-Law

"HOLIDAYS" - A Christmas Poem 

                                                      by Pat R.

Once a year as our earth goes to sleep, Like the bears' hibernation for a long winter's keep, We ponder the fruitfulness of a year tirelessly spent, Tilling, planting, harvesting, and wonder where it went.

Time speeds by a year or two, five and more, And all we have that's worthwhile is what we store.

Are we storing up life's treasures like the grains in the bin, To be able to access them when our vigor runs thin?

Then the holidays come upon us, sometimes joyful, sometimes sad. Our thoughts return to days gone by when more times were glad.

Holidays, holidays, people rushing to and fro. Sometimes in such a hurry, they're forgetting where to go.

GO to that quiet place inside us where peace is always sought, Instead of just the worldly where everything is bought.

Then before we know it the celebrating is done, And we try to remember only all that was fun.

But that's not what is lasting and making us grow. It's the seeds of service and gratitude that we did sow, In visiting that old and lost someone living all alone, Or living in some nursing home because family is gone.

LIVE a life that's full of love, and make it serve mankind, And you will reap such great rewards that most will never find.

An Amazing Find On Our Way Home From Florida

ONE OF MY FAVORITE LITTLE SURPRISES OF 2011!

  The complimentary continental breakfast was really great and included scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, chicken nuggets, biscuits and gravy, home made waffles with a waffle iron, along with the usual bagels, danish, toast, muffins, fruit,  donut shoppe coffee, tea, three fruit juices, milk, chocolate milk. 

*Fairfield Inn & Suites Elkin Jonesville

628 CC Camp Road /268 Bypass · Elkin, North Carolina  From Florida Rt. 95 N -Rt.26 W -77 toward Charlotte, Exit  85, take ramp right for NC-268-BYP toward Elkin  The Hotel is on your left.

When exiting you will see a restaurant on your right it is Pirates Landing ...great seafood at very reasonable prices and family oriented. 

http://www.captainjimismagic.com/

http://pirateslanding-nc.com/

*All along the route from Florida to Pennsylvania there were rest areas with booklets on a rack.  They have great coupons for hotel rooms and that is how my daughter discovered this hotel and the price was less than $80.00 per night with a coupon.  

An Old Fashioned Christmas, Remembering A Special Godmother

Little Prayer

Little prayer be on your way,

God bless you on this Christmas Day

With happiness supreme,

And may you gather all the gifts,

Of which you ever dream.

May all your friends remember you,

With sentiment sincere,

To add a world of pleasure, and 

To multiply your cheer.

God bless you with the courage to 

Pursue each noble quest and

Grant this golden yule will be 

By far your happiest.

May all the ornaments and lights,

Upon your Christmas tree

Reflect the peace and comfort of

Your loving family.

May every moment of your life

Seem wonderful and new,

And in the year a week away 

May all your dreams come true.

The above poem was hand written in a Christmas Card from my Great Aunt Ree who was also my God Mother; Christmas 1978.

My book, My Ominous Adventures At True Blue Farm, The Secret Behind The Mirror features this amazing woman and her wonderful 85 acre farm in the Blue Mountains of Pennsylvania set between Martins Creek and Bangor.

The following is an excerpt from the book: As I close my eyes and picture my wonderful Aunt Ree I see a heavyset woman with soft rounded features. Her hair was gray and parted on the side, a bobbed cut with finger waves on her forehead. She always used Palmolive soap and Jergens Lotion and her skin was soft, with slightly rosy cheeks and never a wrinkle. Her eyes were of a transparent blue and she had a cleft type scar on her bottom lip that gave her lips a certain attractiveness like a mole on the cheek does for some women. As a young lady she resembled the Hollywood actress Jean Harlow who was known as the original blond bombshell.

When I was little she had the perfect grandmother look. When we would go outside in the summer she wore a big straw hat and a tea length cotton flowered dress covered with a pinafore apron, which also was of a flowery pattern. Although she never bore children of her own, she sure knew how to make kids happy and holy.

During each visit to her house you heard a sermon daily. You were taught scripture from the Bible and you always said your prayers. On one occasion I can remember her telling us a story about how she had been shopping at a grocery store when a boy was caught shoplifting. She pulled the store manager aside and paid for the item the boy stole and she then proceeded to preach the wages of sin, and the gospel of Jesus Christ and forgiveness to the boy. I’d like to think that she led that boy straight down the path of salvation that day.

She was not only our Great Aunt but she was also the God Mother of each of my mother’s children. She took her responsibility seriously as her faith in God and her Pennsylvania Dutch Lutheran roots influenced her devotion to spreading the gospel to all she met.

Yes, there is no doubt that she had a profound influence on my life, and so did her sudden passing.

On Christmas Eve 1978, she had baked her famous Busy Day Cake, and was reaching into the cellar way for a can of condensed milk on a shelf. She lost her footing and fell down the cellar steps. She was 77 years old at the time of her fall. She managed to make it back up the steps and into bed.

Christmas morning her leg was terribly swollen and bruised. My brother Buddy went up to see her, and called the squad. She was taken to Warren Hospital. I went to visit her that Christmas day and brought her a small gift, a porcelain child on a sled. I did not know that it would be the last time I would see her alive.

On December 30th while I was working as a barber at the Palmer Park Barber Shop, I received a phone call from my sister Ruth Ann telling me that Aunt Ree, our God Mother had passed away. Apparently, she had a pulmonary embolism.

While helping Uncle Bill prepare for an auction sale I found a daily devotional book in her desk, and on the thirtieth of December there was a poem, that ended with these words; "A few more rolling suns, at most, will land me on fair Canaan's coast, then I shall sing the song of grace, and see my Savior face to face." Prepare to meet thy God. Amos 4: 12

 

We would often visit our God Parents for Christmas Dinner when I was a little girl.  The ride there was very pretty in the snow.   We drove from Phillipsburg, NJ passing through Easton, PA, and the drive north on Rt. 611 wound along side the Delaware River.  Once we were in Martins Creek we took Creek Road which crisscrossed a creek then a turn up Rasely Hill Road to gradually climb up the mountain through a very pretty snow covered evergreen tree filled small ravine.  The scene was right out of a Currier and Ives print.

Excerpt from the book: Upon entering the house the smell of burning wood was always in the air, even in the summer when the stove was usually shut down. I've loved that smell and even now over forty years later I still love the smell of a wood fire mostly  for nostalgic reasons.  Memories of that farm and its inhabitants  hauntingly linger awaiting to be evoked by the first whiff of a campfire, and then the tears well up in my eyes.  It is for this reason that I can completely understand the saying that nostalgia is bittersweet and the perfect combination of pleasure and pain.

 

 

Our Great Uncle Bill would cut a cedar tree down from their property, and it was placed on a table.  Within my memories of Christmas when I was a little girl are bits and pieces of special touches like a bear family,  a vintage Santa, cast iron deer, and several very old glass ornaments from Germany that had belonged to my Great Grandmother Eck.

 

We always knew what the gift from them would be for every year we got a flannel night gown and they were greatly appreciated as our bedrooms were rather cold in a poorly insulated home.

I surely hope that in the memories of my children and grandchildren my Christmas celebrations, sprinkled with the traditions of my late family members will also be remembered so fondly. It is my greatest wish to have the heart warming simple celebrations like those of my childhood continued as a tradition with my children and grandchildren and so forth.

To purchase My Ominous Adventures At True Blue Farm, and read more about my Great Aunt Ree and her farm: Click Here This link takes you to the Barnes and Noble online book store. Thank you!  Merry Christmas!

© 2000, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011, 2012 by Diane Dunwell-Hoffman. All Rights Reserved.

What Is Most Important On Christmas

 Today I read a post made by a friend regarding the lack of Christmas Spirit on Facebook and the following story from a Christmas in my past came floating back.




It was  Christmas 1984, my Mom, was complaining because I asked her to give me a ride to the nursing home to deliver cookies donated by our Brownie Troop. She had much to do, and resented this extra trip. She was always doing for us, and I guess she felt unappreciated. I made a comment about how she was helping some elderly people have home baked cookies, and a more joyful Christmas.

Feeling a little depressed, she commented back that she wished her Christmas wishes of new kitchen chairs, and new carpeting for the living room would be granted, but there just wasn't enough extra money to do this.

I sat down and wrote her a poem, about how it was much better to have our loving family all around the Christmas Dinner table sitting in broken chairs and having a wonderful meal to eat together than a Christmas alone without family.

 A year later at Christmas time, I was helping her clean for the holidays, and while cleaning off the top of the kitchen cabinets, I found the poem. I read it and cried, and cried some more. Because you see, this was Christmas 1985, our first Christmas without our Dad at the Christmas Dinner table. He passed away of cancer of the lung the previous August.

Before Dad passed away he retired and bought Mom a new dining room set and carpeting for the living room.  My sister Irene had bought Dad a lottery ticket get well card while he was in the hospital. He won $200.00 on the lottery and never got a chance to spend it.  With the money Irene bought Mom a lounge chair,  and a floor lamp.

I am positively sure Mom would have traded all those material things for one more Christmas with her husband of 44 years. He wasn't perfect, but we all loved him unconditionally, and he always worked, and handed over the paycheck to Mom every week. We always had all the things we really needed, like shelter, warmth, and food, and he provided them all for all of us.

I have often said, "Yes, Jesus brings us our gifts on Christmas, and Santa Claus and the wonder of childhood dreams are two of those gifts!" The best gift Jesus gave was himself, so we all could live by his example, learning to love ALL people unconditionally, and have everlasting life in PEACE!



My dad always hung the shining star on the highest bough.

Royanna and Mike's Warm Florida Home At Christmastime

Woderful Days At Walt Disney World-Magic Kingdom-HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABIGAYLE!

© 2000, 2003, 2005, 2010, 2011,2012 by Diane Dunwell-Hoffman. All Rights Reserved

My Cousin Paula's Lovely Florida Christmas Home

Paula and I Christmas Season 2011

Please Check Back For Amazing Vacation Photos!

The Sun is shining the grass is green the orange and palm trees sway....

Heading out to where the sun is shining, the grass is still green, the trees still have leaves, flowers are blooming,  and the temps are in the 80s for three weeks of rest and relaxation. Spending time with friends and family too! 

Vacation November 28th-December 18th

David Zippel, A Local Legend, and my Friend

David Zippel and I Junior Achievement Banquet 1970

I met David Zippel when we both were members of the Lehigh Valley Junior Achievement 1969-1971. In Junior Achievement we actively operated a closed circuit television studio under the supervision of the J.A. Leaders of Sammons Communications on Sullivan Trail in Forks Township/Easton, PA.    I knew as soon as I had gotten to know Dave that he was destined to do something big one day.  He was extremely talented and a true leader.

Dave also was always willing to go the distance, it is no wonder that this would one day be the title of the lyrics penned by this extremely successful lyricist.  During one creative think tank session I can remember Dave coming up with an idea to have a show on Extra Sensory Perception and he would try to get the Amazing Kreskin to perform on the show.  Dave's father Martin Zippel was well known in the area as the owner of Martin Zippel Toy Company in Phillipsburg, NJ.   Marty Zippel was a good friend of Lou Reda, the entertainment agent who landed a syndicated series for his client, the mentalist known as the Amazing Kreskin.


 At Christmastime we put on a puppet show of The Night Before Christmas. Once again Dave was instrumental in coming up with the idea of a children's show.   We hand made all of the puppets with papier-mâché  heads and cloth bodies.

There were about ten members and we each invited our toddler relatives and friends to be in the live audience.  My nephew Mark Dunwell, and my cousin Paula's daughters Andrea and Juliann Di Risio were in the audience.  Everyone was thrilled to see their children on TV!  Our show was a complete success.

Dave was a year behind me in school and that year was my senior year.  Mr. Donald Shreve who was the Operations Manager of the Lehigh Valley Chapter of Junior Achievement asked me to come back during the 1970-71 season as a leader and Sammons Communications gave me their seal of approval to represent them as one of their leaders.

I was quite happy to see that Dave decided to join again and be in our company.  That year we achieved the highest honors at the Junior Achievement Awards Ceremony winning both the Company of the Year, and the  President of the Year award which went to David Zippel.

David Zippel went on to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania in 1976.  I ran into him that Christmas at the Palmer Park Mall and he was telling me that he was going to attend Harvard Law School.  But he decided to switch gears when he was handed the opportunity to write lyrics for the prominent Tony Award winning Broadway songstress Barbara Cook.  I had the pleasure of seeing Barbara Cook and Barry Manilow sing a duet at an Aids Benefit at Carnegie Hall in 1999, and she was amazing.  I see why David was so impressed as to take such a chance with the direction of his career.  Together with composer Wally Harper, they created more intimate voice and piano pieces for nightclub shows and  impressive over the top orchestral concerts for Barbara at venues such as Carnegie Hall.

David went on to write the lyrics for City of Angels on Broadway, and for this he won a Tony Award.  He was then nominated for an Academy Award for Go The Distance sung by Michael Bolton for the Disney cartoon Hercules, and then again nominated for Best Original Music Score for Mulan one year later.  He also wrote lyrics with Phil Collins for the cartoon Tarzan.

That local boy who came from College Hill in Easton, now lives at Central Park West and has accomplished the dreams he set out to achieve so long ago while putting on shows for closed circuit television in Junior Achievement. A few years ago I was quite surprised to receive a note from Dave talking about our memories of those days of our youth.   It is such a thrill to see that someone I knew made his dreams come true, and I knew he would!

Some of his achievements from Wikipedia:

• City of Angels (1989), an original musical with book by Larry Gelbart and music by Cy Coleman. Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Score, Best Book, Best Actor (James Naughton Best Featured Actress (Randy Graff), and Best Set Design (Robin Wagner) and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics.
• The Goodbye Girl (1993), a musical based on Neil Simon's 1977 screenplay, with music by Marvin Hamlisch.
• Princesses (2003), loosely inspired by A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Zippel conceived and directed; book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner, music by Matthew Wilder.
• The Woman in White (2004), an adaptation of the novel by Wilkie Collins, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, book by Charlotte Jones. The music and lyrics received a Tony nomination for Best Original Score. The show was nominated for five Laurence Olivier Awards, including Best Musical.

Zippel contributed lyrics to The Swan Princess (music by Lex de Azevedo, the song Far Longer than Forever was nominated for a Golden Globe Award), as well as provide the singing voice of Jean-Bob the Frog and his composition I'll Stand by You (performed by The Pretenders), and more notably wrote the lyrics for the Disney films Hercules, with music by Alan Menken (the song "Go the Distance" received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song) and Mulan, with music by Matthew Wilder. The music and lyrics received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Musical Score. A year later, Zippel collaborated with Phil Collins for Tarzan. He was in his agent Richard Kraft's film Finding Kraftland.
Current unproduced projects include Buzz! (with Menken and Gelbart), The Private Lives of Napoleon and Josephine (with Coleman and Gelbart), and Going Hollywood (1981), an unproduced adaptation of Once in a Lifetime by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart; book by Zippel and Joe Leonardo, music by Jonathan Sheffer.^[3]
Pamela's First Musical, written with Coleman and Wendy Wasserstein, based on Wasserstein's children's book, received its world premiere in a concert staging at Town Hall in New York City on May 18, 2008.^[4]
In 2011, Zippel wrote the lyrics to the song "The Star-Spangled Man" featured in the film Captain America: The First Avenger. Alan Menken composed the music for the song, which was an affectionate send-up of 1940s Irving Berlin songs

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Zippel

A Few Of My Favorite Christmas Cookie Recipes

Night Before Christmas Mice

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring not even a mouse.



3 cups of all purpose flour 

1/4 tsp salt 

1 cup unsalted butter softened 

3/4 cup granulated sugar 

1 tsp vanilla extract 

1 large egg  

Sm. bag almond slivers 

10 feet of black licorice laces
6 ounces of semisweet chocolate melted and kept slightly warm.

Whisk flour and salt together in a small bowl.  In  large bowl beat butter until creamy, gradually add sugar and beat until fluffy, add vanilla and egg, then beat.  Mix in about a third of the flour at low speed.   Gradually add remaining flour until well blended.   Scrape dough onto large piece of plastic wrap, and cover completely, and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.  Needs to be firm enough to roll into balls.   Line cookie sheet with parchment paper, and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Roll dough to 1/4 inch ovals, pinch one end to make appearance of the face, eye sockets, and nose of a mouse.  Gently add two almond slivers just behind eye sockets as in the photo.  Place the mice two inches apart on the cookie sheet.  Bake for 15 minutes until light golden brown on bottom edges.  Remove from oven, and quickly pierce rear end with tooth pick and insert a 3/4 inch piece of licorice lace for tail.  After they cool, pipe eyes and nose using melted chocolate, you may make a parchment or wax paper cone* or use a decorator bag with smallest writing tip.    *Directions for making a parchment cone: Click Here







Merry Cheese Cakes

Filling:

16 oz. softened cream cheese
1 tbsp. lemon juice
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat all ingredients until fluffy.
In mini muffin pans, place cup-cake liners (silver or holiday ones are very festive). Drop tsp of graham cracker crust mixture into each lined cup, and press down with thumb, then fill 2/3 way full with cheesecake mixture,top  tsp. with cherry  pie filling..


Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Allow mini cakes to cool, before storing. Keep refrigerated until transported or served.

Crust:

•                      1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
•                      1/4 cup sugar
•                      1/3 cup butter, melted

In a small bowl, combine the crumbs and sugar; add butter and blend well


                 

Cookie Cutter Sugar Cookies

• 5 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened to room temperature
• 2 1/4 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Scrape down bowl with a rubber spatula.
4. Stir in the flour mixture until incorporated.
5. Cover the bowl, and chill the dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
6. When you are ready to bake the cookies, make sure one of your oven racks is in the center of your oven and preheat oven to 400F degrees.
7. Line your cookie sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper. Alternatively use ungreased cookie sheets.
8. Scoop out about 1/3 of the dough onto a lightly floured surface and return the rest of your dough to the refrigerator until you are ready for it.
9. Roll out dough on floured surface or parchment paper to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, getting it as even as you can.
10. Cut into desired shapes with your favorite cookie cutters.
11. Place cookies 1 inch apart on prepared cookie sheets.
12. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven for thin cookies and 8 to 10 minutes for thicker cookies.
13. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

This recipe makes about 4 to 5 dozen sugar cookies, depending on size and shape of the cookie cutter used.





Some tips:

• Chill the dough thoroughly, when instructed to do so.
• Roll only a portion of the dough at a time and keep the rest in the refrigerator.
• If the dough seems sticky, you can roll the dough between parchment paper to avoid sticking.
• Roll the dough to an even thickness so your cookies will cook at the same rate.
• The thinner you roll the dough the crisper your cookies will be. Thicker dough will result in a softer cookie.
• Only place cookie dough on cool cookie sheets.
• Dust your cookie cutters with flour between cuttings.
• For best results bake your cut out cookies one sheet at a time in the center of your oven.
• To decorate, simply sprinkle your sugar cookies with colored sugar before baking.
• Plain cookies can be painted using clean good artist or model painting brushes with your favorite sugar icing once baked and cooled.
• I have also beaten an egg yolk, separate to make different colors, add food coloring paint unbaked cookie as you like it, then bake.  This stains the cookie and adds no extra sugar or changed flavor.

Egg yolk paint:

5 egg yolks
2 tsp. water
Food color

Frosting for painting cookies:

1 egg white, room temperature
1 c. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Food coloring

Beat egg white until frothy. Add sugar; beat until stiff. Add cream of tartar until thick. Dilute with food coloring and water. Paint on cookies with paint brush.




Nut Tossies or Nut Cups

1 cup flour
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 lb butter or margarine, softened
1/2 brown sugar, packed
1 egg, beaten
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or English walnuts)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Mix softened butter and cream cheese. 2. Add flour to butter mixture. 3. Divide into 24 balls. 4. Press into tossie or mini muffin tins. 5. Mix brown sugar, vanilla, and nuts together then add beaten egg, mix well. 6. Fill crust about 3/4 full. 7. Bake for 20 mins until crust is brown.

Delicious Appetizers:   I have also used this recipe for delicious appetizers, just make the cups and bake them empty until lightly golden brown about 10 minutes, take out and allow to cool.

Spinach Cream Cheese Filling:  Mix one package of cream cheese, with 1/4 cup grated onion, 1 tsp. chopped garlic,  1 box of thoroughly drained and patted dry frozen chopped spinach, pinch of seasoned salt or soul seasoning, and dash of pepper, spoon into cups.

Liverwurst Cream Cheese Filling:  Beat one package of cream cheese, with one tube package of Oscar Meyer Liverwurst until smooth, you may add onion if you wish, spoon into cups.

Chudder Filling: Beat one package of cream cheese with one container of Wispride Cheddar Cheese, spoon into cups.

A Heartwarming Family Thanksgiving That Was Super Fun For All!

I am so thankful and blessed for my wonderful family.   This year my daughter Jennifer and her husband Ariel hosted the Thanksgiving Dinner.  Everyone contributed something to the meal.  Jennifer won the thirty pound turkey at work, and it was fresh and delicious; cooked to perfection.  Ariel kept testing it with a meat thermometer to insure it was thoroughly cooked, yet not over done and dry. Jen's totally homemade PA Dutch Stuffing was out of this world!  She also  used her food processor to create a mouth watering cranberry orange relish.  And as if that wasn't enough she had jellied cranberry,  glazed carrots, and broccoli.  She also contributed a pumpkin roll and red velvet roll made by a friend from where she works. 

My daughter Jamiann brought scrumptious hors d'oeuvres and a delightful whipped pumpkin dip served with ginger snaps and graham crackers.  Jami and Mike also brought along an ice cream cake to help celebrate Abigayle and Jake's birthdays. Each year they combine the Nov. 11th birthday of Jake, and the Dec. 11th birthday of Abby into one party.  Well, their family will be going to Disney World in December where they will celebrate in Cinderella's Castle on December 11th, so the ice cream cake was to share their birthday celebration with family.

My sister Irene brought her family famous cole slaw, and beverages(non-alcohol kind).  My sister Ruth Ann brought her Farmer's Fair Award Winning pies, Vanilla Cream, Pumpkin, and Apple.  I brought the Caramelized Garlic Roasted Brussel Sprouts, a salad, and the kid's favorite marshmallow topped candied sweet potatoes. 

Where is Santa?

We hung around Jen and Ariel's home for awhile, conversing, and waiting for the food to settle as darkness fell upon Port Clinton, PA.  We all then piled into three vehicles and headed over to Koziar's Christmas Village just outside of Berneville, PA.  What a fabulous, fun time we all had there!  I don't care how old you are, at Christmastime you are a kid!  Who doesn't love to see millions of twinkling lights, and kids racing around each corner to see a wonderland of Christmas Cheer!

I am so truly blessed!  Thank you God for all of this LOVE!