My favorite holiday memories growing up included a whole weekend baking a variety of wonderful treats with my Mom which we would give to neighbors and friends. I only see her every other Christmas (we swap Christmas & Thanksgiving holidays with Rich's family) so in 2004 I decided I would have my own little holiday baking party every other year, then on the years that I am with Mom, we bake gingerbread houses.
2004 my first holiday baking extravaganza in my tiny (but very cute) little kitchen (on a workbench from Home Depot for extra counter space, with a mosaic in the background that I did right on the drywall). We knew one day that house was coming down...and it did!
Alice with a cookie cutter from my childhood (she was about 6 months here).
2006 in my much bigger kitchen...when we were kids my Mom gave Carl & I white frosting and food coloring and let us mix our own colors for the cut out cookies. I really think my painting color palette developed around this baking & frosting activity. Thanks Mom!
So now it's 2008 and I should be baking up a storm but ran out of time and decided to just do one cookie this year. It's not even a traditional holiday one for me...it's Grandma Leuck's Ginger Snaps. I thought it would be nice to send some to my Dad & brother along with the recipe. She died in 1978 when I was in 5th grade. The taste of these cookies takes me back, we made these at home quite often too. So I didn't take pictures baking but my Mom came through and found a photo for me to include on the recipe of me and Grandma Leuck...Calverna, isn't that a great name? She always called us her cute little monkeys...happy holiday baking to all of you kindred spirits out there!
