Christmas Goodies

Published on December 22, 2011 | in Blog Post By |

Tomorrow is the Christmas party for the employees at the Greenville Mid Delta Airport in Greenville, Mississippi. I serve on city council in Greenville, and subsequently serve on the airport committee. So when I received a call to help with the Christmas party, how could I possibly say no??

The administrative assistant said the employees wanted as many sweets as possible. Since as I’m somewhat new to baking and making sweets, I thought this would be such great practice.

I’m proud to say that right now my kitchen is just overwhelmed with the aroma of sugar, pecans, coconut, and Cream Cheese Pound Cake. I only wish I had the time to make some rum balls, but, being out of rum, that will have to be a treat for next year. I also managed to make an Italian cream cake, although it sort of has the “gangster lean” (I couldn’t wait for it to entirely cool down before I slathered it with cream cheese frosting so it will retain that Leaning Tower of Pisa look, a little list to the right). Still, I know the flavor is to die for!!

One treat I thought would transport well to the party is a batch or two of Microwave Pralines, a confection we had on our Halloween show. Simple, easy, so rich and delicious; in the microwave a bowl of pecans, brown sugar, and one regular sized container of regular Cool Whip, for goodness sake! Oh, and top it off with 2 tablespoons of butter before you whip in into shape, and lose the gloss, and turn it all out in heaping spoonfuls on a heat resistant liner of some sort, a Silpat, or some foil, just not waxed paper because that will melt. One reminder: the sugar is so very hot so you really need to mix it with a wooden spoon or a silicon spatula.

I can’t wait for tomorrow: the party, the food – of course – and hopefully success with the goodies I’ll provide. It’s all part of giving, part of the season, part of being family and community, and it’s part of the hope that all gifts that come from the heart will be lovingly received.