READERS UNITED

Hi Ladies

Trudy,  That is really good news about your friend Sharon and you financial situation.  I'm glad that you can look forward to a brighter Christmas season with a bit of pressure off your shoulders.   You remind me that I have to check the new plans for my parents prescription drug plan before the December 7th deadline. 

DonnaH, I would like an exchange but, like Donna, I think next year would be better too.  I really like the idea of a candle exchange rather than ornaments. 

DonnaM, It's been really windy here for a few days and we had one day of rain.  It is the worst when there is all that wind. You must be getting more rain in your area then here.  It hasn't rained in a couple of days but it is expected to be here Saturday and really bad.  I wonder how many ladies from other towns will decide not to come to the brunch because of it. 

I have three more of the small trees in one of the other corners of the living room.  I have them at differnt levels on the ground and on the table and put part of the village under them.  I hate that this fireplace has no mantle.  I would have loved to decorate it.  The wreath is a bit small but it is the only one I have and I didn't want to buy a new one so it has to do this year. 

I forgot to give the cookie recipe.  It is just a simple sugar cookie one but they are really delicious and I always have family and friends ask if I've made them.  My friend gave me the recipe but she rolls her dough out much thinner than I do so the cookies are hard and you can break them with a snap.  She likes them to be crunchy.  My family prefer them soft so I roll the dough somewhere between about a 1/4 to almost 1/2 inch thick.  You can decorate them before you bake by dipping a finger in some milk and rubbing the top of the cookie then sprinkle colored sugar sprinkles on them and bake. 

My family likes them to be frosted so that is what I do.  It takes longer to frost them all but the taste is yummy.  I do a confectioners sugar frosting but sometimes I have purchased the white Betty Crocker type frosting and it works fine just not as good a taste as the homemade frosting.   Which ever frosting I use, I like to divide it up into small bowls so I can add different color food coloring.  I frost the cookies one color and just use colored sprinkles on top of the frosting.  You have to sprinkle when the frosting is still wet or it won't stick.  You can get fancy and make designs but it is just takes too much time to do that.  I leave the cookies out all night on the counter so that the frosting can dry and then the next day I can stack them in a tupperware container and they do not stick together.  I like to double the recipe and freeze part of the dough for another day.

Here is the recipe: HOLIDAY COOKIES
1 Cup Margarine
1 Cup Sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Water

3 Cups Flour
1 and 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/4 teaspoon Salt

Using a spoon, Cream Margarine, Sugar & Vanilla.  Then add Egg & Water.  Beat until light and fluffy (use a spoon).    In a separate bowl, combine Flour, Baking Powder and Salt then blend into creamed mixture.  Divide the dough in half and wrap them in plastic wrap or place in a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.  (I've made the cookies without chilling and they turn out the same but the chilling makes it easier to roll the dough and lift the cut cookie onto the cookie sheet.) 

When you are ready to make your cookies, just sprinkle a bit of flour on the board and roll out and cut your cookies.  Place them on an ungreased cookie sheet.  You can decorate with sprinkles before baking or bake plain and frost when cool. 

Temperature depends on your oven.  My previous oven had to be at 350 degrees.  With this gas oven, I find I need the temp at 400 and bake the cookies for about 9 to 11 minutes.  The cookies should be lightly golden on the bottom and you can see some golden color coming on the sides but sometimes just the bottle is golden.  The tops are still whitish.  If they bake too long they can dry out so play with baking a couple cookies to test your temp and time. 

Once baked, wait about a minute or two before using a spatula to remove them from the pan. Removing them too soon could cause them to break.  But don't wait too long or they could get a little stuck to the pan and break when you remove them.  Put them on a cookie rack to cool.  You can frost once they are cool or wait until the next day.  They even taste good plain because of the sugar in the mix but they just won't look that pretty.

It's late now so I'll say goodnight!
Margie :)