Christmas traditions...

In the kitchen the orange glaze on two cranberry orange buttermilk cakes is setting up, and two loaves of cinnamon cranberry bread are in the final rise before being popped into the oven. Tomorrow morning they'll be delivered to friends and family. There's an old movie playing on the t.v. and my husband has dozed off on the couch while watching it.  

We hosted the whole family for a Christmas brunch on Monday and exchanged gifts with the oldest and her family and the youngest and her husband since they'll both be with their in-laws for Christmas this year.   Our Christmas tradition is to have boiled eggs, sausage balls, cheese grits, and toasted cinnamon cranberry bread for Christmas breakfast. My husband then reads a blessing that he writes for each one of our daughters and their family for the coming year.  Then we open gifts.

 Since her sisters won't be home, our middle daughter invited us to join her family for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day at their house.  My grandson called tonight, and suggested that we just go ahead and spend the night at their house Christmas Eve to avoid having to wait for us to arrive on Christmas Day.  We live about two miles away from each other.  (smile)  We'll make our traditional Christmas dinner in spite of the rest of the family being out of town, boneless leg of lamb, potatoes roasted with bacon and green onion, green bean casserole, salad and homemade rolls.  

In my home office, twenty three titles of Jesus hang on my little Christmas tree.  Two more names remain to be hung, one tomorrow on Christmas Eve and one on Christmas morning.  It's a good way to count down to Christmas, but most of all, a good reminder of all that my Savior is as we celebrate His birth.  You can read more about this tradition here.

Earlier this evening my husband and I took a drive to his hometown, 40 minutes north of where we live now,  and ate dinner out then drove around looking at Christmas lights.  It's been an almost annual holiday outing through the years, the whole family in tow when our daughters lived at home.  

Baking our family favorites, counting down the days to Christmas by hanging the titles of Jesus on my little Christmas tree, taking a drive to look at Christmas lights, a familiar and loved Christmas menu, these are a few of our family's Christmas traditions.  I'd love for you to share one of your family's Christmas traditions in the comments.

still following,

Cinnamon Cranberry Bread...

(texture- Kim's touch of texture, difference, 15% opacity)

After three lost days due to being in a cold/flu fog, 

today was spent trying to catch up on the countdown to Christmas to-do list.

(texture-Kim's 2303, lighten, 20% opacity)

While reality necessitated letting some of my pre-Christmas goals remain undone,

(like putting a fresh coat of paint on my chipping kitchen cabinets; what was I thinking?),

baking some of my Cinnamon Cranberry Bread was a must do in my opinion.

 ( desat 20, texture-Kim's elevate, hardlight, 20% opacity)

Another must is having some of this bread toasted and smeared with orange marmalade on Christmas morning.

Yummm!

(desat 20, texture-Kim's day texture, multiply mode, 50% opacity) 

The recipe can be found here.

 (You can also see, that while I've still got much to learn,

my photography has improved since that post!)

still following,

texture-twist

Cranberry-Orange Buttermilk Cake...

There are some flavors that are just meant to go together.

Cranberry and orange is a match made in heaven.

I know it may be difficult for you to find fresh cranberries now that the holidays are over,

but do yourself a favor and make a point to make this cake next year if you can't find fresh cranberries now.

The only change I made to the recipe in the link above, 

was that I made a glaze for the top out of the juice of one orange and some powdered sugar.

This cake is perfect for a breakfast coffee cake or for a not too sweet dessert.

And for a recipe using dried cranberries try my cinnamon cranberry bread recipe.

I always add the zest of an orange to it now...

and toasted with a smear of orange marmalade on top....oh my!

Delicious!

still following,

     
         

                  

Jennifer Rizzo's Fabulously Creative Friday

Cranberry Walnut Cinnamon Rolls with Orange Buttercream Frosting…

May I just say that the recipe I’m about to share with you is an epiphany of yumminess!

I love my Cinnamon Cranberry Bread toasted and spread with orange marmalade.

When we had recent out of town company,

I had an idea of something special to make for them combining the two flavors –

the cinnamon-y cranberry, walnut filled dough and zesty orange.

First,  I mixed up a batch of cinnamon cranberry bread dough.

After the dough rose the first time, I rolled it out into a large rectangle on a well floured surface.

Then I smeared the dough with one cube of softened butter.

On top of the butter I spread a generous layer of brown sugar, then sprinkled some cinnamon on top of that.

I used my hand to blend the sugar and cinnamon.

I rolled up the dough and used a clean piece of baker’s twine to cut the rolls.

(Simply slip the string under the dough and cross the two ends until the string cuts neatly through the dough.)

This recipe made 16 large cinnamon rolls.

Next, I placed the rolls in a non stick sprayed pan and let rise in a warm place.

I preheated the oven to 375 degrees and baked the rolls for 15-20 minutes, (depending on your oven).

Don’t they look delicious?

Here’s where I added the decadence.

In a mixing bowl I beat 1/2 cup softened butter until fluffy.

Then I added the zest and juice of two oranges and 1 teaspoon of vanilla.

Next I added powdered sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, and beat until the frosting was the right consistency.

(I used just a bit over a pound of powdered sugar, I think.)

When the cinnamon rolls were still very slightly warm, I frosted them with the orange buttercream frosting.

These were a huge hit.

I will definitely be making them again.

 

Still following,

Elizabeth

 

The winner of my giveaway, (number drawn by the Hubs ),

is comment number 17, Nancy of A Joyful Cottage!

Almost Christmas…

The last couple of days have been filled with cookie baking…

(recipe below)

and cookie decorating…

Cinnamon, Cranberry Bread making…

(click for recipe)

and sampling…

Early Christmas dinner and celebrating with oldest daughter and her family,

(who are heading to the in-laws this year)…

A bit of early gift opening…

Newest grandbaby holding…

Just the usual holiday busyness and blessings!

Our Favorite Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons whole milk
4 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cream together butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir in milk. Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to creamed mixture and incorporate well. Wrap and chill 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake til edges are just golden on ungreased cookie sheet.

Enjoy!

Still following,

Elizabeth