The older I get, the greater appreciation I have for my sweet granny and mother who did such an outstanding job of preparing our favorite foods for the holidays. With mother's passing almost two years ago, we haven't enjoyed her homemade Texas trash she always whipped up to snack on throughout the month. My husband could polish off a gallon bag of that stuff at his work desk in less than a week. And I'm afraid the lost art of homemade candy died with granny in 2001. I'd give my right arm for some of her amazing divinity and pralines she always made before Christmas for us to enjoy. Alas, there's hope because I DO have their handwritten recipes and will aim to carve out time to give them a try next year.
This evening my dogs are barking after spending about seven hours doing lots of prep work for our Christmas Eve appetizer palooza tomorrow. I opted to make meatballs from scratch for the marmalade glazed meatballs we all love. I boiled fifteen eggs, a dozen of them to be deviled. I used the other three in a huge batch of potato salad I prepared to take to the in-laws on Christmas Day. Then I whipped up some candied bacon as an accent for the deviled eggs. I baked chicken for the buffalo chicken dip, and put together corn dip as well as a cheese ball.
Our law student made brownies topped with granny's stovetop fudge icing. Then she made two batches of delicious buttercream for the vanilla almond layer cake she's putting together tomorrow. I hauled out and dusted three crockpots to hold several of our dishes. And finally, I rounded up recipes for the other items we're making tomorrow. It's a lot of work, so I'm glad I've had help from the younger daughter. We'll have leftovers coming out of our ears, but we always enjoy that.
Before I kicked off the cooking this morning, I spent time in my two devotionals I've been reading this December. I've enjoyed David Jeremiah's Season of Joy, as well as The Carols of Christmas by Alan Vermilye. In the busy and overly commercialized holiday season of our modern world, it's nice to have these reminders to slow down and recall the true meaning of Christmas, the precious gift of our Lord and Savior. How He stepped into the time and space He created to bring us the great gifts of His love and mercy. I pray that as you celebrate this holiest of nights, you lift your eyes heavenward in thanks to Immanuel, the God who is always with us.
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