A Bit Late...But As Promised...Hungarian Butterhorn Recipe

Hello Readers...

First, does not matter which of the holidays you are celebrating (Kwanza, Hanukkah or Christmas) may I wish all of you a joyous and happy Holiday Season, and wish each of you success and joy in 2012.

Do apologize, but the hustle and bustle of the season just seems to have me busy, and running behind schedule (in the best of ways). Baking has been a BIG thing this week, and have had so much fun playing Santa, delivering baked goods to my various friends and neighbors here in Mountaindale these past few days, and the compliments coming back my way have been so appreciative. Tonight, had dinner at the Mountaindale Inn, and OMG the Prime Rib was superb...the only bad news in the evening if you can call it that, is Ed was SOLD OUT by just after 8:00 PM, those arriving late being told, sorry, there is just no Prime Rib in the Inn, but we would be happy to get you a drink and offer you something from our standard fare.

My original intent had been to post the recipe for Hungarian Butterhorns yesterday, but if I must admit, though I baked these delicious cookies yesterday, holiday duties called, and this is the first opportunity I have had to post the recipe...and a couple (three) pictures. Do hope those of you who give them a try enjoy them...my suggestion...MAKE A DOUBLE BATCH.

Hungarian Butter Horns Best-Ever Recipe

4 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 packet Fleischman's yeast (the cake kind...if you use the dry, you have to pee-activate it)

Mix and add

1/2 cup butter *note...you can do quite fine with using JUST BUTTER...from Land of Lakes

1/4 cup lard

1/2 cup Crisco

Add 3 egg yolks

1 cup sour cream (Breakstones)

1 tsp. McCormick pure vanilla extract...do not use the artificial kind please.

Form into 3 balls and chill 5 hours or overnight

Roll out balls with powdered sugar (yes, Domino's powdered sugar, not flour) and cut with pizza cutter. Then spoon filling on and shape/roll into crescent.

Filling:
3 egg whites 1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla 1 cup chopped nuts

Bake at 375 for 15 to 20 minutes until slightly browned. 

Frost when cool. (Frosting follows)

Sprinkle with Domino's powdered sugar when almost cooled. (Not overly difficult)

I promised to be on tomorrow with our trademake "News on the Run" as well as some fun Christmas Eve stuff...just not sure what yet.

Christmas Tree Shopping and Care Tips

For many of us, one of the funniest parts of the Holiday Season is picking out, and decorating the family Christmas Tree. As Charlie Brown has shown us, any Christmas tree once decorated with love looks and is beautiful. That said, there are some things you can do starting with picking out your tree to make sure it is fresh, beautiful and lush for the entire season. So before you bundle up the family, jump in the car with that thermos of hot chocolate and a CD of Christmas Classics, here are some suggestions for your tree.

1. Where did your tree come from. Of course, if you cut your own, you know the answer to this one, but if you are going to a tree lot, ASK! The further the distance your tree travel, the longer it has been dying, which means needles dropping faster than ice in a hail storm. Just as important as where your tree was cut, is the important WHEN!

2. Check for the freshness of the tree...is it lush and green looking, healthy and proud with a wonderfully woodsy fragrance. Are the needles moist to the touch, limbs flexible, few scars on the trunk's bark? Just remember, like home baked cookies, the fresher the better when it comes to your tree. Shake and bounce it, and if it drops needles walk away.

3. Weigh your tree...HEAVIER IS BETTER, as it means the tree has a much higher water content, and that means a fresher tree.

4. Locally grown means a fresher, healthier tree that is good for our environment...think slow foods. The less the tree has traveled to get to you, the less of a environmental footprint it has. Want to buy close to home, visit the "Find My Tree" website and enter your zip code. Lets keep our money local by shopping local tree farmers.

5. Super fresh tree...cut your own from a approved, legal location. Now it would be nice to think those doing this would take an axe or hand saw out into the woods for environmental reasons, but chances are those cutting their own will really on their handy dandy chain saws...do yourselves a favor, as well as the environment, and cut the tree by hand with HAND TOOLS. Finding that PERFECT tree, and cutting it down yourselves will make your tree one of the prettiest you have ever had.

6. Treat your tree like a member of the family and show it lots of TLC (Tender Loving Care) once inside the house. Leave it outside for a day in a large bucket of water, and once inside make sure to water your tree EVERY DAY.

Hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season, and be sure to check back here often as I start sharing some of my FAVORITE Holiday COOKIE Recipes. Hungarian Butterhorns anyone...they are my FAVORITE, just like my Mom used to make.

Remember The Less Fortunate This Holiday Season

From Mountaindale After Dark blog, some sage holiday advice.

Thanksgiving is Coming

Thanksgiving is almost here, many have our shopping done, others are waiting until the last minute, planning on a run to the grocery store on Tuesday or Wednesday, anxiously looking forward to being jostled, standing in check out lines, perhaps seeing such antics as training for their Christmas Eve shopping extravaganza just one month away. Houses are being cleaned in anticipation of quests, pies are in, or will soon be in the oven, while others are packing suitcases as they prepare to load the kid,s family dog and food into the car for a trip to Grandma's house over the river and through the woods. Those hardy souls among us are making lists and checking them twice as they plot out their shopping strategies for Black Friday...or Black Thursday for a few who put little stock in a National Day of Thanksgiving.

These are heady times as we move in too what is officially the Holiday Season. The Thanksgiving tables across America will barely be cleared away, dishes done when it is time to start preparations and shopping for Christmas (and Hanukkah which begins at sunset on Tuesday, December 20, 2011, and ends at sunset on Wednesday, December 28, 2011). There are ornaments and decorations that need brought down from the attic, and Great Grandmother's china needs taken out of the hutch and washed, used only once a year on Christmas. Children are kept on good behavior, millions of parents telling them, "You better be good as Santa Claus is coming to town."

As we prepare for these magical times, let all of us remember there are a lot of families this year here in America going through rough times, families who do not have the money to buy toys for under the tree, do not have a turkey to put on their table on Thanksgiving Day. Let us remember those less fortunate, those living alone, no family too share their holidays with. If you have a neighbor in need, do what you can to lend them a helping hand. Know someone living alone, invite them to take a chair at your table for a holiday meal, or if they are shut in, take them a plate of food. Regardless of your religious persuasion, remember the golden rule, "It is more blessed to give than to receive. Enjoy your holidays everyone, and if you can go out of your way to do something for those in need...charity starts at home, and often times brings us blessing in the most unexpected ways. YEB2GH4VK9KN

Thanksgiving is Coming

Thanksgiving is almost here, many have our shopping done, others are waiting until the last minute, planning on a run to the grocery store on Tuesday or Wednesday, anxiously looking forward to being jostled, standing in check out lines, perhaps seeing such antics as training for their Christmas Eve shopping extravaganza just one month away. Houses are being cleaned in anticipation of quests, pies are in, or will soon be in the oven, while others are packing suitcases as they prepare to load the kid,s family dog and food into the car for a trip to Grandma's house over the river and through the woods. Those hardy souls among us are making lists and checking them twice as they plot out their shopping strategies for Black Friday...or Black Thursday for a few who put little stock in a National Day of Thanksgiving.

These are heady times as we move in too what is officially the Holiday Season. The Thanksgiving tables across America will barely be cleared away, dishes done when it is time to start preparations and shopping for Christmas (and Hanukkah which begins at sunset on Tuesday, December 20, 2011, and ends at sunset on Wednesday, December 28, 2011). There are ornaments and decorations that need brought down from the attic, and Great Grandmother's china needs taken out of the hutch and washed, used only once a year on Christmas. Children are kept on good behavior, millions of parents telling them, "You better be good as Santa Claus is coming to town."

As we prepare for these magical times, let all of us remember there are a lot of families this year here in America going through rough times, families who do not have the money to buy toys for under the tree, do not have a turkey to put on their table on Thanksgiving Day. Let us remember those less fortunate, those living alone, no family too share their holidays with. If you have a neighbor in need, do what you can to lend them a helping hand. Know someone living alone, invite them to take a chair at your table for a holiday meal, or if they are shut in, take them a plate of food. Regardless of your religious persuasion, remember the golden rule, "It is more blessed to give than to receive. Enjoy your holidays everyone, and if you can go out of your way to do something for those in need...charity starts at home, and often times brings us blessing in the most unexpected ways.