Christmas Eve in our new home has been relatively peaceful. Since we are not traveling this Christmas, and are having a simple Christmas dinner here with the two kids, I asked them what kind of Christmas dessert they might want to have.  The only enthusiastic response came from my fourteen-year-old daughter: “Red Velvet Cake!”

I had never made one before, but I did have the recipe passed down from a step-grandparent. “Ok” I told her, “but you have to help.” She readily agreed, as she is one of those rare people who would rather cook food than eat it. I decided to turn the whole thing into a baking afternoon, and had her help me choose a few recipes off pinterest. I should note that normally, we limit all kinds of sugar and processed foods, so this was definitely a special occasion, but hey, it’s Christmas, right? Besides, I thought it would also give us some mother/daughter time that didn’t involve school work.

The first recipe we made was for a Chocolate Chip Danish. I would have taken a picture, but my family inhaled it before I had a  chance. If you are really interested, you can find there recipe where I did: here.

Next we did Carmelitas. I was going to insert a link to the recipe, but when I went back in to get it, this is what I found. It might just be a glitch, so I’m going to leave it in for you. Yes, they are a ooey gooey mess, but they are really good.

Then we tackled the cake. It is pretty time consuming, but all things considered, I think it turned out ok. Of course, the real test will be tomorrow’s dinner. Like I said, the recipe I had was printed on an old recipe card. This one is almost identical to the one I have.

Last we did a loaf of gingerbread. I found the recipe here. Simple, straight forward recipe. Katherine started mixing it, but the smell of the molasses was a little much for her, so I finished. I got this pretty serving platter, as a gift from my step-grandmother. She is a talented artist, and hand painted the plate. Pretty cake on a pretty platter. No one has tasted the gingerbread yet, I think everyone OD’d on the danish. I am thinking it will make a nice addition to Christmas morning breakfast along with some bacon and eggs.

My daughter and I had a nice afternoon together, and she even helped with the dishes without complaint. She is my youngest, and I know that I have to cherish these times that will be over all too quickly.

Ed and I want to wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas, and the Lord’s blessings for the coming year.

Connie