Missing Meemaws and Papaws

Its almost Christmas. But I'm missing my Grandparents right now. Growing up, I was young, they were old. I remember them though like it was yesterday but I was too young then to realize that I needed to spend more time with them for one day they would be gone.

I was in my teens and twenties when they all passed. One by one they left this Earth to be with Jesus. I didn't think about the pain my parents must have felt to loose them. I just remember the pain of loosing my grandparents. I never knew the real pain would hit in my 40's. There is so much I'd like to show them and talk to them about. I wished I would have sat down with my papaws and listened to more stories. I would love to have learned more about their life growing up.

Christmas time is here and I miss them so much at times like this. I remember my maternal grandparents used to have the biggest Christmas tree! It was filled with old ornaments and icicles. You could look at the tree all day and still find an ornament on there you didn't see before. My sisters and brothers and I would spend a lot of evenings there while my parents did their Christmas shopping. I remember spending several hours folding reader digest books so that Meemaw could later turn them into Mrs. and Mr. Santa Claus.

Christmas day all the cousins and Aunts and Uncles would meet at meemaws for Dinner. I can still hear my papaw calling me "his hound dog", and I can still smell the fried chicken coming from the kitchen as the family table was filled with food. Meemaw made the best and most moist cakes you could ever have. The ones I remember most is the strawberry cake and goulash cake made with fermented fruit.

Meemaw used to always have a gun drop tree we all would pick off of.

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I never liked the spice gumdrops but it was fun taking them off the tree and eating them anyway. Then we would all rush into the living room for a wrapping paper frenzy as we tore into the presents that were awaiting for us under the tree.

Christmas eve is when we would spend time with my Paternal grandparents. There was always sweets on the table as cousins and aunts and uncles would all meet to share Christmas cheer. She also had a gumdrop tree we were not allowed to touch. I remember papaw would give us all a dollar for Christmas. This was a big deal as a dollar would by a toy at Kmart. He called me "Lether". He never could say "Lisa". He remember his cackling giggle when he would tell jokes. He couldn't hear well and we called him Mr. Magoo. That's who he reminded us of and he looked like him too.

Every time I'm around my daddy, I can see my Papaw in him. He is just like him in so many ways.
I sure do miss them all and wish they could be here. I guess we all feel like we should've spent more time with our grandparents.

Both of my parents work hard to keep up the family traditions of everyone getting together. It's cherished moments that can so easily slip by.

Biscotti

Every Christmas I like to bake some kind of goodies to pass out to my neighbors. It usually always consist of Boscotti. I enjoy making this Italian cookie. There are so many differnt flavors you can do. 

Biscotti is an Italian cookie- meanining "twice baked". 

Twice baked is exactly what it is. 

I use a basic recipe and add something different each time. So far my favorite is still the basic biscotti with Anise and vanilla flavoring. Then I add in some peacans, almonds or walnuts. I go nuts over nuts. I like them thrown into everything. 

 

This year besides the basic Pecan Biscotti, I made a batch of peppermint vanilla Biscotti. They turned out beautiful. Almost perfect I must say. After they cooled, I drizzeled them with white chocolate and crushed peppermint candy. My daughter said these will be perfect dipped in hot chocolate. I think shes right.

 

Speaking of chocolate, I also made a batch of chocolate Biscotti. I was dissapointed in the way these turned out. They came out too thick and crumbly with a slight gooey texture in the center. I knew I shouldn't have added the extra chocolate chips to them. Needless to say, they turned out ugly. I was ready to toss them in an old cookie jar and not share them. Then I drizzled them white chocolte I had left over from the mint ones. 

Hmmmm , ok so they dont look THAT bad. I went ahead and boxed them with the rest to give away. After all, the other ones were so pretty, the chocolate ones will just proove that they cant always be perfect. Not always. 

 

I will take a walk around the block and gives these away tonight as I wish them all a Merry Christmas. 

Vanilla Peppermint Biscotti

Ingredients 

6 Tablespoons butter

2/3 cup sugar

Dash of salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 large eggs

2 cups all all purpose flour

Directions 

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease one large cookie sheet.

Beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla, mint, and baking powder until the mixture is smooth.

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

Mix the flour in (on low speed) and mix until smooth.

Place dough onto the prepared baking sheet and shape into one large or two small logs.

The dough is sticky so use a spatchla to shape and smooth the dough.

Bake the dough for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven.

Reduce the heat to 325F.

Let the dough cool some and cut into 1/2 inch slices.

Separate the biscotti slices and lay them on their side.

Bake for 15 minutes. Flip them over and bake another 15 minutes.

Place on a rack to cool and store in an airtight container.