Fa La La La La, La La La La

Tis the season for holiday baking!

For as long as I can remember, the girls in the family have gathered in the kitchen to perform the ritual of making yummy treats to give as gifts to our friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc.  When I was little Mamaw Franklin and Mom would plan the weekend (yes, it took more than one day) for baking and they would meticulously create the massive grocery list of items that would be needed.  Then they would shop for the delectable yumminess that would be transformed into our gifts.  Imagine the cart piled high with many pounds of butter, sugar, cream cheese, chocolate chips, marshmallow cream, eggs, Chex cereals, nuts, etc. etc. etc.

When the weekend arrived Mamaw, Mom, Missy and I would take our places in the kitchen, each with the responsibility of making their own specialty.  When Missy and I were little, our task was decorating the sugar cookies.  We took such pride in every cookie with its colored frostings and sugars.  As we got older and honed our skills, we were entrusted with more complicated recipes and eventually ventured out to introduce new favorites to the family.  As Missy and I have grown and made families of our own, we have carried on this holiday tradition.  Every year that we have been geographically close enough to one another, we have gathered to do the holiday baking.  Kaylea is now entrusted with decorating the sugar cookies; however, she likes eating them more than giving them away.  So, those jewels typically don't make it into our gift baskets.

I would like to share with you the recipes for some of our goodies.  The posts to follow will be those recipes.  I hope you enjoy making (and eating) them as much as we do!

P.S.  I am especially excited about doing the baking this year because I will be, once again, in the kitchen with my Mom.  It has been many years since we have shared this tradition and I look forward having this special time with her.

An E.K. Swann Classic

Poppy suffered through colon cancer which eventually took his life in February 1990.  He had many surgeries to remove sections of his colon until the Doctors finally had to give him a colostomy bag.  Toward the end of his life he was very weak and in a lot of pain, but managed to maintain his sharp wit and endearing sense of humor. 

The Thanksgiving before he died he was determined to join the family at the table for the holiday meal.  He put on his "spectacles" and grabbed hold of his walker and proceeded to make his way to the kitchen.  As he passed by, he said, "Well, ain't I a sight.  I got 4 eyes, 6 legs, and 2 a$$holes!"

Rest in peace, E.K.  We will be together to laugh again someday.