Monthly Archives: December 2011

German Roasted Almonds

Posted in All Posts, Tradition by

German Roasted Almonds are my favorite holiday treat.  When I was growing up, these sugary, spicy nuts were one of the highlights at the Kentucky State Fair.  Those little $4 cones of nutty goodness were a classy addition to grater taters spritzed with vinegar and deep-fried corn dogs.  When I moved away from Kentucky and the State Fair, I started making them for the holidays.  They’re now a must at Christmas time.

This year, I made my own festive paper cones, filled them with German Roasted Almonds, and gave them as teachers’ gifts.  They were beautiful and inexpensive gifts.  I made two batches of almonds and had enough for 11 cones plus some extra to keep at home for less than $20.  If you already have the scrapbook paper and embellishments, it costs even less.   They look pretty in a bowl for parties, too.  Or you could skip all the craftiness and thoughtfulness and eat them yourself.

German Roasted Almonds are so easy to make. As my Christmas gift to you, here’s the recipe. You’re welcome.

German Roasted Almonds

Ingredients

1 lb. bag raw almonds (pecans are delicious as well)
1 egg white
1 tbsp. water
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice OR 2 tsp. cinnamon

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 250°

2.  Beat egg white and water in large bowl until frothy.

3.  Add nuts and mix well.

German Roasted Almonds in Egg White

4.  Combine sugars and spice in small bowl and toss with the nut mixture.

5.  Line large baking sheet with foil and spray with oil spray or grease with shortening and wipe off excess with paper towel.   Spread nuts in single layer.

German Roasted Almonds on baking sheet

5.  Bake for 20 minutes.  After 2o minutes, toss nuts lightly with a plastic spatula to break up clumps  (be careful not to knock the coating off.)  Make sure to spread nuts into single layer before returning to the oven for another 20 minutes.  Repeat and return to the oven.
When nuts have baked for a total of 1 hour, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool.

The nuts will be soft at first, but will get crunchy as they cool.  Be sure to eat some while they’re still warm.  So delicious.

And so pretty!

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The Three Present Rule

Posted in All Posts, Family, Kids, Life, Tradition by

Three GiftsIn our household, we limit our kids to three Christmas presents from Santa.  When I tell people this, I get shocked expressions and the emphatic “WHY?”  My stock answer is this:

If three presents were enough for Jesus, it’s enough for my kids.

It gets me laughs and I need like that.  Of course, I’m absolutely serious.  Like most Christians, I struggle balancing Santa and the gifts with the true meaning of Christmas.  I love that kids believe wholeheartedly in Santa, in magic.  My two-year-old just learned what Santa does.  Her eyes light up whenever she sees Santa on television or in books.  ”Santa bring me toys.”  I ask her what kind of toys Santa’s going to bring her.  ”Pretty toys.”  **Swoon.**

But I want my kids to know why we celebrate Christmas.  I want them to appreciate the true gift of Christmas, not just what ends up under the Christmas tree.  So we correlate the gift-giving with the Three Wise Men.  It works.

Three Wise Men and Mary and Jesus

Image Via MorgueFile

There are other benefits to the Three Present Rule.  You know how some kids make their Christmas lists miles long?    You know how some parents get nearly everything on that list?  You know how kids will play with those toys for about two minutes before getting bored with them, tossing them in the toy box, never to see the light of day again?

My kids don’t do that.  They consider their lists very carefully.  When the Stacking Cups in the JC Penny Catalog caught my oldest son’s eye a couple of years ago he almost included them on his list.  In the end, he realized they were PLASTIC CUPS–perhaps the dumbest waste of one of three presents from Santa.

Cup Stacking Speed Stacks

Image via EveryStockPhoto

My children are not greedy.  They choose presents they really want and don’t ask for every stupid thing they see on television or in stores.

The Three Present Rule has its drawbacks.  What if they choose the hot toy that everybody wants and nobody can get?  With a small list, it’s not easy to compensate by getting them something else.  Not to mention the fact that Santa shouldn’t have limitations.  Thankfully, this hasn’t happened to us yet.  The advantage to having weird kids (they have weird parents, they were doomed from the start) is they aren’t all that interested in what everyone else wants.  Two years ago, my son asked for a spinning top.  What?  (Actually that gift makes sense to an autistic child.  Spin and spin, over and over and over and over again.)  Bam!  $2 gift and the kid was happy.

Unfortunately, the Three Present Rule isn’t always cheap.  Last year, we had to buy 3 Nintendo DSs.  Thank goodness for a Black Friday sale on used and refurbished gaming systems.  This year I had to find a laptop.  Again, Santa does not have limitations.   For younger kids, the Three Present Rule is cheaper, but the older the kids get, the more expensive the gifts.

The biggest problem with the Three Present Rule are the other kids who have no such limitations.  It’s not easy to explain to my kids why their friends get dozens of presents and they only get three.  I’m always afraid they’ll start questioning the existence of Santa Claus when they compare their Christmas with everyone else’s.  It’s no different from having to explain why some kids get more extravagant gifts.

 ”Why did Johnny Spoiled Rotten get $50 in his stocking and all I got was some chocolate and a stupid paddle ball?”

paddle ball

Creative Commons

We do the best we can.  Specifically, we take the fall for the fat guy.

” Santa Claus honors our wishes when it comes to gifts.”

Eventually, the kids will stop believing in Santa Claus.  When that time comes I hope they’ve learned a few things.

  1. Christmas is not about presents.
  2. Quality over quantity.
  3. Greed is NOT good.
  4. The value of a dollar.
  5.  Their parents love them and are doing everything in their power to raise happy AND sensible adults.

‘Tis The Season for Stupid Commercials

Posted in All Posts, Family, Rants, Tradition by

Commercials are always annoying, but at Christmas time they’re worse.  It’s unfair.  Normally, I’d flip channels during commercials, but during Christmas I’m looking for deals.   So I watch.  And guess what?  I’d rather pay full price.

 

Four Really Bad Christmas Commercials

4.  T-Mobile’s 4G Wonderland.

This one isn’t an attack on Christmas or anything.  It’s more of a bad judgement call and a funny one.  Until my kid asks me what an orgy is.

3.  Kohls Rebecca Black Friday ad.  

The first time I saw this I thought it was funny.  Then, I got ticked off because there was such a song to make fun of and that I knew what it was.  That’s valuable brain space I could use to learn all the state capitols or something.

2.  Best Buy “Game On Santa.”  

Mom getting snarky with Father Christmas?  Don’t get me wrong.  I like snark.  But is nothing sacred?  Santa Claus is the symbol of Christmas magic, the spirit of giving, and our children’s innocence.   You don’t mess with that.  Major fail, Best Buy.

1.  Lexus  December to Remember Event

If somebody played the Lexus song for me, I would have NO idea what it was.  Who knows the Lexus song?   If someone had a music box made that plays the Lexus jingle, I’d be confused.  ”What crappy song is this?  Where’s the  Clair de Lune,  Brahms’s Lullaby, or Beautiful Dreamer?”  If someone bought me a Lexus for Christmas, I’d punch them in the face.  Who buys a freaking Lexus for somebody as a Christmas present?

If you want to play me a jingle, make it the McDonalds one, recorded in one of those recordable cards, with a McDonalds gift card inside.   If you made the gift card for the amount you’d spend on that giant bow for the Lexus that would be great.    $50 buys a lot of Happy Meals.

Bada-ba-ba-ba.  I’m lovin’ it.