I would like to take this time to thank you all for participating in the rummaging around in the trunk. Brandon and i would like to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Please remember

The site is always up and the shopping and recipe section is available all year round along with the winter site. it is very cold here in PA today. And soon the holidays will be behind us so thanks again for visiting us.

If you will be using a pastry bag to decorate cookies with frosting, be sure to sift the powdered sugar for your frosting recipe. This will remove any clumps in the sugar that can clog a pastry tip.

• 1 Leg of Lamb, 7-8 lbs.
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, cut into slices lengthwise
• 6 tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1/2 bunch Fresh Thyme, removed from stems
• 1 bunch Fresh Rosemary, 1/2 removed from stems and chopped
• 2 tbsp. Course ground Black Pepper
• 1 tbsp. Kosher Salt
• Splash of hearty red wine
• 1/3 cup Lamb or Beef stock
• 32 New Potatoes, small
• 2 bunches Baby Carrots, cleaned and de-stemmed
• 2 White Onions, quartered

Evenly over the lamb, cut slits and insert the garlic slices and brush with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. In a small bowl, combine the thyme, chopped rosemary, black pepper and salt. Pat this herb mixture all over the lamb leg to create a light crust. Place in a shallow roasting pan. In a large bowl, place the potatoes, onions and carrots, toss with the remaining olive oil and the whole stems of rosemary, and arrange around the lamb in the pan. Roast in a preheated 425-degree oven for 45 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees, stir the vegetables, and continue cooking for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the lamb on a cutting board and let the meat rest for 15 minutes. The internal temperature should reach about 140 degrees. Remove the vegetables to a platter with a slotted spoon. Place the roasting pan on a stove burner at medium high heat and deglaze the pan with the wine and the meat stock. Reduce the volume by half. Serve the lamb making sure to spoon the drippings onto the meat to capture all the flavor and arrange the roasted vegetables along one side. 8 servings

Note: For rare lamb, bone in, allow 12 minutes per pound. For well-done meat, allow 18 minutes per pound. *******************************************

• 1 cup cold eggnog
• 1/3 Tblsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 banana
• 2/3 Tblsp maple syrup
• 1/3 Tblsp ground nutmeg

Blend ingredients at medium speed. Pour into a glass and top with more nutmeg. *******************************************

• 1 cup shortening
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 lg. eggs
• 1 tsp. peppermint extract
• 1 tsp. butter flavoring
• 1/2 tsp. red food coloring
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 Cups Flour, sifted
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp. soda
• 1 Tbsp. vinegar
• 1/4 cup peppermint candy, crushed

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time. Mix well. Add peppermint extract, butter flavoring and red color, then salt. Sift flour again, add alternately with buttermilk. Mix soda and vinegar in small bowl, then add to above mixture. Blend well. Fold in crushed candy. pour into 9 or 10 inch spring for pan or angel pan that has been greased and floured. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 min. The Magic of Christmas
>

I remember my first Christmas adventure with Grandma. I was just a kid. > > I remember tearing across town on my bike to visit her on the day my big > > sister dropped the bomb: "There is no Santa Claus," she jeered. "Even > > dummies know that!" > > My Grandma was not the gushy kind, never had been. I fled to her that > > day because I knew she would be straight with me. I knew Grandma always > > told > > the truth, and I knew that the truth always went down a whole lot easier > > when swallowed with one of her "world-famous" > > cinnamon buns. I knew they were world-famous, because Grandma said so. > > It had to be true. > >

Grandma was home, and the buns were still warm. Between bites, I told > > her everything. She was ready for me. "No Santa Claus?" she > > snorted...."Ridiculous! Don't believe it. That rumor has been going > > around for years, and it makes me mad, plain mad!! Now, put on your > > coat, and > > let's go." > > "Go? Go where, Grandma?" I asked. I hadn't even finished my second > > world-famous cinnamon bun. > > "

Where" turned out to be Kerby's General Store, the one store in town > > that had a little bit of just about everything. As we walked through its > > doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars. > > That was a bundle in those days. "Take this money," she said, "and buy > > something for someone who needs it. I'll wait for you in the car." Then > > she turned and walked out of Kerby's. > >

I was only eight years old. I'd often gone shopping with my mother, but > > never had I shopped for anything all by myself. > > The store seemed big and crowded, full of people scrambling to finish > > their Christmas shopping. For a few moments I just stood there, > > confused, > > clutching that ten-dollar bill, wondering what to buy, and who on earth > > to buy it for. I thought of everybody I knew: my family, my friends, my > > neighbors, the kids at school, the people who went to my church. > >

I was just about thought out, when I suddenly thought of Bobby Decker. > > He was a kid with bad breath and messy hair, and he sat right behind me > > in > > Mrs. Pollock's grade-two class. > > Bobby Decker didn't have a coat. I knew that because he never went out > > to recess during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the > > teacher that he had a cough, but all we kids knew that Bobby Decker > > didn't have a cough; he didn't have a good coat. I fingered the > > ten-dollar bill > > with growing excitement. I would buy Bobby Decker a coat! > >

I settled on a red corduroy one that had a hood to it. It looked real > > warm, and he would like that. > >

"Is this a Christmas present for someone?" the lady behind the counter > > asked kindly, as I laid my ten dollars down. > > "Yes, ma'am," I replied shyly. "It's for Bobby." > > The nice lady smiled at me, as I told her about how Bobby really needed > > a good winter coat. I didn't get any change, but she put the coat in a > > bag, smiled again, and wished me a Merry Christmas. > >

That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat (a little tag fell out of > > the coat, and Grandma tucked it in her Bible) in Christmas paper and > > ribbons > > and wrote, "To Bobby, From Santa Claus" on it. Grandma said that Santa > > always insisted on secrecy. Then she drove me over to Bobby Decker's > > house, > > explaining as we went that I was now and forever officially, one of > > Santa's helpers. > > Grandma parked down the street from Bobby's house, and she and I crept > > noiselessly and hid in the bushes by his front walk. > > Then Grandma gave me a nudge. "All right, Santa Claus," she whispered, > > "get going." > > I took a deep breath, dashed for his front door, threw the present down > > on his step, pounded his door and flew back to the safety of the bushes > > and > > Grandma. > > Together we waited breathlessly in the darkness for the front door to > > open. > > Finally it did, and there stood Bobby. > > Fifty years haven't dimmed the thrill of those moments spent shivering, > > beside my Grandma, in Bobby Decker's bushes. > > That night, I realized that those awful rumors about Santa Claus were > > just what Grandma said they were: ridiculous. Santa was alive and well, > > and > > we were on his team. I still have the Bible, with the coat tag tucked > > inside: $19.95. > >

May you always have LOVE to share, HEALTH to spare and FRIENDS that > > care... > > And may you always believe in the magic of Santa Claus!

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