Greek Bread baking frenzy

Seattle, Washington

Yes, it's that time of the year again--when I find sesame seeds all over the house for about two weeks. That is, it's Greek Bread time! I made four batches, we ate a lot of it, and I gave out a bunch of loaves to the neighbors. The family tradition of baking Greek (Easter) Bread for Christmas continues! (But minus the red egg...)

Office cookie swap

Seattle, Washington

Well, the holiday party has not QUITE returned, but at least we get to do a Cookie exchange. No sampling allowed ('til you're out of the building). But still, I am grateful!

JIT Christmas baking

Seattle, Washington

Got started really late on the Christmas baking: Christmas Day, in fact. But at least I had time and energy to deliver Christmas breads to our neighbors on the day-of. Some traditions survive!

Christmas Eve happiness

Seattle, Washington

And then, despite it ALL, my godmother arrived on our doorstep with my FAVORITE gingerbread cookies. Thank you, S!

Gingerbread 2020

Seattle, Washington

Well, there's not MUCH room for Christmas gatherings this year, but at least we did our annual gingerbread. A decided to go for a 2-dimensional (Rusheen!) gingerbread house this year which, in a way, is a perfect metaphor for this year: 2-dimensional. 

(Did I mention we love red hots around here?)

Lussekatter (but I call them Luciakatter)

Seattle, Washington

Tried my hand (again) at lussekatter today. St. Lucia arrives again, and boy, is it dark out there...

Christmas cookies

Seattle, Washington
Tuesday, December 18, 2018

This year it was time for some new Christmas traditions: friends invited us to their house, and we spent the afternoon baking Christmas cookies together. We each got to see new recipes and methods. Moms talked; girls played.

Two moms and three girls = WAY more fun than one mom and one girl. Danke, K!

Gingerbread laptop

Seattle, Washington
Tuesday, December 11, 2018

Last year we took a break from gingerbread creations for some reason. I fear it's too long ago to remember why. But this year, we are back!

A's inspiration for this year: a gingerbread computer. We considered the desktop "box" model, but in the end went with a laptop version. Typing lessons never looked so good.

And ones and zeros for guests...

Advent calendar: the next generation

Seattle, Washington
Sunday, December 2, 2018

When I was a kid, every year we'd make Advent calendars using last year's Christmas cards, heavy card stock, and carbon paper. This year, A was inspired to make an Advent calendar of her own for a friend.

First, she wrote a long piece of fan fiction which she divided into 24 sections. Next, I cut doors into a piece of thick cardboard and backed the whole thing with thinner paper. After painting her "scene" on the cardboard with acrylic paints, we opened each door and tucked a part of the story under each door.

Much more fun than our Advent calendars of old!

The gingerbread ger

Seattle, Washington
Sunday, December 11, 2016

After much rumination, we decided that this year's gingerbread house would be a ger--or yurt--the traditional Mongolian dwelling with which we are now so familiar. This construction of this house proved to be a particular challenge, but with geometry and part of Quaker Oats container on our side, we prevailed at last.

Final touches included a fence and an outhouse...

Santa Rabbit & friends

Seattle, Washington
Thursday, December 24, 2015

Santa Rabbit gets a careful investigation by one of her more lively relatives. Not long now before Santa Rabbit will be headed back to Siberia...

Final touches

Seattle, Washington
Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Today we added the finishing touches to the Gingerbread Stable. Most importantly, the horses were added to the stable yard, along with some trees and a few other barnyard animals...not 100% sure if we should have added the cougar...

Santa Lucia

Seattle, Washington
Sunday, December 13, 2015

Another lovely "Luciatåg" at Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church in Ballard. And then the coffee and cookies...that's a sigh of contentment you hear...

Arabian Horse Club redux

Amman, Jordan

Seattle, Washington
Sunday, November 29, 2015

In a combined tribute to the Arabian Horse Club of Amman and the horses (both past and present) in A's life, this year we made a gingerbread stable--with stalls for six special horses.

Pre-fab, Stage 1

Pre-fab, Stage 2

Pride, Mabruka, Pooh Bear

Mabruka, Pride, Patchy, Angelina, Santana, Pooh Bear

The tree is down

Seattle, Washington
Friday, January 2, 2015

First we broke up the Gingerbread Zoo and then I got the tree un-decorated and out into the yard. Once the ornaments are packed up, I will be feeling VERY accomplished...

More Christmas baking

Seattle, Washington
Saturday, December 20, 2014

Once again the house fills with the smell of Virginia's Greek Bread--the family tradition continues...

The (approximate) recipe is here...

I think my saffron "expired"

Seattle, Washington
Saturday, December 13, 2014

Today is Luciadagen and yesterday I made luciakatter once again. This year things didn't seem quite right in the taste and color departments. I think that's what you get when your saffron travels too much between continents...

Beary Christmas!

Seattle, Washington
Wednesday, December 10, 2014

This afternoon A and a friend decorated gingerbread bears to share with their classmates. I decorated a few, too, but theirs standout as the ones groaning under the weight of excessive frosting, sprinkles, and more left-over Halloween candy...

Gingerbread Zoo

The final product...

Seattle, Washington
Sunday, December 7, 2014

Several hours and numerous artistic disputes later, A and I finished our Gingerbread Zoo. Next year, I will measure and cut more carefully--but frosting and candy can cure almost anything...

From Halloween to Christmas

Next up: gingerbread houses!

Seattle, Washington
Saturday, December 6, 2014

A dressed as a "recycling center" for Halloween--see below for her candy collecting/sorting apparatus. This morning, in anticipation of making a gingerbread house, she sorted out all her uneaten Halloween candy. It's somehow fitting that A should chose to "recycle" her candy in this way. After all, the gingerbread house won't care if the candy is stale...

A "closed system": from Halloween to Christmas...