Family and Baking

Visiting family in California for the Holidays is always a world wind of visiting family cooking and baking and just hanging out. I have been baking up batch after batch of different things for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. My Mother in Law said I was in charge of desserts so I am doing just that. Here are a few of the things I have been up to for the last week. From Sugar Cookies to Lemon Bread (Cake) to Candied Pecans, Ginger Snaps, Coconut Macaroons and Plain Sugar Cookies. I am having fun and I just love my new and very old platter that was Grandma Marie's and it feels so right to get to use her dish from the past. I wonder what she put on it. I don't remember her using it while I was around. I love the very old cookie cutters that were Grandma Marie's also. Yes she definitely had a huge influence on my cooking life, and I met her when I was 17, she is Chuck's Grandma. Marie ended up being one of my best friends.