Clements Christmas 2005
Dec 1 Russ took Elise to the Christmas Celebration Denton does every year. She had her picture made with Santa and made the rounds around the Courthouse Square stopping for pizza and ice cream. Her favorite thing of the night was a miniature of the green trash can that the city will be having us go to next year.
Dec 2 Our annual Raytheon Christmas party was tonight. I took off at 5:30 and met Russ and Elise. I have to say this was the best one they have had so far. Elise made reindeer ears, a Santa ornament and a reindeer bell ornament. We all decorated Christmas cookies and ate them. She had her picture made with Santa again and we also had a family picture made. She enjoyed the train ride and the bounce houses also.
Dec 3 After I got off work I met Russ and Elise at Chuck E Cheese. Her classmate Vaughn was having a birthday party. We went home and rested for a few minutes then off to the Annual Christmas Light Parade at the North Pole (Krum). Elise was pretty tired by the time we got there but finally came alive when they started throwing the candy. She came home with two pockets full.
Dec 9 Elise had her Christmas program tonight. We were rushing around trying to get ready. Russ had let Raleigh out to potty before we left. I kept seeing something hanging out of his butt. When Russ went to wipe it off we realized what had been happening to all of the icicles on the bottom of the tree. He has been eating them along with the candy canes. We try to look at it in a positive way. Our dog has minty fresh breath and our back yard is all aglow with the icicle poop. I was in such a hurry I picked up the wrong camera so I didn’t get any pictures, only the video. They sang The Friendly Beast. I was really very proud of her. She sang the song, did the hand motions and stayed in one place for the most part. The sound system wasn’t that great so it was hard to understand a lot of it. The girls all wore black skirts and white shirts , the boys wore black pants and white shirts and they all wore Santa hats. It so hard to see her growing up so fast.
Dec 13 We had our dinner at Raytheon tonight. The leadership team gave us black t-shirts and 75.00 in gift cards. They gave us an extra 25.00 this year since we didn’t have a company picnic.
Dec 15 We had our Christmas spread at work tonight. As always we have way too much food and everyone ends up miserable. I haven’t done any baking this year like I usually do. I’m still trying to get the house decorated for our party.
Dec 22 I worked until 12:00 and raced home to get prepared for our party. Me and Elise went out Bayberry Candle shopping and then to the grocery store to pick up last minute items. I finally found one candle store that had 10 candles. We looked everywhere for them this year and no one had them. The lady at The Candle Wick store told me she made them so next year all I’ll have to do is order them.
Dec 23 I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned. I finally had to give up and start cooking. I never had enough time to cook everything I had planned. I told everyone next year I’ll just tell myself the party is a day ahead of what I tell everyone else and by the time they get here I should be through cooking. Even with all the rushing it turned out to be a really good party. It was so much fun to see everyone. Jim and his wife, Jane and her husband, Debbie Sprague, Pat Neal Annette, Mike, and Haley, Dixie and Brian, Annette Smith, Danny Brockington and his wife, and J.O. We had a house full but we all managed to find a spot. I made red and green bread for the sandwiches, homemade summer sausage Russ made chocolate fudge, white fudge and peanut butter fudge. After a failed attempt of making peanut patties, he tried and his turned out perfect. I don’t know what happened to me this year I just didn’t bake this year like I usually do. We never made one homemade cookie before Christmas this year. We also had sausage balls and cheese dip and chips (red and green of course). Annette brought some stuffed peppers. She kept telling everyone they weren’t hot. After tasting one we all found out she was lying. Russ also made homemade eggnog. Elise was a show off all night, but I think everyone had a good time I know we did. We told Jim it was his turn next year.
Dec 24 and 25 I can’t believe the weather we’re having. Sunny and 70 degrees. We’ve hardly had any rain in the last 4 months and are 15 inches below our normal limit. Even though it doesn’t seem like Christmas I had to run out and finish up all the last minute shopping. I finally finished around 5:00 and headed back home . I was glad to see Elise had laid down for a nap. I was glad to see her asleep so I could start the wrapping. We didn’t realize we had so many to wrap. Russ was telling me stories of Christmas when he was little. He said when he was just about her size he remembered leaving coffee and cookies for Santa. When his mom and dad split up she started telling him to leave milk instead. We put everyone’s present except hers under the tree and when she saw all the presents she went wild. I made the mistake and put from Elise on some of the packages. All she could read was Elise and she thought those were hers. Around 11:00 we made some Christmas tree and reindeer cookies for Santa. We made reindeer food to sprinkle on the front lawn. She covered it good. I told her that way the reindeers would stay longer and Santa would have time to eat his cookies and leave lots and lots of presents for her. Here’s our recipe for reindeer food.
Reindeer Food
1 bowl of dry oatmeal
couple of sprinkles of red sugar ( Rudolf’s favorite)
couple of sprinkles of green sugar (Donner’s favorite)
couple of sprinkles of green sugar (Donner’s favorite)
couple of sprinkles of yellow sugar (Dasher’s favorite)
couple of sprinkles of pink sugar ( Cupid’s Favorite)
couple of sprinkles of orange sugar ( Prancer’s favorite)
couple of sprinkles of blue sugar (Vixen’s favorite)
couple of sprinkles of white sugar (Blitzen’s favorite)
couple of sprinkles of brown sugar (Comet’s favorite)
couple of sprinkles of powdered sugar (Dancer’s favorite)
She also got a green Bratz outfit and worn it all Christmas day. She got a Cinderella Vanity, lots of games, a Leapster video game with a princess cartridge and a light brite. Russ got the two newest seasons of the Simpson’s, a Simpson Life game, a laser level and a gift card to Best Buy. I got a new cake decorating kit, some Joyce Meyer’s books, a movie, and an alarm clock to help me get up now that I’m on first shift.
Elise finally passed out at 11::00 so we all took a nap. We skipped lunch and had our Christmas dinner that night. A ham, mashed potatoes, broccoli and cheese, green beans and rolls. After all the fudge we didn’t care about dessert.
I have to say this has been one of the busiest Christmas’s we’ve had. I never got time to make cookies like I do every year. We didn’t get our gingerbread house made either. We may just start a new family tradition this year and have New Years cookies.
Dec 26 We went to Dwayne and Elsie’s house. They had a Callaway get together. We had lunch but didn’t stay long , Russ had to work tonight.
Dec 27 I still feel like I have a hang over. I got up when Russ came home and helped put out all the trash. I laid back down and took a nap and finally got up at noon. This holiday just really got to me.
These were our favorite recipes this holiday.
White Chocolate Fudge
3 cups sugar*
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups heavy cream
4 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
12 oz white chocolate (sweetened)
1 cup chopped nuts
Lightly butter a 9 x 13 pan or line with parchment paper
Combine sugar, corn syrup, cream, and butter in a medium size sause pan,
heat on medium low heat to 240 degrees using a candy thermometer
(or soft ball stage) stirring constantly.
Remove from heat, continue stirring until creamy and mixture begins to thicken.
Add the white chocolate and stir until completely melted.
Add the vanilla and the nuts and stir until well mixed.
Pour into pan and allow to completely cool.
Makes Approx. 30 pieces (1/2" thick)
*note Originally this was made with 4 cups of sugar but the sweetened chocolate
made it really sweet
Chocolate Fudge
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups heavy cream
4 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
12 oz semi sweet chocolate
1 cup chopped nuts
Lightly butter a 9 x 13 pan or line with parchment paper
Combine sugar, corn syrup, cream, and butter in a medium size sause pan,
heat on medium low heat to 240 degrees using a candy thermometer
(or soft ball stage) stirring constantly.
Remove from heat, continue stirring until creamy and mixture begins to thicken.
Add the chocolate and stir until completely melted.
Add the vanilla and the nuts and stir until well mixed.
Pour into pan and allow to completely cool.
Makes Approx. 30 pieces (1/2" thick)
Peanut Butter Fudge
4 cups sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups heavy cream
4 tbsp butter
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup peanut butter
Lightly butter a 9 x 13 pan or line with parchment paper
Combine sugar, corn syrup, cream, and butter in a medium size sause pan,
heat on medium low heat to 240 degrees using a candy thermometer
(or soft ball stage) stirring constantly.
Remove from heat, continue stirring until creamy and mixture begins to thicken.
Add the peanut butter and vanilla and stir until well mixed.
Pour into pan and allow to completely cool.
Makes Approx. 30 pieces (1/2" thick)
Easy Peanut Patties
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 pkg (3oz) Vanilla Cook & Serve pudding mix
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups Spanish Peanuts
Combine sugar, pudding mix, and milk in a heavy sauce pan
Heat on medium heat, stirring constantly until hot.
Reduce heat to medium low and heat to boiling.
Boil five minutes.
Remove from heat.
Beat for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the vanilla.
Continue beating until mixture begins to thicken.
Stir in the Peanuts until well mixed.
Drop on waxed paper by tablespoon.
Let cool for at leat one hour.
Makes approx. 20 patties
Summer Sausage
2 lbs. hamburger
1 c. water
2 tbsp. Tender Quick (Mortons)
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. black pepper
2 tsp. liquid smoke
Mix everything together. Divide into 3 portions. Roll into a log 2 inches. Wrap in aluminum foil (shiny side in). Refrigerate 24 hours. Bake at 325 degrees for 2 1/2 hours. Prick bottom before baking and place on a broiler pan so grease can escape.
Clements Eggnog
1 gal whole milk
2 quarts heavy cream
2 cups sugar
2/3 cup flour
8 eggs, separated
4 teaspoons vanilla
nutmeg
1 teaspoon sugar per egg
In a 8 quart stock pot, use a whisk to blend the sugar and flour.
Add cream gradually, whisking to combine.
Add about half of the milk, to make the mixture thin.
Cook on medium low heat, whisking constantly, to boiling.
Be careful or the mixture will scorch.
Boil one minute, stirring. Remove from heat.
Whisk egg yolks thoroughly in a small bowl,
then pour some of the hot milk mixture in and combine.
Return milk mixture to the stove, and add egg mixture,
whisking constantly.
Cook until it comes to a boil, and let boil for one minute.
Remove from heat and cool.
Beat egg whites until stiff, adding 1 teaspoon sugar per egg.
Add to eggnog mixture.
Add the remainder of the milk.
Add 1/2 tablespoon of nutmeg.
Stir until well mixed.
The eggnog is like a custard, it's so thick.
Chill at least 2 hours (preferrably over night).
When ready to serve, add whipping cream and sprinkle with nutmeg.
Makes approx. 6 quarts (enough for a standart punch bowl).
Clements Wassail
2 cups apple juice (cider is preferred)
2cups pineapple juice
1 cup grape juice
1 cup cranberry blackberry juice (or just cranberry or any other cranberry berry flovor)
1 cup orange juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp whole allspice
1 tsp whole cloves
1 cardemom seed
2 cinnimon sticks
combine all ingredients in a 4 quart sauce pan
Heat just to boiling, reduce heat to low and let simmer for a hour.
Makes about 3 quarts
