Anise Drops

Anise Drops (from my mom, Eva Mary Smiley Megnin)

4 eggs
1 tsp anise flavoring
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 cups flour

Beat 4 eggs 10 minutes at high speed (setting #9 on my old Sunbeam mixer; top or second from top on Kitchenaid.)
Add sugar; beat 5 minutes (continue at high speed.)
Add remaining ingredients and beat 15 minutes (again at high speed.)

Drop on greased (generously slathered) cookie sheets.
Let stand overnight (or 6-8 hours) at room temperature.
Bake at 325 degrees for 8-10 minutes - done when slightly tan on edges, or when the top is gently tapped with a fingernail it sounds hollow, not dense.

Makes about 100 cookies.

MY NOTES:
1) Be careful; don't make too large -- about 1/2 tsp. drops are best. Don't put too close together, else will blob/bake into each other.
2) Uses about 6 cookie sheets. If run out of cookie sheets, use cake pans turned upside down. Don't use double bottomed sheets -- cookies stick to these. If tin is dark, cover with foil (shiny side up) for better results -- HOWEVER, see comment 3!
3) from 2012 -- using parchment paper works the very best so the cookies don't stick.
4) Be sure to bake long enough, else cookies will be chewy not snappy! (I have baked longer than 10 minutes.)
5) This is hard on a mixer; my old one would be smoking by the time I finished!
6) If putting a cookie tray together, keep these separate (wrapped or bagged, or on a separate plate) as the anise flavor can permeate other cookies.
7) And my own personal note to self: don't forget the anise!!!

I have thought this could be made with other flavorings, though I've never tried.

• Liz from Dexter MI

Birthday Buzz

As the first day of my sixtieth year winds down, I'm sitting here with warm fuzzies in my being.  All four of us played the "train game" (Ticket to Ride) and had a great time.  Tom isn't big on games at all, but he joined Eva, Tommy and me, and I think he enjoyed it (well, that is to say he didn't suffer through the experience!)  We had a good time, and when it was over Tommy tentatively asked if anyone wanted to play again -- which I would have but it was close to 10:30 and the game takes at least an hour.  Instead the four of us sat in the family room, TV off, the three of them finishing their beers, and talked.

What a wonderful life I have -- so many warm wishes from so many people.  I have to say FB is good for the social networking it affords in the best sense of the concept.

Day started with Mass and a birthday chorus from the 15-20 bravehearts who came to morning Mass in spite of the inclement messy slippery weather.  The next eight hours brought ups and downs; downs only because of challenges that arose during the course of the business day, ups because of wonderful co-workers, a call from Claire and Dad (I do love the sound of my father's voice, in particular of all the voices I have known), and much, much more.  And the wonderful day was bookended with a warm, delightful text from my brother, who last year started the day off with a text!

I treasure that I am sitting here with a warm heart and a smile resident on my face, and wetness in my eyes for the blessings I have.

All good things around us, are sent from heaven above, so thank  the Lord, o thank the Lord, for all [whatever the rest of the words are from the song from Godspell!]

And on and on

The de-decorating continues.  Have found decorations that didn't make it out this year (well, Christmas 2012 that is) -- mostly for the tree; Eva and Tommy decorated the tree while I was Christmas shopping.  I did know that I couldn't find one of my favorites on the tree anywhere, and Eva said she didn't remember it when they were decorating.  Putting the churches away I found a cute little snowman that niece Katie made a few years ago.  What it was doing in that cupboard is beyond me, as I don't remember it ever being part of any of the tableaux I've put up with the churches.  The biggest surprise of all was discovering one of my Swedish crystal votive candle holder that has been missing since 2010.  I've said time and again, how can a heavy crystal votive candle holder go missing???  Actually, its discovery had nothing to do with putting decorations away, but rather with Eva opening her cupboard of knick-knacks asking (rhetorically) which of her things she should move with her because she has so many.  There, in the midst of a shelf of this and that was the votive with a few miscellaneous things like bobby pins and an electronics battery in it.  She didn't know how it got there; didn't remember putting it there.  Suffice it to say I'm just happy to have solved that particular mystery.  Unfortunately, now I can't remember just where I put it when I took it from the shelf!  Too many boxes and bins are out all over the house at the moment.

In addition to "making exciting discoveries" (one of the advantages of being disorderly, to quote AA Milne) I am finding that at this late date (one month plus past Christmas) I'm more inclined to just pack things in whatever box is at hand, and not worry about finding the specific box for each item.  I think my Christmas organization is melting away ... first noticed this trend a year or two ago.  I seem to be putting decorations away later and later each year.  I ought to just make an annotated inventory of all my decorations, along with pictures, and then just put the idea of putting everything in its own box to rest.  \

Not sure I'm going to get this stuff all put away by the end of January.  Have to get the annual letters folded, combined with campaign statements, and stuffed with a notice asking for contact info update.  Thanks to my dear husband Tom for stamping 900 envelopes today; that's one less step in the process that I need to do.

Post-holiday Packing It Up

One creche down, one Santa packed away, and I don't want to go on -- tough deciding what decorations to take down first!  Guess I could just go get boxes and pack the top ones first -- love the look of the house at Christmas but really hate the process of taking it down and packing it all away ... I think the way to do it would be to bring ALL the boxes downstairs, and pack each one as it comes to hand ... just might do that ...