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A French-Inspired Garden and Home by Judith Stringham

Black Pepper Cookies

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Black Pepper Cookies
became a Christmas tradition
beginning in 2001
when I made them for an open house.
~
They are delicious with coffee
as a dessert, as a snack, and even as a breakfast.

Christmas 2012 flew by, like the down of a thistle,
and I did not find the time to bake them,
until today ~ January 5.

The recipe is from a Christmas magazine.
A single male friend of my sister's liked them so well,
he asked for the recipe.
I sent him a batch of cookies, the recipe, and
a star-shaped cookie cutter.

Ingredients above ~~~

Directions ~~~

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Sift together the flour and baking powder in a large mixing bowl.  In another large bowl, cream softened butter, add the five spices.  Mix well.  Add sugar and egg.  Beat well.  Add the flour and baking powder mixture.  Beat again.  Knead lightly on a floured surface.  Divide the dough into three parts.  Do NOT chill the dough.  Roll out one-third dough at a time to 1/4" height.  Use a cookie cutter to cut out the cookies.  Use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to an ungreased baking pan.  Re-use the dough scraps to make more cookies.  Bake for 12 minutes.  TIP ~ Watch the time while baking.  Mine do not take 12 minutes...could be my oven's temperature...could be I roll them thinner than 1/4"...

The rolling pin was missing one of its handles 
when I inherited it from my grandmother 
forty years ago.

I use a Christmas tree shaped cookie cutter.

Remove baked cookies from the pan using a spatula.  Cool cookies on a rack.
Store in a non-airtight container.
The cookies taste best crisp and crunchy.


These just may become a new 
Christmas tradition at your house!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope to see you at linking parties.....

 Feathered Nest Friday

Fabulously Creative Friday

Cowgirl Up!

Christmas Memories 2012

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

Christmas reflections...
Now that the hustle and bustle are over,
I can slow down to reflect and to enjoy quietly 
~
Christmas 
~
before moving into the new year.

Santa on the mantle looks up
with a wondering gaze upon his face,
filled with hope and anticipation.


A reindeer also with an uplifted head and antlers...
Another symbol of hope...

Starry votives nestled among white magnolias in dazzling sunlight...



An empty silver coffee server brightly reminds of friends and family
who shared meals, games, and companionship...

More stars as reminders of the 
*  radiant star  *
that led wise men to a lowly manger
that contained the 
hope of the world...

Packages and presents lovingly wrapped for loved ones...


Antique Christmas cards on the coffee table
express Christmas greetings in timeless words and scenes...




Christmas is the 
milestone which
marks the names and 
nearness of friends.
~~~
Wishing you 
memories of a joyous Christmas
and 
hope of a more joyous new year!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hope to see you at linking parties.....

 Feathered Nest Friday

Fabulously Creative Friday

Cowgirl Up!

Savvy Southern Style
Wow Us Wednesdays!