12/15/11

I am wondering if it is worth my while to put up some outdoor Christmas lights.  The date tells me to forget it, but the weather report gives such a positive outlook for the day that I just might get myself motivated.  I do enjoy it after it is accomplished, but I didn’t get it done last year and the world continued to turn on its axis.

Let’s all extend our heartfelt concern to the three area teens and their families who were critically wounded in a recent tragic car-truck accident. Although they were residents of  a neighboring town they all had Edgerton connections.  When you live in a small town community everyone becomes important to you.  As in my family, we laugh together in good times and cry together when adverse circumstances unexpectedly appear.  May God bring peace and send a healing hand to each of the injured girls and to their families.

There aren’t many days left to accomplish all of the Christmas ideas that I had in November. I find myself eliminating a few and already my first resolution has been broken.  I was really going to address my Christmas cards early.  If you do not get one from me, just think that you were on my list but I didn’t get it accomplished.

I spent Sunday afternoon making my usual 5 pounds of fudge that has been part of my families Christmas for about 50 years, and the annual microwave peanut brittle that is a family favorite. They both turned out well, in spite of my laboring with them on Sunday!

I spent too much time trying to decide on recipes for today, so I will start with one that is very simple that you might use when your family is expecting a filling entrée , and you have fiddled too long with Christmas delicacies.
      
QUICK HAMBURGER-CHEESE CASSEROLE
1 pound ground beef, browned and drained
1 can cheddar cheese soup
3 cups, cooked macaroni
2/3 cup milk
1 can fried onion rings
Mix all ingredients together, except onion rings.Pour into buttered casserole. Top with onion rings. Bake at 325degrees until heated through and onion rings are browned (about 15 minutes).

Maybe lemon bars are not a Christmas favorite of your family, but someone recently told me that she always bakes them every year for a Christmas treat. Maybe this will be the year that you try it.  Save the recipe for an everyday specialty.
                   
FRESH LEMON BARS
2 old fashioned or quick oatmeal (not instant)
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, melted and cooled
1 can (14oz.) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
½ cup fresh lemon juice
Butter a 9 x 13 baking pan. In a large bowl combine
oats, flour, sugar and salt. Add butter. Stir until
blended. Remove one scant cup of the mixture and set aside. Firmly press the balance of the dough evenly over the bottom of the prepared pan. Combine condensed milk with the lemon peel. Gradually add lemon juice. Pour over dough. Crumble reserved dough and sprinkle over lemon mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. Cool and refrigerate until cold. Cut into bars. Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving.

I just read a hint about softening butter which I should have known last week when I was baking a lot of cookies. Fill a small bowl with hot water. Let set a few minutes. Empty and turn upside down over the butter and let set a few minutes.  It should soften the butter to working consistency.