ColoradoChristmas

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Frosty the Snowman

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I thought this ornament looked like me! YIKES~

What is the REAL meaning of CHRISTMAS?

If God were to ask you, "Why should I let you into My Heaven?" what would you say?

-Historical view of Christmas-

ASPECTS OF THE ANTEBELLUM CHRISTMAS

click the snowflake

for an interesting read

Dress a Snowman!

click on the snowman stamp

Decorate a

CHRISTMAS TREE

click on the

tree

Arrange Your Own

NATIVITY SCENE

click on the

STAR

Find a hidden CHRISTMAS CARD GAME

click on the stocking

FIND YOUR PRESENT

The puppy took it and buried it in the backyard! Play this fun game!

click on the PRESENT

TWO ELVES TO DRESS UP FOR CHRISTMAS

Click on the North Pole Sign to go see the Elves

CORNFLAKE WREATH CANDY

1/2 C. butter

3 C. miniature marshmallows

1/2 t. almond extract

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1 t. green food color

4 C. corn flakes

red hot candies

Melt butter, add marshmallows, stirring until all marshmallows are melted. Add extracts and food coloring; stir until it is a uniform green color.

When mixture is smooth, add corn flakes; mix well but gently so as not to crush the cornflakes. Form into wreath shapes on sheets of waxed paper, decorate with red cinnamon candies. Let cool.

Peppermint Bark Candy

2 lbs. white almond bark

1 1/2 c. crushed peppermint candy

Melt white almond bark on top of double boiler (never add water as it curdles the white almond bark). It takes about 10 minutes to melt thoroughly and will be very thick. Crush either peppermint candy canes or peppermint hard candy in blender until it is powder. Meanwhile, line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Mix hard crushed candy with melted white almond bark. Spread on lined cookie sheet. Let it dry and chop into pieces.

YUMMY RECIPES FOR CHRISTMAS

A friend sent me this idea for a frugal homemade gift!

SNOWMAN SOUP

I bought cute little snowman mugs at a dollar store, bought a bag of Hershey's Kisses, a couple packages of Candy Canes, some MIniature Marshmallows and then boxes of Hot Chocolate."

I just tucked a

packet of hot chocolate

2 Hershey's Kisses

Marshmallows

a Candy Cane

the cup

You use the Candy Cane to Stir it. It kind of goes along with the idea of a Brownie Mix in a jar. Everyone we gave them to loved them. The kids have fun making them. Makes a great Teacher Gift.

CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS TO MAKE

Potpourri Christmas Ornaments

1 cup flour

1/2 cup salt

1 cup potpourri (old or new), cut finely

1/3 to 1/2 cup water

Cookie cutters (the open kind, not closed)

Mix all of the ingredients together and refrigerate for 5 minutes.

Flatten the dough either with your hands or a slightly floured rolling pin. Cut the dough with cookie cutters. Or you can use the dough like clay and make a sculpture.

If using as a hanging ornament, punch a hole in each shape. Set on a wire rack to dry thoroughly.

Want to make

your own

GIFT TAGS

and/or

GIFT BAGS

click on the gift

to go find out how

COOL LINKS

Samaritan's Purse

Christmas Quiz

National Christmas Tree Association

The White House Christmas Trees

Build a Snow Family

Build a Snow Family #2

Build a Snow Family #3

Decorate Christmas Trees and Rooms (4)

NORAD Tracking Santa

PBS KIDS

Apple Crumble

6 apples peeled and sliced

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

Sprinkle cinnamon and brown sugar over apples in baking dish, mix well.

Topping

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup melted butter

1/2 cup rolled oats

Mix well and sprinkle loosely over apples. Bake at 350.

Beer Batter Fried Plums

Take some dried plums, take out the pits, and simmer them, but not for too long. To make the beer batter, take a little flour, moisten it thoroughly with beer, add a bit sugar and a spoon of good oil. The dough must be thick enough that it stays on the plum. Coat the cooked plums, then fry until they batter turns golden brown. Then sprinkle with sugar, and put them in the oven to melt the sugar. Serve warm.

Twice Baked Potatoes

6 medium bake potatoes

1 teaspoon of salt

1/8 teaspoon of pepper or ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup of margarine or butter

1/4 cup of milk

1 cup of shredded American or Cheddar cheese

Bake potatoes as you like. Cut potatoes in half, lengthwise. Scoop potato out of shells into bowl; mash. Add remaining ingredients, except the cheese*.

Beat until light and fluffy. Spoon back into shells and place in 13x9 baking dish; top with cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until cheese is light golden brown

Mexican Cookies

4 flour tortillas (6 inches)

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 teaspoon shortening

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cut each tortilla into eight wedges; place on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 400F for 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, in a microwave or double boiler, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Stir until smooth; keep warm. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine confectioners' sugar and cinnamon. Add tortilla wedges a few at a time; shake to coat. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Drizzle with melted chocolate. Refrigerate until serving.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup water

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup miniature chocolate chips

FROSTING

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners' sugar

In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Combine the eggs, pumpkin, oil, honey and water; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined; fold in walnuts and chocolate chips.

Fill greased or foil-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.

For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until fluffy. Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Frost cooled cupcakes.

Colorado Springs Links

Cheyenne Mountain ZOO

United States Air Force Academy

Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center

Old Colorado City Shopping

Seven Falls at Christmastime

Pikes Peak Cog Railway

Pick and Cut Your Own Christmas Tree

KTLF FM 90.5 Lightpraise Radio Station

COLORADO Gift Baskets

Colorado Springs Philharmonic

Your Hub

Support Your Troops

Colorado Springs Choral Society

Coloradosprings.com

Colorado Springs Worship Guide

Visit the

Pikes Peak Cam

Click

on the

SANTA

Roast Beef Beef Tenderloin

(do not over cook this it will be tough)

1 whole beef tenderloin roast (about 4 pounds), trimmed

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Mushroom Gravy:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2-1/2 cups beef broth

1/2 cup dry white wine or water

12 ounces white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced thin

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crumbled

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Sprigs of fresh rosemary for garnish (optional)

PREPARATION:

Heat the oven to 500 degrees F. Rub the beef tenderloin with the olive oil and sprinkle with the pepper.

Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the thickest part registers 135 degrees F. for rare.

Meanwhile, make the gravy. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 to 4 minutes, or until a dark golden color.

Slowly whisk in the broth and wine, then the mushrooms, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened.

Remove the beef tenderloin from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let stand for about 10 minutes, or until a meat thermometer registers 140 degrees F. The meat will continue cooking and the slicing will be easier.

Slice 1/4-inch thick and arrange on a serving platter. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve with the mushroom gravy.

Yield: 12 servings

More Yummy Recipes

CHRISTMAS POETRY

click on the

ducks

Chestnuts

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Chestnuts contain twice as much starch as potatoes. It's no wonder they are still an important food crop in China, Japan, and southern Europe where they are often ground into a meal for breadmaking, thus giving rise to the nickname of "bread tree."

in Europe, Asia and Africa, chestnuts are often used as an everyday potato substitute.

Although we refer to them as nuts, the meat inside is soft and starchy, more akin to grains rather than crunchy like traditional nuts. It is the only nut primarily treated as a vegetable due to its starch content. The European varieties are a bit larger in size than the native American variety. The trees can live up to five hundred years and usually do not begin to produce fruit until they are forty years old.

To facilitate removal of the shell, you'll need to use a sharp pointed knife to slice either a horizontal slash or a large X along the flat side before roasting or boiling. To boil, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for three minutes. Remove from heat. Scoop out a few at a time and peel off the shell and skin with a sharp knife. As they cool, they become more difficult to peel, so keep them in hot water until you are ready to peel. Proceed with your recipe using the peeled nuts, making sure you finish cooking them completely within your recipe.

To boil and cook them completely in their skins, simmer for 15 to 25 minutes, then peel and use, but don't be disappointed if they fall apart as you peel them. This boiling method to fully cook the chestnuts is best used when you will be mashing the chestnuts or pushing them through a sieve for puree.

To roast chestnuts, make cuts as described above. They can potentially explode from internal pressure if not pierced. Place on a baking sheet in a 400-degree F. oven for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve hot. To roast in a fire, take an aluminum pie plate and punch rows of holes. Make cuts in chestnuts or puncture them to release steam and place on a grill over white hot coals. If you have a chestnut roaster for the fireplace, all the better.*

*information from About.com

Potato Chestnut Puree Recipe

1 pound chestnuts

3 cups beef broth

3 garlic cloves, unpeeled

3 cups freshly cooked mashed potatoes

6 Tbsp soft unsalted butter

1/2 to 3/4 cup heavy cream

Salt to taste

1/8 tsp mace

4 shallots, finely chopped

Slash the chesnuts in one or two places and roast them on a cookie sheet in a preheated 425-degree F. oven 8 minutes, or until the hulls crack. When cool enough to handle, peel off the outer shell and the inner layer of skin. In a saucepan, simmer the chestnuts, broth, and garlic, covered, for 25 minutes, or until the chestnuts are tender and easily pierced with a fork. Drain, discard the garlic, and push them through a sieve, or puree them in a food processor or blender (don't overprocess, as they could become gummy).

Transfer the chesnut puree to a saucepan large enough to hold all ingredients. Beat in the potatoes, 5 tablespoons butter, 1/2 cup cream, salt, and mace. Add more cream if the mixture seems too heavy. Taste for seasoning.

In a frying pan, over medium heat, cook the shallots in the remaining butter until soft. Do not brown. Cook the puree over low heat, stirring, until heated through. Blend in the shallots and serve immediately.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Chestnut Biscotti

About 20 chestnuts

6 egg whites

1 1/8 cups granulated sugar

Peel the chestnuts and boil them until they're tender, then mash them in a mortar, dampening the mixture with 2 tablespoons of egg white; work the mixture until it is creamy, then work in the sugar as well.

Once the chestnut mixture is creamy again, whip the remaining whites to soft peaks and fold them into the batter.

Line your cookie sheets with oven paper and pour out the batter in 1 by 3-inch (3 x 10 cm) strips, leaving a couple of inches between cookies. Bake them in a moderate oven (about 175 °C, or 350 °F) until they are browned. Let them cool, before you remove them from the paper.

Chestnut & Apple Stuffing Recipe

2 pounds chestnuts

12 cups day-old French bread, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about one 16-ounce loaf)

6 tablespoons margarine or butter (3/4 stick)

2 large celery stalks, sliced

1 medium-size onion, diced

3 large Rome Beauty or Crispin apples (about 1 3/4 pounds), peeled, cored, and diced

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1 (14-1/2-ounce) can chicken broth (1-3/4 cups)

1 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

In 3-quart saucepan over high heat, heat chestnuts and enough water to cover to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 10 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. With slotted spoon, remove 3 or 4 chestnuts at a time from water to cutting board. Cut each chestnut in half. With spoon or tip of small knife, scrape out chestnut meat from its shell (skin will stay in shell). Chop any large pieces of chestnut meat; place in large bowl. Discard cooking water. Toss bread cubes with chestnuts.

In same saucepan over medium heat, melt margarine or butter. Add celery and onion and cook until vegetables are golden brown and tender, about 10 minutes. Add diced apples and poultry seasoning; cook 2 minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken broth, salt, and 1 cup water; over high heat, heat to boiling.

Pour hot mixture over chestnut mixture; toss to mix well. Use to stuff 12- to 16-pound turkey. Or, spoon stuffing into 13- by 9-inch glass baking dish; cover with foil and bake in preheated 325 degrees F. oven 45 minutes or until the stuffing is heated through.

Yield: 12 cups or 24 1/2-cup servings

Roasted chestnut instructions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. With sharp knife, slash shell of each chestnut. Place in jelly-roll pan and roast until shells burst open, about 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, with paring knife, peel chestnuts. Chop chestnut meat; place in large bowl. Add bread cubes to bowl with chestnuts and toss to combine

Acorn Squash Cake with Streudel Topping

1/4 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed

1 large egg

1 cup cooked and mashed acorn squash

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 cup chopped pecans

Streusel Topping

Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with and electric mixer until creamy. Add egg, beating well. Stir in squash and vanilla.

Combine flour and next 3 ingredients; gradually add to squash mixture, beating at low speed after each addition. Stir in pecans. Pour batter into a greased 9-inch square pan, and sprinkle with Streusel Topping.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Cool Cake in pan on a wire rack.

Sweet Potato Pudding

Two large sweet potatoes

½ cup butter

1 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup white sugar

4 eggs, beaten

2/3 cup orange juice

2 tsp. vanilla

Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste, including any other available spice or addition that would improve the flavor to your liking. Marshmallows (optional).

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Boil sweet potato, drain, and mash. In a large bowl, combine the eggs, orange juice, butter, sugars, vanilla, and sweet potato. Pour in a two-quart dish and bake in preheated oven for about 40 minutes. If using marshmallows, cover the top of the pudding completely with them once the pudding is in the dish

Christmas Around The World

click on the Globe