The Home Front
November/December 2009 Issue | Posted by Danielle Bean in Home Front
Christmas cookies made easy!
Our tips help you fill your freezer for gifts and entertaining …
FOOD
by Danielle
CHRISTMAS FromtheFreezer
Baking and freezing special treats during Advent not only takes some last-minute pressure off of you, but it can add to your family’s sense of preparation and anticipation during a season of waiting. Some tips to keep in mind …
Consider the Kind. As a general rule, when it comes to cookies, the higher the fat content, the better the freeze. Shortbreads, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and peanut butter cookies freeze beautifully. Softer, cake-like cookies become a bit mushy when you thaw them.
Dough or Don’t. Many doughs freeze well, but baked cookies almost always freeze better. For rolled cookie doughs, such as gingerbread or sugar, press the dough into a few small flat disks (an inch thick) before freezing. When you thaw the dough, you’ll be ready to roll. For shaped cookies, freeze dough in logs you will slice before baking or in small pieces, ready for the oven.
Wrap It Up. If your cookies and doughs are well covered, they will keep in the freezer for many weeks without suffering. There are all kinds of fancy freezer containers out there, but in my experience, nothing beats zipper-style freezer bags. In order to avoid freezer burn, buy a variety that is specifically labeled for the freezer. Be sure to press out the extra air before sealing. Give this easy, freezable recipe a try:
Christmas Sugar Stars
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 3/4 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup heavy whipping
cream
1/2 cup colored sugar for
decoration
Cream together butter and sugar. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Sift together flour and baking powder and add to creamed mixture alternately with heavy cream. Cover dough, and chill for 2 to 3 hours, until firm.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into star shapes using 2-3-inch cutter. Place 1 inch apart on cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar, as desired. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until bottoms and edges are light brown. Cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container or freeze.
— Visit Danielle online at FaithandFamilyLIVE.com
SELF
by Mary
MIRACLE Christmas Wardrobe
The problem: You have a closet stuffed with the odds and ends of assorted fashion moments, but not a single ensemble for any special holiday events.
The solution: A Christmas miracle, The Four-Piece Christmas Wardrobe.
Well-planned pieces of this wardrobe will mix and match and even layer to create a great number of looks for all those events that place you with many of the same friends and acquaintances.
Four Basics
Your four-piece wardrobe consists of two tops and two bottoms. The kinds of tops and bottoms you choose will depend upon the formality of your obligations.
For example, if your calendar sends you to a cocktail party, mass, and a concert for your budding Paganini, then the four items should be a bit dressy: a pencil skirt, silk blouse (in your best color), black dress trousers, and a fabulous sweater with an elegant neckline.
On the other hand, your events may be less formal, calling for more casual pieces: black trousers, dark denim blue jeans, a crisp jacket, and a man-tailored shirt in a flattering neutral color.
Mix and match, layer, and accessorize to get all the looks you need, but keep in mind:
Sparkle. Dust off that jewelry box and locate pieces to add the “festive” in festive attire. An old strand of pearls will polish up the look of any sweater. A rhinestone brooch will twinkle on the plainest of blouses. A silk scarf wrapped elegantly over any top works its own kind of Christmas magic.
Avoid Seasonal. Do not invest in any item that restricts itself to the Christmas season. Not only is this fiscally unwise (you want to be able to use your purchases for other wintertime events), but it also tires out your Christmas wardrobe more quickly.
Look Down. Check your shoes. Glitzy slides and sandals are for semi-formal or formal wear only, and Ugg-like contraptions, tennis shoes, clogs, or “mules” do not count as elegant footwear. Find a pair of pumps, sling backs, or “fashion boots” that can carry you though all your ensembles.
Working from your miracle wardrobe will result in a smile that sends glad tidings to all you love. Merry Christmas!
— Visit Mary at MarySheehanWarren.com
HOME
Frugal Fancies
You don’t need to spend a bundle to give your home some seasonal style. Try these quick and easy ideas:
Go Green. Take a walk and gather some natural greenery or berries to spruce up a mantle or (if you’re a little crafty) your front door. Fresh greens will fill your home with an unmistakable “Christmas” scent.
Get Fruity. Fill a glass bowl with nuts, pomegranates, oranges studded with whole cloves, apples, and cinnamon sticks. Instant Victorian!
Light It Up. Small strings of white or colored lights add pizzazz in unexpected places — in the bathroom, in the hallway or in a child’s bedroom. Try ChristmasDepot.com for a festive variety of inexpensive lights.
Trip Out Your Table
When it comes to setting the table for a Christmas feast, it’s the little things that count. Choose boldly colored linens and accent them with unique touches.
This Siris Red Napkin Ring ($3.99 each at BedBathAndBeyond.com) adds a touch of Christmas flair that will catch your guests’ eyes.
MONEY
Giving Credit
If you decide to sign up for a new credit card, here are some basics to consider when comparing offers:
What is the APR (annual percentage rate)? If you plan to pay off your balance in full each month, you can accept a card with a higher rate but no annual fee.
What are the fees? Many credit card companies advertise low rates but make up the difference with a variety of charges, including annual fees, set-up fees, over-limit fees, balance- transfer fees, and cash-ad vance fees.
How long is the grace period? This is the number of days you have to pay your bill in full without incurring any finance charges.
Are there any bonuses or incentives? Frequent flier miles, rebates, and purchase warranties are all potentially valuable incentives.
Social Savings
SmartyPig.com is an FDIC secure online savings account with a twist: It’s social. You can set up an account to save money with friends and family toward a common goal or simply share your personal savings goals with fellow members. Smarty Pig helps you set your goals, makes automatic monthly withdrawals from your bank, and pays 2.75% APY — all for free. No fees!
HEALTH
by Kate
Taming Christmas Stress
Tis the season for caroling, feasting, traveling, and of course, preparing our hearts and homes for Christ. Too bad stress is often another time-honored tradition during the Advent season. Some help:
Have a plan. In early November, sit down and map out a plan for Advent and Christmas. “Limit demands and ultimatums,” says Jonathan Abramowitz, Ph.D., a professor of psychiatry and psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “Replace ‘must’ and ‘have to’ with ‘I wish’ and ‘maybe.’” Download free Christmas calendars and checklists at OrganizedChristmas.com.
Just say no. “If we’re thinking, ‘I have to buy gifts for everyone. We signed up to take this big vacation; we have to travel,’ those set us up to be let down,” says Dr. Abramowitz. “Put expectations into perspective and lower them.”
Take care of yourself. If you neglect your mental and physical health, you’re more prone to feeling frazzled. Engage in soothing activities like praying, taking a walk in the brisk weather (or around the mall), or sipping a hot cup of herbal tea.
Remember the “Reason for the Season.” We’d all love a Martha Stewart Christmas, but when we put too much emphasis on finding the perfect gift or baking mountains of cookies, this season of joy and blessings can quickly become a burden.
FITNESS
She Lost It!
Name: Vita Congdon
Hometown: Gales Ferry, Connecticut
Fitness program: Jazzercise, 4 times per week
DIET: Gastric bypass surgery followed by low-carb, high-protein diet, and small portions
Weight loss: 170 pounds
In August 2007 Vita Congdon made a very important decision: She decided she wanted
to live. “I knew I had to do something. I was over 350 pounds at the age of 33, with a then 8-year-old daughter. I couldn’t walk up steps. I slept all the time. I had panic attacks,” Vita says. “I just existed to die basically. Something had to be done.”
The decision was not easy, but that something ended up being gastric bypass surgery. Vita admits the surgery is not for everyone and comes with great risks, but in her case, losing weight was a matter of life and death.
“I was scared,” she says. “I looked for Jesus to help me, to watch over me, to watch over my child should I not make it.”
Vita encourages people considering the surgery to do their homework. “It’s a life-altering change. Definitely try exercise and eating right before you do the surgery, and research your doctors, the hospital, and psychiatrist.”
As for Vita’s current life goals, teaching her daughter healthy habits tops the list. “I want to help my child to make the right choices when it comes to eating and exercise — not because ‘fat’ is ugly but because ‘fat’ is not healthy.”
Vita Congdon, now ...
... and Vita, then.
Homework: Share your weight loss success story with Faith & Family. See page 6 for contact information.
— Visit Kate at KateWicker.com
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