Christmas Tradition

I was first introduced to the Christmas Stollen when I married into the Minks family in December 1988.  I had no idea what it was, except that it was yummy.  My mother-in-law made them every year for Christmas morning breakfast.  When we moved out of state, Carl asked me to recreate the tradition for our family.  There was no official recipe to follow, so I started experimenting.

My recipe evolved over the years, and standardized sometime in the last decade. The cream cheese filling recipe is of my own creation.  I just kept trying things until it was the right taste and texture.

It is possible to use pre-made frozen bread dough, but it doesn't taste quite the same.  This sweet dough is just right.  This recipe makes enough for 2 large pastries (the size of a cookie sheet).  You can also use this dough to make cinnamon rolls.

If you look up Stollen on Wikipedia, it tells a totally different story.  Honestly, it sounds kinda disgusting - pretty much fruit cake covered in melted butter and rolled in sugar.  I'm not sure why this delicious pastry we make has the same name as the German fruit cake thing, but I sure know which version I would rather eat.

Stollen Recipe:

Delicious White Sweet Bread Dough

6-7 c. flour 1/2 c. sugar 2 tsp. salt 2 pkg. yeast 1 c. water 1 c. milk 1/2 c. butter 1 egg Heat milk and water and butter in a pan until very warm, approximately 120- 130 degrees. In a large bowl, add 2 cups flour and sugar, salt and yeast; blend very well. Add warm liquid and egg to the flour mixture and beat with a beater; slowly add rest of flour and knead in. Let rise about 1 hour in a warm place until dough is doubled in size. Punch down and let rise 1/2 hour. Shape dough according to your needs. Ex: bread, buns, Parkerhouse rolls, spinach pies, pizza, etc.

Filling:

2 packages of cream cheese

1-2 tsp. lemon extract

1/4/ cup of milk (maybe even less)

2 eggs

1 cup of powdered sugar

Melt the cream cheese with the lemon extract, milk, and eggs in a sauce pan on medium heat, mixing the entire time with an electric mixer.  When smooth add powdered sugar.  Mix and cook until mixture thickens. I use an electric mixer in the sauce pan on the stove.

Pie filling flavor of your choice - Cherry, Lemon, Blueberry, Apple, etc.

After rising, roll out 1/2 of dough into a rectangular shape, the thinner the better.  Spread the filling mixture down the center.  Add pie filling to top of filling.  Cut sides of dough into strips and braid across the top.   Sprinkle the top with nuts, brown sugar, or chocolate chips, etc.

Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown. 

Debit or Credit - Fast or Free?

I almost always use the self checkout at Wal-Mart.  I don't know why exactly I think I can do that job faster and more efficiently than the people who wear the blue vests, but I do.  I'm thinking it is the shorter lines that lure me in.  I really am very impatient, especially with the whole shopping thing.  I am just not into shopping for shopping's sake.  I want to get in, get my stuff, and get the heck out!

So, anyway, I have been using the self checkout almost exclusively for years.  I totally know the drill.  How to push on the surface under the bags when you purchase an item that weighs almost nothing, to tell the computer that you have "placed it in the bag", etc.  I am not new to the whole dealio.

The other day I had like 2 things, and I was in a hurry.  I am standing there patiently, or not so patiently, waiting my turn.  The guy in front of me is buying a giant bag of rice, and the machine is giving him trouble with his card.  I'm thinking how sad it is that the guy is out of cash and can't afford to buy his bag of rice.  He does it a couple of times, still won't go through, and then the Grandma with a name tag walks over to help. Now I'm thinking, "What the heck is she gonna do to help?  I should switch lines".  But switching lines is usually a tactical error of the gravest sort. As soon as you switch lines, you are doomed. You might never get to checkout.

Finally the guy finds a card that works, and he leaves to feed an army with his rice.   He didn't bag it, it wouldn't fit, so Grandma had to authorize that deviation before he could go ...  There are somethings that you just shouldn't take through the self checkout, giant bags of rice, or giant bags of anything for that matter, are one of them.

Ok, I'm up.  Finally, my turn.  This is going to be quick, I'm a pro.  No giant bags, untagged items,  overweight, underweight, or otherwise troublesome items in my cart.  Ok, go ... all rang up, ready to pay, slide the same Hawaiian Miles debit card I always do, select "credit" so I can rack up those frequent flyer miles.  Please enter your PIN - I don't want to enter my PIN, I want to use it as a credit.  Transaction declined.  WHAT??????  I just deposited a fat wad of cash into that account.  What do you mean, transaction declined???  CANCEL ...  Let's try this again ...

So, after a couple failed attempts, and finally stopping to read the text on the blurry little screen, I figure out what is going on.  Wal-Mart no longer allows you to use your debit card as a credit card in the self checkout line.  Apparently this is for my own protection, so if someone steals my card they can't make purchases.  I supposed I get it - in the self checkout it isn't practical to show your photo idea for a credit card purchase.  If they had a person checking all the ID's it wouldn't really be a self checkout any more would it? 

After Wal-Mart I pulled into the nearest gas station to fill up my tank. Guess what??  SAME THING!!!  I now have to use my card as a debit, with the pin and WITHOUT earning any miles, OR go in, stand in that dang line, talk to the cashier, have her run my card, look at my ID, and sign the paper. I really prefer to slide my card, fill it up, and drive away without any time wasted standing in line.

Credit card theft is a bad thing.  I am fortunate not to have experienced it first had.  The companies are just trying to protect us from all that.,I get it, but it still annoys me. I've been using this method of payment, in just this way for years without a hitch.  Now I am forced to reevaluate my strategy.  Is it more important to earn those free miles, or to get through the line faster?   I don't know yet, I'm going to have to think about this one.

Sugar Cookies

When I eat these cookies it is like I am a child again, sitting in my Grandma's house waiting for Santa to arrive.  They are light and fluffy and in my opinion, don't need the icing to be good.  Heck, I don't even think they really need to be baked!

This recipe makes a TON of cookies!  Depending on the size of your cookie cutters, usually around 100.  Just enough to share with all your friends and neighbors (and make your back hurt from all the leaning over).  

I think they are the best.  Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies (Grandma Teusink's Recipe)

1 cup margarine or butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 1/2 cups of flour

cream butter and sugar together - add eggs one at a time and mix well - add sour cream and vanilla -

combine dry ingredients and blend them in

chill dough for 1 hour or overnight

roll dough 1/4 inch thick and cut out

bake at 350 for 8 minutes until underside is golden brown

Icing:
wilton cookie icing

1 cup powdered sugar
2 Tbs milk (start with a small amount and work up to the consistency you like for decorating.)
2 tsp light corn syrup

stir then add corn syrup