Holiday Memories

I think we all have special Holiday memories and some stay with us a life time. I know that one of my favorite Holiday memories was when my three sisters and my Mom would all get together to bake our Christimas cookies. I have a picture packed away somewhere showing the tables of cookies baked by the five of us. It didn't happen often and I probably can only count it on one hand when all five of us were together to bake together so it is a very special memory that I will keep in my heart forever. We each would pick one recipe we wanted to make, usually a traditional one that was repeated each year. My Mom's was always russian tea cakes, or pecan balls, snowballs.....their are various names for this one recipe. Round little cookies dusted with confectioners sugar. My Mom always made her's special by putting a half of marschino cherry in the middle. I know one of us would pick the magic cookie bars or 7 layer cookies these both are the same cookie just with different names. Graham cracker bottom and layers chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, walnuts, coconut all into one pan. I can still remember this one being made by my Grandmother Mimi. My sister Reta always wanted Gingerbread men and I always liked to make something new. I remember skimming through all my cook books at home hoping to find that special cookie that would become a tradtion with me. I have found one I like very much right now and have made it now for 4 or 5 years. I got my recipe from a contest winner on Good Morning America. They are chocolate caramel treasures and they are wonderful. The only problem with this terrific cookie is their are so many steps to the finish. We each had a favorite that we wanted to bake to make our Holidays special. I remember working all day long and we would have hundreds and hundreds of cookies by the end of the day. I wish that I could go back in time just to live that day over again because it was one of my best memories of the holidays. I hope this starts to make you remember one of your favorite memories from your past holidays. Take each day and treasure it as if it is a gift, for you will never have that day back again, remember the joy and laughter to keep in your memories forever.