What a wonderful Christmas!

What a wonderful Christmas we had! It was so laid back and relaxing. I love those and hope we are teaching the girls that it's ok to just be us and do things our way! Everyone go ttheir gifts then played mopst of the day yesterday. Coy has had fun playing JoGail's new keyboard.I'm betting he teaches himself how to play before long. Luckily Santa brought head phones!! --The old fashioned kind--neither girl knew what they were!

For lunch we had ham, dressing, gravy, roasted potatoes, sweet potatoes. green beans, rolls and cranberry sauce. Then later we have strawberry cheesecake and pumpkin pies. The girls made the pies on their own this year! They did a really good job, too. So now Grace san say she can 'cook' cereal, spaghetti, and pumpkin pies!!! JoGail's favorite part of the meal is the sweet potatoes and I must admit these were pretty good. I followed JoLynn's recipe and they always turn out great. You wash then  boil the sweet potatoes 2-3 days before you want to serve them. After they are tender, cool them. Them wrap them in saran wrap and place in a bag(to catch drips) in the fridge. When you are ready to cook them, just slide the sweet potato out of its 'jacket'. Seriously, they just slide right out. Then cook as normal. I mash them then mix them with butter and brown sugar before I bake them. Then I top with marshmallows. You will have the best sweet potatoes ever. There's something that happens to the sugars with them when they are in the fridge.

Normally I use Stacia's cheesecake recipe, but I was preusing my cooking magazines the other day and noticed one that I wanted to try. It, like Stacia's, was simple. It turned out good and now I have two cheesecake recipes to fall back on!

Simple Cheesecake
2 packages, 8 ounces each room temperature cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

graham cracker crust-9 inches

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanill until smooth. Add eggs, beating until just combined. Pour into crust. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or til center is set. Cool on wire rack. Chill for 2 hours. Use whatever topping you would like on top.

Weather wise, its still yucky and rainy. You think of winter when you look out the windows...luckily it' snot below freezing here. My sister Missy says there's snow up in Amarillo and I saw pictures where Lubbock had a white Christmas as well!

I have enjoyed getting up to a pretty quiet house, not having to think about what to wear, what's on the list to do at work. It's nice having a break.

~Laurie