christmas tree facts

The winter holidays are here.  Decorations are going up.  The wreaths, the lights, the garlands, lots, and lots of tinsel.  And let's not forget the tree.  The Christmas tree, centerpiece of the holiday celebration.  With ornaments and bows up top, presents and goodies below.  The primary symbol of the holiday gathering for many families all across the country.  And every year there is a dilemma; people struggle with the choice for their tree.  Fresh or artificial?

There are a small percentage who use living trees, brought inside in a tub or burlap. They often plant their tree in the yard after the season.  For them there is not usually a dilemma as they will continue to purchase and plant living trees.  For everyone else there's a choice to be made year after year.

Live cut or artificial?  With tens of millions of trees sold every year that decision has an amazing impact.

According to the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA), a live Christmas tree outweighs an artificial one due to its many environmental and economic benefits.  It goes without saying that our personal environmental stance would include a live cut tree which does not expose you to pesticides and chemical fertilizers.

• Environmentally friendly, fresh cut trees are a sustainable resource.
• The trees help clean the air, protect the soil, and provide wildlife habitat.
• Planting of natural Christmas trees increases the greenery on the planet. The Christmas tree growers plant one to three new seedlings for every tree that is harvested during the season. 
• The trees are biodegradable; that means they can be reused or recycled for mulch and other purposes.  Nothing is wasted even when these trees are discarded or disposed. By contrast, an artificial tree may contain lead and non-bio-degradable plastics.
• The industry employs more than 100,000 Americans.

Learn how to care for your fresh cut tree at the NCTA so it will last all season long.

Christmas Tree Facts by CouponRefund.com

photo: Lotus Head

on my mind monday 6.18.12

news | photo: mconnors

It's never the same two weeks in a row.  This is what I find interesting in food, nutrition and holistic living.  Read what's on my mind.

In El Salvador, Tooth Decay Epidemic Blamed on Junk Food - This link is to a video that shows a dismaying epidemic of ill health strongly linked to the cheap easy access of sugar and cheap junk food.  In watching the video I was horrified to learn that some families, if they have no milk, will put soda or coffee into a baby bottle to feed their baby.  Nutrition education is so important.  We have gotten too far away from understanding our food and it's relationship to our health.

Disney Sets Limits on Food Advertising -  While this is a small step in the right direction it unfortunately also comes as a huge nutri-washing opportunity.  Disney will use this as a major publicity push and possibly as a bargaining chip for deals with vendors and marketing affiliations.  But it's limited in it's scope, will not be fully implemented until 2015, and still does not really address the issue of educating the consumer.  As always caveat emptor (buyer beware).

Food Producers Want Your Nose - Scent is an amazing and powerful tool.  Many people find memories triggered by smells; we often respond to certain smells on an unconscious level, especially those related to food.  This new technology is horrifying; manufacturers are seeking to take advantage of our unconscious response to smells in order to sell more product.  However it fails to take into account the rising numbers of people are affected by Multiple Chemical Sensitivities.  I for one try to avoid the mall as I can't walk past a large number of stores which blast perfume into the space in front of their location, leaving me with a blinding headache if I stay too long.  And people who wear too much perfume or cologne in public places are also problematic for me.  I'm fairly certain that these fake smells are going to linger in the grocery store after people have handled products coated with this technology over and over again.  And touched the cart, leaving residue all over the handles.  The producer claims to only be using "FDA approved flavors" however I'm not convinced that this is anything that should be approved in the first place.

Rachel Carson, Green Revolutionary - Hard to believe it's been 50 years since Silent Spring was published.  A wake-up call regarding the use of pesticides and other environmental chemicals that has been largely ignored.  Although some strides have been made toward banning the use of certain organophosphates and organochlorines it's not enough.  Sadly these chemicals tend to accumulate in body fat and the effects can be cumulative along the food chain.  I also believe these effects to be cumulative through generations.  I plan to take my copy off the shelf and re-read it, I'm encouraging others to read it as well.  The book may be 50 years old but it's cautionary message still holds true.


Father's Day was yesterday and hopefully all those great Dads out there received props for how wonderful and important they are in their families.  Do more for Dad - watch this video to learn some great Heart Health Tips for Men.  There's also a great heart healthy recipe that Dad is sure to love.

 Contact me to learn how you can $ave on professional grade supplements.

going walden

I spent the weekend in the woods.  Maybe not really "going walden" but certainly headed in that direction.  It was a holiday of sorts, a get-away from my often hectic and over-scheduled life.  It was amazing, restorative, thought-provoking, and, most importantly, fun.  I disconnected from technology leaving behind my laptop, connectivity tools, news feed, and all social media.  While I did bring my cell phone that was for practicality reasons and I chose not to take or make any calls all weekend.  What did I do?

I laughed more in those 48 hours than I believe I have laughed in the last three months.  We're not talking polite chuckles or giggling either.  We are talking deep belly laughs, huge guffaws with a group of women all similarly roaring with laughter.  We were the noisiest campsite there and we were not constrained.

I reconnected.  Many of the women on this trip are friends who I adore.  They are fascinating, interesting, vibrant, intelligent, amazing people.  But we are all so busy with the demands of our modern lives that we promise ourselves in passing we will get together for that lunch or tea or whatever.  And yet somehow we don't manage to find the time.  This weekend we had nothing but time.

I ate very well.  Hats off to Colleen, our organizer and her sous chef, Natalie.  With four gluten-intolerant campers and one vegetarian out of nine women they pulled off a tasty, delicious, satisfying menu for everyone.  They did it without going overboard either.  It was simple, delicious, and unfussy.  While we all know food tastes much better around a campfire, I am a firm believer that it also tastes much better when it comes from whole foods.  Our menu was dinner: taco bar, breakfast: scrambled eggs and fruit, lunch: veggies and dips with fruit and gluten free cookies, dinner: cuban beans and cornbread with gluten free smores (gotta have those), breakfast: leftovers and fruit.  Yes, there were M&M's and chips and other foods there as well, but the menu was predominately simple, whole foods.

I reconnected with nature.  I had forgotten how restorative this is for the soul.  Yes, I go out in my garden, yes I take my dogs for walks through the woods, yes I look for opportunities to put my feet in the dirt.  But this was in the middle of a gorgeous state park with no distractions, hardly any traffic, and a quietude that just does not exist in my backyard.  There was wildlife all around us (we were fortunate to have Helen with us who is a birder and quite knowledgeable) and we saw deer, turtles, alligators, birds, bunnies, interesting bugs and more.  There was a lot of tree hugging (literally and figuratively) going on; I even had the opportunity for a most delicious, restful nap under a sprawling tree with a light breeze.

I remembered my appreciation for the basics.  Sleeping on a mat on the floor reminded me that I am fortunate enough to have a bed at home (and a quite comfy, large, well decorated one at that).  Having a public restroom available I was appreciative for the running water in the toilets, the sinks and the showers.  I was appreciative for all of the tax dollars and use-contributions that pay to maintain the state park system.  I also appreciated the quiet, the lack of distractions and the ability to slow down, even if just for that moment.

This is part of holistic living.  We need to find that balance; to find those moments in our lives that speak to us.  To be more than a particular aspect of our being -- wife, mother, daughter, committee-member, professional, caregiver, insert-your-hat-here.  To let go of some of that, even if just for a short while, and plainly be ourselves.

And how was your weekend?

pie crust

It's the holidays and that usually means pie season.  That, truth be told, is something I dread.  I'm not very good at making pies.  Let me amend that.  I'm pretty good at the filling, as a matter of fact I make a mean coconut custard, but the crust?  Well that's a different story.  For years I have struggled, mumbled under my breath and cursed as I patched together yet another sorry looking crust.

In olden days, before I got the gospel of whole food nutrition, I would "cheat" and buy my pie crusts at the grocery store.  That, my friends, is no longer an option.  It's not the lard that I object to, it's the BHT, the artificial colors (!), and more often than not the partially hydrogenated ingredients (read trans fats).  These do not need to be in a pie crust and most certainly do not need to be in your body.

I am thrilled to announce that I have discovered the secret to a fabulous pie crust.  I know it may sound silly to be so happy about this but believe me, several decades of ugly pies later I'm amazed at how well this worked out.  I'm so excited about this that I cannot wait to share it with you.  I made an extra batch just to be sure it works and turned it into pie crust cookies.  (Admittedly not high on the healthy item list but a treat nonetheless.)

That lovely picture is an amazingly beautiful pie crust made in my cuisinart.  Apparently this method was developed by Julia Child.  Rolled out between two sheets of wax paper it does not crumble, fall apart, or need patching.  I'm seriously tempted to write out the recipe and tape it permanently to the side of my cuisinart so I always know where it is.

My next experiment will be to see if it works with gluten free flours.  Since pastry flour is supposed to be low in gluten anyway (we don't want it rising while the pie is baking) I think this should be a fairly simple translation.  I'll keep you posted the next time I need to make a pie.

Without further ado, here is the recipe for the pie crust and one for pie crust cookies.

Julia Child's Cuisinart Pie Crust

1 3/4 cup of flour
1 stick butter, cut up
3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I used walnut, it was delicious)
1 teaspoon salt

Blend flour, butter, oil and salt in cuisinart until crumbly
Add 1/4 cup cold water and blend until it forms a ball

Makes two crusts

Pie Crust Cookies 

One rolled out pie crust
2-3 tablespoons melted butter
Cinnamon sugar to taste (I use 1 teaspoon cinnamon to 7 teaspoons evaporated cane juice crystals)

Preheat oven to 350 F
Brush pie crust with melted butter covering thoroughly
Dust according to taste with cinnamon sugar
Cut either using cookie cutters or into strips
If making strips twist them before placing on lightly greased cookie sheet
Bake 8-10 minutes until golden brown
Let cool completely before eating

gluten free holidays

christmas cookies | photo:  Till Westermayer

For those who have to avoid gluten the holidays can present a particular challenge.  Especially the winter holidays.  Most of the traditional foods are cakes and cookies, made with wheat, rye, or barley, all grains which contain gluten.

If you're trying to figure out some delicious gluten-free holiday options here's a roundup of some of my favorites found around the web:

• The Art of Gluten Free Baking has an amazing list of mouthwatering recipes.  Honestly it's so good I could stop here and it would be enough.
• But that would mean you'd miss the yumminess found over at Gluten-Free Girl and The Chef
• I love fruitcake (really) and it's just not the holidays without it.  So here's a fruitcake recipe.
• Not a fan of fruitcake?  How about pannetone?  It's amazing and delicious, sweet and rich, and definitely worth making.  
• I love biscotti, but never more than at the holidays.  Don't know why it just seems to go together for me.
• Then there's gluten free gingerbread men, gingerbread cake, and soft gingerbread cookies.
• Of course it's not a Christmas morning without pancakes
• And for those who are Jewish there's latkes and sufganiyot.
• Last but not least, don't forget the pie crust for those holiday pies

the giving season

hot chocolate | photo: Itizdacuriz

Every year around the holiday season I always find that I need a few small gifts.  Not willing to brave the shopping frenzy at this time of year I turn to the idea of making gifts at home.  I find many people truly enjoy receiving these more personal gifts.

Confession time.  I'm a fairly decent knitter but rather slow at it so whipping out a bunch of hand knitted gifts just isn't going to happen.  (I'm still working on a gift for someone that was supposed to be last year's present.)  I have visions of all of the fabulous crafty gifts that abound on the internet that look so easy.  Following directions closely my version comes out "nice" but certainly not as full of wow factor as the originals; so that's not gonna happen either.

But...food...I love food.  And I love giving food.  And most people I know like getting food.  That makes it a perfect gift in my book.  The best part is that you still have time to put it all together, wrap it up in a pretty ribbon and gift it to that someone special without braving the crowds. the carols, and the olfactory assault that is commercialized holiday shopping.

1. Chocolate Granola - This recipe is from my friend Christine and is always a huge hit.  Made in the crockpot it's super easy; set it to cook all day (stirring when you remember) while you are doing other things.
2. Crockpot Snack Mix - There are four recipes on this post Tropical, Tex-Mex, Asian, and Curried; they're all delicious.  Another fabulous use for your crockpot.
3. Crockpot Nuts - Okay, by now you've figured out that I love my crockpot.  These snack nuts are so tasty that I always have to make extras because they're just that good.
4. Vanilla Sugar - This is a fabulous gift to give, especially to someone who is a baker.  One vanilla bean pod split and shoved, seeds and all, into a wide mouth pint jar full of evaporated cane juice crystals.  Tie a pretty ribbon on it and you're good to go.  It does need to sit for 2-3 weeks to allow the aroma to infuse so stick a note on it if necessary.
5. Hot Cocoa Mix - This is based on a recipe from a major food manufacturer.  I've changed it by substituting better ingredient options and removing the requirement for name brand products. 
• 1/4 Cup plus 2 Tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1/3 Cup evaporated cane juice crystals (optional - made into vanilla sugar. yum)
• 1 1/2 Cups organic milk powder 
• 1/2 Cup chopped good quality chocolate (I prefer Belgian chocolate)
• Layer ingredients in order given into a wide mouth pint jar, close and decorate with ribbon
• Instructions for preparation:  Gently heat 4 cups of organic milk to just below boiling, add contents of the jar, whisking well until fully combined.  note:  if not using vanilla sugar include instructions to use 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.  
• Garnish with organic whipped cream and shaved chocolate.  Makes 4 servings  

Whatever your holiday of choice, I hope it's a happy and healthy one.

heading home for the holidays

over the river and through the wood | photo: ladyheart

The winter holidays are fast approaching.  For many people this includes travel plans to spend the time with friends or family.  If you're going to be on the road, either by plane, train, or automobile plan ahead for snacks and beverages.

Of course on an airplane you can't bring beverages with you.  You can, however, bring an empty, eco-friendly water bottle and refill once you get past security.  Once you are on the plane consider getting juice mixed with seltzer rather than soda or straight juice.  Soda, of course, is not a healthy option while juice alone provides a lot of sugar; diluting it reduces the sugars while still helping you to stay hydrated.

If you're traveling by another method be sure to bring healthy beverage choices with you, such as lots of water.  This can not only help you avoid dehydration, but can also save you money as on-the-road purchases are often much more expensive.

Protein is important to help stabilize blood sugar.  Consider bringing snacks with you to avoid the munchies and the temptation to purchase non-nutritious, fatty, sugary road food choices.  Options might include:

• my favorite trail mix (raw and unsalted):  3 parts nuts, 2 parts seeds, 1 part unsulfured dry fruit
• a salad with some healthy protein: chicken, turkey, beef, or ham, or eggs
• a wrap with some healthy protein: chicken, turkey, beef, or ham, or eggs
• cheese and whole grain crackers with delicious olives, pickles  and other finger foods
• those little pouches of tuna (w/o liquid), add your own whole grain crackers
• preservative free turkey jerky
• healthy protein bars

Planning ahead for your travel needs can help you avoid the pitfalls of on-the-road non-nutritious food choices.  You'll arrive with stable blood sugar and well-hydrated, a great start to a happy, healthy holiday.

holiday roundup

The holidays are rapidly approaching.  I often get questions about what would be a good eco-friendly/healthy gift to give.  Because I seem to be suggesting the same ideas to a lot of people I thought it would make sense to share my top ten list.  In no particular order they are:

1.  Stainless Steel Drink Staws - These are on my wish list and I think they make a great gift for anyone.  Environmentally friendly and strong enough for travel it's a great way to take your straw with you.
2. Mesh Reusable Produce Bags - I have these and think they are fabulous.  Very eco-friendly, easy to use, I often get positive comments from cashiers and other shoppers.
   
3. Nourishing Traditions - I own a thumb-marked, dog-eared copy of this book.  For those who are getting started with whole food nutrition this is a great beginning.  For those who have started and want to learn more it's a wonderful resource.  Definitely one of my top book recommendations.
   
4. Blendtec 40-609-BHMV 2-Quart Blender Jar - I think the Blendtec products are good ones.  For those of you who are getting into green smoothies this is a must have in order to make them.
5.  Green Smoothies Diet - and if you're going to start making Green Smoothies you need the book that got it all started by Robyn Openshaw.
   
6. CuisinartSmart Stick Hand Blender - I have this and it is one of my all-time favorite appliances.  Quite frankly I'm not sure what I would do without it, I seem to use it almost every day.
7. Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day - Store bought bread often has all sorts of chemical ingredients in it, dough conditioners, preservatives and the like.  For those who want to skip those unhealthy ingredients and learn to make bread at home this is a great place to start.
8. 7-Quart Oval Slow Cooker, White - I love my slow cooker and use it frequently.  I've even use it overnight to make breakfast.
9. Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook - if you're going to give a slow cooker you probably want to throw in a cookbook to go with it.  This is one of my favorite slow-cooker cookbooks I use it quite often.
10. 
    To-Go Ware Reusable Bamboo Utensil Set - and for all those eaters out there...your very own, eco-friendly tableware.  I carry a set with me all the time in my purse and it has often come in handy.  Inexpensive and good to have, consider this as a stocking stuffer.

pie for breakfast

cherry apple streusel pie with gluten free crust

Thanksgiving has come and gone.  Maybe there's a few crumbs left on the tablecloth, but for sure there's a fridge full of delicious leftovers.  I'm so grateful for so many things this year.  Having all of my children around the table, plus extra guests, plus an array of food that is truly bountiful.

Resonating in the back of my head among all of the pleasant memories and musings is this article that I recently read about Thanksgiving Thrift.  Which leads me to be grateful that at least for this one holiday there probably won't be much food waste.  Jonathan Bloom talks about how much food we waste in this country both on his blog and in his book American Wasteland: How America Throws Away Nearly Half of Its Food (and What We Can Do About It).

One way to avoid waste is to utilize leftovers.  This is a concept that I embrace whole-heartedly at all times of the year.  I've written about it before here and here.  Not only does it cut down on the grocery and trash bills, it also helps cut down on my time in the kitchen.  Don't get me wrong, I love to cook and bake.  But even so I don't feel the need to create a full three course meal from scratch every single night of the week.

I was struck by the thought, prompted by the article, that other folks don't utilize their leftovers to plan other delicious meals for their families.  Except for Thanksiving.  Well at least for today the twitterverse is aflutter with ideas for leftovers.  Starting with pie for breakfast and wandering through a host of culinary genius I'm struck by the creativity and enthusiasm with which so many people greet the concept of Thanksgiving leftovers.  And hoping that it will continue throughout the year.

healthy halloween

Halloween jack o'lantern | photo: Cindy H Photography

It was another great, fun-filled twitter party over at the Holistic Mom's Network where it happens to be Holistic Living Month (and for a limited time there's a discount on membership, use the code HMN11).

The theme of the evening was the upcoming Halloween festivities; the tweets and links were flying fast and furious.  Here's the roundup:

For those who are looking for Halloween candy choices that are not loaded with artificial colors, HFCS, or other nasty ingredients consider getting yours from the Natural Candy Store, as they put it, "all of the fun, without any of the funny stuff."  Another company, Yummy Earth, also sells organic candy.  Here's an article I wrote about healthier choices for Halloween.  It turns out some families don't give candy but give gifts instead such as Smencils, healthy juice boxes, or stickers.  And a small, free, e-book is available to help you understand some of the ways to have an earth-friendly Halloween.

For those who are more interested in the fun of dressing up and socializing but don't want their children to eat the candy they receive there were a lot of suggestions about what to do with all of it:

• The Switch Witch book seemed to be a popular suggestion
• Reverse Trick-or-Treating was another popular idea and one that I wish I had known about when my kids were young
• The idea of Candy Experiments looked interesting although I'm sure a fair amount gets eaten on the way to the laboratory 
• Donating the candy is one way to get it out of the house
• Saving the candy and using it to decorate gingerbread houses for the winter holidays is another idea to use it up

The topic of holistically eco-friendly decorations came up.  Of course decorating with gourds, branches, and leaves is one idea but there were some other ideas mentioned that tied in to this theme as well.  The use of eco felt is something that I had not been aware of, what a great product and one that can be used anytime, not just for Halloween.  One mom mentioned saving all the handouts and fliers from the beginning of the school year and using the backs to make shapes and decorations.  I can see that this would be great for paper chains, paper lanterns, and other paper crafts.  

And, of course, it wouldn't be Halloween without the costumes:

• Thredup is a company that allows families to swap kids clothing and more.  
• Thrift stores can be a great way to find neat clothing to use for costumes
• Ideas for homemade costumes
• A cute picture of a Fair Trade Banana costume
• Recycled costumes
• And let's not forget the makeup and more makeup  

It turns out that October is also Fair Trade Month so there was a fair amount of information about that as well:

• Your Guide to a Fair Trade Halloween
• A 1 minute video on Fair Trade
• Global Exchange's Local Action Guide
• A list of Fair Trade Products
• 10 Ways To Celebrate Fair Trade Month

However you choose to celebrate the holidays make it fun, happy, and healthy.

breakfast shake

Back at home after my travels I'm re-adjusting to the local time zone and wondering why the laundry fairy never shows up when I'm not home.

I enjoyed a number of fabulous meals while I was one the road with family in Northern France.  I indulged and ate outside my usual patterns.  I am a big believer in taking the time to enjoy the culture and opportunities that travel offers you and I certainly wasn't going to pass up some of the delicious experiences.  Who knows when I will find myself back in Northern France again.

One of the big changes was breakfast in a Chambre d'Hotel.  A Chambre d-Hotel is often a room available  in someone's house (although a few of them had a separate building) that you can rent.  There are little signs on the street indicating if someone has a room to rent in their house.  You drive up and inquire if there is space for the night (or if you plan ahead, you can call and make a reservation).  We did not plan ahead which meant that some days we looked at several places before finding one.

The prices seem to vary widely  depending on the size of the room, if there is a suite arrangement, the location of the town, etc.  Each place offers breakfast with the chambre.  What is for breakfast varies.  Every place offers fresh baguette and cheese plus jam.  Most of the time the jams were homemade and absolutely fabulous.  Each place also offered juice, coffee and tea.

Some of the different items in addition to the above which we had for breakfast (it depended on where we were and what they wanted to serve):  different breads or baked goods, sliced ham, cold cereal, yogurt served with stick packets of sugar, or fresh fruit.

Overall the breads were delicious and the yogurt that I ate there was fabulous.  I don't normally drink milk however it was so good that a couple of mornings I had a bowl of warm milk with my breakfast, something I don't normally do at home.

Now I'm back in my regular surroundings and getting back to my normal routine.  Part of that includes eating more in the pattern which works best for me.  I usually don't eat gluten as I find my system works better if I avoid it.  I do not have celiac or other illness that require me to be gluten free which is a good thing because in the French countryside I think that would have proven to be quite problematic.  I also tend to eat a high protein breakfast, again because that's what works best for my body.  Truthfully I believe it's what works best for most people, we need that protein boost in the morning to stabilize our blood sugar after our overnight sleep-fast.

After 12 days away from it I'm really enjoying my morning smoothie again.  It's such a great way to start the day, filling and delicious.

Morning Smoothie

1 cup plain organic whole fat yogurt
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or coconut milk
1 cup fresh spinach (pack this in well)
1 small banana (or other fruit)
1 tablespoon unsweetened raw almond butter
1 tablespoon fresh ground flaxseed

Place all the ingredients into a blender and whir together until well incorporated

Makes two servings

As a side note, whenever I share this recipe I always get at least one person who says "Spinach in your shake?  Seriously?"  Yes, seriously.  It is delicious and gives a great boost to the shake.  Truly, aside from the color, you won't know it's in there as the other flavors hide the flavor of the spinach.  If you haven't tried it before I think you should, you'll be pleasantly surprised.  It's a great way to get some veggies into your system first thing in the morning.

gluten free cookie fun

Walking into The G's Healthy Gourmet with a couple of borrowed kids I am greeted by the sounds of Christmas carols playing over the speakers and the sight of children rolling dough and sprinkling flour.  Tiffany, the Pastry Chef, and her husband, Nick, the Executive Chef at The G's, greet us at the door.   We settle at a table while Tiffany brings us our supplies...rolling pins, a block of cookie dough, a bowl of her own specialty gluten-free flour, cookie cutters, milk (because what goes better with cookies than milk?) and a plate of cookies to munch on while we are working.

Rolling out the slightly cold dough and pressing the cutters into it is a lot of fun for the kids.  It's hard to get the cold dough started, the adults help get things going.  Some of the children seem to really like the idea of flouring the table, the rolling pin, the dough, the floor; Tiffany assures the adult guests that they have someone coming in to clean up after the event is over.  Rolling, cutting, reshaping and re-rolling the dough, the kids are having a lot of fun.  Excitedly chattering away about the choices of cookie cutters they are using the children quickly fill up their baking trays.  After getting each child to initial their parchment paper lined tray Tiffany and Eric, her assistant, take the cookies back into the kitchen and slide them into the oven.


Ten long agonizing minutes.  Waiting and waiting for those cookies to come out of the oven.  Playing with flour.  Making shapes out of left over dough.  Is it ten minutes yet?  Are the cookies ready yet?

Then the wait is over and the warm cookies arrive.  A pretty pile of holiday shapes all waiting for their final transformation.  With them come bowls of fluffy frosting (a serious temptation for little fingers), parchment paper frosting-filled bags and the excitement of creating a masterpiece.

It was clearly obvious that everyone, kids, parents, the folks at The G's, had a good time.  Each child went home with their cookies carefully placed into a stack of take-out boxes, proudly carrying the haul of their handmade creations.  What a  sweet way to start the holiday season.