What a wild and crazy year 2020 has been!  It started like no other, and has been a roller coaster ride of emotions for all of us.  Probably the hardest thing has been not celebrating holidays and special events with our loved ones - those hugs and kisses are certainly the best things in life.  

Like many others, we celebrated small this year.  With four of our daughters and their families living close by, we decided to bring Christmas to them this year, dropping off baskets of homemade sweets and treats, Christmas gifts and a Christmas ham on Christmas Eve Eve.  On Christmas Day we'll celebrate with each other by live video conferencing.  As hard as this year has been, it truly has brought all of us even closer.

Wishing you and your family love, peace, stability and security, and most of all, good health this Christmas and in the new year to come.  

For a special Thanksgiving or Christmas dessert, there’s nothing more special than Cranberry Gingersnap Tarts.  Tiny gingersnap and walnut cookie tart shells, filled with a silky cranberry curd filling are easy, delicious and perfect show-stoppers!  And that vibrant cranberry color? They look just as fabulous as they taste! 
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Be still my heart!

I can't think of anything I've ever made that was more fun, or more exciting to serve!  This Cheese & Bacon Christmas Tree is perfect for holiday entertaining, and also a fabulous idea for a north woods or outdoor themed party.  

​Since I posted this recipe last year, it is one of most requested!

With a name like "Snowflakes & Coffeecakes", you know that it is ALWAYS going to be about the snowflakes!  And today was the most wonderful baking day...making my favorite Gingerbread Snowflakes while all the kids were in school, there was snow falling outside my French patio doors the entire day, and Christmas music was playing in the background.  I think I was singing and smiling all day long!

​Everyone absolutely ADORES Gingerbread Snowflake Cookies!  Loaded with flavor that comes from butter, brown sugar, molasses, ginger, cloves, allspice and cinnamon - these are one of those rare cookies that actually gets softer and more flavorful after a couple of days!  And with the slightest sheen of Easy Royal Icing and a sprinkling of white sparkling sugar?  These are as beautiful as a real snowflake!

These sweet little Brownie Candy Cane Cookies taste even more wonderful than they look!  Chewy, fudgy brownie cookies made fresh from scratch, and then filled with a silky smooth peppermint white chocolate filling and sprinkled with some elf pixie dust - crushed candy canes!  I've made Peppermint Bark Brownie Bites, Peppermint Meltaway Cookies, Double Chocolate Peppermint Bark, White Chocolate & Peppermint Chocolate Sugar Cookies, and Ultimate Grasshopper Cookies, and my kiddos still can't get enough chocolate and peppermint! 

Is your house starting to fill with excitement?  Everyone seems to be counting down the days until Christmas finally arrives, and my holiday baking is in full swing.  At least it was, until I discovered that we've had some serious candy cane thievery going on!  Our little ones absolutely LOVE candy canes - and they discovered my secret stash! 

More wonderful than a cup of hot cocoa, these delicious Hot Cocoa Cookies are everything in a cookie that you least expect!  Thick and chewy milk chocolate cookies, stuffed with milk chocolate chips and topped with melted mini-marshmallows, and finally drizzled with even more milk chocolate....these disappear so fast!

We interrupt this sub-arctic weather and wind to bring you some WINTER FUN!  This is our FOURTH snow day of the year!  Snowmobiles are flying thru the backyard, and the kids are anxious to go sledding on their new sleds.  When the weather's this cold (and isn't it always in winter?), you might as well get out and enjoy it!  And when everyone comes back in and peels off their snowy jackets, snowpants, boots and mittens, this Mama is going to have the fireplace roaring and some warm Hot Cocoa Cookies waiting!

​Who doesn't love melt-in-your-mouth almond shortbread cookies, but even more so with a little bit of sugar plums thrown in for magic!  Sugar Plum Shortbread Cookies are perfect for holiday teas or Christmas cookie celebrations!  Tender, buttery shortbread with a touch of holiday sugar plum jam...sweet and simple with sweet plums and a touch of citrus makes these perfectly delightful - and loved by all of the sugar plum fairies in the world!

Throw in a Holiday Giveaway and you'll have visions of sugar plums dancing in your head!