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Smelling Salts Journal

2021 To-Do List [100 A to Z]

10th Anniversary New Year’s Eve Film Bestival

New York City Black and White Cookies

Vanillekipferl : Vanilla Crescent Moon Cookies

A fabulously stylish woman I follow on social media recently posted a photo from a “German baking book that most German people know who were born in the 80s:” a crescent shaped shortbread cookie called “Wiener Vanillekipferl.” I was so bowled over by its beautiful lunar shape and the promise of vanilla-nutty deliciousness, I decided…

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Merry Christmas 2020

Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas! Below you'll find a list of all of our doings during Advent 2020. SSJ’S Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies Have Yourself a Merry Local Christmas: ...

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SSJ’S Classic Christmas Eve Checklist 2020

Christmas Eve Checklist 2020 □ Take the dog for a long walk □ Hot chocolate and morning hot toddies□ Make place cards for the dinner table□ Top up the Christmas cookies □ Sing holiday ...

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Keto Cannoli Bûche de Noël

This is a grain-free, white-sugar-free version of my own original Cannoli Bûche de Noel recipe from a few years back. I didn't change much aside from the type of sweeteners I use [Swerve products for ...

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Advent Day 23, 2020: Make a Classic Bûche de Noël

This year, we're going back to the basics and making one of our favourite Bûche de Noël recipes. Will it be the old school Classic Chocolate Bûche de Noël with Coffee Cream from the 1970s or one of ...

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Advent Day 22, 2020: Give the Gift of Buzzing Bees Via Plan Canada

Today, we're giving the gift of a beehive via Plan Canada Gifts of Hope. Business is buzzing for youth-driven family farms in El Salvador, where Canadians’ gifts of buzzing bees have helped more ...

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Advent Day 21, 2020: Two-Colour Linocuts

Today, we're going to make two-colour linocuts [in holiday colours]. I'm leaving this one to my spouse to organize, because print-making is his specialité! For this project, we will use linoleum ...

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Advent Day 20, 2020: Giant Crossword and Cookie-Baking Marathon

Yesterday, I grabbed a copy of the Globe & Mail for its Giant Holiday Crossword. And, today, we'll get started. It's also our Christmas Cookie Baking Marathon. So, we'll have lots of treats to eat ...

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Classic Thumbprint Cookies

Our annual holiday cookie baking marathon wouldn't be complete without one very "retro" recipe to add to our cookie collection. Here's my updated take a childhood favourite: Classic Thumbprint ...

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Advent Day 19, 2020: Dr. Rosey’s Eggnog Extravaganza

Today's a special day for me! At 7:30 pm, give or take a few minutes, I will have been married as long as unmarried to the best partner in the world! [He's a few years older than me, so I've reached ...

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The Perfect Eggnog Cocktail for One

Last year....Was it just last year? It feels like ages past!...I received the secret eggnog recipe from a restaurant I [used to] frequent and whose cocktails are outstanding. I've since made changes ...

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[Eggnog] Panettone French Toast

Here's a revised recipe for Panettone French Toast (whose original first appeared on my retired website, The Lunchbox Season), with an option for Eggnog Panettone French Toast! Enjoy! ...

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Advent Day 18, 2020: Dinner & Star Wars in the Living Room [with Take Out Fish & Chips]

For the past several years, we've managed to nab opening-night tickets for whichever Star Wars franchise movie releases in December. We've gone for dinner at a new restaurant. Then, we've caught the ...

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Advent Day 17, 2020: Ladies Annual Christmas Market Luncheon, But Make It At Home

It's An At-Home Ladies Holiday Luncheon! Bea and I are usually having our annual trip to the Toronto Christmas Market about now. We browse the stalls, pick up last minute gifts, ride the Ferris ...

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Advent Day 16, 2020: “The Kringlewood Alternative,” Sketch Our House, With or Without an Inflatable Santa

Tonight, we sketch our house, with or without a giant inflatable Santa! Usually, on this Wednesday in Advent, we'd be attending our daughter's high school holiday concert [this year would be her ...

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Advent Day 15, 2020: Breathe Deep and Make a Donation to Cystic Fibrosis Canada

Today, we're going out for a winter walk and making a donation to Cystic Fibrosis Canada. How will you make a difference? ...

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Advent Day 14, 2020: Festive Canning and Label Design

Today, we'll create labels for the Chunky Caramel Apple Jam we made in November AND for the quadruple batch of Whiskey Fig Cranberry Sauce we'll whip up today. Below, you'll find reprints of both ...

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Advent Day 13, 2020: Design, Bake, and Build a Gingerbread Structure

Today, we will design, bake, and build a gingerbread structure. Will it be an enormous Victorian? The Al Purdy A-Frame? An Airstream? The Guggenheim? A Replica of our Home? Can't wait to find ...

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Advent Day 12, 2020: Winterize the Song of the Summer and Make it Sound Like a “Classic”

Every year, we either write our own original Christmas tunes or "Winterize" the Song of the Summer. This year, it's a little bit harder to identify a clear winner for the role of "Song of the Summer ...

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Advent Day 11, 2020: Holiday Film Noir with Black and White Cookies

Tonight, we're watching Film Noir set over the Christmas Holidays, and we're making Black and White Cookies. Which films? We're still trying to choose one film from the 1940s: Christmas ...

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Advent Day 10, 2020: Thursday “Fryday,” Skillet Fried Chicken, Crullers, and Candy Bars

Since we had so much success last year conquering our "fear of frying" during Advent, we're having a special "Fry Day" once again this year. We'll make Clementine's Crullers and Skillet Fried Chicken ...

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Advent Day 9, 2020: Family Book Exchange, “The Classics”

It's Our Annual Advent Family Book Exchange! Today, we'll draw names from a hat and purchase a book for a family member from a local shop or delivery service. [Actually, we did this ahead of ...

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Advent Day 8, 2020: Support Forests Ontario

Today, we'll lend our support to Forests Ontario by making a donation in memory of the many loved ones we have lost in the last decade. We support this organizations mission "to be the voice of ...

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Welcome to Smelling Salts! I'm Roseanne, and this is where I record my best recipes, take notes on arts, culture, and style, and write essays about what keeps me going.
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