Family Book Exchange
An SSJ Advent tradition, today is the day we draw names out of a hat (well, we did that weeks ago) and present each other with a book. Here are the four books we’re presenting and receiving this holiday book exchange, according to the picture, clockwise from top left:
For Bea from Mama: Karin Althaus, Susanne Böller, Florine Stetthaimer: The Great Masters of Art, Hirmer Publishing
For Toby from Bea: Free League Publishing, Death in Space, FreeLeague, Hardcover Game Book
For Mama from Papa: Nigel Slater, The Christmas Chronicles [a hardback to replace the e-book, it’s just that good]
For Papa from Toby: Sam Wallman, Our Members Be Unlimited: A Comic About Workers and Their Unions
Italian Leaf Cookies
One of Blaise’s favourite bakery cookies (mine too!) is the pink or green leaf-shaped butter cookie sandwiched with tempered chocolate or ganache. These are Italian Bakery Cookies of my childhood. Though, when we were first dating, we used to get them from a bakery in Chicago’s Ukrainian village. It’s been really hard to find a good recipe or tutorial for them in books or online, at least a recipe for a cookie that doesn’t need to be piped instead of rolled and cut. So, I came up with my own! We’ll be making a fresh batch today.
Click Here for the Recipe for SSJ’S Italian Leaf Cookies
ON THIS DAY
2022: Learning Day and Lazy Night
2021: Ladies Luncheon & Distillery Winter Village
2020: “The Kringlewood Alternative,” Sketch Our House, With or Without an Inflatable Santa
2019: Glam Cans 2019
2018: Hallmark-Style Christmas Movie Spoof
2017: Christmas Cookie Marathon
2016: Dinner and Rogue One, A Star Wars Story
2015: Random Act of Kindness Day
2014: Tonic Tuesday: Donate to the Daily Bread Food Bank
2013: Fill a Pantry! Donate to the Daily Bread Food Bank
2012: Read & Illustrate The Winter’s Tale, Act IV
2011: Festive After-School Spa
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