Chocolate Crinkles

Happy New Year, to all my blogger friends...(not excluding readers who may not comment)...equal time to all!
Hope you all had a wonderful, and safe New Year's celebration...as we also did! This post may seem like a 'forgotten' or an 'after thought' post of my Chocolate Crinkles...but let me assure you that it is not a forgotten post of these lovely cookies that everyone loves around the Christmas holidays!

Chocolate Crinkles
recipe source: Gold Medal Flour

• 1/2cup vegetable oil
• 4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled
• 2cups granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 4eggs
• 2 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
• 2teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2cup powdered sugar

Directions

• 1
  In large bowl, mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt. Cover; refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• 2
  Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.
• 3
  Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat and shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.
• 4
  Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

I find it a little odd to be posting a Christmas cookie (now, that Christmas is over) Chocolate Crinkles are so popular here in the U.S. and all over the world by now, I assume. They are so attractive with the light and dark contrast, and most certainly perfect for an interesting addition to a cookie tray or for serving by themselves, any time of the year!

I did not have a Christmas tree at my small beach condo apartment; but at my daughter Lora's they have a beautiful live and tall tree every year, and I spent time just about every day there to enjoy the holiday festivities, especially at City Place!



Christmas @ City Place...West Palm Beach, Florida
Friends, and Family, on Christmas Day Celebration!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Photo; courtesy of PINTEREST

The Blessings of Peace

The Beauty of Hope

The Spirit of Love

The Comfort of Faith

May these be your gifts...this Christmas Season.

 

 

 

Good will, Success and happiness be with you,

this Christmas!

 

Wishing you all, a very Merry Christmas!

Hugs,
Elisabeth

 



 

'Should Old Acquaintance Be Forgot?'...Happy New Year!

Harry: What does this song mean? My whole life, I don't know what this song means. I mean, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot'? 
 Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances, or does it mean if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot?

Sally: Well, maybe it just means that we should remember that we forgot them or something. Anyway, it's about old friends.

A little history about Auld Lang Syne...from Wikipedia
"Auld Lang Syne" (Scots pronunciation: [ˈɔːl(d) lɑŋˈsəin]: note "s" rather than "z")^[1] is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788^[2][3] and set to the tune of a traditional folk song (Roud # 6294). It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world; its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight. By extension, it is also sung at funerals, graduations and as a farewell or ending to other occasions. The international Boy Scout youth movement, in many countries, uses it as a close to jamborees and other functions.
The song's Scots title may be translated into English literally as "old long since", or more idiomatically, "long long ago",^[4] "days gone by" or "old times". Consequently "For auld lang syne", as it appears in the first line of the chorus, might be loosely translated as "for (the sake of) old times".
 

 ...Scene from my favorite holiday movie....When Harry Met Sally-Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal (1989)...at the stroke of midnight!
 (I loved all the 80's and 90's love stories with Meg Ryan w/happy endings...don't we all love 'happy endings?)

Well my dear friends, here we are at the 'wind down' of 2012...we survived the 'foretold' Mayan earth destruction, and we will survive many other disasters...just having faith in God and one-another!

While some of you friends are already celebrating New Year's Day with loved ones and friends...we are still counting down the clock for midnight. As for me, getting adjusted to seeing the way I see; for right now...'it is what it is!'...just have to wait out the months of seeing better. Just was not in the 'spirit' of celebrating...although I also had the invitation of going to dinner at my son-in-law's restaurant; instead, I am happy to stay with my little grandson, and watch 'When Harry Met Sally' for the umpteenth time!

You have all been so kind to me with your heartwarming and encouraging lovely comments...I just feel like a 'schmuck' now for not commenting on your blogs...which I plan to do so very soon!

Our holiday season this year has not been one of the best, my ex-husband (Lora's dad) has been in the hospital since Christmas day and will be coming home after New Year's ...and he is still not well, and will be needing 'round the clock' nurse care for a couple weeks...so, it's never a dull moment, but then; I'm still hopeful that all will be well, and things will start out positive and happy in the New Year. 
 

Wishing you a Happy New Year...in health, prosperity, and good fortune, in the coming year!
Love,
Elisabeth

 
  

Chocolate Chip Granola Banana Bread

What better way to end the Old Year,  than to snuggle up with a comfy little throw blanket, watch re-runs on T.V...
or if you're a thrifter like me, get some VCR movies for 69 cents at Goodwill, or if you're lucky, you can get DVD's for $2.99, and get some real good ones, if they're even available. One great VCR movie I still cherish, and like to watch it on New Year's Eve is "When Sally Met Harry" It's from the 80's and I love the 80's classics. There's a quote in there that makes you think,

"What does this song mean? My whole life, I don't know what this song means. I mean, 'Should old acquaintance be forgot'? Does that mean that we should forget old acquaintances, or does it mean if we happened to forget them, we should remember them, which is not possible because we already forgot?"

I'm certain this has happened to a few of us, over the course of time..."old acquaintance forgotten"...not by choice, it's just how life takes a different turn. Everybody has something in their life that sometimes they just don't wish to share with others, so they fade away from sight, meaning...they would rather not be "acquainted" with you. I think it has a lot to do with the economy changing, location, jobs, family, relationships, so it's easier for them not to share things with you, or not wanting to divulge information, that might change your friendship...instead, ending it is the better option...sigh!

So, make yourself a nice hot cup of your favorite herb tea, and have a nice piece of banana bread...as for me and my family, I like to add chocolate chips, not just in the mix, but sprinkle them on top of the bread.

Just as with my cheesecake which I have memorized the recipe, which is so basic, so as the banana bread. It turns out perfect every time. You can of course, omit the chocolate chips, and add nuts, and raisins, or dried cranberries,but always add dried fruits, and not chopped fresh ones. The mashed ripe, (not overripe) bananas add the moisture, and any other ingredients other than the chocolate chips, nuts raisins or dried fruits will make it too wet, and it will not rise properly. I added half a cup of granola to it, knowing that it's dry and will even give it a better flavor, and make it healthy.  The baking time is done to a science, I promise you this is another "tried and true" over, and over again recipe. Recipe, to follow!