Family Traditions

Okay so I'd like to share some of our family traditions for the holidays.

Cookie making is at the top of the list not because I like to eat them (although I do have this great recipe for cream cheese-walnut cookies that's really yummy) but because I love to give them. Each year we have our "regulars" but we do like to try something new too...thanks Christine for the great cookie recipe! We also like to make fudge and peanut brittle, my mom would always make these around the holidays and it's a great memory I have. This year will be extra special because our family has "uncovered" a forgotten family recipe from my great grandma Poulton for Vanilla Fudge...can't wait to give it a try!

Christmas stories and songs, what is Christmas without stories of Jesus. Along with these stories we mix in some fun ones. One that I remember as a kid is a story called "Trouble at the Inn" by Dina Donohue, who knows if it is a true story but it always brings me to tears and it reminds me of children's innocence.

Christmas eve growing up we would go to my grandma Irwin's home and exchange cousin gifts and that was the only gift we could open before Christmas morning. We would also read the above story along with the stories of Jesus. In our family on Christmas Eve we have Clam Chowder in bread bowls for dinner and our kids get to open gifts from their grandma Debbie and she always makes them the cutest pj's to wear that night. We have added to this by giving the kids a book to read that evening too.

In Chris' family they would wake up Christmas morning to balloons covering the ground and they would always find that the gifts didn't have names but numbers...take a guess as to why and we have taken on this tradition as well. Christmas morning our kids can go through their stockings with or without parental supervision, but they have to wait to open anything that is wrapped and we do it one at a time...poor kids. Dad "plays" Santa and hands out the gifts to each child (Irwin tradition). This year will be especially hard because Chris works Christmas Eve and doesn't get home until 8:30 a.m. if we're lucky. For breakfast we have a couple of traditions, one from the Le Bel side and one from the Irwin side...neither one of us was willing to give in. Chris' family always has cinnamon rolls and my family has strawberry waffles, it actually works out well because if you make the dough for the cinnamon rolls the night before you can just pop them in the oven in the morning and start the morning off with the rolls and after exerting all that energy on opening gifts there are always takers for the waffles. This year we are planning on going to my brother's place Christmas afternoon so that the kids can all play together. Can't wait!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Thanksgiving dishes

I decided to start up a recipe blog, because I am falling behind getting my recipes to people, see blogging fixes everything! Click here to find our family favorite Thanksgiving dishes like our favorite Streuseled Sweet Potato Casserole. If you'd like to check out the full line up of recipes the blog address is http://lebelfamrecipecollection.blogspot.com/. Please leave a comment if you try something out, I'd love to hear what your family thinks. Have a happy Thanksgiving!

Fiesta Time!

When we had the Irwin kids over last week we decided to have a little fiesta dinner. Chris and I made some homemade tortillas and the kids LOVED them.

Here is everyone at the table devouring their dinner. Notice Devin to the left stuffing his mouth full of burrito, if anyone knows Devin they know that he does NOT like tortillas but we found out this particular night that he LOVES homemade tortillas!
Bree taking a moment from her food for a photo.
Ethan escapes from the table regularly, here he is getting ready to make a break for it...can't you see it in his eyes. Here is our tortilla in the making. Chris and I enjoy Mexican night, we always work on it together. One of us rolls the dough while the other cooks the tortillas. This is also a great recipe to get the kids involved, in fact we have 3 rolling pins especially for the kids in our kitchen because of this recipe, the kids just love making their own tortillas. Here is our recipe:

Flour Tortillas

4 c. flour

2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

1 T. dry milk powder

6 T. lard or vegetable shortening

(we use shortening...don't have lard around the house often)

1 1/2 c. hot water

Mix all dry ingredients together and cut in the shortening. Add the water and mix until the dough forms a smooth ball. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 20-30 minutes.

Divide dough into desired size, roll thin and grill on a cast iron skillet over medium heat until golden, then flip.

Note: These tortillas are thicker than the store bought alternative and much tastier.