Saturday, December 13, 2008

Peeking inside the cookie plate sack, here is an edible gift ready to deliver! The one who receives it can fill the center with cookies and serve it during the holiday.

What is it? Why it is a Christmas Cookie Wreath - made from cornflakes, marshmallows, and green food coloring
Moments ago it was a green good stirred up and ready to add to cornflakes
Melted marshmallows - should look like this below:

Ingredients all set out and ready to go . . . recipe and explanation to follow . . .  


Edible Christmas Cookie Platter Wreath Border
It is Christmas cookie baking season - fire up your ovens ladies and gentlemen!
A sweet friend of mine came to my home one year to make my Christmas gift in my kitchen. She asked me to have a platter out and a bowl. She arrived with a sack of food items and went to work making the traditional cornflake wreath cookies but instead of making all the individual cookies she made one huge wreath as a border on a round platter to use as a lovely and edible cookie display. I loved it! She gave us a new tradition from her family's tradition. 
Each year I make one for our home and after a Christmas Cookie exchange with friends, I sort through and prepare a tin of cookies for a couple of people I know never have baked goods anymore and I make a platter for my own family. It is colorful, inviting, and encourages more times of talking with a cup of Christmas tea and a cookie after work, when a friend stops by, etc.
So, as I made my first one today to take to the hostess of our cookie exchange I thought I would snap a few photos with my iPhone as I made it. So step 1, 2, 3 here it is for all its worth. May it add a tradition to your family - can easily be done with kids adding the little red cinnamon red hot candies as 'berries' and putting on the bow.
*a tip, spray Pam on your hands as you shape the wreath, spoon on big spoonfuls of the cornflake mixture and shape it bit by bit, easy as can be*
Recipe:
1/2 cup butter or margarine
4 cups mini-marshmallows (40 large)
1 teaspoon green food coloring
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups corn flakes
Red hot candies

Zap butter and marshmallows for 1 minute, stir, 1 minute, stir, 1 minute, stir, then 30 seconds until the mixture is becoming a bit clear. Stir in the food coloring, vanilla extract, and corn flakes. Stir gently and well until cornflakes are evenly coated. Drop by heaping serving spoons around the edge of your round platter, spray your hands with Pam or oil them and then shape it gently. Now add red hot candies while the mixture is still warm, these are you 'berries'. Wash your hands and add your bow. Let it cool to set up and then wrap it and deliver it. Keep covered and in a cool place. Enjoy!

(I have made half sized ones on regular plates to give to couples so its not so overwhelming.)

As we bake and cook up storms think about the city of Bethlehem where Christ was born. "Why?", you ask. Because Bethlehem means 'city of bread' So as we bake breads, cakes, cookies, etc. we can think of that little town, chosen by God as the specific place on the entire earth for His Son to be born. The Word made flesh, Who dwelt among us. His Words are sweet to my taste, they weren't always so, but they became so as God's Holy Spirit gave me understanding as well as enjoyment. My prayer for you, precious reader, is to find His Word your life, your true food, your joy, and the sweetness for your day.

Truth For Life
How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119:103


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