Do YOU think #Christmas Is About Enjoying Food Fun With Friends?
I do! 
Thank you for allowing me to digress to a wonderful #Christmas memory which is very special for me to share!
Many, many years ago in a land far away (by now, you know know that is New York lol), I lived in a very, very small town; 11 block by 4 blocks.
It WAS “a place where everybody knew your name”, and no, the local bar (called pubs or hotels in Australia) was not named Cheers!
For my readers unfamiliar with Cheers, it was an American television series that ran from 1982 to 1992; 11 Seasons.
The series took place in the pub Cheers “where everybody knows your name” (also the theme song) and we (as viewers) got to fall in love with the colorful characters of Cliffy the Postman, the on and off love chemistry of Sam and Diane, Carla, the hilarious barmaid/waitress who “told things like it was” (and wished we all could do! lol), Doctor Frasier Crane and one of my favorite characters Normie who was known to enjoy a glass of beer or two! lol
Photo Courtesy Baby Boomer Central
The series was such that viewers “cried” when Coach Ernie the bartender died; he died in real life, so they had to add that to the series.
Everybody remembers WHERE they were when they viewed (and cried) when the last episode aired.
Getting back to my tiny little town where “everybody knew your name.” 
One year, Princess Blue Bloods and I decided we would make cookies for “the community” and deliver “cookie baskets” especially to all the oldies!
I don’t know WHERE I came up with the number, but decided to bake 578 cookies of 8 varieties! 
And so we did! 
“Where did you come up with the number 578?”, I “hear” you say?
I have no clue!
578 cookies were baked and Princess Blue Bloods and I had HEAPS of fun!
It was only ONE of the VERY special things we did that year, making it one of THE BEST #Christmas holiday memories!
Fast forward…with no agenda (or number of cookies) in mind lol, Queen Lou (of #Campeblltown Moonlight Markets 1 and 2 fame lol) and I decided to bake the day away!
Would we bake cookies?
Would we bake cake?
Would it be shortbread, what would would make?
How about chocolate?
It is always fun making when you are waiting for something to bake!
Here is a “snippet” of what we did and how we incorporated using our
Thermomix too!
Anyone remember one of these?
Photo Courtesy of Queen Lou
To me, it looked like a lot of fun and Queen Lou said (if I was nice not naughty or was it naughty, not nice, I can’t remember lol) I could pick the shapes of the cookies!
I S-Q-U-E-A-L-E-D as the cookie dough came O-O-Z-I-N-G out!
I know, HOW old am I? lol
It was only after I picked out the cookie cutter shapes Queen Lou mentioned this cookie cutter was her mum’s who passed away this year; HOW special!
Queen Lou and I made Leslie Gardiner‘s Almond Shortbread for the cookie dough as shared on Facebook.
Getting Thermalina (the name of my Thermomix) involved, we made Bec’s Gingerbread Thermomix for our Gingerbread Cookies and mini Gingerbread cakes!
While we talked and talked and talked (which we BOTH do well), laughed and laughed (again, something else we BOTH have “mastered” lol) and while waiting for the shortbread to bake (forgot to take a photo due to laughing lol), but here is the mold and some of the gingerbread cutters we used!
While “laughing and talking” or was it “talking and laughing” lol, we melted chocolate nibs thanks to our Thermomix; “easy-peasy” to do!
Melting Chocolate
150 grams – 5 seconds; speed 8
then
melt 5 minutes at 50 degrees; speed 1
done!
No constant stirring and Thermalina doesn’t interrupt us while we continue to talk too!
Clean up is a breeze!
Our Chocolate #Christmas Tree!
With cupcakes previously made by Queen Lou (she must have known we would TALK a lot and get distracted too! lol), onto making homemade Thermomix Fondant as posting in the Official Thermomix Forum & Recipe Community.
Look forward to seeing what I do with Fondant I do in the New Year!
With cupcakes in the freezer and Thermomix Mini Christmas Puddings done….oh, forgot…I must have gotten distracted! lol
I just HAD to highlight again in today’s post the Steamed Puddings we made on separate days for Herbie’s Spice of the Month; #HerbiesSOTM Mixed Spice; feel free to read more about Queen Lou’s win via #Christmas is All About Steamed Puddings, Custards and Cakes and what it meant to her too!
Queen Lou and I have also learned from all the “talking and laughing,” that not everything recipe always works.
No cookies or cakes were burnt throughout our “talking and laughing!”
I allowed the shortbread to cool down in the mold and “thought” it was going to be as easy as saying, TA-DA, turning it over and beautifully prepared shortbreads were “simply” going to be staring back at me!
Well, um, mmmmmmm, let’s say, I did get MOST of it to TA-DA, but the rest of it sort of crumbled and you should have seen my S-C-R-U-N-C-H-E-D face; perhaps not!
Not to worry, it will be on my list to re-make shortly when this scorcher of Adelaide weather is cooler; as today it is 43C! (109.4F!)
At least I was not the only one as my friend Maureen from Orgasmic Chef had the same problem as me via her Shortbread post!
Lastly, I thought I would share what Queen Lou and I created with Thermomix Every Day White Bread.
Do you now have visions of Father Christmas (won’t be long now) aka Santa Claus in your head?
This was “easy” (seriously) to do and once again, Queen Lou and I enjoying “the creative process” while “laughing and talking” too!
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Do you have a favorite #Christmas cookie?
Do you enjoy baking #Christmas bread?
Do YOU think #Christmas Is About Enjoying Food Fun With Friends?