Finally! an evening with husband gone (he sings in the choir), and
kitchen free. Put the double-recipe of stollen in the bread machine,
set for dough.

Haven't made oatmeal cookies in ages. Found the recipe for the Quaker
Oats ones, and had at it. Recipe says it makes 5 dozen, so I made 2
dozen plain, added a cup of chocolate chips and made another two
dozen, added a cup of walnuts and made another 2 dozen, then another 3
dozen, then another 6,

Every one of them spread out and made a thin lace-like cookie. Mom's
used to come out like little haystacks. Oh well, they taste good<g>.

Still time before the dough is done, so next comes a recipe for benne
wafers. Egg, tablespoon of butter, couple tablespoons of flour, cup
of sugar, 1/2 cup of benne seeds. Drop by the 1/4 teaspoon on greased
sheets. Supposed to make 120 cookies. Got 60. Wasn't surprized that
these spread, there was nothing to hold them together!

Stollen dough is done. Roll it out, add the almond paste, fold and
let rise. Bake. Remove from oven, paint with melted butter and
sprinkle heavily with powdered sugar.

Watch the last third of "it's a wonderful life". Found undone laundry
in the machine. Sigh. Every pleasure has it's price.

maxine in ri