Holidailies 23

I think this may be my most difficult-to-photograph ornament. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to take a picture of this one. Laura gave it to me a few years ago, and boy, was I happy to see it when I unpacked my ornaments this year. That little black cat! It's another Tannenbaum Shoppe alumnus, hand-painted in Austria.

Here's a tip: the shopping on eBay is great right now. I often find that on Christmas nobody else is bidding, and I can get real steals. Is that weird? If it is, I don't care! A little while ago I got a great set of Bavarian cross stitch patterns that I'd never even seen before. I was the only bidder!

And finally... I just made divinity for the first time in my life! My mom makes it almost every year, and I love it so much, but I've always been intimidated by the need for a candy thermometer and the effect humid weather can have on it. But this month it was one of the cover recipes in Cooking Light magazine, and I figured -- if it's on the cover of Cooking Light, how hard could it really be? So, it's setting up downstairs, and we'll find out soon whether I did it right or not. Cross your fingers!


Click to enlarge these photos.

1. Water and sugar. Boil to 250F.
2. Eggs -- but you only use the whites.
3. Pecans, toasted.
4. Yum!