Christmas 2008

Wake Up Chi Chi, it's Christmas.

I thought I would share what Christmas looked like at our house this year. The only kids we had at home this year were the dogs. They each had their own stocking. Chi Chi got the biggest stocking. Yup! Spoilt dog!

One of our Christmas trees is decorated with Delft Blue Ornaments that we got when we were in Holland. My husband served a mission there so we like to go back there to visit and we decorate this tree as a reminder of those times.

Another of our trees is a tradition from both of our families. It is a Silver Pom Pom Christmas Tree. We don't put lights on the tree because that would be a fire hazard but they have a color wheel that is put under the tree that shines the colors up into the tree and shines that color in the tree. I love to sit at night and watch the tree change colors. It is very pretty and relaxing. Here it is with the red shining on it.

This is our other dog "Simba." He is also spoilt and runs the family with "Chi Chi." He could smell the treats in the stocking and was trying to figure out how to get them out.

I like to make little scenes out of the decorations around the house.

Fasnachskuchlein Making

Today was our family Christmas party. We follow an old tradition of making "Fasnachtsküchlein."



Everyone has to try saying fasnachtskuchleins with the guttural throat sound. They are the Swiss carnival cookie. They are also called "Chnüblätz" as we pronounce it -Kneeblates. They are nick named Kneeblates because you can stretch them over your knee. They are a traditional treat made at Christmas or Carnival.

First we mix the dough and knead it and then divide it into small balls. Then the balls are rolled really thin.



After rolling them thin we take them and stretch them until they are almost see thru. Small holes are good because they make it more crisp when fried.



The Fasnachtskuchleins are laid out on dish towels in layers to dry for about an hour before frying.



We use a deep frying pan to fry them in vegetable oil. The trick is to fry them fast but not get them too brown. We use special paddles to turn them during frying.



The next step is to take a shaker and more than cover the fasnachs in granulated sugar.



We made 3 batches that made 22 plates of 8 each. Each family gets to take home a plate to eat.



The recipe that we use is
1 tsp. salt
2 cups of sugar
6 eggs
6 cups of flour

Mix everything but the flour and then gradually add the flour. Let it mix until well kneaded. We use a bosh type mixer