Happy and Merry and Thumbprint Cookies

This post is dedicated to David... a Yankee who walked into my life on a snowy day and changed it forever.

Thumbprints.. because people leave their mark on our life helping us become our self.

1/4 cup soft shortening
1/4 cup soft butter
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flour (plain)
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg white... (you knew I would not waste it!)
3/4 cup finely chopped nuts
happy thumbs

Cream together the first three ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl sift the flour and salt. Mix the two bowls together. Beat the egg white slightly with a fork.Roll walnut sized balls of dough then dip them in the egg white. Roll the ball then in the nuts. Place on greased cookie sheet about 1 inch apart. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 5 minutes. Remove and gently imprint each with a thumbprint. Place back in the oven for 8 minutes more. When they are cool you can put jelly or other filling in the thumbprint if you want to. It's your imprint... do as you wish!

Today is the eve of the most holy day the year. It is the day set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. Everyone celebrates it in their own way. In our home it is a double celebration. Twenty-six years ago my Yankee and I stood inside a little chapel in North Carolina and promised to love each other forever... in good times and bad, sickness and health, richer or poorer... forever. It was a quiet, private ceremony just for us with only the minister and two witnesses followed by a quiet walk on the beach. We had a more public ceremony for family and friends on January 7 with Marine dress blues, flowing white lace and red roses. We actually celebrate both days... this one quietly privately holding in our hearts what an honor it was for our love to be blessed on this Holy night. Our night on the town will come later.

Happy anniversary, my hero, friend and love... and Merry Christmas to all of you. May you always know that life is a celebration for all of us and sometimes when we start a new chapter in life... it is nothing like we scripted it to be. That has certainly been true for us.

Job 8:21 He will fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

Love,
Nana