Cream Puff Christmas Tree

This is what we will be singing on Christmas Eve.

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,

Such pleasure do you bring me!

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,

Such pleasure do you bring me!

For every year this Christmas tree,

Brings to us such joy and glee.

Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree,

Such pleasure do you bring me!

These lyrics are very timely for a Christmas tree such as this!

Doug, you have done it again.

What a beautiful tree.

The tree was made by stacking 2 boxes (totaling 168 cream puffs) into a Christmas tree shape.

We did manage to sample a few along the way.

The "glue" to hold the cream puffs together was a simple ganache made of 1 cup of chocolate chips, 1/3 cup of sweetened condensed milk and 2 tbsp. of maraschino cherry juice melted on the stovetop.

 Doug is melting the chocolate chips, sweetened condensed milk, and maraschino cherry juice.

Doug's helpers are assembling. 

Madi, Graham, and Ceci.

This is Madi's first blog experience.  She is doing great for being 8 months old.

Ceci is 20 months old.

Graham is 6 years old.

 You can construct this tree by making your own cream puffs,

or buying them.

I think it is easier and much faster to buy them.

(Back in the day Doug has made his own cream puffs.)

 One of his sous chef's jobs is to sample the cream puffs for quality control.

They pass the test!

 You build a solid base and just keep adding...

around 160 of them.

 Graham loves to cook.

 Madi & Graham.

 Camden is ready to help Grandpa.

 Dane and Spencer are building another kind of project.

 Hi, Liz!

 Ready for the maraschino cherry ornaments and star topper.

Aiden made the star topper ornament.

Camden can't wait until dessert time at dinner!

 The boys built a wind tower in honor of Garrett.

 Graham, Camden, Grandpa Doug, Madi, Duncan, and Aiden

 All 8 grandkids.

Dane, Graham, Spencer,Camden, Grandpa Doug, Madi, Aiden

and Kevin, Ceci, & Duncan in second row.

Assorted Christmas photos.

 Grandpa and Camden

 Evie & Ceci

Grandma & Grandpa with Camden.

 Garrett & boys.

 The gift of Madi.

Liz & Madi

 Liz & Madi

 Madi & Duncan

Madi & Ceci

 White Christmas

 Graham

 Ceci

 Ceci at 20 months old.

Evie at 15 months old.

 Graham's tree pose in front of tree.

Doug is singin' do-wah diddy-diddy down diddy-do.

 Spencer's tree pose.

Spencer, Ceci, Graham, Dane

Merry Christmas!

This was the year that Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens was released...
Grandpa took the family as a special treat to see this!

Grandma & Duncan

Duncan and Garrett

It's all about family and sharing the gift of Jesus Christ as

we celebrate His birth.

Christmas Cranberry Swirl Bread

Christmas is here and I offered to bring the bread for our family 

Christmas Eve Dinner.

The perfect bread for such an occasion is a festive

Cranberry Swirl Bread.

There are several recipes on Pinterest for this bread.
There is also a version of this from Taste of Home from Darlene Brenden.
I modified the bread part of the recipe by using frozen bread dough
 instead of making my own bread.
This makes it very fast and easy and it still looks fabulous!
The cranberry swirl makes this bread irresistible!

I started with a frozen leaf of yeast bread and let it rise according to the package directions.

Cranberry Filling 
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh cranberries
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

In a sauce pan, I prepared the delicious cranberry filling.

Combine cranberries, brown sugar, cornstarch and water. 

Cook over medium heat until mixture thickens and cranberries burst, 10-15 minutes. 

Remove from heat and stir in butter, lemon juice and walnuts, cool.

TOPPING:
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon cold butter.

 In a small bowl, combine flour and sugar; cut in 1 tablespoon butter until crumbly.

Punch down the dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 10×20 inch rectangle. Spread the filling to within 1/2 inch of edges. 

Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. 

 Transfer, seam side down, to a greased 9×5 inch loaf pan, 

arranging in a zigzag fashion to fit. 

 Melt 1 tablespoon butter; brush over dough. 

Sprinkle with crumb mixture. 

 Cover with a towel; let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 40 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 350°. 

Bake 40-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Festive and delicious!

All eight of our grandchildren.