Santa will have store-bought cookies

We can't wait, he's almost here. You know who I'm talking about, that magical old man in the red suit. I didn't have time to bake cookies this year so Santa will have to eat store-bought chocolate-covered graham cracker cookies, but I don't think he'll mind.

I don't know what his favorite cookies are. We've tried them all over the years. One year I had one piece of pumpkin pie left over from Christmas Eve dinner and left it out with a can of whipped cream. It was gone in the morning including the whipped cream can.

Christmas morning is difficult when you have small children at home and early church service to attend. It seems every year I have to set the alarm to make sure I am up before Jenee and to make sure I have the camcorder ready to go. This year she is an altar server for the 8 a.m. service so we will have to get up extra early. Sometimes I wonder why I go to bed at all.

Christmas Day we will go to my mother's house (Dad's too) for turkey dinner with all the local relatives. I am trying a new recipe that I thought was the best use of broccoli: 2 pounds of frozen broccoli, thawed; a 10-ounce can of cream of mushroom soup; 1 medium onion, diced; 1 pound cheddar cheese, 2 eggs, salt and pepper to taste. You mix it all in a bowl and then fold it into a casserole pan and cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle a sleeve of Ritz crackers crushed on top, bake an additional 10 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes before serving. To die for. Thanks, Carole.

One more quick recipe I just heard about: Melt a large chocolate bar and coat a graham cracker crust. Fill the pie shell with thawed pumpkin ice cream (found it at Smith's). Freeze it again, top it with Cool Whip and cinnamon. Oh man, time to head for the gym.

This year I am most anxious for two reasons: first, my second-in-line, Taylor, will be able to call home on Christmas Day. We haven't been able to speak with him since last May when he took off into the wild blue yonder to do missionary work.

Second, the oldest kid Garrett will be home with his fiancee on Jan. 1. I am already planning a menu for each day. It is so wonderful to have so much family around for the holidays.

I hope you and your families have a wonderful holiday season and remember to be safe.

n Lisa Welch is a Johnson Lane resident and can be reached at 267-9350.