We are back from Disney World and exhausted! As soon as we got back into town, we had to leave again to cheer our team on to victory! So glad we didn't miss out on that. Today we had our supper club, and all we took were the drinks. I would have loved to make something, but I just couldn't find the time. Now, we are trying to get back into our regular routine, in addition to trying to decorate for Christmas. It has been raining here this afternoon and we didn't want to bring home a wet tree, so we have put that off for one more day. Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow because I am really ready to put our tree up! The Dish Washer is Clark Griswold when it comes to lights on a Christmas tree. I love it! We usually have to plug the lights into a surge protector.
We ate a lot at Disney, but nothing out of the ordinary as far as junk food is concerned. (Well, I guess the deep fried snickers I had counts as extraordinary!) I did get to see the cheerleaders come down the street for the parade. The group was much smaller than I remembered it being twelve years ago. The crazy thing is a little girl that I used to babysit was in it this year, so reliving the glory days didn't work...I felt really old!
Now that Christmas is right upon us, 'tis the season for goodies!! I first had this when I was working in a retirement community. We made it for the residents one day and it was so incredibly easy and good. I've even thought it would make a good tea/after dinner mint.
Candy Cane Bark
1 package almond bark (Cand-i-Quick)
1 box candy canes, unwrapped and finely crushed
Melt almond bark according to package directions. Mix in crushed candy canes and pour onto wax paper in a thin layer to cool. Break into small pieces and package.
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One year at church we had a Christmas program called "Candy Cane Lane." I was Candy Cane Jane! Anyway, our director gave us a framed copy of the story of the candy cane. Here it is:
"The Candymaker's Witness"A candy maker in Indiana wanted to make candy that would be a witness, so he made the Christmas candy cane. He incorporated several symbols for the birth, ministry and death of Jesus Christ.
He began with a stick of pure white, hard candy: white to symbolize the virgin birth and the sinless nature of Jesus, and hard to symbolize the Solid Rock, the foundation of the Church and firmness of the promises of God.
The candy maker made the candy in the form of a "J" to represent the precious name of Jesus, who came to earth as our Savior. It could also represent the staff of the Good Shepherd with which He reached down into the ditches of the world to lift out the fallen lambs, who like all sheep, have gone astray.
Thinking that the candy was somewhat plain, the candy maker stained it with red stripes. He used three small stripes for the blood shed by Christ on the cross so that we could have the promise of eternal life.
Unfortunately, the candy became known as the "candy cane" - a meaningless decoration seen at Christmas time. But the real meaning is still there for all who "have eyes to see and ears to hear." We pray this symbol will again be used to witness to the wonder of Jesus and His great love that came down at Christmas.
This is the jar before I added the topper. As you can see, it is very packed. I wouldn't have been able to get nuts in this jar if I tried, so I ended with the chocolate chips in the above recipe. I thought I had some burlap that I was going to use as a topper with some red raffia ribbon, but I couldn't find it when I went looking. I must have used it already to wrap another gift. Luckily, I save all of my scrap fabrics and this was some from when I re-covered my kitchen table chairs. I thought it would pass for this Christmas season.
