Big Balls or Little Balls ......

 We do not put up a Christmas tree anymore. Nowhere to put one and we have no company coming for the holidays. We are the visitors that go elsewhere. This year, though, my son is coming the day after Christmas. Still, no tree, but we must have cookies, right?

So, I consulted Pinterest and found some recipes for no bake cookies. Lots of cream cheese and powdered sugar, and everything dipped in chocolate. Lots of boozy options. The whiskey laden pecans that soaked overnight, then went into the creamy base are potent! I licked the spoon after I made the little balls to be dipped into melted chocolate. Rum balls still await construction.

I can give you some trivia that might prove useful if you find yourself at a loss for conversation. People may think you are a bit odd when suddenly blurt out, "Did you know that one box of vanilla wafers will yield 3 cups of crumbs?" Well, now you know the rest of the story. What story, your listener might wonder ......

My personal favorite will be the date-nut balls. I always make those around Christmas time. But with no oven at hand there will be no gingersnaps or sugar cookies, much less butter cookie cut-outs to adorn with icing. And no fruitcake. Fruitcake has a bad reputation, but I like it. Not the bars that Claxton sends out for the season, but homemade.

So, three boxes of vanilla wafers await my attention, along with a giant bag of pecans that cost a fortune. Dates and butter, rice cereal and melting chocolate adorn my counter. Cookie sheets are at the ready and my extra fridge is all ready for cooling down all the cookies to be dipped in chocolate. I would ask for assistance from HeWho scans all the information on stoves and ovens, while trying to find a cheap alternative to my wishes, but this would be a bad idea.

I did ask for his assistance when last I made dog treats. I mixed the pumpkin, peanut butter and rolled oats to the right consistency and then began rolling them into bitesize balls for canine mouths. I made a few, then asked him to finish making the balls so I could freeze them individually before putting them into zip lock bags and freezing until needed. He started out okay, but as time progressed, I noticed the balls were getting bigger. I was cooking our evening meal while he did this, and I would turn and look over to measure his progress. I would mention that his balls were too big (ha ha) and to make the remaining ones smaller, like the ones I made. He would do that for a minute or so and then they would get even bigger than the ones I noticed. 

This is why I did not employ his help with the cookies. I am quite sure that Eddie and Bo are comparing the size of their treat to the other dog's treat. This could result in canine mutiny! Toni can't see that well, being an old lady dog with cataracts, she is just content that HeWho maintains his morning ritual of her treat, no matter the size. Just the male species that is concerned with size, right?

Comments

  1. ValDecember 11, 2024 at 4:52 PM

    I suspect that HeWho was trying to get done faster with his "help." At first I thought we were going to read that he ATE some of the dog treats. Not that there's anything wrong with that. The recipe sounds perfectly safe for a human.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kathy's KlotheslineDecember 13, 2024 at 8:10 AM

      I tasted the treats myself. Pretty bland, but the dogs love them. Don't worry that HeWho would try one, they are healthy!

      Delete
  2. Joanne NoragonDecember 11, 2024 at 5:28 PM

    Could you use a stand alone oven? You might even be able to put in your nonfunctional oven.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kathy's KlotheslineDecember 13, 2024 at 8:16 AM

      My preference would be an electric oven with a gas top. But we do not have enough electric power to support an oven. I plan to use this event to further my appeal for an addition to our current 350 square feet. We will need more power for that, and I am suggesting that I am willing to wait until then for a new kitchen that would include a new stovetop, oven and new microwave. New cabinets and countertops, too. Not to say that I would not consider used cabinets that are not particle board covered with a laminate. I can clean sand and paint!

      Delete
  3. Barbara RogersDecember 12, 2024 at 6:17 AM

    Oh those various balls sound deadly and delicious (some for dogs, more for humans!)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kathy's KlotheslineDecember 13, 2024 at 8:18 AM

      I admit that I have indulged in some alcohol laden balls of late. And they were yummy!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Retired!

Image
  Let's see if I did this right! Hopefully I will be able to add some pictures. Only one way to find out .... This is where it all started. On a rainy day in October, 2021. The first view of the rest of our lives. Here he is, the love of my life pondering this property he had proclaimed to be over our budget.  Here is the front view. The drizzling rain makes the house look like it needs a good power wash. Not to worry, we have one. While I am not a big fan of the screen door entry, this can be changed. This is the view that convinced HeWho proclaimed this property to be over the budget I had set to make an offer that very day. You can't see it from this picture, but a trout stream with rushing water hides down below. I will eventually get a good shot when I finally start to make some steps down to the water. We are old and do not want to fall and suffer any broken bones! The area behind the stream is never to be developed. This existing tiny shed will become my sewing room. I ...
Read more

Bittersweet

Image
  While awaiting the newest stove delivery I have been working in my She Shed, but the last several days have been overcast, damp and chilly. This has kept me inside. I tired quickly of Netflix and TV in general. Idle hands make me anxious, so I employed the help of HeWho sits and got down all the boxes of photos to sort. I have been saying I would get to them one day when I had nothing to do ..... Strolling down memory lane with each stack. I kept stopping to text pictures to my kids and laughing with them. Then I hit a stack that made me profoundly sad and happy all at the same time. It was pictures with my sister on a cruise with her friend that became mine, too. We had so much fun despite me being homesick. Here we are departing. The winds were high! This is my sister. My big sister, always ready to take care of me. My only sibling. This is Gloria, partner in crime to my sister's antics when I wasn't around. Three three of us indulged in a rum drink called "the Love Co...
Read more

Final Chapter!

  So, you may recall that the delivery did not happen on Tuesday, but was supposedly changed to Thursday. I was skeptical. I was right to be skeptical. HeWho patiently waits on hold, was told that the stove had yet to arrive from Atlanta. They were unaware that he had been notified by text that the stove had arrived in Murphy the day before ad was ready for pick up. When he confronted the store manager with this bit of information, the excuses began once again. The delivery truck was already out for the day and nothing could be added. The stove did not arrive before 6am and therefore could not be added to the day's deliveries. Judge Judy is apt to tell a witness that if you tell the truth, you don't have a need to remember what you said earlier. Finally, HeWho has had enough! He told the liar on the other end of the phone to cancel the order and refund our credit card. I was listening and can tell you I have never heard such relief in a man's voice as the liar's had. He...
Read more