Cookies! (or shall we say “biscuits”) What could be better? Read on: there is a $150 prize at stake! But first, my cookie.
Bourbon Balls
This is a simple no-bake cookie sure to add some zing to your holiday platter. Kentucky Bourbon balls or rum balls are as yummy as they are easy to make.
Dry Ingredients
- 1 pound vanilla wafers
- 1 pound toasted pecans and/or walnuts finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons powdered sugar (optional)
Wet ingredients
- 1/2 cup honey (light corn syrup is optional but I prefer honey)
- 2/3 cup bourbon, rum, brandy, Cognac or 1/3 bourbon and 1/3 rum
Enough powdered sugar to coat
Instructions
- Combine dry ingredients
- Combine wet ingredients
- Form into 1″ balls
- Roll balls in powdered sugar to coat
- Put in a covered container, refrigerate, and let stand for 24 hours
- Can be left in an airtight container at room temperature after that if you prefer.
Saint Nicholas and My Shoes
One advantage of being an army kid is the opportunity to experience a great diversity of people, cultures, and customs. Sometimes new ones “stuck.” One was Saint Nicholas Day.
At seven I had never experienced it, but I quickly caught on to the benefit of leaving ones shoes in a prominent place by my bedroom door on the evening of December 6. Waking up on the 7th, the Saint’s feast day they would be full of chocolates, small gifts and other treats. I suspect I never did believe the goodies came from a bishop and his Moorish sidekick, but I set out my shoes every year, almost to my teens.
One year a German family invited us over on the 6th. It was a family with one son, the youngest child who was rather spoiled. The others were teen girls. Good food, good company–and a “surprise” visit from Saint Nicholas. The old gentleman had kind words form the well-behaved little American girl (me), but he laid into the little boy with some harsh words. I got a little bag of treats. He got a lump of coal! I am pretty sure he made out pretty well by the next morning, but the visit of Saint Nick probably may have scared him into improving his behavior.
Saint Nicholas’s feast is celebrated throughout northern Europe, with variations. Gifts may appear in stockings as well as shoes, or under pillows. He may or may not be accompanied by “Black Peter,” scourge of naughty children. Our own Santa Claus evolved from customs the Dutch brought to New Amsterdam surrounding Sinter Klaas who came to visit riding on a horse.
Who was Nicholas, really? He was originally a Catholic saint, renowned in particular for his generosity to the poor, who lived in the 4th century. The most famous story was of his anonymous gift of dowries for a family of three girls in danger of being sold into prostitution. (!!) He may have given all his wealth away upon being elevated to bishop and the dowry story may have happened before or after that. By the middle ages he was widely venerated. He is the patron saint of Russia and Greece, and as well of both sailors and children.
After the Reformation, particularly in the protestant Germanic countries, Catholic trappings fell away with their religious elements, and the symbol of childhood joy and generosity celebrated in our secular world gradually evolved.Saint Nicholas’s feast is celebrated throughout northern Europe, with variations. Gifts may appear in stockings as well as shoes, or under pillows. He may or may not be accompanied by “Black Peter,” scourge of naughty children. He may be walking, leading a donkey, or riding a white horse. Our own Santa Claus evolved from customs the Dutch brought to New Amsterdam surrounding Sinter Klaas who came to visit riding on such a horse.
The Historical Romance Holiday Cookie Exchange
- Visit each link on the list below, which will take you to each historical author’s FB page, web site, Amazon page, or Bookbub page.
- Discover the cookie each author has on their landing page.
- Collect the name of the cookie from each listed author. Try some of these wonderful recipes.
- e-mail the complete list of authors and their candies to Heather@HeatherMcCollum.com.
- Put Historical Romance Authors Are So Sweet in the subject line.
- The list must be turned in by 11:59 PM ET on December 18.
- One grand prize winner, of a $150 gift card, will be selected randomly from those who collected and turned in the list of authors and their candies.
Historical Romance Holiday Cookie Exchange Hop – December 12-18, 2022
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Name |
Author Links |
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Alanna Lucas |
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Anna St.Claire |
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Bianca Blythe |
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Caroline Warfield |
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Celeste Barclay |
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Deb Marlowe |
https://www.debmarlowe.com/historical-holiday-cookie-hop.html |
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E. Elizabeth Watson |
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Eliza Knight |
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Gina Conkle |
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Heather McCollum |
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Jane Charles |
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Janna MacGregor |
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Kate Robbins |
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Katherine Bone |
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Katherine Grant |
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Kathryn Le Veque |
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Lori Ann Bailey |
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Madeline Martin |
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Michelle McLean |
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MK Robert |
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Nicole Locke |
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Rachel Ann Smith |
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Ruth A. Casie |
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Sabrina Jeffries |
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Samantha Grace |
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Sandra Sookoo |
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Tammy Andresen |
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Tara Kingston |
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Terri Brisbin |
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Tracy Sumner |
That’s it! While you’re there please like, follow on BookBub, or sign up for a newsletter if you wish to stay up to date on our new releases and author happenings.
