Heidi Palomino's Christmas Story and Favorite Family Christmas Tradition & Recipes

As we approach what will be a unique Christmas season in a challenging year,

member-on-leave, Heidi Palomino, shares a unique story from Christmas past

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“One of my favorite Christmas memories is when ten of my cousins flew in from out of town (Washington State AND Peru!) when my sister and I were about 8 and 10 years old. It was a dream come true and a total Christmas wonderland. Breakfasts consisted of holiday pancakes, junky cereal, hot coco, there was candy everywhere, and huge dinners were followed by Christmas movies and games. We could not wait for Christmas. In fact the advent calendar was the most important part of the house as we counted down. 

THEN, one unexpected night changed everything. It started with a sniffle here and there from my sister, and then a cough from the baby, and then a sneeze  from my eldest cousin, until before you know it, on Christmas Eve all ten of us cousins had a fevers and we were sick with a flu. You’d think the memory would be awful and miserable, but funnily enough all I remember is being sick with some of my best friends who happened to be my cousins, piled in the living room with blankets and pillows and tea galore while our moms and dads and aunts and uncles were taking care of us; determined to make Christmas wonderful despite the circumstances. 

 I came across a photo of us all not too long ago at that Christmas and we were all ghost white with red watery eyes, clearly very ill, but there was a fondness to that memory. I knew we were miserable, but God didn’t highlight that miserable flu in my memory. He highlighted the memories of being snuggled and comforted and taken care of by family at every turn. To this day, I don’t remember one present I received that year. All I remember is the love and the family that I was surrounded with. 

By God’s grace, everyone was perfectly healthy by the time it was time for my cousins to fly back home, and miraculously, none of the adults got sick. It was a very strange, 24 hour Christmas flu that to this day we all look back on 20 years later and can’t help but chuckle and smile at “The Christmas when all the kids were sick.” 

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From Our Home to Yours

The Palomino Family Christmas Recipes:

So many amazing Christmas Recipes! I have to share two. One form each side of the family. 

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My Mom’s famous Pfeffernusse:
AKA German Spice Cookies

(Not the exact recipe, because you know mom’s and their secret cookie recipes but this one is pretty darn close!)

Prep Time 25 minutes 

Cook Time 15 minutes 

Total Time 40 minutes 

Ingredients

  • ½ c brown sugar

  • ½ c molasses

  • ¼ c salted butter

  • 2 tsp fresh orange zest, (roughly ½ of a large orange)

  • 2 eggs

  • 3 c unbleached all purpose flour

  • ½ tsp cinnamon

  • ½ tsp ground black pepper

  • ½ tsp ground anise

  • ¼ tsp baking soda

  • ½ - 1 c powdered sugar, (for coating)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together the brown sugar, molasses, butter, zest and eggs. Beat until light and creamy.

  2. Add the flour and spices to the wet ingredients. Mix by hand until well combined.

  3. Shape the dough into a ball. (It will be slightly sticky.) Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it overnight. (While not a 100% necessary step, resting allows the flavors to come together and the peppery-ness of the dough to mellow.)

  4. When you are ready to bake your cookies, preheat your oven to 350F.

  5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and shape into 1” balls (roughly 1 Tbsp of dough). (If the dough is too sticky, slightly grease your hands.) Place the dough balls 2” apart on a greased baking sheet.

  6. Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, until puffy and firm to the touch.

  7. Remove the cookies immediately from the baking sheet and let them cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

  8. Place the powdered sugar in a paper bag. Add the cookies 2-3 at a time and toss them in the powdered sugar. (The cookies should be cool enough that the powdered sugar doesn't melt, but warm enough that it slightly sticks.) If necessary, toss the cookies twice in powdered sugar, to get a nice coating.

  9. Return the coated cookies to the wire rack to finish cooling.

  10. Store the pfeffernusse an air-tight container for up to a week.

 

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Tia Vicky’s Flan

Flan. A Classic.
(Again…. My Peruvian Aunt (Tia Vicky) has an amazing recipe that remains a secret, but this one is close!)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup white sugar

  • 3 eggs

  • 1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

  • 1 (12 fluid ounce) can evaporated milk

  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

  2. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt sugar until liquefied and golden in color. Carefully pour hot syrup into a 9 inch round glass baking dish, turning the dish to evenly coat the bottom and sides. Set aside.

  3. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Beat in condensed milk, evaporated milk and vanilla until smooth. Pour egg mixture into baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil.

  4. Bake in preheated oven 60 minutes. Let cool completely.

  5. To serve, carefully invert on serving plate with edges when completely cool.

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