Well Tillie, you inspired me to make three large batches of cookies. I don't use recipes but making them all at once is more of a challenge than years past. I made ginger cookies, peanut butter/oatmeal, and something I invented with pineapple, raw coconut, macadamia nuts and what I call my standard cookie dough which is very similar to the toll house recipe dough. I put the three batches of dough in the refrigerator and will make them on Christmas day. My brother's older daughter (55) and her husband will be visiting for a few days. I had an organic turkey in my freezer that I took over to their condo this morning. Then I went to the Farmers' market where I found some huge organic strawberries (it's strawberry season in Florida) and some "Holiday Grapes" from California. I discovered the grapes about ten years ago. The season for them is very short so we get them from Thanksgiving to Christmas. They are the size of a small plum and as sweet as sugar. They are my brother's favorite fruit so it'll be a real treat for him.
Tomorrow I'm driving to Winter Park Whole Foods (can you believe the nearest Whole Foods is an hour away from me, probably more now that I'm on the beachside.) Anyway I ordered a beef tenderloin platter and some sandwich wraps. I used to always cook a beef tenderloin roast on Christmas Eve but you can't find one over here without a bunch of chemicals or antibiotics so I'm doing the Whole Foods trip. Whole foods does is right. They don't overcook the beef. I have a funny audiobook to listen to on the trip.
Back in the day I would spent three days non-stop cooking for Christmas. Everything from scratch, including bread. In retrospect, most of the time I was manic and, after Christmas, I would crash. I always lost weight at Christmas and during the holiday season because I was in perpetual motion. But it was great having three weeks off from work for faculty. I have no regrets leaving public accounting and going into higher ed. Traded money for time and it was so worth it.
Well, I'm a bartender's worst nightmare because I'm the one doing all the talking. I will leave a large tip....promise.