Monday, December 12, 2011

COLOR ME RED AND GREEN by Linda S. Glaz


I’m a sucker for Christmas stories. Just saw Christmas Carol at Meadowbrook—again! Never tire of it. Even fruitcake enchants me if it’s my grandmother’s famous fruit bread which is filled with nuts, green and red maraschino cherries, and very little else. So sweet, it melts in your mouth.

Tonight, once we returned home, I put on an old favorite dvd: Marie Osmond and James Wood in The Gift of Love, an adaptation of The Gift of the Magi. Now, this is without a doubt the cheesiest acting you’ll ever see, but if you love real romance, O. Henry knew how to write it. Next will be Hallmark’s, The Christmas Card about a soldier from Afghanistan and a woman whose supposed love is anything but. Before the night’s over, I’ll pull out my very worn copy of Glendon Swartout’s A Christmas Gift, or as originally known, The Melodeon. The story of a young boy being raised by grandparents during the depression, and the story takes place just about an hour from my home here in Michigan. It’s a short, sweet, sappy getcha between the eyes Christmas tale of the true meaning of Christmas. And at last, I’ll get some sleep, but I’m sure there will be a few sugarplums dancing through my dreams.

In a couple days I’ll be making caramel corn for my friends at work, finishing the Christmas cleaning, and FINALLY getting up the Christmas decorations. This year has been a bit of a challenge to get to the normal activities, but I’m not about to let life get in the way of Christmas. It has always been such an important day, this wondrous day of Christ and family.

Well, you’ll have to excuse me, that soldier is about to appear in town, and the girl’s gonna have to make a choice for love or security. Hmmm, what do you suppose she’ll choose?

CARAMEL CORN
5c popped corn
½ c corn syrup
1c butter, yes, a whole cup, this is not for amateurs
1 T vanilla, I love vanilla!
2 c packed brown sugar
dash salt
1/2t baking soda
2 c peanuts

Preheat oven/250 degrees. Place popped corn and nuts into large bowl
Over medium heat, melt butter and brown sugar. Add corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Allow to boil 4 mins without stirring. Remove from heat and stir in soda and vanilla. Pour over popcorn and nuts in a thin stream, stirring to coat.
Bake in large pans, stirring every 15 minutes, for 1 hour. Remove from oven and place on wax paper that has been liberally sprayed with Pam. Allow to cool and break into chunks.
HAPPY EATING…

8 comments:

Rick Barry said...

Linda, many years ago I, too, saw A Christmas Carol at Meadowbrook. Somehow I didn't realize you live in that area. Since then I've moved to Indiana and become a Hoosier, but it's still fun to hear random mentions of the old places near where I grew up!

Linda Glaz said...

Yeah, our daughter and her son are actors, and they had planned to start their theatre company in Chicago, but all their connections are here so they came back to Michigan (and we're so glad they did). They've been doing a lot of work with Meadowbrook. And this year they are husband and wife on stage as well. Nephew Fred and his wife. So they're having a lot of fun with it. We've seen it twice, once on $5 dollar bargain night and once with comps. Thank goodness! But I could watch it every time they open if it were possible. Love the story, love the actors, love the whole Fa-la-la! Great production, isn't it?

Linda Glaz said...

Oh, good grief! I meant, our daughter and her husband, how creepy would that have been?

Joanne Sher said...

When I lived out in California, I saw Patrick Stewart's one-man show "A Christmas Carol." Sooooo amazing. Gotta get my kids to watch it this year (some version, anyway - maybe Mickey? LOL). Caramel corn sounds delish!

Jeanette Levellie said...

You are cuter than a window-full of puppies! I love your little comments on the caramel corn recipe. My husband makes that, too, and it is not for wimps! We eat it warm out of the oven. Oh.My.Goodness.

Watched The Greatest Christmas Pageant Ever starring Loretta Swit last night. Awfully funny, and touching, especially at the end.

Diana Flegal said...

Yummy post and I like to watch every Christmas show on from now to Christmas. But one of my favorites is The Greatest Christmas Pagent Ever too! Shazam! Unto us a King is Born!

Linda Glaz said...

Oh, yes. Yummy warn caramel corn.

Cheryl Linn Martin said...

Oh yum!! I love Christmas, and could watch Christmas movies all day long! In fact, I think my upstairs office/craft room is calling me. I do have lots of gifts to wrap, and I could turn on the TV and wrap for hours. Hmm . . . okay, gotta go!