Dear Nona: Do you have your Christmas shopping done yet? Hoping I’m on your List in Hannibal Dear Hannibal: Nona doesn't shop, Nona bakes for Christmas! For a couple weeks before the holidays, I feel like an elf, shuttling ingredients to and fro and whipping up candy and treats. Between my baking and the COVID, I didn’t even get to the pinochle tournament at the Legion Hall over the weekend. I heard Aces Alexander won again. I just can't trust that guy, ever since he got up to use the outhouse and the deck of cards fell out of his pants leg.

I’ve been having a great holiday season, some of the people from the old neighborhood came carolling last week. They were wearing masks, but I think there was Boots Johnson, Stinky Jones and Stella with the high cheekbones, and some of the rest of the gang. They did a real nice rendition of Santa Claus is Coming to Lublin. They also did one about Rudolph Majchinski, who always brough his umbrella to the tavern. It was something about Rudolph the Purple Nose with Rain Gear. Oh, that one was a hoot! Guess you probably have to know as much about the Lublin Machinski family as we all do to really get the chuckles on that one. I think the carollers had already had their fair share of Christmas cheer when they got to Nona's house, so I gave them some of my world famous Christmas cookies and sent them on their way.

I’m very excited about the holiday this year. Our church is done up so pretty, and I love the look in the little ones’ eyes when they hear the true story of what Christmas is all about. I know my Christmas treats rank right up there, but let's face it, we can't forget the real reason for the season, as they say!

Especially this year, we need to all be thankful for our blessings. Sure, times might be a little tough, but as they say in Lublin, when the going gets tough, it's time to make Polish sausage!

Let me explain: Back in about the 1950s or so, Wisconsin was mired in a bratwurst famine. Times were tough, and there wasn't enough sausage to go around for every plate. So, Hamhock Wojotowiak, the butcher in Lublin, was having a heck of a time. Sure, the chicken gizzards and pig livers were still selling like crazy, but sales were in a slump because of the Great Bratwurst Famine. Call it Polish ingenuity or whatever, but Hamhock went to creating one day and invented the Polish sausage. Ask anyone, they’ll tell you that the Polish people are the ones who led us out of the turmoil.

So, maybe it’s time for the Polish people of America to step forward again and do our part to help America out of this pandemic!

I’m headed into my kitchen to do my part!

Christmas treat lesson number two: cookies.

Candy Cane Cookies Ingredients

1 Cup Sugar 1 Cup Margarine or butter, softened 1/2 Cup Milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon almond extract 1 Egg 3 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder 2 Tablespoons Finely Crush peppermint candies 2 Tablespoons sugar Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix ingredients together to make a cookie dough. Divide dough into halves. Add 1/2 teaspoon red food coloring to one half of the dough. For each candy cane, shape one teaspoon of dough from each half (colored and not colored), into four inch ropes by rolling the dough back and forth on a floured surface. Place one red and one white rope side by side: press together lightly and twist. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Curve the top of the cookie down to form the handle of the cane. Bake until set and very light brown, 9-12 minutes. Mix: 2 tablespoons finely crushed peppermint candies 2 tablespoons sugar (Mix this together and sprinkle immediately over hot, baked cookies).

Simple Christmas Cookies Ingredients

1 cup of shortening 3/4 cup of sugar 2 1/4 cups of sifted all-purpose flour 1 egg 1 teaspoon of almond extract 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder 1/4 teaspoon of salt Food coloring

Directions

Cream shortening and sugar together. Mix in the egg and almond extract. Blend in the dry ingredients and tint with red or green food coloring. Form cookies into Christmas trees, wreathes, etc. using a cookie press on an ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate with cinnamon balls or multicolored sprinkles. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees. Place immediately on a cooling rack.

This one is from my friend Esther, who swears by these babies.

Esther’s Favorite Cookie Ingredients

1 cup of butter or margarine… butter is best 1 cup of oil 1 cup of white sugar 1 cup of dark brown sugar 1 egg 1 cup of rolled oats 1 cup of corn flakes right out of box (don’t crush) 1/2 cup of coconut 2 cups of chopped pecans 1 tsp of vanilla

Directions

Mix well : 31/2 cups of white flour 1, tsp of salt and 1 tsp of baking soda into above ingredients Preheat Oven to 325 degrees Cream Butter and sugar. Add egg and oil Mix well. Add Vanilla; add oats, corn flakes, coconut and nuts. Add Soda and salt to flour mix well with cookie dough.

Form into walnut size balls. Press flat with fork.

Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for about 12 minutes.

(jrandjiid Nona Knows! Weekly Àdvicc ami Su

Mudi Marc!