By December. Cold. The first snow of December fell Thursday — three inches, wet, quick to melt.
Drove Monday-Tuesday, an Omaha run.
Justin decided to walk on at UNK. He told Dave and me at the kitchen table Tuesday night. He said, "Dad. Mom. I am going to try." Dave said, "Justin. We are proud of you." I said, "Whatever happens, this is a good plan for next year." He hugged us both. That is a big hug from Justin. He ate dinner. He went to bed.
Tyler has his SCC paperwork all in. He moves to Milford in August.
Book two at 86,500.
Gayle had a quiet week. Tired. She ate less. I am watching her. The doctor said, "Winter is hard. Keep her warm, keep her fed, keep her moving a little."
Tree went up Saturday. Amber and Eli came home and helped. Tyler and Justin carried it in. Josie decorated.
After a week like this one — Justin’s announcement at the kitchen table, Tyler’s paperwork in, the tree up and the whole family moving through the house — I wanted something to set out that felt like a quiet celebration. Nothing fancy. Just something that says we are together and this is good. Kolacky cookies have been on my holiday table for years, and they felt exactly right: a little effort, a little sweetness, something to leave on a plate for whoever wanders into the kitchen.
Kolacky Cookies
Prep Time: 25 minutes + 1 hour chill | Cook Time: 12 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes | Servings: 36 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup fruit jam or preserves (apricot, raspberry, or strawberry)
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Make the dough. Beat softened butter and cream cheese together in a large bowl until smooth and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Mix in vanilla extract. Add flour and salt and stir until a soft dough forms.
- Chill. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat and prepare. Heat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll and cut. On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of dough to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch squares using a knife or pastry cutter.
- Fill. Place about 1/2 teaspoon of jam in the center of each square. Fold two opposite corners toward the center and press gently to seal, or leave open-faced with jam showing.
- Bake. Arrange on prepared baking sheets about 1 inch apart. Bake 10–12 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden. Do not overbake.
- Cool and dust. Let cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Once completely cool, dust generously with powdered sugar.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 105 | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Carbs: 10g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 45mg