The Enticing Aromas of Christmas

You know it's officially Christmas when the smell of baking fills the air! Nothing quite like it brings back memories of Christmases past and creates the anticipation of Christmas present.

My neighbours came over Tuesday to bake tourtières, a typical French Canadian meat pie that is traditionally served during the Holidays. For me, the smell of the cinnamon, clove and allspice flavoured meat baking represents one of my oldest and and most cherished Holiday memories.

I decorate mine by adding dough cut with a cookie cutter.

This beautiful girl was supervising...

Thursday was cookies and squares baking day with my girls.

Rolling out the dough for the shortbread

Adding the condensed milk to the Puttin' on the Ritz squares

Here they are ready to go in the oven

 Here are our jumble cookies. This is a recipe from Dundurn Castle in Hamilton. 

It's a delicious nutmeg flavoured cookie.

Here they are, fresh out of the oven.

And finally, Magic Squares! Hmmm, always a hit!

And of course, the best part of all this? Christmas baking has no calories whatsoever. Zero. Nada. None. So go ahead and enjoy!