Holiday baking

I have been reading a new blog - Semiswede, she e-mails me whenever she posts. Last week she had lovely pictures of her Saffron buns and a description that had me setting the saffron to soak in milk that very night.  Next day I made them and they were very popular and now I have requests for the recipe.  
Here is the address of that post (with permission) http://semiswede.com/2011/12/13/lucia-and-lussekatter/
She gives her recipe.
I am sorry that I did not take pictures of mine before they were all eaten up but she has lovely pictures.  I did take pictures of the cookie making here this week.

These are just sugar cookies flavored with oil of peppermint, spread with Hershey's dark chocolate and dipped in crushed candy cane.  They are a bit labor intensive but the tiny stars are flavorful enough to satisfy your sweet tooth!

This is the caramel popcorn baking in the oven.  This amounted to about 10 quarts of not-too-sweet confection.  The honey-roasted peanuts were added at the end.  This is a favorite recipe given to me by a dear Friend.

While the popcorn was cooking I made French Bread Pizza.  Here the loaf of whole grain bread is cut into three layers.

Left-over meaty spaghetti sauce was slathered on, then pizza cheese, then mushrooms and green peppers (yes, the ones I had frozen).  It was ready to put in the oven when the caramel corn came out.  It was more than we could eat at one sitting but left-over pizza never goes begging at our house.

Two and a half gallons of caramel corn, ready for munching by the fire.

Here is a new Christmas decoration this year.  It cost $1.50 at an Antique Mall here in Bloomington.  I actually love it!  
All the Christmas presents are wrapped.  One last present is eagerly hoped for in the mail this afternoon.  Tonight is the first family get-together.  Tomorrow is Christmas Eve!  The getting ready is all a part of the celebration.  Tomorrow I'll bake the Mince pie, make the Aoli, and put the ham in the oven.  When my daughter comes, she will whip mounds of potatoes, make cream biscuits and chop for the salad.  At the last minute we'll simmer the asparagus a little.  Not too strenuous at all.  I am so looking forward to it.  Happy Christmas to you all!