DELLA'S
CHRISTMAS
DELIGHTS

       The holidays were always special, because my Mom (Della) served our favorite Italian foods, blended with traditional American fare, "the best of both worlds!" The weeks of preparation that preceded each holiday lengthened our enjoyment of the season and created memories that we share and continue to build on from year to year. The Christmas cooking and baking began immediately after Thanksgiving Day. Bourbon cakes were baked for our family to enjoy and as gifts for extended family. A couple hundred ravioli were prepared and frozen for Christmas Day. Before the advent of the freezer, Mom would prepare the ravioli stuffing the night before, then on Christmas morning, would prepare the ravioli fresh for our 1 PM dinner.

       The delicious dinner preceded the real Christmas treat: hundreds of hand-made cookies and marzipan candies that were better than any gift we'd receive under the tree. The cookies were stored in lovely Christmas themed tins and stored in the front walk-in attic of our house. My Dad built a shelf along the back wall of the eve and we'd all sneak up there to munch a cookie or two before the holidays. Mom never labeled the tins so we'd have to root around looking for our favorites. 

       As Christmas fell upon us, Mom would begin the final preparations. On Christmas morning after Mass Dad would mix a batch of EGGNOG (click tab for recipe) and Mom would cut the Sour Cream Coffee Cake. These are Delicious Memories everyone in the world can ENJOY!