UPDATE: The winner is…Patricia Barraclough!
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Diana Cosby ©2019
Liam and the Christmas Sheep
Gifts come in many shapes and sizes, but I believe the most precious ones are those delivered from the heart. It’s easy to get caught up in the mayhem of life, particularly during the hustle and bustle of the Holidays, but every day, there are people amidst the chaos who help you, who take time out of their busy lives to make a difference in yours. This year, why not return that gift?
This holiday season, as wrapped gifts exchange hands, I ask you to pause, reflect on those who’ve truly made a difference in your life, and if possible, find a special way to say thank you. This can be a simple gesture—something like a greeting card, a bouquet of flowers, or a heartfelt poem. Maybe you could bake someone their favorite cookies? Or, present them a coupon book filled with everyday chores, which they can tear out and give you to do on those trying days when they need a helping hand. The absolute best gift you can offer another person is one given from the heart. And when special-delivered, without any strings attached, it touches their own.
This Christmas, I’m making gift baskets filled with my favorite homemade things, such as macadamia-butterscotch chip cookies, shortbread, double chocolate-orange-pecan biscotti, Vermont maple syrup, and more. With each one, I’m sharing a part of myself with the other person.
What ideas can you think of? Remember—the more original and inventive, the more fun! I can’t wait to hear your ideas!
My gift to you, one of my favorite recipes:
SEATHAN MACGRUDER’S MACADAMIA BUTTERSCOTCH COOKIES
Ingredients:
1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking powder 1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar ⅞th cup peanut butter 12 oz. butterscotch chips
1 cup butter 2 eggs 3 cups flour
1 tbsp. Amaretto or vanilla
1¼th cup chopped macadamia nuts
1⅛th cup firmly packed light brown sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.
In a large bowl mix butter, sugar, and brown sugar, then whip in the Amaretto (or vanilla) and peanut butter. Beat in eggs. Add baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Once mixed, add butterscotch chips and macadamia nuts. Mix in flour. Chill dough.
Bake:
Bake for 11 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cool and enjoy!
Author’s note:
An avid baker who enjoys creating new twists on recipes, Seathan MacGruder is the hero of His Conquest, the 3rd book in the best-selling MacGruder brothers’ Scottish medieval romantic suspense series. For more information about the MacGruder brothers, visit Diana’s website!
I sincerely wish everyone health, friendship and happiness this holiday season.
Contest
ONE winner will be drawn from everyone who posts on my guest blog post about, ‘Giving The Gift of Thanks,’ on Delilah’s blog between 1 December 2019 – 8 December 2019. The winner will receive one of Diana’s mugs and a tote.
Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author
https://www.dianacosby.com/
The Oath Trilogy
MacGruder Brother Series
Forbidden Series: Forbidden Legacy/Forbidden Knight/Forbidden Vow/Forbidden Alliance/ Forbidden Realm‒14th April 2020
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Thank you fro the recipe and the kind thoughts for
Thanksgiving. I hope yours was everything you hoped for.
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Thanks for the great post. I belong to an organization that helps people in the inner city.
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recipe sounds tasty
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I always enjoy reading your posts on Delilah’s blog. The cookies sound yummy. Years ago I used to make small loaves of Pumpkin bread at Christmas and gave them to co-workers. Later that changed to home-made peanut butter fudge. Since I’m retired I don’t do either of those things any longer but I still have fond memories of when I used to do it.
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Delilah,
My sincere thanks for inviting me back to your wonderful blog to talk about ‘Giving The Gift Of Thanks.’ I hope your readers will enjoy the recipe for Seathan MacGruder’s Macadamia Butterscotch Cookies, one of my kid’s favorites.
Take care my friend, the best gift is that of your friendship. *Hugs*
God bless,
Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN, Ret.
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Phyllis wrote: Thank you for the recipe and the kind thoughts for Thanksgiving. I hope yours was everything you hoped for.
~Hi Phyllis, thank you so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoy the recipe, the cookies are my kid’s favorites. Thank you for asking, my Thanksgiving was nice, I hope yours was wonderful as well. Take care, enjoy the holidays, and may your New Year be filled with blessings.
Sincerely,
Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN, Ret.
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Debra K Guyette wrote: Thanks for the great post. I belong to an organization that helps people in the inner city.
~Hi Debra, I appreciate your stopping by and your kind words. How wonderful that you’re part of an organization that helps people in the inner city. My deepest thanks for making a positive difference in so many lives. Take care, and I hope your holidays as New Year is filled with blessings.
Sincerely,
Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN, Ret.
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bn100 wrote: recipe sounds tasty
🙂 Thank you, the recipe is one of my kid’s favorites. I hope you’re enjoying the holidays, and I wish you the very best in the New Year!
Sincerely,
Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN, Ret.
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ButtonsMom2003 wrote: I always enjoy reading your posts on Delilah’s blog.
~Hi ButtoonsMom2003, thank you very much. It’s wonderful seeing you again.
The cookies sound yummy.
~:) Butterscotch chips and macadamia chips, yes, a wonderful combination that my kids love.
Years ago I used to make small loaves of Pumpkin bread at Christmas and gave them to co-workers. Later that changed to home-made peanut butter fudge. Since I’m retired I don’t do either of those things any longer but I still have fond memories of when I used to do it.
~:) What neat and special gifts. Both sound super yummy and no doubt were appreciated. A wonderful memory, thank you so much for sharing. Take care, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Sincerely,
Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN, Ret.
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Thanks for the recipe, Diana! And Liam is so adorable. On behalf of many who don’t see this post, thank you for all you do. You are amazing!
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Thanks for the wonderful cookie recipe. I have a yearning to back this holiday season!
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40 years ago when we lived near my family, for Christmas, we would give my grandmothers large boxes of food staples. Not very exciting, but it was what they needed. We would include enough fresh items that they could use in the near future. Today, we have our own circle of family – our children and their families. The grandchildren get the usual toys and clothes as well as a few fun excursions while they are here. For the adults, we do things they need. We chipped in on a new transmission for our son’s truck. We are giving one daughter and her husband a condo reservation for a week in Williamsburg, VA plus a few extras so they can have a getaway. We are doing the same for our other daughter and her family for a trip to Orlando, Florida. In addition, we got tickets for our son and his wife, and our one daughter, her husband, and our grandson to the local repertory theater groups Christmas USO Show. This will be the third year we have gone. They do a wonderful WWII musical radio show. I hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season.
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Jinny Baxter wrote: Thanks for the recipe, Diana!
~Hi Jinny, thanks for stopping by. Always wonderful to see you. I hope you enjoy the cookies. They’re some of my kid’s favorites.
And Liam is so adorable.
~Thanks, Liam is a cutie. 🙂
On behalf of many who don’t see this post, thank you for all you do. You are amazing!
~Jinny, my sincere thanks to you for your friendship, and for all you do to help so many. Take care, wishing you a wonderful Christmas, and may your New Year be filled with blessings!
*Hugs*
Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN, Ret.
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Eileen Dandashi wrote: Thanks for the wonderful cookie recipe. I have a yearning to back this holiday season!
~Hi Eileen, I appreciate your stopping by, and always wonderful seeing you. I’m blessed by your friendship. Enjoy the cookies, my kids love them. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas, and may your New Year be filled with blessings!
*Hugs*
Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN, Ret.
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Patricia Barraclough wrote: 40 years ago when we lived near my family, for Christmas, we would give my grandmothers large boxes of food staples. Not very exciting, but it was what they needed. We would include enough fresh items that they could use in the near future. Today, we have our own circle of family – our children and their families. The grandchildren get the usual toys and clothes as well as a few fun excursions while they are here. For the adults, we do things they need. We chipped in on a new transmission for our son’s truck. We are giving one daughter and her husband a condo reservation for a week in Williamsburg, VA plus a few extras so they can have a getaway. We are doing the same for our other daughter and her family for a trip to Orlando, Florida. In addition, we got tickets for our son and his wife, and our one daughter, her husband, and our grandson to the local repertory theater groups Christmas USO Show. This will be the third year we have gone. They do a wonderful WWII musical radio show. I hope you have a wonderful Holiday Season.
Hi Patricia, thank you so much for stopping by and sharing the very special and thoughtful things that you do for those you love. What wonderful gifts. The WWII musical radio show sounds terrific. Again, thank you for sharing, and wishing you and your family a blessed holiday season and New Year!
Sincerely,
Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN, Ret.
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Delilah, thank you so much for inviting me back to your wonderful blog to talk about ‘Giving The Gift of Thanks.” And, another huge thanks to everyone for stopping by and sharing what you do to give thanks to those special to you.
After a random drawing, congratulations to Patricia Barraclough, the winner of the mug and tote!
Wishing each of you a blessed Christmas and New Year!
Sincerely,
Diana Cosby, AGC(AW), USN, Ret.
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Congratulations, Patricia!
And thanks again to Diana Cosby for another wonderful post! Thanks for being a great guest!