It’s been a busy few weeks around here, but yesterday morning I finished my last work meeting until after Christmas, so Beer Geek and I headed out on a lunch “date”.
Now I’m relaxing with my family and enjoying way too many Christmas cookies and a lot of beer. Since I don’t plan to spend much time online for the next few days, I decided to do my Friday Five a day early and include one of my favorite holiday recipes/traditions. I’ll link it up to Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia eventually.
Top five posts from 2015…
- Night Owl’s Guide to Being a Morning Runner –
Judging by the popularity of this post, I’m apparently not the only one who struggles to get up early to work out. Thankfully, my kids are back in school and it makes more sense for me to run right after school drop off than in the dark before they wake up. No more early morning runs until next summer! - Tips for Running When It’s Below Freezing –
This was a popular post last winter and it’s gaining steam again. Not that it’s actually below freezing in DC these days… - Tips to Get Moving When Your Motivation Has Left the Building –
Apparently I’m not the only one who has days/weeks/months when motivation takes a vacation. - Hot Weather Running –
On the flipside, some people (me) need help to get out there and run when the weather is hot out. - Five Tips for Running When You Just Don’t Want To –
Do you sense a theme here? Apparently my blog comes in handy any time people are struggling to get out there and run or get their workout in.
And a little Christmas tradition to share. We’ve had kranz for breakfast nearly every Christmas morning my entire life. We fill it with dates or raisins, but you can add nuts or other dried fruits. We also add frosting after it cools because obviously you need as much sugar as possible in your children on Christmas morning. We use a cream cheese frosting, but regular white frosting works too.
Christmas Kranz recipe
- 1/2 lb. butter
- 1 1/4 cup warm milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 pkg yeast
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups flour (add extra if dough is too sticky)
- Filling:
- 3/4 lb pitted dates, cut up
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- OR
- raisins
- sugar
- cinnamon
- Dissolve yeast in small amount of milk, then heat milk to melt butter.
- Stir in sugar and salt.
- Allow to cool to lukewarm.
- Beat in eggs.
- Stir in flour.
- Knead lightly.
- Allow to rise to double.
- Roll out and add filling (filling directions below)
- Roll up dough.
- Rise again.
- Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes.
- Let cool and frost if desired.
- Date filling: Combine ingredients in saucepan and cook until slightly thickened. Spread over dough, leaving about an inch of bare dough around the perimeter.
- Raisin filling: Brush dough with melted butter, sprinkle on cinnamon and sugar and raisins. (I’ve never measured this – just eyeball it.)
Merry Christmas from my family to yours!
Merry Christmas!
Thank you! Hope you had a Merry Christmas as well.
Never herd of Christmas Kranz. Thanks for sharing! Merry Christmas!
It’s so yummy. We can only have it on Christmas or I’d eat an entire loaf by myself every time I make it.
Hoping we don’t need those cold weather running tips this year! I’m loving this mild winter.
Merry Christmas Erika!
We are getting snow here today – I think it’s finally going to look like Wisconsin in the winter here.
Hoping it’s a long while before we need those cold weather running tips! Merry Christmas to you!
It’s snowy and cold here in Wisconsin today – may have to pull out the warm running clothes to get out there.
Hope you had an awesome Christmas!!
I did, thanks! It was nice to unplug a bit and spend time with family. Hope yours was lovely as well.
ooh yum that looks like it would be yummy with a cup of coffee right about now! Thanks for joining us for Meatless Monday this week
Love your top posts! No surprise they are gaining steam again! I was surprised with my top posts! That Christmas Kranz looks yummy! I’ve never heard of it before!
I love the theme of motivation that runs through this! Great year for you!