Growing up, I can remember having potica (po-teet-sa) or Serbian Nut Bread, every year at Christmas time.  I didn’t make any for a few years, but started again last year.  The best potica is from bread dough rolled paper thin and spread extra thick with the nut mixture.  My dad was a master at getting the dough that perfect width before it bakes and rises in the oven.  This year, I feel like I got it close to his.  We made a bunch of loaves yesterday and delivered a few with other Christmas goodies to the owners of a bed & breakfast that buy bread from me regularly as my thank you for the year’s business.  The owner called later to tell us how they went ice skating and took along a thermos of hot tea and the potica.  She said it just made her holiday season and how lucky they felt and honestly isn’t that what the holiday spirit should be about?  It really kicked off the holiday festivities for me to hear her appreciation.

I’ve been baking cookies to send off some holiday packages tomorrow as well.  This weekend, I made Road Trip Cookies (Chocolate cookies stuffed with peanut M&Ms), Oatmeal-Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip, and Molasses Spice.  I roll the molasses spice cookies in sugar before baking and it gives them such a beautiful glistening appeal that’s hard to resist.