Holiday Greetings from Our President

Dear Sisters,

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas weekend! May the smiles, laughter, time with family, friends, cookies, yummy food bring joy & peace to your hearts!

Cheers to a happy, healthy 2024, when we all continue to be JUST INCREDIBLE!

Love, Annette 💗

White Chocolate Peppermint Blondies -- Recipe

At this week's chapter gathering at Deborah and Sarah Raessler's home, they served the most amazing holiday confections! Several sisters asked for the recipe for this one. They graciously agreed to share it with us!

WHITE CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BLONDIES

Blondies:
1 cup salted butter, softened (plus more for greasing a pan)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
½ tsp. salt
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup white chocolate chips
1 cup coarsely crushed peppermint candies (divided)

Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
¼ cup salted butter, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ tsp. peppermint extract
2-3 Tbsp. heavy cream

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13x9 inch baking pan with butter. Line the pan with parchment paper, allowing paper to extend over edges of pan. Grease the paper.

Prepare blondies. Combine butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed until well combined (about 3 minutes). Add eggs, one at a time, beating until combined after each addition. Beat in vanilla and salt. Add flour; beat on low speed just until combined (1-2 minutes). Stir in white chocolate chips and ½ cup of the crushed peppermints, reserving the remaining crushed peppermints.

Spread the batter in a prepared pan; smooth the top with a spatula. Bake in a preheated oven until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean (20-22 minutes). Cool completely in the pan. Lift blondies from the pan using parchment paper as handles. Remove and discard the paper; trim the browned edges.

Prepare icing. Combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and peppermint extract in medium bowl; beat on medium speed until smooth. Beat in 2 tablespoons of the cream. Add up to one additional tablespoon cream, if necessary, until icing reaches a spreadable consistency. Spread the icing over top of the blondies. Sprinkle with reserved crushed peppermints. Cut into 2-inch squares; cut squares into triangles.

Gathering for Lunch, Program, Chapter Meeting

 
Background Left, Circling Around to the Right: Cindy Weber, Jill Hyde, Host Deborah Raessler, (Group at Dining Room Table in background), Marguerite Lipton, Jan Smith, Joyce Kozeliski -- (Photo taken by Belinda Alkula)

End of Table (left), Circling L-R (Background to Foreground): Tanya Lynn, Host Sarah Raessler (in red, obscured), Maggie McDonnell, Kathie Burson, Annie Gaddy, Linda Petroff, Mary Jean Cardinale, Annette Oakley, Mary Kay Durbin -- (Photo taken by Belinda Alkula)

L-R: Annette Oakley, Marguerite Lipton, Mary Jean Cardinale, Cindy Weber

(Photo taken by Belinda Alkula)

L-R (Background, Circling Around to Foreground): Joyce Kozeliski (describing her ornament), Tanya Lynn (in purple, obscured), Annie Gaddy, Jill Hyde, Jan Smith, Kathie Burson, Mary Kay Durbin, Host Deborah Raessler -- (Photo taken by Belinda Alkula)

Deborah and Sarah Raessler invited us into their lovely home for today's gathering, where we were warmly received and treated to a myriad of delectable homemade cookies, treats, and libations!

It was wonderful to see the Raessler's holiday decorations on full display! Their Christmas tree was adorned with beautiful ornaments, each with a special story as to why it was treasured and honored with a dedicated place on the tree.

Deborah Raessler orchestrated a wonderful program! Mary Kay Durbin and Deborah played the piano in the living room, as we sang Christmas carols. (Each sister had been asked to take an ornament from her Christmas tree to the gathering, where she would be invited to share why it was special to her.) As we heard each sister share memories connected to her treasured ornament, we could feel our bond of sisterhood strengthening. 

The chapter meeting was chock full of exciting news, as always. We so appreciate our officers' imaginative, creative leadership! Exciting things are planned for 2024! 

Our P.E.O. Chapter JI continues to be Just Incredible! 💗

Holiday Luncheon

 

Foreground (L-R): Maggie McDonnell, Sarah Raessler, Cindy Schreiber Huxley, Marguerite Lipton, Vicky Hughes, Cindy Weber

Background (L-R): Annie Gaddy, Kathie Burson, Jill Hyde, Geneva Fisher, Tanya Lynn, Jan Smith, Wendy Ahrendt, Mary Kay Durbin, Linda Petroff, Belinda Alkula, Joyce Kozeliski, Annette Oakley, Deborah Raessler, Debbie Yates

(Photo taken by BIL Phil Smith)

The Chapter Officers Table

Foreground (L-R): Kathie Burson, Joyce Kozeliski, Geneva Fisher

Background (L-R): Tanya Lynn, Annette Oakley, Jill Hyde, Jan Smith

(Photo taken by Deborah Raessler)

 

L-R: Vicky Hughes, Cindy Weber, Marguerite Lipton, Belinda Alkula, Debbie Yates

(Photo taken by Tanya Lynn)

L-R: Wendy Ahrendt, Mary Kay Durbin, Linda Petroff, Maggie McDonnell, Sarah Raessler, Cindy Schreiber Huxley

(Photo taken by Tanya Lynn)

L-R: Jan Smith, Wendy Ahrendt, Joyce Kozeliski, Deborah Raessler

(Photo taken by Annette Oakley)

Foreground (L-R): Deborah Raessler, Annie Gaddy, Wendy Ahrendt, Mary Kay Durbin

Background (L-R): Annette Oakley, Kathie Burson, Joyce Kozeliski, Geneva Fisher, Jill Hyde, Jan Smith

(Photo taken by Tanya Lynn)

Today, we gathered at the lovely home of Jan and Phil Smith. We really appreciate their gracious generosity in opening their home for chapter gatherings! The members of our chapter's Communications Committee provided a delicious luncheon. 

We enjoyed good food, good conversation, and a spirited "gift-exchange" game (involving each sister choosing whether to keep the one she unwrapped or steal someone else's $20 gift). A fun time was had by all in attendance!