Minnesota Prairie Roots

Hand-molded candies, crafted by my sister Lanae, her daughter, Tara, and Tara's husband, Andy.

“HOW DID YOU MAKE these?” I ask my sister Lanae as I admire the individual candies she’s included in a package of holiday treats for my family.

“I used a mold,” she answers. “And I’m not making them again.”

I am almost sorry I asked, so emphatic is Lanae in her reply.

Later, when I pilfer through the contents of the large gift bag, I understand exactly how much time and effort my sister has invested in making this assortment of delectable goodies for extended family members. Her beautifully-packaged foods and wine rival anything Martha Stewart could create.

But that’s no surprise to me. My floral designer sister has a flair for design and color and presentation. And she’s truly outdone herself this time with homemade wine, sweet relish, cut-out cookies, puppy chow, Chex party mix, caramel corn, bounce (that’s fruit-flavored vodka) and those hand-molded truffles. Lanae’s daughter, Tara, and Tara’s husband, Andy, helped with the candies and cookies.

I feel like a decadent, over-indulgent, spoiled-rotten queen when I even think about consuming these treats.

And perhaps that’s exactly as Lanae intended—that we should all feel just a little bit pampered, a little bit indulged, a little bit spoiled, but most of all, loved.

These beautifully-packaged snowflake cut-out cookies are almost too lovely to eat.

Lanae made jars of sweet relish from the bounty of summer.

Lanae and her husband, Dale, have gotten into wine-making and often share their wines with family.

© Copyright 2010 Audrey Kletscher Helbling