A Traditional Tree Trimming & Tom and Jerry Gathering

Tree trimming parties are one of the most traditional ways to spend a holiday evening. In this family, we love a certain amount of tradition. A gathering around the perfect Christmas tree, holiday music playing in the background, holiday beverages and don't forget the appetizers! Thanks to Uncle Kerry, we had a large assortment of our great grandmother's Christmas decor and tree ornaments. 

For the holiday beverage, we chose something that has been a tradition in our family for as long as we can remember- TOM & JERRY's. The recipe is said to have been invented sometime around the 1820s. While our Grandma Von isn't that old we inherited  the recipe below from her. She got the recipe from a friend in Atlanta Idaho, Berdine Schraft-Goddard.  It can be found in an Atlanta cookbook but those are hard to find!

Tom & Jerry Batter

1 Dozen Eggs Separated

2 Cups Granulated Sugar

2 Cups Powdered Sugar

1 Can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

Beat the egg whites with the granulated sugar until peaks form.

Beat the egg yolks and powdered sugar.

Add the sweetened condensed milk to the yolk mixture.

Fold egg whites into the yolk mixture.

To make the cocktail add 2 ounces of your favorite dark rum or White Christmas, a big spoonful of the batter and top with hot water and a sprinkle of cinnamon. White Christmas is a combination of rum and brandy.

The right cups really make this cocktail! Lucky for us my mom had our grandma's set that she let us use for the night. You can sometimes find the traditional Tom & Jerry cups at an antique store.

If you want a little more history on the Tom & Jerry click here for a nice article. 

For appetizers we had a nice cheese plate, Abbie's homemade spinach and artichoke dip, and Asian meatballs. These were super easy to make and a big hit. Here is the recipe. 

We hope everyone has a very very MERRY CHRISTMAS!