My Christmas Life by Damaris Santos-Palmer of Kitchen Corners

Next up in our Christmas Series is Da!
She writes one of the most delicious blogs around, Kitchen Corners all the way from Bahia, Brazil. To be honest, at times it’s really hard to resist licking the screen after she posts her newest recipes. What can I say, the girl knows her spatula and she even cooks underwater:) Together with her husband Christian they have two adorable kiddos name Enzo and Maria. Here is her Christmas Life story...Enjoy!

Christmas has changed so much for me. As a child growing up in Brazil, we opened presents on Christmas Eve and than had a big BBQ with our extended family on Christmas day. Usually we all just got one present, and we were fine with that. The emphasis was on the food - a big Christmas Eve feast, a big Christmas day breakfast with what we call rabanada (a variation of the french toast), and the our all day BBQ with the fam. Christmas in Brazil is hot. December is the middle of Summer. Then at the age of 7 my family and I moved to Chicago. It was so new spending Christmas in the snow, we weren't really sure what to do. I remember walking down Michigan Ave with my parents to look at all the Christmas lights. That became a tradition. Then as a teenager we retuned to Brazil and continued our BBQ Christmas day tradition. Then I moved back to the States for college and pretty darn quickly I started dating a cute guy from Hawaii, now my husband. For the past 8 years we've always spent Christmas in Hawaii and it's perfect because the weather remind me of Brazil but we still get all the Christmas hype of America.

This year it's a little different. This year we're back in Brazil and it's the first time our kids Enzo and Maria are having Christmas away from their cousins. We're planning a tropical Christmas - a trip to the beach, a lot of food, and a good time all around. My one Christmas wish is that my kids can remember this Christmas forever, not from the presents they're getting but from being immersed in a new culture.

1. My Christmas cheat...
Puff pastry. During the season I do a lot of baking and I use puff pastry like there's no tomorrow. I love wrapping brie cheese in puff pastry and baking it, it's the best. Here are some delicious puff pastry recipes and here is a great easy brie in puff pastry recipe.

2. For my best friend...

If I have to get a nice gift for someone I always get them a Zoku, it's the kitchen gadget I use the most. Nothing like an instant popsicle.

3. My guilty Christmas pleasure...

Baking. A lot. I love cooking and I love eating and during Christmas time we go all out with the sweets. This year it's all about the chocolate flan.

4. Last year’s favourite gift...

Macro lens. As a food blogger my macro lens is indispensable.

5. My Christmas reading...

How the Grinch Stole Christmas! I love that book and my son is so excited because this year he was able to read it all by himself.

6. My Christmas outfit...

A pretty apron.

7. My stand-by gift...

Blank Boards Books. These are so fun especially for kids, but I found that adults like them too.

8. On my wish list...
Lynda - I know it seems silly asking for a web gift but my New Year's resolution is to learn how to use my adobe products and from what I hear the classes on Lynda are pretty great.

9. In my stocking...

A collection of Ritter Sport chocolates. My favorite chocolates ever!

My Christmas kitchen...

Couldn't be without a blueberry pull apart bread.

(Top and bottom photo layouts by Rebecca Baust of The Daily Muse for exPress-o. The middle photo by Da)