HAPPY NEW YEAR'S EVE

HAPPY NEW YEARS!

WISHES

FOR 

A

FANTASTIC

2012

NEW YEAR'S EVE APPETIZERS

Crab Dip

Texas Cranberry Chutney

Check out these two 

websites 

for appetizer 

recipes.

CHRISTMAS COLD

Enjoyed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but ended up with an upper respiratory infection with a hacking cough.  I've been taking an antibiotic and cough suppressant.  Can't wait to start feeling better.

FAMILY CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS

CHRISTMAS EVE

All the kids and grandkids came for an appetizer - dessert gathering.  The little ones are so excited Santa is coming tonight!  Before they went home, as tradition has it, they opened one present. 

CHRISTMAS DAY

Everyone was back in attendance this morning for breakfast and opening presents.  I think everyone enjoyed their gifts and excitement.  Later in the day, we had Christmas dinner of ham, potato casserole, PW baked beans, green bean casserole, rolls, and pecan pie.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL

ENJOY THE HOLIDAYS !

ENJOYED THE EVENING

My husband and I had a lovely evening with Dan and John last night.  Our connection is both family and friends - it's a long story, but we all believe our dear Aunt Zita had a hand in bring our families together.  Aunt Z would have been 82 on December 29. 

Pioneer Woman's Baked Beans

We had appetizers, beef brisket, baked beans, baked potatoes, spring mix salad, deviled eggs,  rolls, and four-layer dessert. The baked beans came from the Pioneer Woman's website.  Everyone agreed they were delicious!  

TIP ON STORING COOKIES

To restore moisture to cookies that have begun to dry out, wrap a wedge of apple or a slice of bread in waxed paper.  Put it in the cookie container and seal.  Remove and/or replace it after 24 hours.

SOUTHERN LIVING'S BEST LOVED COOKIE RECIPES

Gingerbread Men Cookies

Peanut Butter Toffee Turtle Cookies

Chocolate Almond Macaroons

Check out the other best loved Southern Living cookie recipes.

CHRISTMAS CANDLES

Candle HoldersGarden-Inspired Candle Craft

Flower pots aren't just a springtime accessory. Use them in the "off-season" as Christmas candle holders. Place a piece of wet florist foam inside a pot and insert greenery and berries around the outer edge of the foam, leaving space in the middle for the candle. Keep the candle in place with florist's picks. Drill three or four pilot holes into the bottom of a pillar candle and insert florist's picks; poke the picks into the florist's foam.

SUGAR BACON - WRAPPED SMOKIES APPETIZER

Appetizers

INGREDIENTS

Nonstick cooking spray

   1        16oz package small cooked smoked sausage links

 15        slices bacon, each cut crosswise into thirds

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a 15x10x1 inch baking pan with foil; lightly coat with cooking spray.  Set aside.
2. Wrap each sausage link with a bacon piece, overlapping the bacon piece at the end.  Press the end of the bacon piece to seal or secure it with a wooden toothpick.
3. Place brown sugar in a large plastic storage bag.  Add several bacon-wrapped sausages to the bag and seal.  Shake bag gently to coat sausages with brown sugar; place sausages in prepared pan.  Repeat with remaining bacon - wrapped sausages and brown sugar.
4. Bake about 30 minutes or until the bacon is browned.  Serve immediately.

Makes about 45 appetizers.

SOUTHERN LIVINGS HEAVENLY HOLIDAY DESSERTS

Check out the yummy recipes  Southern Living has provided for the holidays!

Hummingbird Cake

The ultimate recipe for Hummingbird Cake.  This is the most requested recipe in Southern Living magazine history.

Snowy Chocolate Baby Cakes

Make these mini chocolate cakes by starting with a devils' food cake mix and baking in muffin pans.  The festive holly garnish is simply red cinnamon candies and fresh bay leaves.

BHG DAZZLING CHRISTMAS DESSERTS

Cake Pop Recipe

Check out all the dazzling Christmas cakes, cupcakes, and dessert recipes from Better Homes and Gardens.

CANDY BOX CARAMELS

Candy Box Caramels

Dress up caramel squares by dipping them in sprinkles, crushed nuts, and bits of candy. Add a drizzling of dark or white chocolate to make them even prettier.  Check out more fudge, caramel, and homemade candy recipes.

SOUTHERN LIVING'S BEST HOLIDAY BRUNCH RECIPES

Holiday Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Start the most anticipated day of the year with some of Southern Living's favorite festive brunch recipes.

BLOOMING TREE HOLIDAY CENTERPIECE

Holiday Centerpiece

Put a twist on typical holiday table decor with a tree-inspired centerpiece. To create the trunk, wrap a clear glass vase with bark chips. Surround the vase with faux variegated moss and top with nuts, berries, and tiny decorative birds to mimic a forest setting. Bring the "tree" into bloom with a lush floral arrangement of hydrangeas, roses, fresh greenery, and hypericum berries.

TOP 10 COOKIE SECRETS

Follow these suggestions to bake 

the perfect batch of cookies.

CHOCOLATE DIPPED SPOONS

Easy To Do Crafts for Children

Red or green plastic spoons dipped in microwave-melted milk chocolate make easy Christmas crafts for young kids. Before placing on waxed paper and cooling in the fridge, roll in crushed candy canes or Christmas sprinkles for a festive touch. Cover cooled spoons in cellophane and a ribbon for hot chocolate or coffee stirrer giveaways.

OUTDOOR CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

Fir-Filled Vintage Wheelbarrow

A front porch container overflowing with evergreens and winter plants adds a charming country Christmas ambience to your entryway.  Fill a vintage wheelbarrow with wintry noble fir branches. Accent the display with Port Orford cedar, dried eucalyptus, and winterberry holly. Park on your front porch for a homespun welcome.

STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES

40 Party Appetizers

STUFFED CHERRY TOMATOES

• INGREDIENTS
• 2 pints cherry tomatoes
• 1 avocado, peeled and diced
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 8 cooked bacon slices, crumbled
• 2 green onions, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste 
• 
  
• DIRECTIONS
• 1.  Cut a small slice from the top of each tomato; scoop out pulp with a small spoon or melon baller, and discard pulp.  Place tomatoes, cut sides down, on paper towels, and let drain 15 minutes.
• 2. Meanwhile, combine avocado and lemon juice in a small bowl, stirring gently; drain. Stir together mayonnaise, bacon, and green onions; add avocado mixture, and stir gently until combined.

• 3. Spoon avocado mixture evenly into tomato shells. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 1 hour. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste just before serving.
  Southern Living FEBRUARY 2007

CHRISTMAS WIND CHIMES

Jingle Bells Wind Chimes

Made from metallic jingle bells, ribbon, and a small ornament, this clever wind chime glistens even more with a little snow on top.

PRALINE PECANS TREATS

Praline Pecans

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 5 cups toasted pecan halves

DIRECTIONS

Stir together first 5 ingredients in a heavy 3-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, 7 to 8 minutes or until a candy thermometer registers 234°.

• Remove from heat, and vigorously stir in pecans. Spoon pecan mixture onto wax paper, spreading in an even layer. Let stand 20 minutes or until firm. Break praline-coated pecans apart into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Freeze in an airtight container or zip-top plastic freezer bag up to 1 month.
• Southern Living DECEMBER 2005

CHRISTMAS CRACKERS

Christmas Crackers

Make these simple Christmas crackers to use as stocking stuffers or holiday party favors. For each cracker, cut a 5-inch length from a wrapping paper or paper-towel tube. Cut a 10x10-inch square from wrapping paper. Center the tube on the paper and wrap the paper around the tube. Tape along the edge of the paper to secure. Tie one end closed with a length of cord tied in a bow. Fill the tube with small gifts or wrapped candies, then tie the opposite end closed in the same manner.

WINTER HOLIDAY TABLE CENTERPIECE

Red, White, and Green Centerpiece

Flowers and Votives

A block of soaked florist's foam holds this arrangement in place. Three glass votive cups were set on top of the florist's foam -- making it easy to change the candles as needed. Curly twigs inserted into the foam hold the glass cups in place. Next, flowers and greens are arranged around the sides of the foam, draping down to the tabletop.

OUTDOOR TREE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

Potted Frasier Fir

Dress up your exterior for Christmas with winter containers filled with evergreens and natural bursts of color. Make a potted Frasier fir merry with a combination of pretty garden items, such as dried artichokes, pear gourds, dyed eucalyptus, caspia, stilbe seed pods, dried hydrangea blooms, and a pine cone garland.

OUTDOOR WINDOW BOX CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

Holiday Window Box Decoration

Fill window boxes with cedar and boxwood boughs, green hypericum berries, and sprigs of baby's breath stuck into a dry block of florist's foam. Protected from direct sun and weather extremes, cut greens can survive throughout the season.

OUTDOOR CANDLE CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

Holiday Candle Arrangement

A frozen ring of red-twig dogwood, evergreen cuttings, and cranberries warmly embrace a pillar candle. The tall glass holder lets the candle burn brightly -- and safely -- amid the branches. Use a flexible cake carrier to mold the icy arrangement.

MAILBOX CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS

Holiday Mailbox

Prepare a merry welcome at the curb -- a pretty swag of pine tied on with wire adds a flourish to your mailbox. Enhance it with red accents and pretty pine cones. The first snow will only enhance the look.

TRANSITIONAL HOLIDAY TABLE CENTERPIECE DECOR

Transitional Holiday Table Centerpiece

Two for One

For decorations that smoothly transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas, start with neutral basics. A beveled edge mirror topped with simple white candles creates a classic foundation. For Thanksgiving, add a simple fall garland and mini pumpkins.  When Christmas draws near, replace the harvest elements with pine boughs, clementines, and pine cones (as shown).  This would work wonderfully on a breakfast room table.

TRANSITIONAL HOLIDAY CENTERPIECE

Transitional Holiday Centerpiece

Classic Colors

Tiered compotes are easy to dress up for any holiday. Simply arrange an assortment of seasonal elements on the trays for an instant centerpiece. Here, evergreen sprigs, pine cones, winterberries, and miniature ornaments spread Christmas cheer. For Thanksgiving, use apples, nuts, small ears of Indian corn, and other harvest essentials.  I like this look too for Thanksgiving.

TRANSITIONAL HOLIDAY STAIRCASE DECORATION

Transitional Holiday Staircase Decor

Step It Up
Tie bundles of bare tree and winterberry branches to the spindles in your staircase for an autumnal look. After Thanksgiving, tie pine boughs to the branches with pretty velvet ribbon, and wire Christmas ornaments around the velvet ribbon for extra color.

TRANSITIONAL HOLIDAY TABLE NAPKINS

Transitional Holiday Table Napkin Decor

Buy Once, Use Twice

Stock up on linens with patterns in red or gold to use from Thanksgiving through Christmas. For this Christmas place setting, dark red-and-white toile napkins were wrapped with wide red satin ribbon and topped with winterberry sprigs. The same gold charger, white plate, and napkin take on a Thanksgiving air when raffia is substituted for the ribbon and pine cones for the berries.  I like this idea of using the same napkins and table ware throughout the holidays with seasonal twists.  This idea can be easily used with your own style of table ware and linens.

BELATED HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL

I spent Thanksgiving week with my family in Missouri.  Since my parents are both gone, my family has made it a tradition to spend Thanksgiving together at our parent's home that now belongs to one of my brothers.  We had lots of fun and enjoyed the delicious food everyone contributed to the dinner.  

TRANSITIONAL HOLIDAY TABLE DECOR

Transitional Holiday Table Decor

Red and White

Count on classic white dishes and solid red linens to carry your table decor from holiday to holiday. With the basics in place, add seasonal elements to give your table flair. Red amaryllis and evergreen sprigs add touches of Christmas to this table.

SOUTHERN LIVING'S 60 SPECTACULAR THANKSGIVING SIDES

There's something for everyone in this special collection of Thanksgiving side dish recipes.  Find familiar favorites, along with tempting new creations to try on your Thanksgiving menu.

Creamy Fried Confetti Corn

Ingredients

• 8 bacon slices, chopped 
• 4 cups fresh sweet corn kernels (about 8 ears)
• 1 medium-size white onion, chopped 
• 1/3 cup chopped red bell pepper 
• 1/3 cup chopped green bell pepper 
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, cubed 
• 1/2 cup half-and-half 
• 1 teaspoon sugar 
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 1 teaspoon pepper 

Preparation

• Cook chopped bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in skillet. Set bacon aside.
• Sauté corn, onion, and bell peppers in hot drippings in skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until tender. Add cream cheese and half-and-half, stirring until cream cheese melts. Stir in sugar, salt, and pepper. Top with bacon.

ACORN BASKET CENTERPIECE

FALL HOLIDAY CENTERPIECE

Acorn Basket

Put acorns to use with this nutty basket. Hot-glue acorns (with and without caps) to a woven basket. When dry, line the basket with plastic or foil, and place florist's foam inside. Add five or six not-too-ripe pears using shish kebab spears to keep them in place. (Unripened pears generally keep for a week or more.) Fill with bold dahlia blooms and sprigs of crabapple, bittersweet, mountain ash berries, or any other fall foliage.

CARAMEL - PECAN PIE

Caramel - Pecan Pie

Besides pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner, another favorite is pecan pie.  

Ingredients

• 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
• 28 caramels
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
• 
  Chocolate-Dipped Pecans (optional)

Preparation

• Fit piecrust into a 9-inch pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp. Prick bottom and sides of piecrust with a fork.
• Bake piecrust at 400° for 6 to 8 minutes or until lightly browned; cool on wire rack.
• Combine caramels, butter, and 1/4 cup water in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 5 to 7 minutes or until caramels and butter are melted; remove from heat.
• Stir together sugar and next 3 ingredients. Stir into caramel mixture until thoroughly combined. Stir in pecans. Pour into prepared crust.
• Bake pie at 400° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°, and bake 20 more minutes, shielding edges of crust with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning. Remove pie to a wire rack to cool. Top with Chocolate-Dipped Pecans, if desired.
• Lois Davis Webb, Morehead City, North Carolina, Southern Living 
  NOVEMBER 2005

PAULA DEEN'S 6 SUPER STUFFING RECIPES

Apple Cranberry Stuffing

If you want to try a new stuffing recipe for Thanksgiving, check out Paula Deen's 6 Super Stuffing recipes.

TURKEY VEGETABLE PLATTER

Gobble, Gobble, Gobble

I found this on Pinterest and thought it was cute as well as nutritious.

MULCHING

Another beautiful day in Texas!  I spent the day "winterizing" my flowerbeds with mulch.  This photo isn't of my backyard, but it shows the benefits of mulching your plants.