Author: QuiltLady

DRIED BEEF PICKLE DIP

DRIED BEEF PICKLE DIP
1 cup sour cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon onion powder
5 ounces dried beef, chopped and rinsed WELL
1/4 cup small chopped dill pickles

  • Beat together sour cream, cream cheese and onion powder, beating until smooth and well blended.
  • Fold in dried beef and pickle pieces.
  • Cover and chill 2 hours at least.
  • Serve with tortilla chips and/or crackers.

NONA’S TOFFEE BARS

This recipe came from my niece’s, mother’s mother who I never met. This recipe was also written so simplistically that it left a lot to the imagination! I made it as written (with interpretation) the first time. The next time I wrote out new directions and adapted the ingredients to our liking.

NONA’S TOFFEE BARS (as written)
1 c. butter
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 t. vanilla
1 egg yolk
2 c. flour
1 Giant Hershey Bar
– Nuts as topping

  • Spread on cookie sheet – cook – cool – melt bar and spread on bars – cover w/ nuts – slice

NONA’S TOFFEE BARS (adjusted)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon PURE vanilla
1 LARGE egg yolk
2 cups flour, leveled
1 Giant + 1 regular size Hershey Bar
1/2 cup chopped honey roasted peanuts
1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans
1/3 cup broken stick pretzels

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Melt butter in large skillet.
  • Add brown sugar and whisk until dissolved.
  • Add egg yolk and vanilla, blending well.
  • Gradually add flour until well blended.
  • Using an offset spatula spread mixture onto a small cookie sheet.
  • Bake 15 minutes.
  • Cool.
  • Melt chocolate in microwave for 1 minute, stir and melt 10 more seconds at a time until smooth.
  • Immediately spread chocolate on top of the toffee layer and spread even with an offset spatula.
  • Immediately sprinkle with nuts and pretzels, pressing down slightly.
  • Cool in fridge another 15 minutes.
  • Slice and serve.

NOTE: I ALSO like to use the shortbread bottom from the Millionaire Shortbread combined with the toppings from this recipe and I call it Shortbread Toffee. I’ll be posting that combination soon.

BLOGMAS 2021 ~ DAY 29 ~ NORAD, TRACKING SANTA & THE MEANING of the 12 DAYS of CHRISTMAS

We’re on winter storm watch here just like so many other places this Christmas, but there is no need to worry ~ NORAD will be watching to track Santa’s progress.

Every day of the year, Cheyenne’s Mountain (AKA Stargate to many SYFY fans 😀 ) NORAD defends North America using an all-domain and globally integrated approach to track everything that flies in and around Canada and the United States. But, on Dec. 24, NORAD adds a VERY special mission ~ tracking Santa Claus. 

Like so many origin stories, NORAD’s mission to track Santa truly began by accident when in 1955 a young child, trying to reach Santa, dialed the misprinted phone number from a department store ad in the local newspaper. Instead of calling Santa, the child called the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.  

Air Force Col. Harry Shoup, the commander on duty that night who answered the child’s phone call, was quick to realize a mistake had been made and assured the child he was Santa. After more incoming calls, Shoup assigned a duty officer to continue answering calls and a tradition was born, that continued when NORAD was formed in 1958.  

Each year since, NORAD has dutifully reported Santa’s location on Dec. 24 to millions of children and families across the world. Because of the support, services and resources generously provided by volunteers and our government and corporate contributors, NORAD Tracks Santa has persevered for more than 65 years.  

In fact, what started because of a typo has flourished and is recognized as one of the Department of Defense’s largest community outreach programs. 

Each year, the NORAD Tracks Santa Web Site receives several million unique visitors from more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Volunteers typically answer more than 130,000 calls to the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline from children across the globe. 

In addition to the phone line and website, children and the young-at-heart can track Santa through our mobile apps and our social media platforms:  

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/noradsanta 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NoradSanta 

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/NORADTracksSanta  

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/noradtrackssanta_official 

NORAD Tracks Santa Website: https://www.noradsanta.org 

NORAD Tracks Santa Newsroom: https://noradsantanews.com/newsroom

Several contributors such as OnStar and Amazon Alexa also provide convenient ways to keep tabs of Santa’s location. 

From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly.  Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics.

It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember.

  • The partridge in a pear tree was Jesus Christ.
  • Two turtle doves were the Old and New Testaments.
  • Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love.
  • The four calling birds were the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke & John.
  • The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the Old Testament.
  • The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation.
  • Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit–Prophesy, Serving, Teaching, Exhortation, Contribution, Leadership, and Mercy.
  • The eight maids a-milking were the eight beatitudes.
  • Nine ladies dancing were the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit–Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self Control.
  • The ten lords a-leaping were the ten commandments.
  • The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples.
  • The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles’ Creed.

So there is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol… so pass it on if you wish.’

Merry (Twelve Days of) Christmas Everyone – and, remember, the Twelve Days of Christmas are the 12 days following December 25th.  The Christmas Season runs until Epiphany, January 6.

COMPANY CHICKEN

This recipe was originally made with chicken thighs, but breasts always make for a fancier dish, especially when you call it Company Chicken! You’ll notice that I don’t list sea salt in the list of ingredients. That’s because the liquid aminos will add more than enough salt.

COMPANY CHICKEN
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
FRESH ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup WONDRA flour
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 LARGE Vidalia onion, sliced thin
1/8 cup Bragg’s liquid aminos
1/3 cup Smuckers apricot jam, PUREED to remove chunks
1 LARGE clove garlic, FINELY minced
1-2 pinches crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 cup FRESH orange juice

  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Season chicken breasts generously with FRESH ground black pepper.
  • Dredge the seasoned breasts in the flour and set aside.
  • In a cast iron skillet heat avocado oil over medium heat.
  • Sear the chicken 2-3 minutes per side and then set aside.
  • Add onions to pan until they are caramelized.
  • Nestle the chicken into the top of the onions.
  • Whisk together the liquid aminos, apricot jam, orange juice, garlic and red pepper flakes.
  • Pour the sauce over the chicken and onions.
  • Bake uncovered 30-35 minutes. The sauce will thicken and get sticky. But, if it gets too brown too fast cover with a piece of foil.

BLOGMAS 2021 ~ DAY 28 ~ CHRISTMAS MENUS

While there are family and even cultural traditions for Christmas menus, we try and vary it to OUR own tastes each year. Sometimes that is also dependent on regional availability of the specialty items needed to create those menus.

This year with it just being the 2 of us, we’re really making a super simple “trimmed” down menu. I found a turkey breast instead of the WHOLE turkey and the butcher is even cutting me an extra small prime rib 😀

BLOGMAS 2021 ~ DAY 27 ~ FAVORITE CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

WOW I’m truly blessed with so many to choose from!

Some of my favorites are my very first personal desk when I was 9, my aunt coming to visit from Texas around that same time and sitting on the floor in a leather dress playing  A Barrel of Monkeys with the younger kids or maybe the year I got my first bike, whoops wait that was the birthday before Christmas.

But I think my all time favorite was when my grandfather worked for General Electric as an X-ray technician of sorts (he oversaw the installation and calibration of X-ray equipment) and the year he brought home a GE Snow tree and the beautiful ornate ornaments (I still don’t know the correlation between between being an X-ray technician and Christmas trees).

Anyway this tree had a HUGE decorated cardboard base and once the tree was up and decorated you filled this base with thousands of tiny Styrofoam balls and when you turned the switch on the tree would make it’s own snow.  As a kid I thought it was pretty cool, but as an adult I look back and realize what a MESS it made!! Especially when the Santa Ana winds were blowing and the static electricity was high – those damn balls stuck to EVERYTHING! We lived in the high desert of southern California and the winds were ever present during December, often morphing into their severe form of Devil Winds and the snow was nowhere to be found so the tree was a novelty we all enjoyed.

But wait, that is not my favorite memory.  It turns out that my favorite memory is of trying to stump my dad each AND EVERY year with his gift – it became a mission of sorts to be the first to stump him.  I swear the man was Carnac when it came to knowing what was inside a box. We tried EVERY year to stump him and I don’t remember ever being able to do it.  We tried adding bricks, taping a silver dollar with duct tape to the bottom so it would flip back and forth to make noise when you shook it, the box insides a box trick, adding a pair of old shoes… but he ALWAYS guessed!  I still don’t know how he did it.

MILLIONAIRE SHORTBREAD

MILLIONAIRE SHORTBREAD
Buttery almond shortbread with a layer of gooey caramel and a thick layer of chocolate – who could say no to a piece?

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1/2 cup finely chopped, toasted slivered almonds
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon sea salt, divided
14 ounces sweetened condensed milk** (see note)
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup QUALITY, PURE honey
3/4 cup heavy cream, divided ½ + ¼
2 teaspoon PURE vanilla extract
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
4 ounces semi sweet chocolate, chopped
Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon), for garnish 


  • Preheat oven to 350°.
  • Line a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang all long sides.
  • Lightly grease foil.
Beat powdered sugar and 3/4 cup butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Reduce mixer speed to low and add almonds, flour, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt just until combined.
  • Press on bottom of prepared pan.
  • Bake until golden brown, 25 to 28 minutes.
  • Cool on a wire rack.

  • Combine condensed milk, brown sugar, honey, 1/2 cup cream, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 cup butter in a medium saucepan.
  • Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly 24-26 minutes, until a candy thermometer reaches 236°F.
  • Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
  • Immediately pour caramel over shortbread.
  • Let stand at room temperature until set, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  • Microwave chocolate and remaining 1/4 cup cream in a bowl 30 seconds; stir.
  • Continue to microwave and stir in 10-second intervals until melted.
  • Pour melted chocolate over caramel and spread with an offset spatula.
  • Sprinkle with sea salt.
  • Freeze 15-20 minutes until set.
  • Use foil overhangs to lift bars from pan.
  • Cut into squares.
  • Store, refrigerated, in an airtight container up to 1 week.

**NOTE: Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk now comes in an easy to use squeeze bottle, but it’s difficult to get it all out no matter what you do. Squeeze out as much as you can and then funnel your heavy cream into the bottle and shake extremely well. This will help remove the remaining sweetened condensed milk easily.

BLOGMAS 2021 ~ DAY 26 ~ GIFTS ~ LAST MINUTE / HOMEMADE

I’m a Virgo and as such tend to make lists and be over-prepared as the general rule.  So, the only last minute gifts I tend to need are a couple extras for those unexpected visits that come up like a surprise gift from a neighbor.

A few of the “things” I keep on hand (with a festive ribbon already tied to them) for those occasions are:

  • Coffee gift cards
  • Homemade JARS such as the Harvest Soup or Brownie mixes I did this year
  • Homemade applesauce
  • Homemade jam
  • And closer to the actual day a plate full of homemade goodies

Here are a couple of recipes I make most years that are great to have around and NEVER EVER go to waste whether they are given as gifts or eaten in house LOL 😀

CARAMEL BUTTERSCOTCH FUDGE
1 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1 1/4 cup butterscotch chips
1/2 cup Kraft caramel bits
14 ounces Eagle-Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup Fisher’s Cinnamon Pecans
  • Line a 9×9 pan with heavy duty foil leaving enough foil overhanging the edges to use as handle to lift the foil out of the pan after the fudge has set.
  • Using a double boiler over medium heat melt the chips, caramel bits and condensed milk together until smooth.
  • Immediately pour into the foil lined pan.
  • Top with pecans using a piece of wax paper to press the pecans slightly into the fudge.

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup milk chocolate chips
14 ounces Eagle-Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup Crushed Honey Roasted Peanuts or walnuts

  • Line a 9×9 pan with heavy duty foil leaving enough foil overhanging the edges to use as handle to lift the foil out of the pan after the fudge has set.
  • Using a double boiler over medium heat melt the chips and condensed milk together until smooth.
  • Immediately pour into the foil lined pan.
  • Top with peanut pieces using a piece of wax paper to press the pecans slightly into the fudge.

TRIED & TRUE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

TRIED & TRUE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES Yields 36 cookies

This is TRULY the best chocolate chip cookie recipe ever that turns out perfectly EVERY single time! I have been making this recipe for many, many years and it is always a winner!

1 cup SALTED butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup PACKED light brown sugar
2 teaspoons PURE vanilla extract
1 teaspoon QUALITY cinnamon
2 LARGE eggs
2 ¾ – 3 cups all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda
¾ teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups QUALITY chocolate chips (mini chips or chunks, or even chopped chocolate flavor of choice)

  • Preheat oven to 375°.
  • Line a baking pan with parchment paper and set aside.
In a medium size bowl mix flour, baking soda, salt, baking powder. Set aside.

  • Cream together the butter and sugars until combined.
  • Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy.
  • Mix in the dry ingredients until combined.
  • Add chocolate chips and mix well.
 Roll the dough 2 tablespoons at a time into balls and place them evenly spaced on your prepared cookie sheets.
  • Bake in preheated oven for approximately 8-10 minutes. Take them out when they are just BARELY starting to turn brown. DO NOT OVER BAKE!! When you remove the cookies from the oven they will still look doughy. This is the secret that makes these cookies the best cookie you ever ate!
  • Let them sit on the baking pan for 2-5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 2 months. 

NOTE:

  • I only use pure, fine sea salt. Sea salt is different than table salt (that is iodized), so if you use salt other than sea salt I recommend testing the recipe first with ½ teaspoon and then adjust to your taste.
  • The size of your eggs can affect the texture and consistency. The dough should NOT be wet or sticky BUT DEFINITELY NOT dry or crumbly either. Add/delete a bit of flour as necessary.
  • For Christmas I change the recipe a bit by substituting 1/4 cup of cocoa for flour and add ½ tablespoon of red food coloring to make them a red velvet version.
  • You can also change up the flavor of the chips… butterscotch, caramel, peanut butter… or add nuts if you like.

FREEZE FOR FUTURE USE
Portion dough, roll into balls and freeze in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 2 months. 

HAPPY HOMEMAKER MONDAY with MENU PLAN & RECIPE LINKS week 52 of 2021

Be sure to join us for Happy Homemaker Monday and link up
with our host, Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom

How is everyone? Have you finished your Christmas shopping and preparations? For the first time ever I finished a week early and have had time to just bake and enjoy! Part of that has been my self imposed simplicity for the year. I’m loving it and quite honestly there really doesn’t feel like there is anything missing!

I fell behind a bit last week with BLOGMAS having too much fun baking, but I’m all caught up now 😀

Day 1 ~ Holiday Schedule
Day 2 ~ Elf on the Shelf / Gnomes
Day 3 ~ Christmas Movie MUST Watch List
Day 4 ~ Christmas Music Playlist
Day 5 ~ Quiet Christmas?
Day 6  ~Christmas Cookies
Day 7 ~ Real or Artificial Tree?
Day 8 ~ Winter MUST haves
Day 9 ~ Christmas Cards
Day 10 ~ Advent Calendar
Day 11 ~ Favorite Decorations and Ornaments
Day 12 ~Outdoor Decorations & Lights
Day 13 ~ TAG questions
Day 14 ~ Stocking Stuffer Ideas
Day 15 ~ Neighbor Plates & Gifts / Delivery Drivers
Day 16 ~ WISH List
Day 17 ~ Party Food Ideas/ CHARCUTERIE Boards
Day 18 ~ Favorite Christmas Foods, Beverages & Recipes
Day 19 ~ Inspirations & Stories
Day 20 ~ Favorite Family Traditions
Day 21 ~ Wrapping Ideas
Day 22 ~ Weather/Winter Wonderland Pictures
Day 23 ~ Meaning of Christmas
Day 24 ~ Christmas Past, Present & Future
Day 25 ~ When Do You Open Presents?

Looks like we’re going to get that snow for Christmas day(and then some) that I wished for, BUT this forecast as been ever changing, so while I’m hoping it’s true, I know in reality it will probably change again.

Hot water and baby food squeeze 😀 this doesn’t change much

THIS WEEK’S TO DO LIST, PROJECTS & APPOINTMENTS
  • LAUNDRY & CLEANING & PROJECTS I was able to complete the laundry yesterday after the Eagles Christmas party. I do have a few items (Christmas totes) to move to the garage before vacuuming. We installed a new LED ceiling fixture in the laundry room on Saturday to replace the old fluorescent fixture that died. And we will install the new ceiling fan in the master bedroom later today. I also deep cleaned behind the refrigerator and under the stove over the weekend.
  • GROCERIES & ERRANDS I do need just a couple things and will do those on Tuesday morning early!!!
  • PAPERWORK & PHONE CALLS I’ll work a bit whittling down my to do pile of paperwork and end of the year tasks, but will NOT call anyone this week so they can enjoy their holiday week too 😀
  • RECIPE RESEARCH & MENU PLANNING I’m working on a new planner and wellness guide for 2022 hoping to incorporate all my “normal” tasks into a SINGLE planner.

WHAT’S ON THE DVR/TV
  • NETFLIX Christmas in the Heartland
  • DISNEY+ I tried to watch the Home Alone knock off Home Sweet Home, but just couldn’t finish it 🙁
  • REDBOX The Jungle Cruise with Dwayne Johnson & Cry Macho with Clint Eastwood
  • CABLE It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, a couple Lifetime & Hallmark Christmas movies

I just started a new series from Ava Miles, Beside Golden Irish Fields (Book 1) ~ The Unexpected Prince Charming Series but have been falling asleep almost immediately before getting too far into the book.

Saturday night we froze our butts off watching the Timber Town Toy Land Electric Light Parade which honestly they over named! We are a small town and they try hard, but this year’s parade wasn’t nearly as good as last years 🙁 but I did get a few good pictures. It stayed clear until after the parade and the storm moving in gave the full moon an eerie glow.

MAKE THIS YOUR CHEAT WEEK 😀

NOT SURE IF THIS WORKS, BUT SOUNDS WORTH A TRY 😀

with the links to last week’s posted recipes, featured party links for the week and upcoming recipes to be posted soon.
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
SUNDAY
DINNER
ORANGE APRICOT CHICKEN & RICED CAULIFLOWER PILAF
BAKED BEAN DIP & CHIPS
COMPANY CHICKEN and DRIED BEEF PICKLE ROLL DIP & CHIPS
CHRISTMAS ENCHILADAS
ROAST TURKEY BREAST, MASHED POTATOES & GRAVY, HONEYED CARROTS & UPSIDE DOWN APPLE PIE
MARINATED PRIME RIB, TWICE BAKED POTATOES, SAUTEED GREEN BEANS & AUSTRALIAN CHEESECAKE
C.O.R.N. leftovers
DESSERT
AUSTRALIAN CHEESECAKE & UPSIDE DOWN APPLE PIE

  • BAKED BEAN DIP
  • DRIED BEEF PICKLE ROLL DIP
  • ORANGE APRICOT CHICKEN
  • TRIED & TRUE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
  • COMPANY CHICKEN

BLOGMAS 2021 ~ DAY 25 ~ WHEN DO YOU OPEN PRESENTS?

When does your family open their presents?

This category has changed a lot over the years for me as I have gotten older and had my own family. Being a military family on a tight budget I’ve always started shopping early (like in January) to work everything we want to do into our tight budget. So I anticipate watching as my friends and family open their gifts that I have tried to select perfectly just for them.

My family traditions as a kid were of a BIG Christmas eve open and that carried on through college, but as we (cousins) all got older and began getting married with families of our own, our grandparents passed on, some of us moved away, blended families (with their own traditions) were formed, etc… getting together for both Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day became harder and harder to do. 

Eventually Christmas eve became a MUCH smaller event for mainly immediate family for a small dinner and to open our gifts to each other.  Christmas morning was for being at our respective homes with our kids opening presents and then the larger family get together much later on Christmas day for dinner at just one place, usually my mom and dad’s house which became our house after my dad passed away.

These days with everyone all over the country and now with the pandemic, both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are mainly just hubby and I with LOTS of phone calls to family and friends and we open our gifts on Christmas morning.

We did attend our Eagles Christmas party yesterday though and opening gifts for the secret gift exchange was part of the activities. It was as if they knew me. I love my new Starbucks coffee cup and hot cocoa! 😀