Category: HOLIDAYS

BLOGMAS 2024 ~ CHILDHOOD & FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MEMORIES ~ DAY 4 ~ BLOG 366.337B

WOW there are so many! One of my earliest favorites was when I was 5 and I got my tea table and chairs – my uncle sure looked silly sitting at that table drinking tea with me 😀 I LOVED that table and planned to keep it forever eventually passing it down to my daughter, but when I was in college my dad gave it to my aunt who said it had only been on loan from her all those years 🙁 

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 person to stump him. I swear the man was like 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 actually 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 inside a box trick, adding a pair of old shoes… but he ALWAYS guessed!  I still don’t know how he did it. Sadly 🙁 this will be the 31st Christmas without him. He died so young, but I have so many wonderful memories of him and Christmas from when I was young.

There of course have been many memories since, but for some reason the childhood ones are the most memorable at times.In more recent years the memories are not about things, but more about times. There was an arctic storm a few years back that blew in and all of a sudden everything turned white. This was our first snowstorm of the season and just before Christmas.

Hubby made this for me to wake up to in the back yard before the snow got too bad.  The house across the street usually looked horrible, but NOT when it was under a blanket of snow.Unfortunately, being in a cul-de-sac, delivery trucks leave MANY tire tracks at this time of year to mar the beautiful snow cover.
The first day after he storm was absolutely gorgeous though!
The duck pond behind the neighborhood was truly a work of art.
Obviously we hadn’t gone anywhere – no tire tracks!
The fish ladder was like glass with the cold and ice.

JSDBFJHSFJKHSD

BLOGMAS 2024 ~ DAY 3 ~ CHRISTMAS CARDS & WRAPPING IDEAS ~ BLOG 366.336B

Do you still send “snail mail” Christmas cards? 😀 We received our first card last Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

I do! I know a lot of people have stopped or send virtual cards, but I’m a die hard on this one. I just love sending and getting Christmas cards in the mail. But, I fear they are becoming a thing of the past. Unfortunately I receive fewer and fewer each year it seems. Virtual cards just aren’t the same to me. AND I can’t reuse virtual cards to make the next year as gift tags.

I even painted a set of old shutters in Christmas colors to display them.

I DO try to make my own Christmas cards when I can, and I PLANNED to do homemade again this year, but years like this last year full of issues sometimes finds me sending out box cards.

A local store carries boxed cards that are really nice quality, pretty cute and super affordable. I’m bound and determined that I WILL do homemade again soon 😀

I did try an annual letter a few times, but ended up in just doing a few paragraphs eventually hitting the highlights from throughout the year since.

Here are some cute wrapping ideas. I have been wrapping presents as I go again this year and able to spend a little more time decorating by doing it that way.

 

BLOGMAS 2024 ~ ELF on the SHELF ~ day 2 ~ BLOG 366.335B

I know many parents are tired of ELF on the SHELF, are you? Food Network even had a baking competition that revolved around the ELF on the SHELF last year. I’m not sure if they’re having it this year, but I probably won’t be watching that one again.

I have always loved the actual idea of ELF on the SHELF and have made a list each year of the antics they would get into that year so I could be prepared and hopefully not repeat myself too much!

My munchkins have grown up fast! 2 of 3 of them “KNEW”, but the youngest still believed and we tried keeping the elf/nisse tradition alive another year! BUT, her teacher told the whole class a couple years ago! Who does that? I was soooooo mad! First off it wasn’t her place to tell the kids and what kind of person, especially a teacher, steals a child’s belief of anything? These days the munchkins all tower over me in their teens and our elf/Nisse has become a sentimental fixture in the Christmas decorations.

A few years back I discovered Julenisser, a Nordic tradition, to replace our previous Elf on a Shelf. I couldn’t find that a Julenisser is actually given a name, but I’m winging it here. 😀 The nisse is one of the most familiar creatures of Scandinavian folklore. Again this year we’ll be bringing back Annabelle and her pet reindeer, Alvin. They are always a BIG hit.

In Solvang, a Danish community, they actually do a Nisse Adventure like a scavenger hunt and Danish style JuleFest celebration throughout the month of December.

In Denmark there is a serious subculture regarding the Christmas elves and gnomes known as Julenisser. They live in forests and eat fruits and berries throughout the year before they come spend the month of Christmas with your family. They have BIG hearts and ARE magical and they love to play tricks on you and your family!

Hallmark even did a Christmas movie a while back that involves a Gnome/Troll called MY NORWEIGIAN HOLIDAY.

I know many parents are dreading that darned elf every year and having to come up with at least 24 DIFFERENT scenarios that are different from the previous year!

So when do you begin? Do you have unique names for your elf? Or do you have a Julenisser? Also, do you have a favorite Christmas character? Angels, Snowmen, Nutcrackers, Bears, Gnomes, Reindeer, Peanuts (Charlie Brown, Snoopy…), Elves, Gingerbread Men, Penguins or the BIG man himself, Santa Clause.

I LOVE ALL the Christmas characters, but my favorites are Snowmen, Angels and Reindeer.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the past several years:

BLOGMAS 2024 day 1 ~ HOLIDAY SCHEDULE ~ BLOG 366.334B

Welcome to BLOGMAS 2024. I’m so happy you could join me. Like always, I want to make this fun and no fuss, so join in when you can and I hope you enjoy the insight into my little corner of the holidays.

I’m a list maker and pretty organized so even my BLOGMAS schedule is pretty much in order of occurrence 🙂

This year with Thanksgiving arriving so late I feel like I’m getting a really late start to the Christmas holiday.

Today will start with a trip to the Christmas Tree farm with a girlfriend and her mother to get their trees and I’ll get my front door wreaths followed by a yummy lunch at a favorite local haunt. Hubby and I will be going back for our tree on Tuesday afternoon. Wednesday will be spent decorating the tree. Tomorrow and Sunday will be spent dealing with outside decorations. I have some spray painting to get done while the sun is actually shining.

I’m actually keeping the schedule pretty flexible this year. So far the only definite dates are the local county Christmas fair on the 6th, a girls get together on the 11th and dinner and a play with those same girlfriends on the 19th, Wreaths Across America is on the 14th, The Eagle’s Christmas party is on the 15th and the Christmas parade is on the 21st.

PEASANT STEW ~ BLOG 366.333

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! This isn’t today’s meal, but was scrumptious enough that it could be if we weren’t turkey people!

PEASANT STEW

1 + 1 tablespoon butter
1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
4 medium carrots, sliced thin
2 celery stalks, sliced thin
1 medium potato, peeled and cubed
1 1/2 cup homemade broth
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
1-2 tablespoon Montreal hamburger seasoning
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste

  • In a large dutch oven melt 1 tablespoon butter.
  • Add ground beef and onions.
  • Brown beef and onions until cooked through and beef is completely crumbled.
  • Drain well.
  • Add butter, carrots, celery and potatoes to pot and saute several minutes until starting to soften.
  • Add tomatoes, water and rice.
  • Return meat and onions to pan.
  • Season to taste with Montreal hamburger seasoning and FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper.
  • Bring to a SLOW gentle boil, reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes until potatoes and rice are tender.

CHRISTMOSAS for CHRISTMAS IN JULY ~ BLOG 366.212

I made up this recipe last Christmas when a friend was visiting for dinner, but never got around to posting it so Christmas in July seemed like the best time. I made them “pitcher” style, but you could make them by the glass if you prefer.

CHRISTMOSAS
2 Granny Smith apples, chopped small
1 cup cranberries
1 cup halved green grapes
1 cup pomegranate seeds
1 cup sparkling grape juice
3 cups champagne or Proseco
Sanding sugar, for rims

  • Wash fruit and toss pieces in a bowl, cover and chill several hours before making drinks.
  • Add chilled fruit to pitcher.
  • Top with sparkling grape juice and champagne, stir and serve in sanding sugar rimmed glasses.

BRINED ROAST TURKEY BREAST ~ BLOG 365.

We’re had a SMALL group for Thanksgiving this year and I ordered a LARGE boneless turkey breast, but was afraid it would be too dry so decided to try a brine to keep it juicy. This recipe calls for an overnight wet brine overnight creating maximum flavor and keeping it extremely moist. It is then roasted to a golden perfection.

BRINED ROAST TURKEY BREAST
Prep Time 15 minutes
Brine Time 12 hours
Cook Time 3 hours
Rest Time 15 minutes
+/- Total Time 15 hours 15 minutes

BRINE
8 cups water
½ cup kosher salt
½ cup PACKED brown sugar
8 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
1 cinnamon stick
¼ cup FRESH tarragon
2 sprigs FRESH rosemary
2 lemons, cut in half and juiced
1 LARGE orange, peeled, cut in half and juiced
4 cups ice, optional

  • Bring the water to a boil in a LARGE pot.
  • Add all ingredients to the pot except the ice and return to a boil, stirring to dissolve all the salt and sugar.
  • Remove from heat and cool completely.
  • To speed up the cooling add about 4 cups of ice to the brine.
Once the brine is cooled, place the turkey breast in the brine making sure it’s fully submerged. You may have to weigh it down with another pot of water to keep it submerged.
  • Store it in the refrigerator overnight or for at least for 12 hours.


TURKEY
2 medium onions, quartered
4 large carrots, rustic cut
4 cloves garlic, FINELY minced
5-8 pound turkey breast, thawed
FRESH ground sea salt and black pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
8 tablespoon butter, melted
1 cup homemade chicken broth

  • Preheat your oven to 350°.
  • Remove the turkey breast from the brine solution and pat it dry with paper towels.
  • Rinse the turkey breast thoroughly to remove excess salt and pat dry.
Place the quartered onions, carrot pieces, minced garlic and 4 tablespoons diced butter in a large roasting pan then place the turkey breast on top.
  • Rub the turkey with the melted butter, keep remaining butter for later.
  • Generously season with salt and pepper on both sides. 
Add the chicken broth to the pan. 

  • Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven.
  • Roast covered for 1½ hours, basting with the melted butter, remelting as necessary every 20 minutes.
  • After 1½ hours, remove the foil and roast for another 1 hour or until golden brown. The breast is done when a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the breast registers at 165°.
Transfer the turkey breast to a platter or cutting board and let it rest for a full 15 minutes before slicing into it.
  • With a slotted spoon remove carrots to a serving bow. Cover and keep warm.


GRAVY
pan drippings
¾ cup homemade chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch or more for a thicker gravy

  • Skim some of the fat from the pan drippings if necessary.
  • Place the pan on the stove over medium-high heat.
  • In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch with a couple tablespoons of the chicken broth. Add mixture to the pan, whisking it all together.
  • Strain gravy through a sieve pressing all the liquid out of the onions and garlic for additional flavor.
Add more cornstarch until you reach the desired consistency. Cook for a few minutes, until the gravy thickens a bit.
  • Adjust seasoning as necessary.

NOTES

  • Turkey breast cooking guidelines:
    4 to 6 pounds – 2 1/2 to 3 hours
    6 to 8 pounds – 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours
  • Use a shallow roaster so that the oven air can flow completely around the turkey breast.