Category: HOLIDAYS

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.

BLOGMAS 2023 ~ DAY 31 ~ MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE / NORAD TRACKER ~ BLOG 365.358B

Usually the holiday season is an endless list of tasks and errands. Christmas Eve is usually at our house and then Christmas Day many times too. The last several years though the holiday season has been quiet, many times too quiet. This year will also be quiet, but Santa will still be making his rounds for the little ones.

It’s Christmas Eve and Santa Claus is coming to town tonight. If you have kids, or are just a big kid at heart, you can track Santa’s progress as he travels around the world on NORAD.

Merry Christmas everyone!

BLOGMAS 2023 ~ DAY 30 ~ CHRISTMAS MENUS ~ BLOG 365.357B

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’ve been searching for the fig jam and finally found a jar, the second to the last one in the whole area from what I can tell. The butcher is even cutting me an extra small prime rib 😀 but there will be enough yummy pieces leftover for the New Year’s black eyed pea chili.