THE HOLIDAY SEASON

THE HOLIDAY SEASON…

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 since we moved east, the holiday season has been quiet, many times too quiet.  This year in particular was way too quiet and lonely.
Personally, I love the hustle and bustle of the holidays.  I’m a list writer and as a Virgo usually have my presents bought early and the Christmas cards ready to mail by Thanksgiving, many times they are even hand made.  Having all this done and ready made it possible for me to go to the malls, get a nice cup of coffee and just watch other people hustle and bustle.  Then I would go home and cook and bake and then bake some more!  I MISS that here!
I learned much of this from my folks.  My folks would have the majority of their shopping done before Thanksgiving and then because of their hectic schedules dad would sit me down with all the gifts, a card table, wrapping paper, tape, bows and tags on the day after Thanksgiving and that was where I would spend the Thanksgiving weekend watching Christmas movies, eating leftover turkey sandwhiches and wrapping gifts.  When the gifts were done, I would start on the Christmas cards.  Now this wasn’t an abuse of child labor laws, it was how I earned a chunk of money for my own Christmas shopping.  And dad was a generous employer.
Christmas Eve was spent at our house with the immediate extended family (grams and gramps, aunts, uncles and cousins and many times neighbors too). We would do a big buffet and then open all our gifts to each other and have a party.  We’d go to sleep happy and sated while waiting for Santa and then start Christmas day with stockings and brunch.  By afternoon the turkey and ham were smelling great and we were ready to start all over.  Oh it was the same bunch of people, but we would add a great aunt and uncle. Looney Louise, (okay we didn’t call her looney to her face, but it is what made her such fun) made us cornflake wreaths with red hots and fudge!  All us cousins would sit on the front porch waiting for them and for our wreaths!  It wouldn’t have been Christmas without them!
Looney Louise years before she made us our wreaths!
As always I’m looking forward to the next holiday season just after this one ends, but knowing that the next one will be spent around family makes it already more special.

Lisa Wingate – author – believer in hope

Good Hope Road was the story of a town devastated by a tornado and how a young girl from the wrong side of the tracks so to speak was given a chance at things she otherwise wouldn’t have because most considered her white trash.Wingate’s stories are all about compassion, understanding and trying to see each other’s point of view while you realize the grass isn’t always greener, maybe you just need to water your own grass more.

BEEF TENDERLOIN

Christmas Eve dinner was just the two of us this year so I made a beef tenderloin with sauteed mushrooms and twice baked potatoes. Tonight that left over tenderloin will make some great hot beef sandwiches. YUMMY!

BEEF TENDERLOIN
1 (3 pound) beef tenderloin roast 
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch green onions, sliced thin
4-5 mushrooms, sliced thin
1/2 cup melted butter

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Sprinkle garlic on bottom of shallow, glass baking dish and then layer green onions on top. 
  • Place roast on top of onions.
  • Whisk together soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and butter.
  • Pour over the tenderloin.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes, then turn the roast over, and continue cooking 35 to 40 minutes, basting occasionally until the internal temperature of the roast is at 140 degrees for medium.
  • Let meat rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing

    APPLE RHUBARB BROWN BETTY

    2 to 3 stalks rhubarb, trimmed well (3 Cups)
    1 small loaf white bread (6 ounces), crusts removed (3+ cups)
    1 stick butter, melted, plus 2 tablespoons sliced thin
    2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into thin wedges
    1/2 cup + 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
    1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
    Pinch ground nutmeg
    Juice and zest of 1/2 lemon

    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
    • Cut rhubarb into 1/4-inch-thick cubes.
    • Tear bread into 1/2-inch pieces.
    • Spray a shallow 1-quart baking dish with PURE.
    • In medium bowl, combine melted butter and bread pieces; cover bottom of dish with 1 to 1 1/2 cups bread pieces.
    • In another bowl, combine rhubarb, apple, 1/2 cup brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice.   Grate zest; add to mixture.
    • Let sit until juices begin to run, about 5 minutes.
    • Spread half of rhubarb mixture over bread pieces.
    • Sprinkle with 1 cup more bread pieces.
    • Add remaining rhubarb mixture and juices; cover with remaining bread pieces.
    • Sprinkle 1/4 cup brown sugar.
    • Dot with 2 tablespoons butter slices.
    • Cover; bake 25 to 35 minutes on the middle rack, until rhubarb is tender.
    • Increase heat to 400 degrees; uncover, and bake 10 to 15 minutes more, until rhubarb is soft, top is crusty, and juices begin to bubble at edges of baking dish.
    • Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

    White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cream Cheese Cookies–Save Room for Dessert

    I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family and friends.
    White Chocolate Chip Macadamia Nut Cream Cheese Cookies
    2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
    8 oz package of cream cheese, softened
    1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
    1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
    1 egg
    1 teaspoon vanilla
    12 oz bag of white chocolate chips
    2 cups macadamia nuts
    • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
    • In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside until later.
    • Beat the cream cheese and the butter on medium speed until creamy and light, should take about 2 minutes.
    • Add the brown sugar and then mix well.
    • Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed and add the egg and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute.
    • Slowly, add the flour mixture a little at a time, until well combined.
    • Fold in white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts.
    • I suggest placing the dough in the freezer or refrigerator for a few hours. In my experience the cookies come out better. But, this step isn’t necessary. Roll dough into walnut size balls then place on a greased cookie sheet.
    • Bake for 12 minutes, or until the edges are golden in your pre-heated oven. Let rest on cookie sheet for 5 minutes then move to a wire rack to cool completely