Holiday Gift Idea

My sister and I were talking today  - discussing about gifts We have decided to forgo giving presents and instead donating what we would spend on each other to help others in need. She will be giving to a place for the homeless and  will be givng to the food pantry.  I'm not writing this to get a pat on the back and I'm actually hesitant to write anything because that is not the point of giving, however, I would like to put out the idea of when you are writing out your gift list that you think of others in need - more so this year than any other year. If you find that you have everything that you could possibly need, ask others to give in your name instead of receiving something you really don't need or want - you will be receiving much more than any gift could possible give you.

Talk to your family, you might be surprised how many would rather you give in their names.

Looking for a Food Bank in your area - this site will help you locate one

Feeding America Food Banks

If you have a Kroger near you they will also take your food donations

Thrifty Finds

Thrifty Thursday

Please join Leigh at Tales from Bloggeritaville

http://lbratina.blogspot.com/2009/12/thrifty-thursday-44.html

and Suzanne at Vintage Thingie Thursday
http://coloradolady.blogspot.com/search/label/Vintage%20Thingies%20Thursdays

I got the following items at a second hand shop in Michigan

Brass Pumpkin $9

Check out this Santa bell $4:

Bag of Wooden Ornaments $4

Glass Ornament $4

At the theater thrift store I

got the following

The ornaments were .75 a box

 abt .15 a piece

the flip side

Window Shopping

After our filling breakfast we went to a town that decorates for the holidays

They also have a window decorating contest

This is an "upscale" second hand store
Whoo u r

Yes I did buy some items there and will have them in another post

Here are some photos of inside:

The Silken Worm sells silk flowers and silk flower arrangements; trees,

home decorative accessories; Asian antique furniture

and antique decorative accessories

Home Bakery

this corner bakery specializes in cakes, large or small, simple or spectacular.

A walk by the cake-filled picture window is all it takes to draw hungry passersby

into this modest store. Inside, three glass display cases house rich tortes,

individual pastries, brightly sprinkled cookies and other homemade treats.

Lets look at the goodies in the window

More Window Displays

Partridge in a Pear Tree

This is the back of an Italian cafe

Santa and his reindeer were on the roof tops

After Thanksgiving Tradition

We have a tradition that everytime we visit my niece and her family

we just HAVE to go to the following place for breakfast

It's called the Original Pancake House

We have never been that we did not have to wait to get in

Yes... it's that good that you will stand outside in icky weather

 (this time it cool but nice)

Once inside the door you're about half way

You are greeted by this beautiful wreath

This was above our heads on a ledge

Almost there

Finally Seated!

This is what it looked around us

The look on my nephews face says it all.....

that is because of this

ice cream filled crepes topped off with whipped cream!

Both of my nephews had this and my daughter had an omelet

The rest of us had

corn beef hash topped with 2 eggs over easy

it also came with a stack of light and fluffy pancakes

The place is open 9a-9p but only serves breakfast foods

If you are in the Detroit area you need to check it out

Guitar Pick Necklace

I took guitar picks and jewelry findings -

 the chain already had the clasp on it -

and made the following

for

my daughter Grace for her birthday

I used a hole punch to make the hole in the pick

then attached a jump ring and a celtic knot finding

DIY Day w/ A Soft Place to Land

http://asoftplace.net/2009/11/diy-day-with-the-north-pole-secretary/

Please join Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Met Monday

http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/2009/11/welcome-to-46th-metamorphosis-monday.html

Waldorf Salad

When you use red and green apples the salad has a festive look

Waldorf Salad

4 apples - 2 red, 2 green chopped

3/4 C Celery chopped

3/4 C raisins - some people use grapes but my family likes raisins

1/2 C chopped walnuts

mayonaise to moisten

Toss the apples with a little lemon juice to stop browning 

Add the rest of the ingredients, toss and chill

This recipe can be adjusted to your tastes

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday
http://blessedwithgrace.blogspot.com/2009/11/beef-stroganoff-with-buttered-noodles.html

Please join Gollum for Foodie Friday

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/


Tuesdays at the Table with Cole

Mayoral Presentation

On Tuesday, at the city council meeting,

my daughter, Devon

 received a special award from the mayor of our city

She was recognized for her volunteering

The 4 years in high school she belonged to Key Club

 While working with this organization,

she volunteered once a month at the Lutheran Church

The Caring Place is a community outreach project

that has been in existence for 17 years

 providing a hot meal every Thursday night to those in need.

She enjoyed the time there and decided to go on her own time to serve meals.

Way to go Devon!

part 2

Part 2

Once the rolls came out 

 it was rock and roll time.....

I can't believe I ate the whole thing.....

I hope everyone had as wonderful Thanksgiving

as I had with my family...

I truly am very grateful

(don't you just love my niece's house? )

It's been a busy few days......

The night before Thanksgiving Mr Fix-it (aka my hsb) 

put up curtain rods for our niece ……

My sister and brother-in-law flew in and my one daughter drove in to celebrate Thanksgiving

We had the usual See how much you’ve grown since last year ….

Are you as talk as your older cousin?

We had making paper airplanes and parachutes lessons

as well as tai chi demostrations

The tables were put up and set

the next morning we got up bright

(some of us - i.e. me were not as bright)

and shiny to cook

I'm not sure why we trust my hsb with the knife

The Supervisors

Why does it seem like you are always are waiting  on the rolls?

Please stay tuned for part 2 of our Thanksgivng caper..........

It's Pie Time

I know that Martha would be disappointed

however
after years of making my own crust,

I decided to cheat and it seemed to me
that no one noticed !

Sooooo...

I decided why am I driving myself crazy making crust,

so I just buy the already made crusts.

If you are a purist and just have to make crust
......knock ya self out.......

Perfect Chocolate Pecan Pie 

(As if regular pecan pie wasn't decadant enough)

makes 1 deep dish or 2 shallow

1 c. light corn syrup

3 eggs
1/2 c. sugar

1 pkg. semi sweet chocolate morsels

1/4 c. butter, melted

1 1/2 c. pecan halves

1tsp vanilla

1 deep dish or 2 shallow pie crusts

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place cookie sheet in oven to preheat.
In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and eggs, beat well.

Place chocolate chips and pecans in the bottom of fluted pie crust.
(see below on how to flute)

Pour syrup mixture oven pecans.

Place pie on heated cookie sheet and bake for 55-65 minutes
or until deep golden brown and filling is set.

Cool completely. Store in refrigerator.

Sour Milk Pie

This is my grandmother recipe. I know it sounds odd -

if you like mincemeat you'll love this - much more economical!

This has to be my favorite,

I remember as a kid I couldn't wait for her to make it!

1 C milk

2 Tbsp. Vinegar

1 C sugar

1 C Raisins

1 egg

1 slice of bread - torn into pieces

1 tsp each: nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, 1/2 tsp clove

Mix all ingredients and place between 2 crusts.

Use an egg wash - mixture of 1 egg yolk plus 1Tbsp milk

 brush over the entire crust

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

how to flute a pie crust

I also will be making a pumpkin pie,

I figured everyone knows how to do this
so I won't bore you w/  mine.

What is on everyone's menu?
Do you have any traditions ?
 What is your family favorite?

please join Lisa for tempt My Tummy Tuesday
http://blessedwithgrace.blogspot.com/2009/11/tempt-my-tummy-tuesday-pumpkin-cream.html

please join Christy at Embellished Bayou for
Go Nuts!!
http://embellishedbayou.blogspot.com/2009/11/party-time-lets-go-nuts.html

Reindeer Food

Reindeer Food

I got the following idea from

http://christmas.organizedhome.com/stocking-stuffers/magic-reindeer-food

the tags

http://christmas.organizedhome.com/sites/christmas.organizedhome.com/files/gift_tags_magic_reindeer_food.pdf

What you need:

Oatmeal

Sugar Crystals - whatever colors you'd like

I mix whatever colors I have - 

I like to use just the oats and sugar

that way if it is accidently eaten it's ok

some sites have you use glitter,

my kids would want to try it out b/4 Rudy got any

I mix it in a snack bag attach the tag (above link)

and give as gifts to little ones

On Xmas Eve

they sprinkle it on the snow

so the reindeers can see it

and Santa will come

Buckeyes

My hsb did his holiday cooking today.....

Buckeyes!

Ingredients:

1 ½ C creamy p. butter

1 stick butter

1 lb. P sugar

1 tsp vanilla

choc. Bark

Mix or Cream ingredients.

Chill the mixture abt an hour

Melt the chocolate bark in a double boiler

just before you are ready to roll

once chilled  knead and roll  

into bite size pieces

kneading gets rid of the graininess

 

 

 

Except the gynormous one for Jane (my sister)

  Dip and roll in chocolate bark

and set on wax or parchment paper

He use to seal over the hole with a wet finger

 but we noticed no one else does it

so he doesn't any more

I forgot the most important part -

You must wear your OSU shirt

and

of course -

watch the Ohio- Michigan Game

Did I mention Ohio won????

Enjoy your Buckeyes....

please join Lisa for tempt My Tummy Tuesday

http://blessedwithgrace.blogspot.com/2009/11/tempt-my-tummy-tuesday-pumpkin-cream.html

O....

HI........

.........O

Not to rub it in

BUT........

WE WON!!!!!

GO  BUCKS

Coffee Liquor - Holiday Gift

This is a very easy gift.

I put it in an ikea bottle
but you can use old wine bottles with a cork
and seal with wax
or if you want to give smaller bottles
 put it in glass soda bottles like Crush or Jones
 it can be put in a wine bottle bag
or decorate with a pretty bow

Home Made Coffee Liquor

1 ½ C strong expresso or very strong coffee -  I have used instant coffee crystals

1 qt. Vodka

1 C brown sugar – or more to tatse

1 Tbsp. Vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Place in glass jars
and allow to age 3 weeks to 3 months

ENJOY

Join for Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday

http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/2009/11/foodie-friday_19.html

THE game

If you were to ask people who know me, they would tell you hands down,

that I am not a fan of football - baseball is my game,

however,

the BIG game is this weekend.

I  know the rest of the Buckeye Bloggers know

what the BIG game is.

.......yup.......

VS

according to Wikipedia:

The Ohio-Michigan State rivalry (also known as The Game by some followers) is an intense college football rivalry between Ohio State University and the University of Michigan. It has attracted particular national interest over the last four decades as most of the games have determined the Big Ten Conference title and the resulting Rose Bowl match ups, and many have influenced the outcome of the national collegiate football championship. The game was ranked by ESPN in 2000 as the greatest North American sports rivalry.

....YUP...

It's serious business here in Ohio

Go Bucks!!!