Saturday, December 25, 2010

Happy Christmas Everyone


I wish your Christmas Day be full of blessings, love and laughter. I pray there's food on your table, a roof over your head, family around you and joy in your heart. And if you have all these things, I hope you'll count your blessings and give thanks. I know I will be - and among my blessings are so many of you.

Happy Christmas my friends. Happy Christmas.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Foodie Friday: Trifle


Somewhere in my law school years Mama introduced me to trifle. It's a traditional English dessert that's filled with creams and cakes and berries. I'd seen pictures of it's decadent berry goodness before, but I'd not made made one myself. Probably because I didn't know how easy it is to make!

You start with a trifle bowl. It's a little easier to find a trifle bowl this time of year because of the holidays. I've found them at AC Moore and Michaels, but you can order them from Amazon too. A trifle bowl is important because it makes even layers and you can see the beautiful results.

Ingredients:
Cake - pound cake cubed OR Madelines OR lady fingers
Pudding - I use a pack of Jello pudding.
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 pound Bag of Frozen Mixed Berries
Fresh berries for fruit layer and garnish

You start with a cake layer. There are a couple ways to make this layer. This time I used Madelines I got from Costco (because it's Christmas and I wanted to get fancy). You can also use lady fingers or cut up a pound cake into cubes and use them in the cake layer. Just make sure you've covered the bottom of the bowl in this first layer.

The next layer is a berry layer. You can use fresh or frozen. I used a mix of both for this one because the frozen will thaw and make berry juice that will soak into the cake while the fresh berries stay a little firmer. There are many recipes for different types of trifle and you can use different kinds of fruit. I find that strawberries and blueberries work well. For this trifle, though, I used a bag of frozen mixed berry fruit and added cut up fresh strawberries, fresh blueberries and some fresh blackberries. Mix those up in a bowl, add half of your berries over the cake mixture.

Then comes the creamy layer. I take a pack of jello pudding - this time French vanilla - and fold in a package of cool whip that's slightly thawed. I've also used chocolate pudding and custard pudding - both are delicious. Make the pudding first, let it set and fold in the cool whip. If it's still too frozen to fold in without there being lumps, I take a wire whisk and whisk it until it's smooth. Then add half your creamy mix to the top of the berries.

Then you make another layer of cake, the rest of the fruit and cover it with the rest of your cream. Garnish with fresh berries.

MOST IMPORTANTLY, make this ahead of time so it has a couple hours to soak into itself. It's better if you let it sit for a while and allow the flavors to blend.

Enjoy!







Thursday, December 23, 2010

Inspiration Thursday! See Amid the Winter's Snow...


See amid the winter’s snow,
Born for us on earth below,
See, the gentle Lamb appears,
Promised from eternal years.

Hail that ever blessèd morn, Hail redemption’s happy dawn, Sing through all Jerusalem: Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Lo, within a manger lies
He Who built the starry skies;
He Who, thronèd in height sublime,
Sits amid the cherubim.

Hail that ever blessèd morn, Hail redemption’s happy dawn, Sing through all Jerusalem: Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Say, you holy shepherds, say,
Tell your joyful news today.
Why have you now left your sheep
On the lonely mountain steep?

Hail that ever blessèd morn, Hail redemption’s happy dawn, Sing through all Jerusalem: Christ is born in Bethlehem.

“As we watched at dead of night,
Lo, we saw a wondrous light;
Angels singing ‘Peace on earth’
Told us of the Savior’s birth.”

Hail that ever blessèd morn, Hail redemption’s happy dawn, Sing through all Jerusalem: Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Sacred Infant, all divine,
What a tender love was Thine,
Thus to come from highest bliss
Down to such a world as this.

Hail that ever blessèd morn, Hail redemption’s happy dawn, Sing through all Jerusalem: Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Teach, O teach us, holy Child,
By Thy face so meek and mild,
Teach us to resemble Thee,
In Thy sweet humility.

Hail that ever blessèd morn, Hail redemption’s happy dawn, Sing through all Jerusalem: Christ is born in Bethlehem.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Vintage Wednesday: Vintage Christmas Ornaments



In an effort to make this a simpler Christmas, I used mainly our collection of vintage Christmas ornaments to decorate our tree this year. There's something about the mercury glass, the stars, the hand blown ornaments that make my heart swell. I especially love the few ornaments we have that have "Silent Night" stenciled on them along with a scene from a little town. And the ornaments that have the centers recessed sparkle in the twinkling lights.

My husband did request we put the bubble lights on this year. I remember when I was a child these were one of the most fascinating part of Christmas decorating. That they would BUBBLE in colorful light was one of my favorite parts of the tree. Thankfully bubble lights have been updated so that my grownup tree can be festooned with them without my fear of the old wires causing fires!

Hope you're finding your own traditions in celebrating this holiday season and hope it's filled with joy, love and laughter.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Working Tuesday: Gem and Jewelry Show December 2010


Well my friends, it's that time again: Gem and Jewelry Show December 2010. The safest path is to avoid the show altogether as there are WAY too many tempting things if you love all things jewelry like me. Unfortunately, I didn't heed my head and followed my heart to the show. I also took my husband who is a TERRIBLE influence ("Just get both of them!").

I did manage to largely control myself, but I found a couple noteworthy things. The best, by far, were these mother of pearl medallions that the seller (I think) said were "razor" cut, but I'm pretty sure he meant laser cut. I only got one strand as they were rather pricey, but he had some that looked like snowflakes and some that had roses cut out of them - in both large and small sizes.

The trend this year seems to be going toward crystals. I saw TONS of crystals all over the show. I also found some interesting shell looking items that reminded me of the beach.

I was looking for glass pearls for an order that's pending, but wasn't able to find any. I told my husband that I was tripping over them two years ago, and couldn't find any good quality REAL pearls. The opposite is true today. There was a huge variety of pearls in different shapes and sized - including really good quality freshwater pearls for very reasonable prices.

That's the report on the Gem and Jewelry Show... and now we return to our regular programming....

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Weekend Wanderings: Ethoipian Food in the City

I have a friend who's Ethiopian. I met him almost 10 years ago and love catching up with him - he's a true embodiment of the American Dream. He was the one who introduced me to Ethiopian food, and is generally one of the few people I can get to eat that particular cuisine with me. Of course, I'd seen movies where people ate with their hands and knew a bit about the food, but didn't really know about the spices and the BREAD until he introduced me to my first meal.

I've found that people either love or hate Ethiopian food. There's not often an in between. For my husband, he's not a fan of the bread. I, on the other hand, LOVE the bread.

You can ask the restaurant to prepare your food so that it's spicy or mild. There are chicken dishes, beef dishes, and many, many vegetable offerings like gomen, which is a spinach dish. And don't get me started on the lentils!

If you're interested in trying out a delicious Ethiopian restaurant in the City, there are several places you can go. My favorite thus far is Dukem Restaurant on U Street. We had to wait for a table, but it was worth the wait! The waitresses wear what I'm assuming is supposed to resemble traditional dress and are very friendly. Excellent restaurant guide ratings line the walls and I understand it's always crowded - so I'm not the only person to agree it's delicious. If you've not tried this cuisine before, break out of your shell! Try it!

Friday, December 17, 2010

Foodie Friday: Holiday Stuffing


I admit it. I like Stove Top Stuffing. It's easy to make and has all that bready, salty goodness. But in my household growing up it was almost sacrilege to eat stove top when you could make something a little closer to scratch. When Mama makes stuffing, she does it right.

Ingredients:
4 stalks celery cleaned
1/2 large Vidalia onion chopped
Stick of butter, melted
2 bags Pepperidge Farm Herb Seasoned Stuffing
2 32 oz. containers of chicken broth

First clean and cut up your celery. This means scrubbing all the dirt and crap off of the stalks - with a brush if necessary - and cutting off the bad spots, including the stalky end. Chop the celery into about 1/2 inch pieces and set them aside. Then dice up your onion into cubes as well.

On the stove, put your stick of butter into a saucepan and let the butter melt - I usually do this on a lower heat so I don't have to watch it to keep it from burning. Put your celery and onion into your melted butter and allow to simmer until the onions start to turn translucent and the celery softens up.

Pour your two bags of Pepperidge Farm stuffing into a large bowl and pour in your onion/celery concoction. Thoroughly stir in the onions and celery. Then add your two boxes of chicken stock.

Here's where it gets messy folks. Take your hands and dig in! Mix in all the yummy goodness until all the dry stuffing has been covered. It might still look a little dry, but allow it to settle a few minutes and everything will get absorbed.

Then put your mixture into a casserole dish and bake it in the oven at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes. That last step gives it a bit of a crispy top. Enjoy!

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Inspiration Thursday! Stocking Stuffers... Compliments of Cath Kidston

A couple weeks ago I was reading an article and there was a mention of Cath Kidston pillows on a bed. Being a huge fan of superfluous bed pillows, I had to follow that little nugget of information. What I found was a bounty of floral fun - and I was hooked.

Want a sweet alternative to run of the mill diaper bags? The saddle bag could be your answer. Want a stylish shopping bag that reminds you of that summer trip abroad? The Britannia reusable bag fits the bill!

If you're looking for stocking stuffers, business card holders, ipad and ipod covers, laptop cases and phone cases can be found in the accessories. And if you're just looking for some new kitchen curtains, the fabric section might just make your heart flutter.

It's a lovely little place to shop... er, I mean stop if you need a little Christmas....

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Vintage Wednesday: Vintage Christmas Decorations


One of the fun things about exploring estate sales in the area is getting to see the Christmas decorations of days gone by. My mother-in-law and I went to a sale last summer and I stumbled upon these little guys and their Christmas trees.

I'm not sure when they were made, though I'd guess somewhere in the 1930s or 1940s. The bottoms are not marked. Each of their bodies are made from a tiny pine cone that's been flocked. They have tiny little white heads with red button noses. All have hats - some top hats and some made of foil paper. A couple are holding "instruments" and one's even smoking a little pipe. The Christmas trees are flocked too and some have little red berries. All of the trees have cotton glued to the bottom, so I assume they used to settle in a bed of "snow." Since they didn't come with their own Christmas village, I've given them their own so they can sing a carol or two. Happy Christmas thoughts!

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Weekend Wanderings: Ocean City, NJ


As we feel the bitter cold of winter, my mind is going back to the days of summer. I'd heard quite a bit about Atlantic City, NJ and quite a bit about Ocean City, MD, but I'd not heard much about Ocean City, NJ. My friends took me there for the first time in late summer and I was so pleasantly surprised by what I found!

First of all, it's a dry boardwalk, which makes it very family friendly. There is a carnival complete with carousels, Ferris wheel, whirly rides and even an old fashioned roller coaster.

There are shops like a sweets store that's been there since the late 1800s.

There are a ton of boardwalk type food offerings - like ice cream, curly fries, pop corn, pretzels, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc. And there are some sit down restaurants as well.


And of course, there's a lovely beach.

We had a wonderful time visiting for the day and I hope some day you get to enjoy it too!

Friday, December 10, 2010

Foodie Friday: Turkey Anyone?

For many, baking a turkey can be a daunting task. Some of you have mastered the art of making turkeys. I'm not yet one of those people, but I've got a couple tricks I picked up from my Mama this last Thanksgiving that could help someone else through an upcoming holiday meal.

One of these tricks is to use a baking bag. You can find them in the grocery store. It helps keep the moisture in the turkey, but you've got to make sure to follow the directions and add a little flour to the bag and shake it up to help coat the sides before you put the bird inside.

Once you've got the bag ready in a baking dish, you should turn to the turkey. Make sure you've given it time to thaw (often takes at least 24 hours in the fridge to do so). You should also know they pack the neck and organs inside the bird. These have to come out or you'll end up with a not so nice surprise. Just look inside the opening and you'll see a bag of stuff - pull it out. Some people cut these up and make a gravy out of them, but I tend to throw this part away.

Once those are out of the bird, you might want to put some spices back inside the bird. There are many recipes out there and some people actually put the stuffing inside the bird - we don't because of food safety concerns. Mama puts an orange inside to give the bird an orange flavor. She then rubs the outside of the bird with olive oil to help it brown. Most birds these days have a little thermostat that pops up when the bird is cooked. Make sure that's tucked in the skin of the bird before you put it into the bag. Place the oiled, stuffed bird in the baking bag and throw it into the oven at 350 degrees.

Turkey baking times vary depending on the weight of the bird, but usually take at least 3 hours. You can find a chart of cooking times here if you're trying to figure out how long to cook your bird. When it's done, the little button will pop and you'll have a lovely browned delicious bird for your table!