The Treasure of Holiday Web Inspirations

Though I love Pinterest, life was a touch more interesting when one had to actually find Holiday decorating, baking, and gift giving ideas themselves on the many Web pages once perused.

Here are a few of my finds:

Make your own Christmas card in Photoshop – even a novice like me can do this.

Glass Ornaments have so much potential – try this idea or for knit wits like me use scraps of yarn.

Need a Christmas shirt but don’t want to win the Ugly Sweater Contest? This one is easy peasy and fun to make your own designs.

I’m all about simplifying and this wrapping is a great way to keep it simple and still be very charming.

Need something for the pet lover in your life? This ornament embraces their love of animals and your love of DIY.

A touch of home in a wreath for the door.

It wouldn’t be a holiday without a special cocktail and cold weather just calls for Bourbon. 

Tis the Season – 40 Days of Thankfulness

Our Nature Christmas Tree!

The great American day of thankfulness is upon us. Lincoln made it official and the stories began.

I have many wonderful Thanksgiving memories and stories to match. From being a little kid and trying to patiently wait for the pumpkin pie (which I ate even though I was incredibly full) to spending a couple Thanksgivings by myself taking time for solitary meditation and exploration of the true meaning of the holiday to many parties and trips to New York and the beach for festivities that encompassed many families to today – a quiet day with my husband.

It is our first Thanksgiving as a married couple and we are excited about starting new traditions. Watching the Macy’s Parade on TV has morphed into putting up our Christmas tree and decorating it in a woodland theme. Last-minute runs to the store have turned into a long walk after our meal (which also changed from gorging ourselves to healthy portions and saving some for later). Cocktails at brunch and throughout the day have become a bottle of champagne shared as the sun sets.

My life has become quieter, but that’s not so bad. I have a loving husband, enough food to feed us both for days, cuddling puppies and a warm house to escape the cold. I am very thankful for all of these blessings and wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving. 

Happy Easter

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." - John 13:34

It's Panini Month

A couple years back cheesemaker Sargento declared August Panini Month. Yes, I know it’s a commercial ploy to sell more cheese, though I personally don’t need any advertising to get me to indulge in dairy goodness.

I wanted to get in on the celebration but had two hindrances: I don’t own a Panini maker and I don’t have any recipes off the top of my head. I suppose a Panini is sort of like a fancy grilled cheese sandwich and I have a few favorite combinations. But what about the maker?

I do have a grill pan and a brick. Voila or the Italian equivalent! So now I just need some cool recipes and Sargento has that covered for the entire month.

I decided on to go what I had on hand: Grilled Vegetable and Cheese Panini (otherwise known as what’s left over to make into a sandwich). It was delicious and I could have gone back to seconds, but I held out for tonight and will have another one for lunch tomorrow.

Patricia’s Lemon and Herb Bread

1 cup water with the juice of one lemon
1/8 cup bacon drippings

1/8 cup olive oil (I used the lemon olive oil I got from Kalamazoo Olive Oil Company and held off on the juice and zest)
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP sugar
2 TBSP mixed dried herbs and lemon zest
3 cup flour
1 TBSP yeast
-Additional olive oil & herbs, kosher salt for toppings

Use bread machine dough cycle per machine instructions. I put it into a loaf pan and brushed the top with olive oil Sprinkle top with kosher salt & additional herbs. Cover with clean/dry dish towel & let rise 30-40 minutes. Oven at 375 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes.Since I used the lemon olive oil, I didn’t need to add the extra lemon. It had the same great taste, just a touch different, but perfect for a Panini.

Happiness Happens Month – Love trying something new and having it turn out so beautifully. And then sharing it with someone I love just as much.

International Beer Day

A little El Salvadoran number I picked up to go with our Latin dinner!

No, I didn’t make this up. Here is the official website, and if it has an official website, then you know it’s for real.

How does one celebrate such an auspicious occasion? I stopped by my friendly neighborhood Shep’s Market (you never would have known it was such a great place to get beer) and chose a few varieties to enjoy for the weekend (when a holiday is this good why only celebrate one day?!)

How did you celebrate International Beer Day?

Happiness Happens Month – Why am I so happy today? It’s Friday, there’s beer, I’m at home with my honey and feeling so content (not necessarily in that order).

Mardi Gras C’est Magnifique!

I love holidays – especially when there is food involved. Usually Mardi Gras is a feast of mostly the libation variety to be given up for 40 days starting on Wednesday. I didn’t want to fill my evening with preparing a menu suited for a king, so instead I looked beyond the regular fare and challenged myself to either go healthy or go hearty: A healthy Creole shrimp dish I can whip up at home or a muffaletta sandwich from Mazzaros (is it wrong to get a muffaletta from an Italian deli instead of a Cajun restaurant?) Hunger wanted to win out with the sandwich, but instead I made the shrimp, and it was the right choice! So much flavor and so guilt free, this is a go-to recipe from now on! My inspiration: This recipe from Food and Wine.

My rendition of Creole Shrimp

1lb peeled and deveined large shrimp

2 cloves garlic-minced (I used a microplane)

2TBSP Emeril’s Essence Seasoning

1 Bell Pepper-diced ( I used a cubanelle since it is what I had on hand)

1 Lemon and half a grapefruit (juice from both and zest from lemon

Handful of cilantro-chopped

2TBSP Oiive Oil

In a bowl, combine the shrimp, garlic, Essence, pepper and zest. Heat the oil to medium high and add shrimp cooking until almost pink. Add in the juices, stir then the cilantro and stir again removing from the heat. I let them sit for a couple minutes for the juices to make a sauce and serve. I like my just is with a side salad. Be prepared, it’s love at first sight. I would also suggest making extra sauce with the juice and oil if you are serving this with rice or noodles. Or some yummy bread to soak up the sauce.

9 Days of Christmas

One of the benefits of working from home is that I actually get to take breaks throughout the day. And today I am taking care of myself during those breaks by dancing my little heart out.

This is no easy task since I am still suffering from ankle issues, but On-Demand has a variety of dancing workouts that aren’t so bad. There’s Bollywood for alluring full-body movements, Salsa which is one of my favorites, Hip Hop, even though this does make me feel a touch old and, of course, striptease. I can already feel my body getting sore from some of the moves, but it is a very fun way to work during the day.

But that’s not all. Tonight I am going to my Latin Dance Class and make sure that all the stress is shimmied away.

10 Days of Christmas

Ten Reasons That This Is The Best Christmas Yet
Finn – The love of my life celebrates his second Christmas
Polly – My BFF is charged up for a new year
Paul – Exploring new traditions that will last a very long time
Millie – Paul’s puppy is welcomed into my home and family
Friends – Always there for me when I need them and even when I don’t
Hosting Christmas Eve – Festivus for the Rest of Us (Now where’s that stick?)
Cookies – Of all kinds. I can’t help but love them
Painted Bathroom – Makes me feel that I accomplished something this year
My Pink Christmas Tree – Always my favorite and so me
Not Letting the Stress Get to Me - Priceless

11 Days of Christmas

Even though my family prefers to watch TV during the holiday, I am still collecting Christmas music to play during dinner. I am hoping to get most of the group outside to have a family meal, but football takes precedent.

Both Amazon and iTunes have free music this year and I am making the most of it. I just love holiday music and this year is so special to me that I want all the senses to be overjoyed with stimulation. Does that make sense or maybe I have just had too much sugar.

I would love to pipe music throughout the house, but that would interrupt with the game on the tube so I dare not. But it will be nice when Paul and I bake cookies and share some holiday romance.

I also have Christmas albums passed down from my family that I have been listening to for the past few weeks. Most are from Firestone featuring a gift motif on the cover complete with plastic holly berries. Julie Andrews, Robert Goulet and Perry Como lend their voices to the vinyl records and to me that is Christmas. It’s hard really getting into the spirit with the latest pop icons.

My favorite Christmas song is “Do They Know It’s Christmas” and Guy refers to this as the Nico Christmas Song since is really is pretty dreary. You can tell Bob Geldolf grew up in Catholic Ireland since it plays on the guilt that so many children like me have endured throughout the ages.

12 Days of Christmas – 12 Drummers Drumming

In my case 10 fingers plus 2 needles knitting to make all the gifts that I promised myself I would make. Diligently they drum on the fabric whether a washcloth, afghan, cap or scarf.

Harry Potter and Doctor Who kept me company as I worked and even took a break to make clam risotto. Risotto is fun since you have to keep stirring for 20 minutes. This one was prepared with canned minced clams, which on their own sound gross, but believe me it rocked!

3 cans of minced clams
2 lemons
A handful of herbs ( I used sweet basil, lemon basil and parsley)
3 sundried tomato halves
3 finely chopped scallions
1-1/2 cups arboro rice
6 cups just below boiling water
A handful of frozen peas
Salt and pepper
Feta cheese

Saute the herbs, chopped tomatoes and scallions in olive oil (about 2tbsp – I used some of the oil from the tomatoes). While this is getting soft and the flavors are melding, drain the clams and reserve the liquid. To the clam juice add the zest of one lemon and the juice from 2 lemons. To the clams, add a handful of frozen peas.

Adjust the veggies to medium high and add the rice. Toast for about 5 minutes and keep stirring. Add the clam/lemon juice (should be about 2 cups) and keep stirring. As the rice thickens add more water one cup at a time. When the rice is done (about 20 minutes, check for yourself) add the clam and peas. Cook for about 3 minutes. Adjust the seasoning and I added some feta to the bowl after I dished myself up some.

It was fantastic.