Christmas Dinner

I try to not be too rigid about Christmas Dinner -- and yet our menu ends up being almost identical each year. This year's  change up is that we're having Christmas Dinner on Christmas Eve -- works best that way with everyone's other commitments and work schedules.

Christmas Offering!

Wishing everyone a CHRIST-filled CHRISTmas! Blessings to you!

Christmas Offering

Over the skies of Bethlehem appeared a star
While angels sang to lowly shepherds
Three wise men seeking the truth they traveled from afar
Hoping to find the child from heaven
Falling on their knees they bow before the humble Prince of Peace
We bring an offering of worship to our King
No one on earth deserves the praises that we sing
Jesus may you receive the honor that you're due
O Lord, I bring an offering to You
The sun cannot compare to the glory of Your love
There is no shadow in Your presence
No mortal man would dare to stand before Your throne
Before the Holy one of Heaven
It's only by Your blood
It's only through Your mercy

Lord, I come
I bring an offering of worship to my King
No one on earth deserves the praises that we sing
Jesus may you receive the honor that you're due
O Lord, I bring an offering to You
We bring an offering to You
We are an offering to You
We are an offering to You, Jesus
We are an offering of worship to our King
No one on earth deserves the praises that we sing
Jesus may you receive the honor that you're due
O Lord, we bring an offering to You
O Lord, we bring an offering to You
We bring an offering to You
We are an offering to You
We are an offering to You

(go to the end of the page to turn off the blog music and fully enjoy the video)

Hang Up Your Stocking!

It's CHRISTmas Eve!! When I was a little girl, that meant that Santa was coming AND we needed to hang up our stockings. We never hung them before Christmas Eve. I LOVED those beautiful red and white crushed velvet stockings with big silver jingle bells and white cording hangers. Every Christmas morn our stockings held the same treasures -- a LARGE Red Delicious Apple, a LARGE Naval Orange, some nuts and hard Christmas candies. Such sweet memories of a simpler, maybe less commercial time.

Last year when we hung up our stockings, I realized I didn't like them anymore. I made them in 1995 when youngest daughter was a year old. Our family has been thru many changes since then. I wanted new ones. Thru the year, I kept that thought in mind -- I need to make new stockings. But I wasn't really sure what I wanted. At one point, I decided I wanted to make them from an old wool blanket that I have been saving to use for *some* project. I took that blanket out months ago and added it to my projects pile -- but never felt the LOVE or inspiration to get started. THEN one day I was cruising blog land and I noticed my friend Marianne (Vintage Gal) had posted about her stockings.

Photo Credit: Vintage Gal

NOW I was inspired!! I LOVE chenille. My grandma always had all the beds in her home covered in chenille bedspreads. Chenille ALWAYS reminds me of her and sweet memories of my time with her. Chenille stockings are perfect -- AND I had a ratty old white one I was just saving for *some* project. Totally a *cutter*!

For my stockings, I wanted to use the fringe on the cuff, so I cut it off (4-inch X the length of the bedspread).

The excess fringe will come in handy for other projects. I then cut an 17-inch length for my stocking. My stocking opening is 16-inches around, plus 1-inch for seam allowance.

Double the chenille material right sides together. Pin pattern or template directly to the material (since I really like the shape of my old stockings, that is what I used as my pattern). If your material has a design on it, take that into consideration as you are laying out and cutting your pattern. Mine was a pretty basic bedspread so I pinned and cut based on getting the most from my fabric.


Stitch 1/2-inch all the way around the stocking, leaving the top of the stocking open.
Turn the stocking right side out. Sew the raw edges of the cuff piece with a 1/2-inch seam allowance.

Now you need to fashion a hanger. You can make a hanger by using a 3-inch x 8-inch piece that you sew wrong-sides together (open on the ends) and turn it right-side out OR like me, you can use a piece of the binding edge of the bedspread. I simply *hemmed* the binding edge on the cut side. Pin raw edge of the hanger to the inside seam of the stocking. It will be sewn between the stocking and the fringed cuff.

Pin the fringed cuff to the inside of stocking with the right side of the cuff to the wrong side of the stocking. Be sure to match up the seam of the cuff to the back seam of the stocking. This is the place where the hanger will attach and it will be thick. I recommend you stitch slowly when go over that area. Stitch along opening.
Turn fringed cuff to the outside of the stocking (seam will be on the inside). Press and hang!

I am so thrilled with these new stockings and hope to use them for years to come. I also plan to cut out several more from that old bedspread and put them away for any family members added in the future!

CHRISTmas Dinner Menu & PW's Burgundy Mushrooms

Our menu for CHRISTmas dinner changes very little from year to year. There is ALWAYS roast beef and Yorkshire Pudding, Brussel Sprouts, some sort of potatoes and a salad of some sort and a cheesecake for dessert. This year is no different. Youngest son, Jared will be the chef. The menu was all worked out and the shopping done. THEN I caught Ree Drummond, The Pioneer Woman on Food Network making her Christmas meal and I KNEW I was going to have to have her Burgundy Mushroooms too. Jared agreed to make them even though he is NOT a mushroom fan.

Photo Credit: The Pioneer Woman

Burgundy Mushrooms
Pionner Woman
(Printable Version)

4 pounds of White mushrooms
1 cup of butter
1 liter of burgundy wine (other red will be okay, too)
4 beef bullion cubes
4 chicken bullion cubes
1 tsp dill seed
1-1/2 tsp Worchestershire sauce
5 garlic cloves
1 tsp black pepper
2 cups boiling water
2 tsp salt

Brush the dirt off the mushrooms and then add them (whole) to a stockpot with all other ingredients, except salt. Simmer covered for 6 hours. Then simmer with the lid off for 3 more hours.Salt at the end if desired, but they probably won't need it. The mushrooms will be very dark. A few on the side of a filet makes a wonderful accompaniment!

GBP's Company Breakfast Casserole

I cooked Thanksgiving dinner. After the meal, as we all sat around visiting, my kids decided we needed to divide up the cooking chores for CHRISTmas -- only fair, since I had done all the work for Thanksgiving. Sounded good to me! Son chimed in that he would do CHRISTmas Supper (he did a fabulous job last year - read about that HERE). Older daughter dibbed CHRISTmas Eve and that left CHRISTmas Morning and youngest daughter -- she is NOT a cook, lol. I told her I would take care of it, but not to be out-done by her siblings, she said she'd do it. I gave her some suggestions and then I found this and passed it along to her -- PERFECT!



Company Breakfast Casserole
From: Gooseberry Patch's Christmas Kitchen
Submitted by: Jena Buckler from Bloomington Springs, TN
(Printable Version)

16-oz. pkg. frozen shredded hashbrowns, thawed
1 onion, chopped and divided
1 lb. ground pork sausage, browned and drained
1 green pepper, chopped
4-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 to 1 c. shredded Cheddar cheese
1 doz. eggs, beaten
1-1/2 c. milk
salt and pepper to taste
Optional: garlic salt to taste

Spread hashbrowns in a lightly greased 9"x9" baking pan. Layer ingredients as follows: half the onion, sausage, remaining onion, green pepper, mushrooms and cheese. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, milk and seasonings. Pour egg mixture over top of casserole; cover with aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 45 to 60 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 15 minutes, or until golden and a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serves 8 to 10.

Gooseberry Patch's 101 Soups, Salads & Sandwiches - Review Round 2

First let me say that TODAY is the LAST day you can enter in to win the Rush-Hour Recipes GIVEAWAY. IF you haven't already entered, do so HERE!

In ROUND ONE of my review of..... I made a recipe from 3 of the 4 sections of the book -- Simmering Soups, Satisfying Sandwiches and Terrific Toppings! That only left ONE section uncovered -- SENSATIONAL SALADS!

I am ALL-ABOUT salads! Looking thru the book there were SO many great looking salads, it was hard to choose just one to make for review -- then I saw Shirl Parson's from Cape Carteret, NC recipe for Lemon-Dill Chopped Salad. Oh, I KNEW that was the salad I would be making.

No disappointments! This salad has a lot of the same flavors as my favorite Greek salad -- romaine, tomatoes, cucumber, feta, lemon, etc... I served this on the side of grilled chicken. VERY, VERY YUMMY!!

As a BONUS entry, leave a comment on this post telling me which of the 4 recipes I reviewed are you MOST likely to make first. Remember the drawing for this giveaway is 12/28/11 -- look for ONE more BONUS opportunity!

He Made A Way In A Manager!

Another wonderful song that tells the story of CHRISTmas. Wishing you a blessed day and a CHRISTmas that honors CHRIST!

He Made A Way In A Manager

Longing for a savior
A hopeless world would wait
Sin demanded justice
At a price we could not pay
But God displayed his mercy
The greatest gift of love
When we could not reach heaven
Heaven came to us

Chorus:
He made a way in a manger
A way to the cross
Messiah the promised
Before time had begun
For God so loved this world
Though he knew what love would cost
He made a way in a manger
To make a way to the cross

In Bethlehem a stable
Became a throne of grace
As God himself our Savior
Drew near to take our place
His mother smiled in wonder
As shepherds stood in awe
The sacrifice of heaven
Lay sleeping in the straw

Bridge:
He is the life that died our death
The precious Lord Jesus
Laid down his sweet head

Chorus:
He made a way in a manger
A way to the cross
Messiah the promised
Before time had begun
For God so loved this world
Though he knew what love would cost
He made a way in a manger
To make a way to the cross

Away in a manger, no crib for his bed
The little Lord Jesus laid down his sweet head
The stars in the sky looked down where He lay
The little Lord Jesus, asleep on the hay



(scroll to the end of the page to turn off blog music and fully enjoy the video)

This is CHRISTmas?

Another in my series of contemporary Christmas Christian songs that reflect the reason for the season. Enjoy!

This Is Christmas

Do you find it hard to sleep til' night,
Resting by the Christmas lights?
Could there be something you forgot?
Beyond the bows, and mistletoes,
The tree with presents wrapped below,
There's more to this than you had ever thought?
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year?

[Chorus:]
What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas without Christ?

Remember how the story goes,
God's gift was wrapped in swaddling clothes,
Beneath the star, one great and holy night.
The shepherds heard the angels sing,
The wise man brought an offering,
Peace on Earth began in Bethelethm
Have we lost the reason that we celebrate each year?

[Chorus:]
What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas?
If the angels never sang 'Glory to the new born king?'
What is Christmas without Christ?

There'd be no gloria
In excelsis deo
Gloria
In excelsis deo

What is Christmas?
If there never was a Savior wrapped in a manger.
What is Christmas without Christ?
This is Christmas,
It’s all about the Savior wrapped in a manger.
This is Christmas,
Because of Jesus Christ!
This is Christmas,
Because of Christ!
Because of Christ!


(Go to the end of the page to turn off blog music and fully enjoy the video).

Spumoni Truffle Squares & Peppermint Oreo Truffles

Okay, so here is my story. I work in a city about 30 miles from where I live. Yesterday I made these wonderful goodies for a weekend catering and planned to *shoot* their photos this afternoon - hoping to have some nice DAYLIGHT to work with, lol. Problem with that is we got much more snow than was predicted thru the work day today and I am stuck - well, I am going to daughter's home for the night (glad I have a bag packed in my car) and won't make it home until tomorrow (at least I hope I get home tomorrow, lol). So I am going to go ahead and share these wonderful goodies BUT I am going to use Pinetrest photos (with credits) and I'll swap them out for my own when I can get home. Whew!!

It isn't CHRISTmas if you haven't made CANDY -- well, I am not sure that this is exactly candymaking but as close as I am going to come this year. BTW, I sampled only tiny pieces of each of these I highly recommend BOTH of these yummy recipes -- BUT I gotta get them out of my freezer because they are CALLING MY NAME, lol!

Photo Credit: Associated Press

Spumoni Truffle Squares
(Printable Version)

Two 12-ounce bags white chocolate bits
14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup lightly chopped pistachios
1 cup lightly chopped dried cherries
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Coat a 9-by-9-inch pan with cooking spray. Line with waxed or parchment paper, allowing excess to overhang the edges of the pan.
2. In a medium saucepan over medium-low, combine the white chocolate bits and sweetened condensed milk. Heat, stirring constantly, until the chocolate is melted and the mixture is smooth. Stir in the vanilla, pistachios and cherries. Transfer to the prepared pan. Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the top. Refrigerate until completely chilled, about 2 hours.
3. Using the overhanging edges of the waxed or parchment paper to help, lift the truffle square out of the pan. Trim any uneven edges, then cut into 1-inch squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes 64 squares.

Photo Credit : KRAFT Foods

Peppermint Oreo Truffles
(Printable Version)

6 candy canes, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup), divided
1 pkg (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg (16.6 oz.) OREO Cookies, finely crushed
2 pkg (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted (I did 1 semi-sweet and 1 white chocolate)

Reserve 1 Tbsp chopped candy. Mix remaining candy with cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended. Shape into 48 (1-inch) balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place in single layer in shallow waxed paper-lined pan. Sprinkle with reserved candy. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Makes 48 Truffles.

Call me a COPYCAT!

Yep, that is the truth - I am pretty good at copying! I am thinking that is why I ♥ Pinetrest so much -- LOTS of wonderful ideas at the ready for COPYING!!

When I heard that DebbieDoos was hosting a holiday copycat event, I knew EXACTLY what I would be bringing to the party!

Months back I spied this photo on Pinetrest....

LOVED IT!!!!!

Then I saw this Pin....


I wasted no time, even though it was only September, I visited the Tractor Supply Store and purchased the largest galvanized wash tub I could find!

Here is my copycat version...




Now, why I hadn't thought of this idea before is beyond me - I am always using buckets and such for unconvential purposes -- oh, well, I am glad I *found* this idea to copy -- I've gotten lots of great comments on this tree and am thrilled with the way it turned out!

Editing to link up at Honey's Christmas Tree part of the party!

To Burlap or NOT to Burlap!

Burlap -- it is EVERYWHERE. I really thought I was going to jump on the bandwagon. After all, you all are making such wonderful things with it -- all you have to do is enter the word burlap in the search on Pinterest and you'll get a bazillion ideas for gorgeous things to make with it. I bought yards of it on sale at Joann's Fabric a few weeks ago thinking I would do a table runner or two to use with my Christmas decorating.

This PIN was my inspiration!

Only problem was when I actually went to work with it -- I HATED IT!! Really, I found it stinky and scratchy and I didn't like it one bit -- I feel better for saying that but hope I haven't alienated you burlap loving folks! I won't let what I bought go to waste - I'll find some way to use it in the garden next spring. But now I was left with no inspiration for my tabletops.

I really didn't want to spend any more money so I opened my craft cupboard and started rooting around. What I had there was a stack of these......


I buy these dish towels in bulk from Colonial Patterns for my embroidery work. I love these simple, red-striped cotton towels. Could they be turned into a runner? Well, I lived with that idea for a couple days and then I started cutting and sewing. I am very happy with the final product -- well, that should read products -- my sideboard, kitchen island, dining table and upright grand piano top are all sporting runners. I think they capture the old farmhouse feel I adore!






Joining the lovelies Susan and Marty for Met Monday and Tabletop Tuesday!

The Herb Garden ~ OREGANO & Greek Salad

My oregano us going nuts!! That means ONE thing -- Greek salad for lunch (and supper, lol). This salad simply tastes like summer!!


Greek Salad
(Printable Version)
Dressing:
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
2-3 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 large clove garlic (or 2 small)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

Salad:
2-3 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
1-2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 large cucumber, deseeded and chopped
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/2 to 3/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives
crumbled Feta cheese
half lemon (to squeeze on top of salad)
Additional chopped oregano(optional)


In a mason jar combine the red wine vinegar, olive oil, oregano, salt, sugar, and black pepper. Place lid on and shake. Set aside. Store in refrigerator for up to a week. Assemble salad with Romaine, cucumber, red onion, crumbled feta, and Kalamata olives. Squeeze half of a lemon over the salad. Add dressing to taste. Toss and serve immediately. Serve as a side salad or topped grilled chicken as a main course.

From The Hymnal ~ O Holy Night

Wishes from Faithfulness Farm for a CHRIST-filled Christmas!

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6

O Holy Night

O holy night! The stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Saviour's birth.
Long lay the world in sin and error pining.
Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was born;
O night, O holy night, O night divine!
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
O'er the world a star is sweetly gleaming,
Now come the wisemen from out of the Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus lowly manger;
In all our trials born to be our friends.
He knows our need, our weakness is no stranger,
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another,
His law is love and His gospel is peace.
Chains he shall break, for the slave is our brother.
And in his name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
With all our hearts we praise His holy name.
Christ is the Lord! Then ever, ever praise we,
His power and glory ever more proclaim!
His power and glory ever more proclaim!

Cardinals & Pinecones

Fair warning to everyone...I went a little nuts with the photos. I just couldn't help myself!

The inspiration for my CHRISTmas table. I love seeing the cardinals and do all I can to attract them to my yard. So beautiful and brilliant red! And their song is so lovely too.

The Northern Cardinal is especially fond of evergreen trees. Lucky for me, there is one right out side my backdoor and my kitchen windows looks out on it.

I get plenty of cardinal sightings and pinecones!

Okay, with so many photos, I need to just be short on words.




























Merry CHRISTmas and thank you ALL for the warm friendship you have shown me throughout the year. I've enjoyed visiting with you, getting to know you and learning from you. May GOD richly bless each of you in the New Year!

Sharing at Marty's Tabletop Tuesday and Susan's Tablescape Thursday!