December 28, 2009

brrr... and YUM!

This is what it looks like at MY house....


We've had freezing fog for a couple of days now. It's pretty, but it's REALLY cold! I thought I'd do a little baking to warm the house... (Sheesh! Didn't I do enough of that already?) ...so I decided to try a Buttermilk Pie. It sounds yummy. I've never had one, but I love custard, so thought I would give it a try. Ain't it pretty??? Hope it tastes as good as it looks :-)



Here's the recipe I used. Easy peasy.

BUTTERMILK PIE

3 Eggs
1 Cup Sugar
2 T. flour - plus extra for dusting
1/2 Cup Butter, melted and cooled a little
1Cup Buttermilk
1 t. Vanilla
1 Unbaked 9" Pie Shell

Preheat oven to 325.

In mixing bowl, beat eggs slightly, then stir in sugar and flour.
Stir in butter.
Add buttermilk and vanilla. Stir until blended.

Dust pie shell with a little flour.
Pour batter into shell, then sprinkle a little flour on top.

Bake until custard is set, about 1 hour.

I'll let y'all know later how it tasted!!!
 Edit: OMG! It is scrumptious!!! You need to make one!!!

December 25, 2009

It's Christmas!!!


Here's hoping y'all have a fun day!!!




December 24, 2009

It's Christmas Eve...

and I wanted to (finally) show you a few photos of my decorations. I didn't "finish" till last night..I've been tweaking and rearranging all week, and finally decided enough is enough!! LOL!

 


HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!

December 14, 2009

Mexican Wedding Cakes

These are my absolute favorite Christmas cookies, next to Swedish Spritz. They are so easy to make and they melt in your mouth! They go by many names and there are many recipe variations, but this is the one I have used for years.


1Cup Butter (no substitute)
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp. Real Vanilla Extract
1/4 to 1/2 Tsp Almond Extract  (To your taste.  I use 1/2)
2 Cups Flour

Cream butter and sugar
Add vanilla
Mix in 1/2 cup of flour, then add your almond extract
(almond mixes up better withe a little flour in there, as it tends to be a little oily)
Mix well, then add the rest of the flour


Roll dough into 1" balls. (mine are NEVER perfectly round. Doesn't matter.)





Place on parchment lined sheets. They don't really spread, so you can put a lot on one sheet.
Bake 10 or so minutes, just until set, but not brown.



Cool slightly on racks.




Roll in powdered sugar. Sugar will melt slightly onto cookies.





Return to racks and let cool completely. Re-roll in powdered sugar.

 

 YUMMO!!!





YOU CAN"T EAT JUST ONE!!!



December 12, 2009

Pink Saturday

Joining you all for Pink Saturday this week! I just had to share my pink tree in my craft room!




It has white, silver, dark pink and turquoise bulbs, and white and dark pink garland. I love how it turned out! It was my $5.00 after-christmas Walmart purchase last year!If you red my blog, you may remember it from this post.

Beverly's theme this week is to show you my most cherished decoration. Well, I no longer have a photo because it's been passed on to my daughter and is now HER most cherished decoration..actually tree ornaments. Back in 1981 when she was about 11, I sold Avon. That Christmas I bought their scented Gingerbread Folk tree ornaments. They were really sweet and the fragrance was delectable! I can still smell it in my head. She told me last night on the phone that they still smell lovely, and those are 'her' ornaments to hang on the tree. Hopefully they will pass on to my 16 year old granddaughter when she grows up..and they will probably still smell heavenly!! I wish I could find more. This is not my photo, but this is what they look like..a boy AND a girl. Maybe some of you remember them or even have them!!



Once again, many thanks to Beverly at How Sweet the Sound for all of the hard work she does each week. Be sure to visit her blog and share in  all the lovely pinkness!!



December 8, 2009

Giveaway!

Dixie from French Lique is having a 300th post giveaway. Sweet things!! You have til the 13th to sign-up!



Click on the button!



December 5, 2009

I'm a winner!!!

I won a giveaway from Sue at It's A Very Cherry World!! Yay! Check out her blog. It's really sweet!







December 1, 2009

Happy December!!


Well, November has come and gone, and with December comes the 'official' start of the Christmas season for our family. We are nearly done with decorating, and it's time to start crafting and baking!!

I'd like to share with you two bloggers who are really into the creative side of Christmas!!


First is Kathy's Cottage. She is hosting a weekly event called "Handmade Holidays" on her blog where you can share your Crafty Christmas projects! Every Monday you can link-up with others who want to share their goodies!


Next is this sweet, sweet blog, "Two Crazy Crafters". Mother-Daughter team Twyla and Lindsey have some scrumptious goodies to share with you! Thier holiday theme colors are PINK & RED!!! Love it!!

Be sure to visit these lovely ladies who work so hard to bring us great ideas for a Crafty Christmas!!





November 19, 2009

A Snowman tutorial...

If you read my blog, you may have seen this post. Everyone guessed snowman and ya'll were right!
He's finished, so I thought I'd show you how you can make one too!

Gather supplies:
1 garden paver
white latex paint
black and orange acrylic paints & brushes
Polar fleece
white felt

Directions:
Step 1: Paint the paver with two good coats of white latex paint. Let dry completely.


Step 2: Glue a square of white felt on the bottom (his "feet")to protect surfaces.


Step 3: On the top portion, paint face however you like. My carrot nose looks a little funky, and I didn't have his mouth on yet.


Step 4: On the bottom portion, paint his "coal" buttons.


Step 5: Once paints were dry, I put a good thick coat of Polycrylic on and while it was still wet I sprinkled some glass glitter on to make him have a little icy sparkle. Not too much, tho'!




Step 6: While he is drying, cut your fleece. 11' x 11" square for his hat, and a 2" x 22" strip for the scarf.


Step 7: Cut slits in end of scarf piece...about 2" in by 1/4" wide.


Step 8: Wrap it around and tie a square not.


Step 9: Make the hat. Fold 11" square in half with stretchy side on the short side.


Step 10: Sew a very narrow seam up the long, non-stretchy side. Turn inside out.


Step 11: Gather the fleece in your hand and wrap tightly with thread about two inches down. Secure.


Step 12: Cut slits for pom pom. I cut the slits after I wrapped it with thread, but I think it would have been easier to cut it before.


Step 13: Fold up bottom TWICE, about an an 1" each time, put on his head and VOILA!! Sweet little snowman!


This is my first time posting a tutorial, so if there is anything about this that you don't understand, please email me!!!