Close the Circle, Girls...One of Our Own Needs Prayer

I feel there are many of you kind bloggers in our circle who would want to know about this if you don't already. Sweetie, Sweetie's World, has suffered another unthinkable loss this week. Early Sunday morning her husband suddenly passed away. Sweetie is just one of the loveliest women I know. She is kind and compassionate, always concerned about others, even in the face of her own suffering. November 25 marked the one year anniversary of her daughter's murder. It's been a dreadful year for Sweetie and her family as they have tried to learn how to live without this precious loved one. The murder is still unsolved. So please pray for dear Sweetie as she faces yet another huge loss. She has a large close family, which is wonderful, but of course no one can take the place of her beloved husband.

If you are a Believer in prayer, let's circle around our friend Sweetie and surround her with prayer and love. It's the best way I know how to wrap our collective arms around this dear lady right now and let her know how many people care about her.

Just A Simple Girl

My daughter started a blog, The Princess Diaries, months ago and has had little time to write with two little girls, a busy husband, a job as a gymnastics coach, and an active member of our church and choir. She recently came back to blogging and wrote what I think is a really beautiful post about Mary, the mother of Jesus. I think of my daughter mostly as my sweet little girl, but reading this little article she wrote made me realize just how thoroughly she shares the emotions of every woman and mother. I think you will enjoy reading Julie's thoughts on Mary - a simple girl's journey to extraordinary motherhood.

A Simple Girls Journey To Extraordinary Motherhood by Julie for The Princess Diaries:

"At my most recent MOPS meeting, we were asked to consider Christmas simply. Mary was a mom, just like me (except her child was God!). I'm sure she had morning sickness, swollen ankles, exhaustion, varicose veins, weight gain, headaches and all the rest of it during her pregnancy with Jesus. And then, when she was nice and huge, she had to ride to Bethlehem ON A DONKEY?! Um...no thanks. No wonder she went into labor as soon as they arrived! Oh, and there were no epidurals. Just labor on the dirt floor covered in dirty straw. Back then, a woman's family would attend her birth. But Mary didn't have her mama. Just Joseph, who was probably as nervous as any dad would be today. Oh, and lets not forget the farm animals! Um...no thanks. What did she think when she heard Jesus' first cry? I imagine it was much the same as the rest of us when our babies were born. Except she had the added stress of knowing she had to raise God's son. After the baby was born, they had to wrap him in dirty rags and use an animal feed trough as a bassinet. The first visitors were a bunch of shepherds who probably smelled of sheep. No hand sanitizer to get rid of the sheep germs before touching the baby! But you know what, Mary pondered ALL of these things and treasured them in her heart. I had never thought of Christmas in this way, but I really enjoyed that MOPS meeting! I hope that you are able to take some time this Christmas to treasure in YOUR heart the precious simplicity of the birth of our Savior! "

Spiritual Sundays is hosted by Charlotte and Ginger. Stop by today to read some inspirational postings.

Pink

I'm sorry to be such a pink dud this week! I haven't felt well all week and I really shouldn't have committed to doing Pink Saturday - but I did, so I'll share just a few small pinks today...

A pink feather tree...

Pink ornies...

A deep pink angel...

A soft antique rose angel with feather wings...

Be sure to visit Beverly, How Sweet The Sound today, to find many lovely pink posts! May your last two weeks before Christmas be blessed and filled with fun!

More Holiday Party Recipes

Mini Party Quiches
Crust:
1 stick butter
3 ounces cream cheese
1 cup flour
Mix all together well and press into bottom and sides of mini muffin tins.

Custard Filling:
4 eggs
1 tablespoon flour
1 ½ cup cups half & half
¼ teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons melted butter
2 tablespoons diced onions
½ pound bacon, fried crisp & broken (if desired)
1-2 cups Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Break eggs in bowl with wire whisk. Stir in next 6 ingredients. Layer each prepared, unbaked, pastry shell with bacon first, then cheese, then onion. Spoon custard filling over these ingredients in each shell until 2/3 full. Bake at 375 degree oven until slightly puffed and custard is set, about 35 minutes.
Note: This recipe can also be made in a pie plate or quiche pan. When having a party, the basic custard recipe can be used to make a variety of mini quiche appetizers using your choice of vegetables and meats; vegetarians could even try Crumbles.

Chocolate Coffee
1 quart half and half
1 quart milk
1 entire small bottle Hershey’s Syrup
10 cups strong, hot coffee

Heat the half and half, milk, and chocolate syrup in a saucepan over low heat until it comes to a simmer. Pour into heat proof punch bowl or other large heat proof serving vessel. Add coffee. Mix all thoroughly. Serve garnishes on the side, such as whipped cream and chocolate shavings.
Makes 16 - 20 servings.

Green Holiday Punch
2 packages lime Kool-Aid
1 ½ cups sugar
2 quarts water
1, 12 ounce frozen orange juice concentrate
2 juice cans water
1 large can pineapple juice
1, 2 liter bottle Verner's or 7 Up
lime sherbet

Mix all of the ingredients together well in a punch bowl, reserving sherbet and soda. When ready to serve, scoop sherbet in punch and add cold soda.
Makes 5 ½ quarts (22 cups).

Frozen Banana Crush Punch
Dissolve 4 cups sugar in 6 cups boiling water.
Add:
46 ounces pineapple juice
2, 12 ounce cans frozen orange juice concentrate
1, 12 ounce frozen lemonade concentrate

Blend 5 ripe, mashed bananas and juice of 2 fresh lemons in blender until smooth. Add to above concoction. Freeze in small amounts. Allow the frozen punch to thaw approximately 4 hours before serving time. Place still slushy punch in punch bowl when you are ready to serve the punch and add equal amounts of lemon lime soda.

Charlotte, Charlotte's Weblog, sent me this great award. I do enjoy receiving all awards and consider them all an honor, but this one is especially meaningful to me. Charlotte described the "Lemonade Award" as one received by someone who knows how to make lemonade out of lemons and who shows gratitude. That means a lot to me because it is my heartfelt desire NOT to be a whiner, but to move on and live life as the blessing it is even when it's difficult. Thanks Charlotte! You made my day!!

I would like to pass this award on to Sweetie, Sweetie's World and to CeeKay, Thinkin' of Home. Both Sweetie and CeeKay know how to make Lemonade out of lemons!

Charlotte also sent me this Friends Award. Isn't it pretty? Thanks Charlotte - you're so nice!

I am sending this award along to Kathy, Shocking Pink Thread. Kathy is just the nicest lady and she has a beautiful blog.

My friend Sweetie, Sweetie's World, passed along the Butterfly Award to me. Thank you, Sweetie! Stop by to visit Sweetie soon. She has a big beautiful family and a wonderful blog and she really is a sweetie!

The rules of this award are:

1. Put the logo on your blog
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you
3. Nominate 10 other blogs
4. Add links to those blogs on yours
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

I am passing the award on to CeeKay, Thinkin' of Home; Shelia, Note Songs; Heather, Family Forever; Jan, Jan & Tom's Place; Heidi, Foxgloves, Fabric, & Folly; Ro, A Hint of Home; Mary, Seashore Days; Suzie, Suzie Button Creations; Katy Lin, The Great Adventure; Maryjane, Beehive Cottage; Ellen, The Happy Wonderer. Now, I know this is a very busy time of year and if you ladies would like to wait until another time to post this award, please feel free to do so.

I hope you will eventually make your way to visit these ladies beautiful and creative blogs!

If all of the ladies mentioned above, including Charlotte, would accept, I would love to give you Mimi's Friendship Blog Award as well. No strings attached - just post it on your blog with a link to Mimi's Garden - just because I think you are all nice women with great blogs!

Glittering Tables!

There's just something about the surface of a table that provides the perfect place for displaying all the special and most loved items we own and want to be seen first when guests enter! I usually focus on two or three tables in my home for holidays, as you probably do too. I'd like to show you one of my tables today. When guests enter my front entry they are greeted by a cherry table. I change the items and displays according to season and holiday. This year for Christmas I used a silk beaded, rose and green scarf as a base, then scattered beaded Christmas trees in deep red, blue, purple, and gold over the top, the full length of the table. I added one larger silver foil tree at one end. At the opposite end of the table I crowned a lamp with a pine wreath and hung a mirrored ornament on the shade, which announces that "All Hearts Go Home For Christmas"! I placed two cloches near the center of the table on square crystal cake pedestals. The shorter of the two cloches holds clusters of pearl glass Christmas balls. The tall cloche shelters a small glass bowl, handed painted with holly, which holds silver and white glittered starburst ornaments. The ornaments are topped by a sweet little white glass plumed bird, glittered in white. In case there isn't enough sparkle I entwined crystal beaded garland around the tree and cloche display.

"T"

Pam at Gray Like Snuffie is hosting 'The A B C's of the Word'. Today's letter is "T".

"Trust in the LORD with all your heart. And lean not on your own understanding."

Proverbs 3:5-6

Trim The Tree Thursday Week #4

It's time for Trim The Tree Thursday again, hosted by Brett, Southern Hostess. Stop by Brett's blog to see a list of many blogs with wonderful and creative Christmas decoration postings!

This tree is in my living room. I love Christmas trees and I try to have one in every room. Of course they all vary in size. The living room tree is a 6' green tree with white lights. I use all clear glass, white, and silver on it.

I love the silver star on top. This year I bought the silver beaded wire bow in a fabulous gift shop downtown. I just love it!

This hall table is in my front entry. It's dark cherry and I use a silk beaded, rose and green scarf on top. This year I scattered an assortment of beaded Christmas trees over the table top, then placed two cake pedestals in the center, topping each with a cloche. A crystal beaded garland works it's way around the trees and pedestals.

The shorter cloche and pedestal holds pearl glass Christmas balls.

The taller cloche encases a little crystal bowl which is hand painted with holly. It's filled with white and silver glittered starburst ornaments and topped with a white feathered bird. Another bird sits outside the bowl on the cake pedestal. I just love those sweet little birds!

The lamp shade is crowned with a little pine wreath. A mirrored ornament hangs, with the greeting "All Hearts Come Home For Christmas". I know mine does!

Merry Christmas everyone...enjoy these last couple of weeks preparing for Christmas!

Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange!

Yahooo! Jan, Jan & Tom's Place, is hosting a Christmas Cookie Recipe Exchange today! I think it's going to be lots of fun to try out some new recipes this year. The recipes I am sharing are some I have made as long as I've been married. They're family favorites. I hope you enjoy them!
Make sure you stop by Jan and Tom's Place to find lots of recipes from great bakers at all your favorite blogs! Besides, you'll get to see what a great blog Jan has!


Snow Mounds
1 cup butter
½ cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
¾ cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients well and form into 1 inch balls. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-16 minutes or firm and lightly browned. Roll each cookie in powdered sugar while warm; roll again when completely cooled.


Easy Coconut Macaroons
14 ounces Baker’s Coconut
1 can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract if you like it

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything together in a bowl. Drop by teaspoons full 1 inch apart on a well greased cookie sheet. Press down lightly with the back of a spoon to smooth the ends of the coconut. Bake 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove immediately from pans and cool completely on wire rack. Makes about 4 dozen.



Sugar & Spice Balls
1 cup butter
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups Corn Flakes
1 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the first five ingredients well with mixer; add Corn Flakes and nuts, mixing just long enough to incorporate well. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. Bake at 350 degrees on lightly oil sprayed cookie sheets until firm and slightly brown - approximately 10 minutes. While cookies are still warm, roll each in powdered sugar. Roll them again after the cookies have completely cooled.



Chocolate Almond Biscotti
2 cups chocolate chips, divided
2 cups flour
¼ cup dry baking cocoa
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 cup slivered toasted almonds

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In the microwave melt 1 cup chocolate chips. In a bowl combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and soda, both sugars, butter and vanilla. Mix until crumbly. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Beat in melted chocolate. Gradually add flour until incorporated. Stir in almonds. Chill for about 15 minutes. Shape dough into 2 loaves with floured hands. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes on greased baking sheets. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Cut loaves into ¾ inch slices. Lay each slice on its side on the baking sheets. Bake the slices for 10 minutes longer on each side. Cool. Dip biscotti in melted chocolate and more slivered almonds if desired.



Peanut Butter Bars
Crust:
½ cup butter
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1 egg
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 cup oats
6 ounces chocolate chips
¼ cup peanut butter
½ cup powdered sugar
2-4 tablespoons evaporated milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients together and bake in greased 9x13 inch pan at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with 6 ounces chocolate chips. In a bowl, mix peanut butter, powdered sugar, and evaporated milk. Whisk until smooth. Drizzle bars with peanut butter sauce. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.



Chocolate Scotch-A-Roo’s
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut better
6 cups Rice Krispies
12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
12 ounces butterscotch morsels

Cook sugar and syrup until bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter; mix until smooth, being careful since this mixture is very hot. Stir in Rice Krispies. Pat into buttered 9x13 inch pan. In glass measuring cup, melt together the chocolate and butterscotch chips. Pour over cereal mixture. Cool and cut into bars.



Butterscotch Thins
6 ounces butterscotch morsels
1 cup butter
1 ½ cups light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
2 2/3 cups flour
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butterscotch morsels and butter over hot water or in microwave at medium. Remove from heat and beat in sugar, eggs, baking soda, salt, flour, and vanilla. Mix well. Shape dough in 2 logs. Wrap with waxed paper and chill several hours. Thinly slice the dough and bake on ungreased cookie sheets at 375 degrees for about 6-8 minutes, or until brown.



Cookie Gems
1 cup butter
½ cup sugar
2 eggs, separated
2 cups flour
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cup chopped pecans
any flavor jelly you like

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dough well with mixer. Form dough into 1 inch balls. Roll each ball into egg whites, then into nuts. Place each ball onto a cookie sheet and press gently to ¼ inch thickness. Bake 5 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove and press down the center of each cookie with thumb and fill with jelly. Return cookies to oven and bake until light brown, about 6-8 more minutes.
Kathy’s Note: You can substitute melted chocolate for the jelly.



Santa’s Whiskers
1 cup softened butter
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ½ cups flour
½ cup coconut
½ cup chopped pecans
¾ cup chopped candied cherries in red and green
1 cup coconut for rolling

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first 5 ingredients together with mixer until creamy. Stir in ½ cup coconut, chopped pecans, and chopped candied cherries. Divide dough in half; roll each half into an 8 inch log; roll each log in the remaining 1 cup coconut. Wrap each log in waxed paper and chill. Slice each log into 1/4’ inch slices. Bake at 350 degrees on cookie sheets for about 12 minutes or until edges are turning brown.

Holiday Recipes

Everyone likes a few new recipes to try during the holiday weeks or for their Christmas guests. I am posting three today that are tried and true wonderful! I hope you enjoy them.

This chocolate cake is absolutely to die for! It's an old Pillsbury Bake Off recipe, probably from the '60's. My mom made it every Christmas when I was a kid at home. It has several steps and looks involved, but it's worth it if you love chocolate AND coconut!

Chocolate Macaroon Cake
3eggs, separated
1 teaspoons vanilla
2 ¼ cups sugar, divided ½ cup, ½ cup, and 1 ¼ cups
2 cups coconut
2 cups flour and 1 tablespoon flour
¾ cup hot coffee
½ cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon soda
½ cup sour cream
½ cup Crisco
1 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare coconut mixture:
Beat 1 egg white with 1 teaspoon vanilla until soft peaks form. Add ½ cup sugar, beating until stiff peaks form. Stir in coconut and 1 tablespoon flour; set aside. Dissolve coffee in cocoa; set aside. Beat 3 egg whites until soft mounds form, add ½ cup sugar; continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Add soda to sour cream; set aside.

Cake Batter:
Beat 1 ¼ cups sugar with Crisco, all egg yolks, salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and ½ the coca/coffee mixture. Beat until light and creamy. Add 2 cups flour, sour cream, and remaining cocoa mixture; blend well. Fold in beaten 3 egg whites. Turn half of the cake batter into a greased, floured tube pan. Top with ½ coconut mixture. Turn in remaining half cake batter and then top with remaining ½ coconut mixture. Bake cake at 350 degrees for 55-65 minutes. Cool before removing from pan. Frost or glaze if desired.



This pie was my grandmother's recipe. She made it for her family when my mother was a child. It's easy and wonderful.

Grandmother’s Coconut Buttermilk Custard Pie
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
¾ stick melted butter
½ cup buttermilk (be generous with your ½ cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/3 cups Angel Flake Coconut
9 inch unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix eggs with a whisk, add all remaining ingredients except coconut and mix again. Stir in coconut. Pour into prepared, unbaked pie crust. Bake at 325 for 45 - 50 minutes. Cool before serving. This pie is best served the day it is baked.



I have made this cheesecake for so long I no longer remember where I got the recipe, but if I say so myself, it's the best I've ever had! I hope you agree.

Kathy's Famous Cheesecake
Crust:
1 ¼ cups graham cracker crumbs
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup melted butter
Stir together and press into bottom of 9 inch spring form pan. Don't bake the crust at this point.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cheesecake Filling:
3, 8 ounce packages cream cheese
¾ cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon vanilla

Beat the cream cheese, ¾ cup sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla together until smooth with mixer. Pour into 9 inch spring form pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 - 40 minutes, or until knife inserted in middle comes out fairly clean. Ten minutes before time is up for baking, stir together 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup sugar, and ½ teaspoon vanilla. Spread over top of cheesecake. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Chill; top with strawberries and prepared strawberry pie glaze.



A Tag and An Award


Mary, Seashore Days, passed on this tag and pretty Fairy Steps Blog Award to me. Visit "The Merry Mermaid" soon - she has a very interesting blog. She's an actress and posts lovely pictures and items about her life, family, and home.

According to the rules of acceptance of this award, it is to be passed on. Leave a comment to let them know they've been awarded, then you are tagged to list seven random things about yourself.

Seven Random Things About Myself:
1. I am in love with Richard Gere.
2. I am becoming my mother!
3. I was born on my father's birthday.
4. Can't do it, but I admit I'd like to wear a nightgown 24 hours a day!
5. A South African woman and I have written each other e-mails on a daily basis for 10 years.
6. My favorite old movie is Meet Me In St. Louis.
7. My favorite Christmas song is Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.

I am passing the tag and award on to Bonnie, Interiors By Design and Brett, Southern Hostess.

Friends Awarding Friends

My sweet friend Heather, Family Forever, has blessed me with this awesome award today - on my birthday!! Thank you so much Heather! The rules are to deliver this award to eight bloggers of my choice, who in turn choose eight bloggers of their choosing to send it to...and so on.

Here are the guidelines to follow in choosing your recipients:

These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these kind writers. When you pass the award along please include include these guidelines.

I would like to pass this award on to the following people:

CeeKay, Thinkin of Home; Sweetie, Sweetie's World; Neabear, Neabear & B-Daddy's Nest; Kathy, Shocking Pink Thread; Cori, Gingerbread Crumbs & Company; Sharon, Techno Nana; Pam, Grey Like Snuffie; and Rechelle, Walnut Haven Cottage.

It's My Birthday and I'll Cry If I Want Too!

Yes, friends, it's my birthday today and I have not met my goal to be ready for Christmas! I know - I'm trying to move beyond it. Don't you think it is just IN women to set expectations for ourselves - usually a bit too high? Then it's kind of a let down when it doesn't happen. Well, ladies, meet the Queen of Too High Expectations! I have always been a perfectionist. As a kid, no paper was written well enough for me. As a parent, if the paper is due in a month, why let it go beyond a day or two? As a homemaker, doesn't everything just HAVE to be perfect? Christmas - well, of course it's got to be a DREAM! Yep, that's me - as all of my family and friends will gladly tell you - (no laughing, CeeKay). However, I am making efforts to change this about myself. Setting impossible expectations for oneself really does set you up for unhappiness and discontent. I know this, but to implement new tricks to an O-L-D dog is easier said than done! I am determined that this year, my 56th, will be a more relaxed year. Life is just too short to worry about anything unnecessarily. Life really can be hard enough sometimes without creating things to be displeased about!

So, ladies, with this new leaf turned, I am off to spend my birthday with my husband - a day of shopping, movie, and dinner. And guess what??? MY HOUSE IS A MESS!!!

(And I'm happy anyway!)

Trim The Tree Thursday Week #3

Trim The Tree Thursday is hosted by Brett at Southern Hostess. It's fun to see so many beautiful and creative women at work! Visit Brett's blog to see a list of the wonderful blogs participating in TTTT!

The main tree in our house is in the family room. The picture was a little off angle - it really is standing straight and tall! This tree is decorated with glass silver glittered pine cones in two sizes, round clear glass and silver ornaments in two sizes, and in three shades of pink and burgundy round glass ornaments. The star on top is glittered silver. The skirt under the tree is actually a burgundy velvet quilted throw my daughter gave me for my birthday one year. I use it for my Christmas tree skirt, then I cover with it to stay toasty warm all winter!

The second tree in the family room is a 3 1/2 foot lighted tree, but I don't use ornaments. It seems like overkill with another larger tree in the room.

Under the little pine is a happy little snowman, courtesy of my friend CeeKay last year. He wishes us peace, as I'm sure we all wish for in the new year.

My parents had the antique chair refinished and caned for me one Christmas. It sits on the hearth year round, but at Christmastime it sports three of my favorite holiday books, Skipping Christmas by John Grisham, The Christmas Box Miracle and Christmas Shoes both by Richard Paul Evans.

A few other holiday decorations around the family room...

"When one has faith that the Spring thaw will arrive the winter winds seem less harsh."