Homemade Pumpkin Puree

The hustle and bustle of the holiday season has begun. I know many have already pulled out their Christmas decorations. Trees are selected, ornaments are removed from their special packages, family recipes are located, wrapping paper selected.  I, along with everyone else, love Christmas, but....I also love Thanksgiving. Let's slow down a little bit and enjoy this great day before we rush to celebrate Christmas--although Jesus' birthday is worth celebrating!

In trying to slow it down, I decided to make pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving. I normally make my own pumpkin pie- homemade crust and all. This year, however, I decided to make the puree too. Below are the steps to make the main ingredient to that yummy pie. 

*Allow a good three hours. :) We're really slowing it down. 

1.  Grab small pie pumpkins.

2. Remove stems. Cut in half. This is where my husband really came in handy, or I am just very weak. ;)

3. Remove the guts. More than the picture. Scrape them clean. 

4. Line a pan with aluminum foil. Place a little vegetable oil on foil. Place pumpkin on the pan, cut side down. 

5. Rub lightly with oil and cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until fork goes through easily. 

6. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Scoop out.

7. Puree it in a blender, food processor, hand mixer, depending on the consistency you like. I like my pumpkin smooth so I used the blender. 

NOW GO MAKE SOME BEAUTIFUL PIES!  HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

DIY Tacky Christmas Sweater

    

We have been getting ready for Christmas here in Tennessee.  I have been having a hard time wrapping my head around the fact that it is that time of year.  I do love the South but when there isn't snow or a ton of family to see, it doesn't feel quite the same as when we we're up North. Days of getting together for family Christmas parties, cookie bakes, wrapping presents together, etc.

However, I was very excited when work said we were having a tacky Christmas sweater contest. Figuring it would help make me feel like Christmas was around the corner, I went and purchased a few things at Good Will and Walmart.  I also painted my nails to get into the festivities. Ta Da! Not only wanting to wear this awesome piece of art once, I wore it while we decorated the shed for Christmas.  Yes, we did.  Fireplace, karaoke, Christmas lights and tree are ready for our soon to be here family to come and celebrate with us.  Then...it will feel like Christmas. 

You can make one of these beauties for your festivities:

Good Will shirt

Walmart paints

beads

Pins 

Scraps of fabric

thread

needle

By the way, I didn't win the contest.  Thought I had a fighting chance but people really get into this.  I now know for next year. ;)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

                                                                                                                                      

5 Minute Fudge

I love this time of year when the you can't drive too far without seeing Christmas lights, carols are playing on the radio, and being with family feels extra special. It also makes me sad when I realize that it also goes by way too quickly. I made this fudge before Christmas, and I'm finally just getting around to posting it. Technically, the "Christmas season" is not yet over, so we're still okay to post Christmas-y recipes, right? :) 

Switch up this quick recipe to fit your taste! 

You can use dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet, milk or white chocolate, even butterscotch or peanut butter chips! Also, don't be afraid to add some walnuts, pecans, or mini marshmallows, as well. 

**Keep in mind that the fudge will taste like a "fudgy" version of whatever type of chips you use. So don't use semi-sweet chips if you prefer milk chocolate chips. Pretty simple. :)

Ingredients

1 1/2 packages chocolate chips

1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

20 regular marshmallows

Directions

Grease a 8x8 inch baking dish and set aside.

Pour chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a microwave-safe bowl.

Stir.

Microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 15-30 seconds.

Stir in marshmallows.

Continue microwaving in 15-30 second intervals until smooth. (Approximately another 2 minutes.)

Immediately pour into prepared baking dish.

Spread evenly, working quickly.

Refrigerate 2-3 hours before cutting in rows of 6.

**Yields 36 squares.

(Directions with Photos)

**Grease a 8x8 inch baking dish and set aside.**

Pour chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk in a microwave-safe bowl.

{You can also use a double boiler for this recipe if you prefer.}

Stir.

Microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 15-30 seconds.

After about 2 minutes, it should start to look more like a batter.

(Don't overcook! If yours looks like this after only 1 minute, move to the next step. Use your best judgement when it comes to melting this all together.)

Stir in marshmallows.

Continue microwaving in 15-30 second intervals until smooth. (Approximately another 2 minutes.)

**If you're going to add nuts or anything, now would be the time to quickly do that. (The fudge begins to set up pretty quickly.)

Immediately pour into prepared baking dish.

Spread evenly, working quickly.

Refrigerate 2-3 hours before cutting in rows of 6.

**Yields 36 squares.

I used mini cupcake liners to separate my fudge squares before storing them. 

I think they just look cute that way. :)

Ginger Cookies

 

To my regret, as much as I love to bake, Christmas snuck up on me this year. In the past, a week before Christmas, I would have an assortment of delicious goodies. Although it saddens me that I didn't get to make my cookies, I am happy that I was able to take a mini vacation to the north to see my family. I think that was worth more than a few marshmallow wreaths. 

 I did, however, at the request of my mother in law, make time to make these ginger cookies. They are one of my father in laws favorites! With one kind of cookie and a cup of coffee, we still enjoyed our "goodies".

INGREDIENTS

4 1/2 cups flour

4 tsp. ground ginger

2 tsp. baking soda

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ground cloves

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 cups shortening

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup molasses

3/4 cup sugar 

Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix flour, ginger, soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt.

Step 3: In a large bowl, blend shortening for about 30 seconds. 

Step 4: Add sugar and mix until well blended.

Step 5: Add eggs and molasses. Mix until well blended.

Step 6: blend in as much flour mixture as you can. Stir in the rest.

Step 7: Form balls and roll in sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.

Step 8: Bake approximately 12 minutes or until cookies are light brown and puffed. Do not overbake. After taking them out of the oven, allow to set for 2 minutes. Remove and let cool on wire rack. 

*I usually half this recipe. Using a 1 ounce scoop, half a batch yields approximately 24 cookies.

I hoe you enjoy these cookies as much as "Papa Joe" does! 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

String Cheese Snowmen

Christmas is a wonderful time of year, but it's not usually so nice to the waistline. Most of us indulge since it "only comes once a year", then we regret it when our jeans are a little extra snug when the new year rolls around. To help keep us in check, it's a good idea to keep some fun, festive, and healthy snacks around during this Christmas season. These little String Cheese Snowmen are the perfect way to do that!

What you need:

string cheese

ribbon, any color

black permanent marker

orange paper (or orange permanent marker)

black paper

scissors

tape

Directions:

1. Gather up your supplies.

2. Tie your ribbon around the string cheese. 

(You can curl the ends by carefully sliding the ribbon across your scissor blade, or you can leave them straight.)

3. Cut out a small "top hat" using the black paper and tape it on the end of the cheese stick.

4. Cut out a small "carrot nose" using the orange paper, and tape it in place.

(You can also use an orange permanent marker, if you choose to do so.)

5. Using the black permanent marker, draw your eyes, mouth, and buttons on your "snowman" to finish him off.

How cute would a little tray of these be at your next Christmas party??

Now, don't completely pass up the fudgy, calorie-laden bars and cookies this Christmas season. You still have to have your fair share. This is just another option, so you don't have to eat the whole pan of bars. :)

Have a very Merry Christmas!!

Festive DIY Centerpiece

As long as I can remember, my Mom has loved tablecloths. Growing up, us kids would always procrastinate setting the table and throw a heavy sigh in the air when Mom would say "Get the good tablecloth, please. And pull out the placemats, too". We would always argue that it wasn't necessary. "They're just going to get dirty anyway and we'll have to change it again".

As I get older, I realize more and more how my little quirks are so much like my Mom's. Don't worry....I think it's a good thing. :)  One of them is my need for a tablecloth. (It also probably has something to do with the fact that our table top looks pretty rough, but that's beside the point.) I now understand my Mom's desire for everything to look "put together" by making the table look nice.

To pull everything together, it's always a nice touch to add a centerpiece. This post will give you an idea on how to pull a fun and festive centerpiece together with items you probably already have. Be festive and frugal. :)

This is what my centerpiece contains:

Vase: crystal ice bucket

Ribbon: wired burlap (found at Walmart or craft stores)

Fillers: {First, a large can of tomatoes to take up space} 

Bottom- dried black beans

Middle- old fashioned oats

Top- popcorn kernels

Candles: small red candle & 2 candlesticks