Getting the Christmas Tree

This year we decided to get a tree before Meg went back to college.  When the girls were little we would always get our tree from a tree farm.  It was an all day adventure that often included hot chocolate, a hayride and visit to the petting zoo.  Not much has changed, both girls still insist on picking out and cutting down their own tree at a tree farm and who am I to deny them this?  So, that's what we did!

The Girls Find the Perfect Tree

We were dropped off the hay wagon knowing we only had about 20 minutes to find a tree, the girls took  the job seriously and found one quickly.  Milo approved of the tree choice and decided to sit still for a second so I could capture a picture of them all with the tree.  Then hubby got to work and cut it down.

Two beautiful girls and an adorable little fur baby...priceless!

By the time we got back on the hay wagon it was dark.  The girls bought some hot cider while my hubby paid for the tree.  After hanging out on the top of the Tahoe for a night and resting for a day in the garage, our tree finally found it's way to our living room where it will stay for the Christmas season! 

Crock Pot Applesauce

The last week of September is when many classrooms around the United States remember an American Legend by the name of Johnny Appleseed.  My class was no exception.  We spent the week of his birthday learning about the tall tale genre and the real person, John Chapman, from which the Johnny Appleseed story originated.  To conclude our unit of study my students enjoyed some rather tasty crock pot applesauce that we had prepared together earlier in the morning.  To find a recipe that would please even the pickiest of critics (second graders) I did some online research and eventually, after borrowing a couple of ideas from here and there, came up with one that was just right! 

Here's my simple and delicious recipe for homemade applesauce:

First, peel and core 12 large gala apples.  We used an old fashion apple peeler that my teaching partner brought in from home and demonstrated how to use with the help of all our eager students.  I'm looking into buying one myself.  The one below is only $28.00 from William Sonoma.

William Sonoma Peeler/Corer

Next, we sliced the peeled/cored apples into quarters and placed the pieces into a bowl with 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice and stirred together well.  Then, we added 1/4 cup of apple juice to the bottom of the crockpot, topped it with the apple mixture, covered and let it cook on high for about four hours.  In between I would occasionally peek on it and give it a stir.  The aroma of the apples cooking was delightful!  Before serving to my students I used a potato masher to break the cooked apples down into a sauce and gave it about a half hour to cool.  The sauce was still warm but not too hot and the kids loved it!



Yummy Hummus

It's funny that you can be married for years and when you least expect it, find out something about your spouse that you never knew.  My hubby and I, on a friend's recommendation, headed one lazy weekend afternoon into Houston to a little place called King Biscuit in search of a good burger and some "down time" we both needed. 

When we arrived we looked over the menu and decided to have an appetizer before ordering our lunch.  The waitress suggested the hummus and flat bread appetizer and my mouth immediately began to water.  I was sure my significant other would quickly say no since in the twenty some years we've been married we have never made, ordered or bought hummus.  I knew he loved middle eastern food so it shouldn't have been too shocking that he indeed did like it, just couldn't believe we hadn't had it together, being the foodies we think we are.  Well, it was delicious and we devored it before enjoying a wonderful hamburger.  The next day we began to crave it, so much that we decided to make a mediterrian meal, including hummus for an appetizer.  We decided on Guy Fieri's roasted red pepper hummus recipe.  It was good and had a little kick.  It's spicy but delicious.

Here's what you need:



16 ounces chickpeas

6 ounces roasted red bell peppers

1 jalapeno, seeded, diced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro leaves
1 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons chopped onion
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 tablespoon chipotle pepper in adobo
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Toasted pita bread, for serving
 

 

Mix first nine ingredient in food processor until pureed.  Then slowly add in olive oil.

 

Let set up for 1 hour. Serve with toasted pita bread.

Saying Goodbye Again...

For a month both girls have been back and life has been like it always was for just a bit.  Today Meg returned to college and I am left feeling a little lonely all over again.  What makes her leaving a little less sad this time is the fact that Britty graduated college this past December and is back home with us.  It is temporary though, as she is applying to law school and is hoping to be somewhere different come fall.  Regardless, she is home again and it is nice.  The ironic part of the whole situation is we were actually just starting to get use to our "empty nest."  Oh well, I guess that's life, don't get use to anything for too long because it's bond to change! I'm just thankful to God for the wonderful, sometimes unpredictable life I share with the people I love.

New Year's Brunch

Here it is New Year's Eve and Britty will be with Adam and Meg with Kyle attending their own parties.  So much for the days when we were all together to ring in the New Year...sigh.  Oh well, at least we will be celebrating with friends at their home so I won't have to plan or prepare dinner tonight.  Still I wanted to do something to celebrate  when we are all back together tomorrow so I have planned a nice brunch for us.  On the menu are mini ham and cheese quiches, hash brown casserole, layered fruit salad, and party mimosas (for those 21 and older, sorry Meg!).  Since Richard and I are making a New Year's resolution to be healthier this next year, I am going to make some little changes in the ingredients I use every day beginning with our brunch.  Wishing a happy, healthy New Year filled with blessings to all who stop by. 

Mini Ham and Cheese Quiche

You will need:
12 slices bread (Sara Lee 45 Calorie Wheat)
1 onion, grated
1/2 cup shredded low fat Swiss cheese
2 cups low sodium deli ham, diced (Boar's Head)
1 cup skim milk
4 eggs or 8 egg whites and 2 yolks
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 pinch black pepper
frozen chopped broccoli, defrosted and drained

Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 12 muffin tins.
2.Trim or cut bread into circles. Place circles in bottom of muffin tins. Distribute the onion, shredded cheese, broccoli and ham evenly between the muffin tins. 
3.In a medium bowl, combine milk, eggs, mustard and pepper. Divide between the muffin tins.
4.Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a quiche comes out clean.

Hash Brown Casserole

You will need:
1 (32-ounce) package frozen hash browns
1 (16-ounce) container fat free sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (Sargento Shredded Reduced Fat Sharp Cheddar)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup (Campbell's 98% Fat Free)
1 small onion, finely chopped or 1 Tbsp. instant minced onion
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Panko bread crumbs or crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup butter (Smart Balance Heart Right Light)

Directions:
Stir together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.  Spoon potato mixture into a lightly greased 13 x 9 inch baking dish. Sprinkle enough bread crumbs to lightly cover casserole and drizzle evenly with butter.  Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Layered Fruit Salad



You will need:
2 cups each of four different types of fruit, sliced
1 (8 ounce) container plain low fat yogurt
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1. In a 2-1/2-qt. glass bowl, layer the fruits.
2. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, sugar and vanilla; mix well. 3. Spoon over fruit. Refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with pecans.


Party Mimosas

You will need:
32 oz. Tropicana Trop50 pineapple mango juice, chilled
32 oz. Tropicana Trop50 orange juice, chilled
fresh raspberries
1-2 bottles cold champagne

Directions:
Stir together pineapple-mango and orange juice in a large pitcher until combined. Fill champagne glasses half with juice and half with champagne.  Float a few fresh raspberries in each glass before serving.  Cheers!

Our Christmas Tree

Our little Christmas tree from the tree farm really held up nicely this year.  It still looks pretty and I really wish I didn't have to take it down this weekend.  What's most special about our tree is that both girls were home to go with us to the tree farm to pick it out.  That has not happened for some years so of course I took the camera and snapped a few pictures to remember our adventure. 

The girls and Milo pose for a picture.

It was cold afternoon for us who are use to warm Houston weather.  Hot chocolate was just what was needed.  



 Milo wore a better coat than Richard...

We did a lot of this, walking up and down many of rows of trees in search of the perfect one. 

When we did finally find our tree, Brittany helped to cut it down.

Milo and Meg watched.

Once home, our tree, although smaller than the ones of the past, looked beautiful all decorated.



Goodbye Christmas

Christmas has come and gone and it will soon be time to pack away all the decorations for another year.  Before embarking on this dreaded task and officially saying goodbye to Christmas , I took some pictures of our holiday home.

The Dinning Room

The Entryway

 Our Living Room



A Day At the Beach!

We spent last Thursday in Galveston with the girls, Ed and Delila, my mom and Milo.  It was a little overcast and the weather was cool but it didn't stop us from having a little fun on the beach!



Our Snow Village

During the Thanksgiving holiday when the girls were back from college, we all went to Old Town Spring.  While there we stopped and purchased a new addition to our Snow Village, the Opera House.

Our village has been up since and will remain up until sometime in January. 
I love our little town and wish it could stay up all year!