Home(made) For The Holidays

The holidays are all special to me but Christmas has such deep, loving, lasting memories of family and friends.  I love all the tradition that Christmas holds.  Attending Christmas Eve Mass, Looking at the Lights, Baking, Decorating the Tree and the House, Christmas Carols, Family Time, Parties, Warm Sweaters, Boots, Fires, Hot Cocoa, Gift Wrapping…..I Love It All!

Managing my time during the holidays can be tricky.  I find myself running to the stores more often than I should, putting gift baskets together last minute and planning my Christmas party outfit minutes before my husband heads outside and starts honking the horn to hurry me along.

To save some shopping time and de-stress, I like to give homemade baked goods and home crafted gifts.  I try to plan ahead with my crafts but recently found myself crafting an hour before our Game Night Christmas Dinner.  The easier the craft the more fun and relaxing it is for me.  I am sharing a few of this season's crafts with you and hope you will try one or two!

Coasters for Game Night!  A fun gift that can be personalized and enjoyed year round!  I added these to  a gift basket with a bottle of Peppermint Kahlua, chocolate shot glasses, Kahlua candies and peppermint bark.  I assembled four coasters in less than an hour!  Materials included Scrabble tiles, thin squares of cork - cut to size, gorilla glue or craft glue and scissors.

Another fun craft that took me less than an hour was a Peppermint Christmas Tree.  Materials included an 18 inch styrofoam cone, red garland, glue, push pins, Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark and the candy bag!

Glue the garland in an upward spiral from base to top, pin each candy packet to the tree in same upward spiral, cut the candy bag into long strips and curl, tie strips together and fasten to tree top!  I liked this so much I decided to keep it instead of taking it to a White Elephant Gift Exchange.

A gift for all ages that will be loved and never regifted is a Spool O'Ca$h!

The empty wooden spools were too cute to discard and perfect for winding some cash around them!  lightly tape the dollar bills to each other and secure in place with some jute.  Perfect stocking stuffer or gift wrap accessory - better than a bow!  (I found the wooden spools at TJ Maxx on the Christmas ribbon rack)

An old favorite that I enjoyed making with my sons when they were small were Walnut Reindeer ornaments!  

Walnut Shell halves, brown card stock, red felt for ears, small red pom pom for Rudolph's nose and small google eyes.  Glue Gun to adhere antlers, ears, face and hanging ribbon/twine to walnut half.  Ours are 15 years old and still look like new!  They adorn our tree every year.  

Start a family tradition of making home-made crafts each year for gifts or decor.  Crafting Parties with friends or Family Night Fun, take some time out to make some memories!  

Merry Christmas From My Home To Yours!

Come To The Table

Autumn is a beautiful time of year to enjoy a new season of flavors, fellowship, and a celebration of God's bounty.  The cooler weather makes me think of comfort foods.  I find myself pulling out my Mom's recipes for that taste of home.
Tonight's dinner will include an old family recipe for lasagna.  We'll start our feast with a meat and cheese plate and move into the dining room for a wonderful Autumn Pumpkin Lentil Soup, an Italian Salad, Lasagna, Garlic Bread and finish up with Cannoli and Triple Chocolate Gelato.

I set the table in Fall Colors and I always like warm candlelight at the table.  I'm happy to share a simple craft for individual candle lit place settings.

A green apple with the top carved out to fit a tea light.  A fun, fast craft that adds a warm glow to the table.

I mix and match my plates and bowls for a more casual, comfortable feel at the table.  It also adds interest and hopefully some inspiration to pull out those dishes that have colors and patterns that lend themselves to the season.

Making the dinner table and the menu look fancy but taking shortcuts in the execution is the trick to less stress when you entertain.
A simple appetizer helps to set the mood for a comfortable evening.  I chose a favorite meat and cheese tray reminiscent of a local winery.

Salami, pepperoni, a selection of cheeses, fruits, nuts and breads and a bottle of wine or a cold beer is an easy, colorful appetizer that is a feast for the eyes and full of flavor.

The Harvest Pumpkin Lentil Soup is a pre measured dry mix from Huber Winery in Southern Indiana. I added chicken broth, red wine, pumpkin puree, carrots and water to the dry mix of lentils, rice and seasonings and let it simmer for a couple of hours.  It was fabulous!  

My Mom's lasagna recipe is one that I love, especially in the Fall.  Selecting a familiar entree allowed me to feel comfortable with the preparation and to anticipate how it should look and taste.  

Cannoli is one of my favorite desserts that reminds me of my early married years living in New Jersey -  A crispy, fried shell filled with creamy goodness!

 In New Jersey I had lots of local bakeries with plenty of Cannoli.  Living in the Midwest is a bit different.   I tend to hoard Cannoli shells when I find them at Cost Plus World Imports or other specialty food stores.  Cannoli filling is rather easy to make and looks fancy when it's piped into the Cannoli shell and dipped in mini chocolate chips or chopped pistachios.  I got my recipe from Pinterest - http://www.craftaholicsanonymous.net/homemade-cannoli-filling-recipe
If you are lucky enough to live near an Italian Bakery, then by all means buy your Cannoli!
I love shortcuts and selecting a store-bought Gelato (keeping with my Italian theme) is a real time saver. 
  
Enjoy this season of Thanksgiving and share the goodness!

For Health and Food

For love and friends;

For everything

Thy goodness sends

We thank Thee.

{Ralph Waldo Emerson}

Welcome To My Haunted Disco

If you love Halloween like I do, then join me for a bewitching tour of my Haunted Disco!
Prepare yourself for some frightening decor and plenty of tricks and treats!
Dust off your platforms, squeeze into those old bellbottoms and run a brush through those sexy 70's locks as we stumble up the stairs onto the front porch  and down into the disco dungeon!

 Our wicked witch greets you with her Hocus Pocus spell and the caged skeleton rattles his cage and screams for guests to let him out!  Glowing Jack-O-Lanterns light up the doorway….EEEK!  Quick let's get inside!

creepy animated witch in crystal ball, she lights up and tells your fortune.  Test tubes, cauldrons,  books on poisons/potions and spells 

A Toad Skeleton and a Disco Dancing Ghost are delightfully scary!

flaming cauldron tops all spooky tricks!

electric skull that is motion activated and mesmerizing!

Our House Bouncer checks out all the Ghouls...

Wicked Witch stirs her cauldron and cackles as you pass thru the haunted foyer.

The Costume Awards Table holds Tricks and Treats!

skeleton hands claim the candy corn as their own!

plenty of disco balls and shine in the ghost lounge!

Ghost Lounge must have some 70's style pillows 

Our resident Ghost greets the guests from above.

Hearts On A Stake make creepy appetizers!  Found this idea in a Halloween Cookbook!

 A peek into the haunted disco dungeon….floating witches hats and witches legs landing on the dance floor!

Red Carpet and Spotlight Stage Backdrops make fun photo ops!

 Ready for some Treats??

Mix up a potent batch of elixir!  Our recipe had pink lemonade, vodka, lemon-lime soda, frozen strawberries and  lemonade ice cubes

Zombie Fingers:  salami and mozzarella with olives

Cobweb Salad: cold spaghetti, cucumber, tomato, red/orange peppers and sun-dried tomato dressing

California Rolls from our favorite local haunts

Cocktail Meatballs: 1 can jellied cranberry, 1 bottle Heinz Chili Sauce, 2 Tbsp brown sugar and 1 tsp lemon juice -
add ingredients together in saucepan and stir over low heat to melt cranberry, then pour over 2 pounds of cooked  meatballs (homemade or frozen),  keep warm in crockpot (crockpot liner makes for easy clean up)

Bat Wings, BBQ Ribs, Hearts on A Stake (Beef Tenderloin), Deviled Eggs, Cocktail Meatballs, Pineapple Coleslaw and Cobweb Salad 

easy trick that transforms into a spooky treat!

Dessert Table: Witches Oreo Shoes, Disco Cupcakes, Brownies, Cheesecake Bites, Pumpkin Macaroons, Cake Pops, Ghostly Merengue cookies, 70's chocolate fondue and cauldrons of candy

Vanilla Merengue Cookies - transformed into ghosts with black frosting for eyes!

Can't have a '70s Disco Party without Fondue!  
8 oz bag semi sweet chips, 1/2 C heavy cream, 1 tsp vanilla -
serve with cubes of pound cake, fresh fruit, marshmallows and nuts of choice

Ghoulfriends are wonderful and I had several bring some scary-good surprise treats that included chocolate clusters,  cold graveyard of veggie bars, prosciutto wrapped zombie dip

 and a devilish delight that I will share with you now….

 Candy Corn Jello Shots

 Wickedly fun partly favors I made for my witches and warlocks (to enjoy on their flight home) were 

Witchy Boogie Shoes (for the 'How To' please see my blog post on Halloween Treats).

Hope you enjoyed the tour of my Haunted Disco and found a few tricks and treats to try at your own party.

 Wishing you all a Happy Halloween!