Tuesday Tip - Christmas Lights

Lights in a Tangle?

Garden Hose Holder as Holiday Light Organizer

Coil strings of holiday lights round and round for knot-free hall decking. Your reward: You won’t blow a fuse trying to hang next year’s light show.

Share |

The Wish Wreath

The Wish Wreath

photo by  Melanie Acevedo

Hang an unadorned twig wreath in a spot where guests can’t miss it. Set out red Magic Markers and small plain cards on a table next to it. Post a little sign asking visitors to scribble a greeting or a wish for the upcoming New Year, along with their names, and have them slip the notes into the wreath.

Share |

So Sweet Potato~

 I love that you're rated

#1 by Nutritionist, because I 'm so in l♥ve with you!

{A nutritional All-Star — one of the best vegetables you can eat. They're loaded with carotenoids, vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.}

Sweet-Potato Gratin

via Real Simple

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded (about 4 1/2 cups)
• 2 cups Cheddar, shredded (8 ounces)
• 1 slice whole-wheat bread, ground in a food processor (1/2 cup)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400º F.
2. Lightly coat a 9-inch square baking dish with vegetable cooking spray.
3. In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter and add the onion; cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the flour, then whisk in the milk, rosemary, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Heat to boiling, whisking constantly. Stir in the sweet potatoes.
4. Transfer to the baking dish and sprinkle with the Cheddar and bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden

Share |

Someone is Calling for Me

HOTCAKES with DELICIOUS BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

Recipe from Curtis Stone

 

via The Barefoot Contessa

BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

(Serves 4)

18 ounces fresh blueberries
1/4 cup sugar
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves (optional)

HOTCAKES

1 cup fresh ricotta cheese
4 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup buttermilk, shaken
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup fresh blueberries
About 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Butter, for serving

1. To make the blueberry compote: Combine the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest, and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook for 2 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves. (Don't let the berries cook too long or they will become mushy and lose their beautiful shape. Doesn't that sound awful!....I'm glad we're talking about berries♥.) Remove from the heat. Gently stir in the chopped mint if using. Keep warm.
2. To make the hotcakes: Whisk the ricotta and the egg yolks together in a large bowl; then whisk in the buttermilk. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into the ricotta mixture. Stir with a whisk until just combined.
3. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and sugar in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites through the batter in 2 batches. Gently fold the fresh blueberries into the batter.
4. Melt some butter on a hot griddle pan over medium-low heat. Ladle the batter onto the griddle (you should be able to fit 3 hotcakes at a time) and cook for about 3 minutes per side, or until the hotcakes puff, become golden brown, and are just cooked through.
5. Transfer the hotcakes to plates. Spoon the warm blueberry compote over the hotcakes, and then top with a dollop of butter. 

Serve immediately.
(... and you will immediately become very popular!)

Share |

The Kid's Table

Thanksgiving Tables for Kids

via PBK

 Finger Puppet Favors

via Martha Stewart

Click HERE for instructions 

via Country Living
To accommodate your youngest guests' abbreviated attention spans (and your desire to linger over dessert), cover the children's dining surface with kraft paper and set out pots of crayons for tic-tac-toe. Bonus: This tablecloth is a cinch to clean up. Stamped birch name cards ensure kids feel as special as grown-ups. 

Turkey Trivia Place Card

via Martha Stewart

These place cards beckon kids to their seats and give them something to think about while the turkey is being carved.

Go HERE to make these 

 Too Cute!

via HipHipHooray Blog

 Check it Out

via Tip Junkie

 There's MORE ...Check it Out!

 The Paper Bag Turkey

via One Charming Party

 Tutorial HERE

Print this free Thanksgiving kit 

from PaperGlitter

image via South Shore Mamas

 

via fiskars

 Get the details HERE 

 

Share |

Corn & Candle?

Simple Centerpiece for Thanksgiving

via BHG

Elevate a basic pillar candle to Thanksgiving-worthy status. Hot-glue ears of Indian corn around a pillar candle and tie twine around the arrangement. For a more elegant look, substitute pretty satin ribbon for the twine.

Share |

Tuesday Tip - Cuff Link in a Pinch

The Inspired Cuff Link

 When you’re wearing a French-cuffed shirt, substitute a snip of ribbon for cuff links to keep your sleeves closed. Just slide a piece of ribbon through and tie a knot on each end. They’ll stop your arms from getting a chill and add a little color to a wardrobe staple.

Share |

Tuesday Tip

Dry Cutting Board

via Real Simple

Revive your board by gently warming a bottle of pure mineral oil (available at drugstores) in a bowl of hot water, then wiping the oil onto the surface with a soft cloth. Wipe off the excess four to six hours later.

Share |

For You Pumpkin

 

 FABULOUS

Pumpkin Recipes

via Paul Deen

•  Pumpkin Baked Ziti 
• Pumpkin Roll Cake 
• Souffled Pumpkin Pancake  
• Pumpkin Pecan Pie 

 * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Paula's Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed
1 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional

1 piece pre-made pie dough
Whipped cream, for topping

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Place 1 piece of pre-made pie dough down into a (9-inch) pie pan and press down along the bottom and all sides. Pinch and crimp the edges together to make a pretty pattern. Put the pie shell back into the freezer for 1 hour to firm up. Fit a piece of aluminum foil to cover the inside of the shell completely. Fill the shell up to the edges with pie weights or dried beans (about 2 pounds) and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes, remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes or until the crust is dried out and beginning to color.
For the filling, in a large mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add the pumpkin and beat until combined. Add the sugar and salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter, and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, if using, and beat until incorporated.
Pour the filling into the warm prepared pie crust and bake for 50 minutes, or until the center is set. Place the pie on a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Cut into slices and top each piece with a generous amount of whipped cream.
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Prep Time:
Cook Time: 50 min

 * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Aunt Trina’s Holiday Pumpkin Crunch  

An old Alabama favorite given to Paula from her Aunt Trina.

Ingredients:

1 (15 oz.) can fresh pumpkin
1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 box yellow cake mix
1 cup chopped pecans
2 sticks butter, cut into pieces
FROSTING:
1 (8 oz.) pkg. softened cream cheese
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together pumpkin, evaporated milk, cinnamon and sugar until well combined.  Add eggs and mix well.
Pour mixture into a 9X13 baking dish prepared with a non stick spray. Sprinkle cake mix evenly over entire top. Sprinkle nuts evenly over cake mix and top with butter pieces.  Bake at 350º F for 50-60 minutes.  Set aside to cool.
Prepare frosting while cake is cooling.  In a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, whip cream cheese until light.  Add in whipping cream and continue to whip until fully combined and thickening.  Add powdered sugar and cinnamon and whip until smooth.
To Serve:  Scoop out a slice of the pumpkin crunch and top with a dollop of the cream cheese frosting, or frost the entire pumpkin crunch with the frosting.
Recipe Courtesy of Paula Deen
Servings: 8
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 1 hour

Share |