Christmas is coming, but the decorations are not going up yet!

December has finally arrived. We received our first snowfall of the season--and it is still too early for me! The skies are gray, and the wind is blowing the snow helter-skelter everywhere. I would much prefer blue skies, sunshine, and warm weather, but, that's not happening in northeastern Ohio at this time of year.


We have a very out-spoken rule at our house: No displays of Christmas, not even Christmas music, until after December 8.  The reason? Amazing Daughter's birthday is December 8, and she does not want to see anything Christmas-y, until after her birthday. She was quite young when she announced that this would be the new rule. Apparently, December babies feel like they've been gypped somehow, by being born in December. Sometimes, certain December babies can get quite cranky about it.


I mentioned something to her yesterday that I needed to locate all the Christmas stuff. She gave me the Evil Eye. (I was just messin' with her, and I wanted to see if the "rule" still applies.  It does!) So, we will be waiting until December 9 to put up our decorations.


However, one thing that she does not have control over, is my Christmas Cactus.  I'm very excited to see the buds forming, and I hope to have lots of blooms by Christmas.


My Christmas Cactus was given to me four years ago by a friend. She was moving to Florida, and did not want to take it with her. But, since I've had it, we have lived in five different places, from Ohio to North Carolina to Ohio. At one point, I wasn't sure if my Christmas Cactus would survive--it was touch and go for a while.


But, I've learned that it is a pretty hardy plant, and it seems to be thriving in its new spot.


I did a little checking to see what makes Christmas Cactus happy.
They don't like to be over-watered. When the soil feels dry, water throughly, but make sure there is good drainage. They also like to be hydrated. I have mine sitting in two pots, one that is shorter than the other. That way, the water drains out, but can evaporate back up into it. They also do not like direct sunlight. And, to get the most abundant blooms, they like to have total darkness for 12-14 hours everynight, starting in October. They also like cooler temperatures, around 50 degrees F. Mine seems to be doing OK at about 63 degrees.


I'm glad I discovered this information, because I was doing everything wrong!  Now, I hope to have lots of beautiful blooms at Christmas. 

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Christmas Card Time

I'm almost on schedule for my Christmas cards. I finished making my cards, and now I just have to write the "dreaded" newsletter. I have the rough draft written, but I need to find a way to spice it up a bit. I have an idea or two, but haven't settled on anything definite. I have a few more days before I start to panic!

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Thanksgiving Day Eve

I was debating with myself if I should blog today or not. As soon as I sit down at the computer, it seems like my derriere is super-glued to my chair. The next thing I know, the day is half gone. I'm sure you have never experienced anything like that. But, today I have promised myself that I will only blog--no reading other blogs (even though I deperately want to! I hope you understand.) --no checking email, no checking facebook. I refuse to get involved in Twitter.

Today I will be busy baking for tomorrow. Thanksgiving will be at my niece's house, so I don't have to worry about the house being in order, Thank Goodness!

I'm making Butternut Squash Rolls, Coconut Cream Pie, a new recipe that I'm trying for the first time. I hope it turns out! (The picture looks pretty.) I also have a "secret recipe" to make Cheesecake Factory's Carrot Cake Cheesecake. (Another first timer!) And, a mint chocolate pie, which, believe or not, I have made before.

Also on the menu is a mushroom sausage stuffing. I fell in love with this recipe ten years ago (yikes!!) when I was trying the low-carb diet. This is a low carb recipe, but delicious. I'm still eating it, and I'm not on a low-carb diet anymore.

Mushroom Sausage Stuffing
4 onions, thinly sliced
2 - 4 TBSP olive oil
4 cups coarsely chopped mushrooms (about 1 lb.)
Salt and Pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 TBSP. butter
2 lbs. spicey sausage (I use 1 lb. regular, and 1 lb. spicey)
1 bunch fresh tarragon, leaves only

Saute the onions in olive oil over medium-low heat until caramelized, about 30 minutes. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms until crisp on the edge, about 10 - 15 min. (I've recently learned that the trick to crisping mushrooms is not to crowd the mushrooms in the pan.) Season with salt and pepper. Turn the heat to high and add the wine. Let the wine cook off for a couple of minutes, then lower the heat and simmer with the mushrooms for another 10 minutes. Stir in the butter 1 TBSP. at a time until combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

In large skillet, brown the sausage. When cooked through, about 5 - 7 minutes, add to the mushroom mixture along with the tarragon and combine thoroughly.

Well, there you have it.

I'm going to take a break from reality, keep the radio turned off (I'm addicted to talk radio), and let my three favorite men - Michael Buble, Rod Stewart (the Great American Songbook) and Barry Manilow (Singin' with the Big Bands) serenade me while I busy myself in the kitchen.

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day celebration, as we remember all the blessings the Lord has showered down on us.

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Try it, You'll like it! Tuesday - Sweet Potato Rolls

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and maybe you're looking for a new roll recipe to try.  This recipe is originally for Butternut Squash, but I had some leftover sweet potato, so I used it. This is good with butternut squash, but the sweet potato made the rolls a little sweeter. Either way, they are yummy.

Sweet Potato Rolls


1 pkg. (1.4 oz.) active dry yeast
1 cup warm milk (110 - 115 degrees)
1/4 cup warm water (110 - 115 degrees)
3 TBSP. butter, softened
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cooked, mashed sweet potato OR butternut squash
5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided


In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in milk and water. Add the butter, salt, sugar, sweet potato or squash, and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 min. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.


Punch dough down. Form into rolls; place in two greased 10-in. cast-iron skillets or 9-in. round baking pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 min. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Yield: about 2 dozen.

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Try it, You'll like it! Tuesday - Bunko Food

I'm a Bunko Babe. If you want to know the ins and outs of Bunko, click here. Tonight is Bunko, but I'm not hosting. I hosted back in June, but never got around to blogging about it, and since I'm sure you are dying to know the details, here they are!


The host is responsible for the food (most important detail) and the prizes (the second most important detail - although, depending on who you talk to, these could be reversed!)

Salad from my garden

This is embarrassing, but I have no idea what I made!

Lemon Herb Chicken Ring

Raspberry Pretzel Dessert

The Tables

The Prizes: Aprons made by Amazing Daughter

Here's the recipe for Lemon Herb Chicken Ring. If you have a Pampered Chef cook book, you will find it there, as well.


2 cups coarsley chopped, cooked chicken
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1 lemon
3 TBSP. chopped, fresh parsley, divided
2 garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. Intalian seasoning
1/2 cup grated, fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
2 pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls


Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In large bowl, combine chicken, bell pepper, 1 tsp. lemon zest from lemon, 2 TBSP. parsley, pressed garlic, mozzarella cheese, mayo and seasoning, mixing well. Grate Parmesan cheese. Reserve 2 TBSP, add remaining cheese to chicken mixture. Mix well.


Unroll crescent dough; separate into triangles. Arrange triangles in a circle on a large round pizza stone with wide ends overlapping in center and points toward outside. (There should be a 5 inch diameter opening in center.)


Spoon chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. (Filling will not be completely covered.) Springle remaining Parmesan cheese over ring. Backe 28-30 min. or until golden brown. Garnish with remaining chopped parsley and lemon slices.


Yield: 10 servings




Raspberry or Strawberry Pretzel Dessert


Mix together and put into a 9 x 13 pan; bake 10 min. at 350 degrees:
2 cups crushed pretzels 
3/4 cup softened butter
3 TBSP brown sugar


Mix together and put on cooled crust:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 oz. cool whip


Stir together, refrigerate until partly set, then put on top of cream cheese mixture:
1 - 3 oz. box stawberry or raspberry jello
1 cup boiling water
10 oz. frozen strawberries or raspberries


Refrigerate for several hours until set.

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Breaking and Entering to Feed a Cat

My parents recently took a vacation to Lily's home state of North Carolina. But, Lily was not invited to come along. (How Lily got from North Carolina to Ohio is for another blog.) I live only a few minutes away, so I would be keeping Lily fed, collecting their mail, and stuff like that.


Mom left the key on the dining room table for me, leaving their back door unlocked until I could get there, later that day. A good plan. Except that my Dad didn't know about the plan. He locked the door. 


Mom has been trying (unsuccessfully) for years to make sure all us kids  (there are five of us) have a key to their house. I don't have one.  So, I started calling around. Bro 3 does not have a key.  Bro 2 does not have a key. Bro 1 has a key! Yay! I'm amazed at how quickly and easily this problem has been resolved. Things never happen that easily. But, wait. I ask Bro 1 if the key is for the front door or the back door.  (Hubby has been doing some work on their house, and recently replaced the back door. Of course, Bro 1's key is for the back door. I'm not surprised. My last hope is for Sis to have a key. Yes, she does. For the back door! ACK! 


The house is locked up tight, and we certainly don't want to break anything. 
Hubby has one last hope, before we have to do anything drastic. Last year, he replaced some windows on the 2-story side (in the back, thankfully!) Mom likes to keep those windows open. Maybe, just maybe they are not locked. 


Hubby pulls out the laddder and climbs up to see. They are not locked. Happiness! So, he begins the painstaking work of inching this way, prying that way. I really don't know how he did it. I was busy looking in the grass for an earring that fell out. (Amazingly, I found it!)


He was able to get in without breaking anything, got the key, and I was able to keep Lily from starving to death. 


Later, I called Mom to tell her about the fiasco and how we averted disaster. I told her that Bro 1 and Sis have keys, but to the back door.


Her words? The back door and the front door...wait for it....use the same key!!

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Double Nickel Today!

Today is my birthday, and I've hit the "double nickel" as Hubby and I have been calling it. Hubby hit the double nickel in January. So, we are both, officially, Senior Citizens. It was bad enough getting that first letter from AARP, a month before I turned 50. That happened way before I was ready. Now, I'm trying to wrap my arms around the fact that I'm a S.C.  But, I guess now I can look forward to getting my Ohio Buckeye card. I can flash that everywhere I go and get a 10 % discount on coffee, meals...whatever. (To tell the truth, I don't even know where to go to get my Buckeye card! Come to think of it, Hubby doesn't even have his Buckeye card. Guess I'll have to do some investigating.)


We celebrated my birthday on Sunday. Hubby started the day by making me breakfast. 

That Hubby of mine can make some pretty good breakfasts. This is our version of Egg McMuffins. I think you'll agree, that ours is superior! Yep, that was a very tasty breakfast.


After church, Amazing Daughter and Son went with us to the best Mexican restaurant in the state! It is almost an hour's drive, but worth every minute. It's called Nuevo Acapulco, in North Olmstead, Ohio. Ever since we discovered this place, this is where I request to go for my birthday!

 This was my plate of deliciousness. Tacos el Carbon. I order this almost everytime, but, it is just so yummy that I can't order anything else. There is some kind of spice that is so distinctly different, and I absolutely love it.  

 BD ordered the gigantic burrito. I wonder how they came up with that name? Yes, he ate the whole thing!

 Hubby ordered the super mucho burrito. He ate the whole thing!

 Jennee also got the Taco el Carbon! She may kill me for using this picture, but, I think she's too busy with NaNoWriMo to be reading my blog!

 And, here's me and Hubby. Try as he might, he kept closing his eyes for every picture!

If only son, JT, and granddaughter, Sweetie Pie, could have been there, the day would have been complete!

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