Christmas Cheer



The week before Christmas and I'm almost ready. I have picked out all of the gifts that I'm giving (except for the Hubster). I've ordered some gifts that are supposed to be here on Tuesday.  These are for Daughter and Son In Law. They are leaving to visit his family before the weekend...so my gifts for them will get here just in time! I'm excited about these gifts.  I hope they love them. I had a fun time choosing them.

 





I've also been enjoying some hot tea in the cups that were gifts from the Dtr & Son 'N Law.  I was craving a lemony tea similar to Russian Tea.  I've been drinking a lot of bottled citrus green tea lately and decided to have it hot. It was super fast and easy.

When I was growing up, my mother used to have different ideas for homemade gifts for Christmas presents.  One year it was Russian Tea Mix. I remember making the mix and packaging. We also kept a mix in our kitchen and often enjoyed a cup on cold afternoons. The warm green tea that I had this weekend reminded me of the warm and comforting citrus taste. 

Danielle, of the blog, Runs With Spatulas, posted a Russian Tea recipe.  I'm so delighted that it looks quite like the recipe Mom and I used when we made our powdered tea mixes.

I remember once trying to make the mix and improvising with non-sugar substitutes. All I can tell you was it did not work. The substitutes simply did not produce the same volume of the mix.  I have wanted to find this recipe so that I can give Russian Tea gift jars. Since I just found the recipe, and I work all of next week, I think this may be a gift project for next year.

If you are not on Pinterest you totally should be. It's very fun.  It's like a virtual scrapbook of ideas.  I'd be delighted if you followed me.  And, of course, I want to see your boards and follow you as well.

Quick Poll:  Which is better:  Pumpkin Pie or Sweet Potato Pie?  For me, the answer is hands down Sweet Potato Pie.  It's sweeter and creamier.

A restaurant owner in a nearby city was featured in the local Indy Week paper. The name of her restaurant?  Sweet Potatoes.  I must go try this.  The article is here: A new book by N.C. chef Stephanie Tyson: Tyson shares about 100 recipes of the Winston-Salem restaurant's famous dishes in Well, Shut My Mouth! The Sweet Potatoes Restaurant Cookbook.

Ms. Tyson also shared a recipe from her new cookbook.

This weekend I saw the article, The Rise and Fall of Recipe Cards, A Brief History in the Slate Ezine website. The article has a fairly interesting point of view and is somewhat interesting. I realized that it has been forever since I've seen a real handwritten recipe card. The thought of a physical recipe card made me nostalgic. So, in honor of the not yet lost art of the Recipe Card, I put Stephanie Tyson's recipe on a Recipe Card for you.

Enjoy your week!

Kimberly's Note: Anytime I have made anything with sweet potatoes, I've used the potatoes I buy in a can from the grocery store.  It cuts out the majority of the time and I think it's just easier.

Hello December!

I wonder how it can be so! A little over two weeks away is the big celebration in our family. This year it seemed to slip up on me. This may be because we seemed to have such a busy year with family festivities. 

One of my sisters plans to spend the holiday out of town with her husband's family as well.  Both daughter and sis will be in the colder northeast for the holiday. This will leave my hubby here with 2nd sister and our parents. I had so much fun at our Christmas gathering last year that I can't help but be a little disappointed that we won't all be together on Christmas day this year. --But that is me being selfish and I don't mean to be. This year will be wonderful in a different way.

Last year was the first Christmas that my Hubby and daughter were back in the town that I grew up in. Our house is less than a mile from my parents' house and about the same distance to daughter and her husband.  I love that!  Both my sisters live within 10 miles of me. This is so nice after being on opposite coasts for 7 of the past 8 years.

Hubby and I had the family to our house for lunch and presents. Hubby and I had been in the house only six months when we hosted the Christmas lunch. Hubby actually had only been here two months. We were in the midst of our home updates. All of the new paint was complete, but not the rest of our projects. And, to say that I'm not good in the kitchen is an understatement.  Lunch would have been supper if not for Sissy!  She deserved her "ta-da" moment. --But crashing the photo just had to be done.

Hubster and Daughter~~and a yummy glass of wine

Last year was a truly wonderful first Christmas "back home". 

Hope everyone is enjoying this part of the holiday.