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.