For my blog followers I have been painfully absent from my keyboard since October 31st due to a self induced food coma. I have seriously been up to my ear lobes in tasty holiday treats. It all started with Halloween. I KNEW that day was evil, but oh my Lord is it ever tasty. No Tootsie Rolls, Smarties and hard candies for this mom! No sirree! It's all Butterfinger, Almond Joy, Snickers, Kit Kat and Reeses Peanut Butter Cups when you knock on our door!
And then comes Thanksgiving. Its an absolute must that I make my world famous turkey and dressing, broccoli slaw, popcorn balls, cheese ball and, of course, my hash brown casserole that lays the entire family out into a spiritual trance it is so darn good! And God has blessed me with a husband who can straight up cook as well. He makes the most incredibe magic cookie bars that never fail to send ME into a sugar euphoria. So, there you have it. Death by delicious goodness. I promise you my size eight skirts call out to me daily as I pass by my closet. They cry pitifully, "Shawnacee! Remember us? Do you remember how close we once were? Come to us! Wear us!" I don't have the heart to tell them that they are part of a love triangle between they, myself, and a cheese ball. And the cheese ball is winning by a long shot.
And so, now, here we are staring Christmas in the face. I have already begun to dig out the old family favorite recipes and I promise I got bloated just reading them. And then, of course, I drug a folding chair out to the garage and pulled down all of the Christmas decorations. Oh joy, joy, yippee yee haw. Am I a terrible person that I no longer care if all of the wise men are facing the proper direction in the nativity scene, or that the angel topping the tree is missing an eyeball and her wings are listing dangerously to the left? Am I a total scrooge if I don't give a rip whether or not the wrapping paper coordinates with the ornaments on the tree or whether or not the ornaments blend with the color and decor of my living room? Oh dear Lord I really have lost it, for most of my current ornaments came from the dollar store!! Back in the day, this lady would have NEVER stooped to that! Christmas was SACRED!! What has happened pray tell? I'll tell you what has happened........all my kiddies are grown and Christmas no longer holds that magical allure for me it once did.
Add to this the fact that I have inherited three wonderful younger stepdaughters, ages fourteen, twelve and ten. Paul and I asked the girls to write a short (we emphasized short) list of some things they would want for Christmas. I was dismayed as Noelle, our ten year old stated emphatically that she wanted a giant gummy bear. I am serious, this thing really exists. It is like nine inches tall and about four inches thick. She is determined that this is what she wants. My oldest stepdaughter's list read something like this; Laptop, strobe lights and a Lamborghini with flames............I'm not kidding. Dear Lord take me back to Barbie and Ken and their townhouse!! Oh well, times have changed I guess, as my own daughter has proclaimed that she wants..............wait for it.......... A MAN!
This mother is done! Done I tell you with fighting the sweating, frothing at the mouth masses as they fight over the latest video game or technological wonder!! Take me back to the good old days when stockings were filled with oranges, an assortment of nuts and candy canes and you felt like the king of the world if you had one gift such as a new pair of skates or a stereo. Oh well, I have completed my venting over this modern day materialistic holiday. Come Christmas eve the nativity scene will be perfect, resting delicately upon the loose hay that I will scatter beneath it. The old gals eyeball will be hot glued back into place and her wings realigned. And me, I will be all warm and cozy in my spongebob Snuggie, gazing upon my dollar store Christmas tree in awe, sipping on some hot cider and stuffing my face with cheese ball, coming up for air only to kiss my love dove. Oh yeah, Christmas still does it for me.
Below, you will find some of my treasured, family favorite holiday recipes, including that evil cheese ball! ;)
Rock Your World and Expand Your Waistline Cheese Ball!
8 ounces of cream cheese, soft
8 ounces of shredded cheddar cheese
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 Tablespoon of dry onion soup mix
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 to 3 dashes of garlic powder
chopped walnuts
Combine cream cheese and cheddar cheese with hands until blended. Add the rest of the ingredients except for the walnuts and blend well. Form into a ball and roll in walnuts, pressing the walnuts slightly into the cheese ball. Wrap in foil or saran wrap and chill. Serve with Ritz crackers and be transported to a heavenly place!
The Most Delicious Bread Pudding To Ever Grace Your Tongue!
2 cups of milk
1/4 cup of butter
1/3 cup of brown sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoons of cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3 cups of french bread torn into pieces
1/2 cup of raisins
In a medium saucepan, heat milk over medium heat until film forms. Add butter and stir until melted. Cool to a lukewarm temperature. Blend the eggs, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla and add to the milk mixture. Place bread in a lightly greased 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle with raisins and then pour batter over bread and raisins. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Bread pudding sauce recipe below.
Sauce
1 cup of whole milk
2 Tablespoons of butter
1/3 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 Tablespoon of flour
dash of salt
Mix all ingredients and bring to a boil for 3 to 4 minutes stirring constantly. Set aside for 5 minutes, then pour over pudding.
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