Vintage Christmas things

I know I downsized the amount of Christmas decorations last year and even with that smaller stash, I only used a fraction of them this year
But I do have some very favorite vintage Christmas things that I hope I always can use.

I baked a big batch of butter spritz cookies with my mom's Mirro cooky press.  She thinks she got it when I was very little,  with S&H green stamps.  That cooky press has been used a lot but it still works as good as ever.

Our elf on the shelf belonged to my husband's grandmother.  My grandson tells me that if we give that elf a name,  then he will come alive and move around at night when we are asleep.  His school classroom has an elf on a shelf named Ralph and Gavin says he is lots of fun. 
I think our vintage elf is also called a tree hugger.  But he is going to remain nameless,  there are enough messes at my house,  I don't want more mischief from an elf   :)

This green tree is decorated with Chrismon ornaments,  all hand stitched by my mom. 

the stockings are doubled up on some of the holders.  I think we have 13 stockings for ourselves and all our children but I only have 9 holders.  One thing new this year is a just sewn stocking for youngest grandson. 

our nativity set,  the brown ceramic pieces were made by a longtime family friend.
The blue ceramic piece was made by son Bobby at a Sunday School party, probably 20 years ago. 

That is all the decorating for this year.  Many of the gift are bought or made but not one a single one is wrapped. 

I am thinking I may have to look for some gift bags on sale or at the Dollar Tree, that would be simpler than wrapping, don't you think? 

Do you all wrap or bag?

My brother does stuff too

I have 2 bachelor brothers, they are both great guys but very different.
The professor brother took up wreath making several years ago and here are this years Christmas wreaths. 

this one is on our front door,  and when I took the picture, I did not have it hung up right.  The snow is supposed to be right on the top to look like snow fell on it 
If you look in the window reflection, you can see our real snow in the yard.
Ours has a little red bird on it.


He lives about an hour away and when he came to our house this week, he brought our wreath as well as 3 others.

this one,  with a pretty white cross, is for our daughters home.
oh, dear, this photograph is not turned right either, but if you read my blog much, you know photography is not my strong suit. 

Grandson Gavin admiring the wreath that is for his home
Yes, he has goggles on his head and No,  we have not been swimming.  He is fun little guy that likes to pretend.  I just noticed that behind Gavin's head,  you can see his brother Braeden's head.  Braeden is back there where the pecans are,  he likesd moving them from one bucket to another.

This one will go to my parents house- can you see the little gold and silver birds on it?

Gavin and Granddaughter Elizabeth looking at the wreaths and checking out the ones that go to their homes. 

The grands like the wreaths and they were especially happy to see their great uncle. 

down the memory lane of wreaths

2011 Christmas wreath this one had apple green trim

2010 Christmas wreath

2008 Christmas wreath

2008 Fall Wreath

2009 Easter Wreath

for me, a wreath is not just a pretty decoration.  To Christians, they are a powerful symbol of our faith.

The circle of the wreath reminds us of God Himself, His eternity and endless mercy, which has no beginning or end.  The evergreen symbolizes the hope that we have in God, the hope of newness, of renewal, of eternal life.

making the most of bananas that ripened so fast

I bought bananas Monday and they seemed a tad green in the store but by the next morning, they looked 5 days older instead of just 1.   It was a lot of bananas,  9 of them I think. 
I've been following a Pinterest tip that breaking apart the bananas makes them ripen slower,  and it was working, until this most recent bunch anyway. 
There is no way were could eat this many ripe bananas so I came up with a plan. 

Little JJ was here today, so I hung him up in the kitchen doorway while I mixed up a triple recipe of banana bread.  No, he is not really hanging- he can jump and bounce and turn around,  the jumper keeps him happy about 10 minutes or so, just long enough.....

 

 

3 loaves of baked banana bread. 
There were enough bananas to make a triple recipe of our favorite recipe.
Family Favorite Banana Bread

JJ's mom took some of the bread when she picked him up.  The rest went in the freezer to share with more family soon. 

 

I wonder how many times I have blogged about banana bread,  probably too many.  I hope you sweet readers are not too tired of seeing it.  I just think it looks so pretty in vintage bread pans.

JJ is kind of cute too. 

 

 

Mexican Rice -delicious, thrifty and easy!

I learned to make this Mexican rice more than 30 years ago. When we were first stationed at Camp Pendleton, we made friends with another Texas family, Fred and Irene. They were Mexican and grew up near San Antonio. They were both excellent cooks and fed us often. They taught us how to make tamales, chicken tacos and this Mexican rice.

This Mexican Rice is simple and made with basic ingredients. We still cook it often and always think of Fred and Irene when we do.

Ingredients

1T oil- any cooking kind is fine, I usually use canola or Olive

1 Cup rice - I use converted rice, sometimes it is Uncle Bens, I think at Sams it is called parboiled. This is long grain rice that holds its shape and does not stick together. It is not quick cooking rice

1/2 C tomato sauce -half of a small can

1 can chicken broth or 2 cups homemade broth.  (Water mixed with bouillon does not work in this recipe, the rice just doesn't cook up as good. )

1/2 of a small onion -chopped

1 t cumin

1/2 t garlic salt

A few sprinkles of red pepper and black pepper. More salt too if that is your family's taste.

First heat a skillet over high medium. Add the oil and when the oil is hot, add the rice. Stir and stir and let the rice toast and get mostly golden brown. 

Add the rest of the ingredients, the pan is hot so turn it down to about medium. The liquids will probably boil up at first, keep stirring but be careful.  Adjust your heat and stir until the rice is cooking at just a low simmer. 

Cover the pan, cook for 20 minutes, or until the rice is done and the liquid is absorbed. 

Irene told us to never stir the rice once it as at that simmer stage, I think it could make it sticky or something. But I confess that I have checked mine while cooking and stirred it, it still turned out fine. 

If you have a big covered skillet, this recipe can be doubled.

The finished rice- we had it with enchiladas this night but it is good with tacos and by itself. 

My sons and son in law, who all eat out a lot more than we do, say this rice recipe is better than any Mexican restaurant rice they have ever had. 

Hope you try it.  

Small Batch cookies in jars

Earlier this week,  I baked 2 new recipes to test and see if they would work for gift giving.  Both turned out first class!  Here are the links to the blogs that inspired me. 


See the Brownies Original recipe from Brenda at Coffee, Tea, Books and Me

See the Lemon White Chocolate Original recipe at The Frugal Girls


I halved both recipes to make Small Batch cookie mixes.  Our circle of friends are mostly empty nesters and I think they probably prefer smaller desserts over big family sized ones.  Plus,  I had a bunch of pint jars in the attic and they are the perfect size for small batches. 

For the Brownies I layered
1/2 +1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
2/3 cup flour
1/4 t baking powder
1/8 t salt
mini chocolate chips to fill the jar to the top, about 1/3 cup.
I stocked up on mini chocolate chips a few weeks ago at Aldi,  they were about $1.29 for a 12 ounce bag

The lemon white chocolate cookies are so simple
The mix is just lemon cake mix and white chocolate chips.
One cake mix divided exactly in half fills up a pint jar about 3/4 full,
then the chips go in, only about 1/4 of a bag will fit but that is plenty to make the cookies loaded.

The small batch brownies work great in a 9 inch pie pan.

A small batch of cookies makes 12 and can be baked in one baking on one sheet. 

 

I still need to make up the mixing and baking instruction tags - both need an egg,  the brownies take some melted butter and a little water. The lemon cookies need some  oil. 

Look at the first bloggers posts for all the instructions if you decide to make them. 

Both are really good and easy!