Saturday, November 27, 2010

Fall Leaves or Christmas Poinsettias?

I like so many of you bloggers am anxious to
get going on Christmas.  I have to admit that
I put my tree up before we left for Cabo for
Thanksgiving.  I like to come home to some of
it done.  Growing up Mom didn't do a lot of
decorating and we didn't do the tree until a week
before Christmas as they left it up until my
birthday in January, two weeks after Christmas.
I like to get it up right after Thanksgiving so it
will be a busy week when we get home.

This post is a great transition from  Fall
to Christmas as the colors just scream Christmas.

Mother Nature is such a fabulous decorator!

I am helping a friend do some redecorating.  As I
walked up to her house, I couldn't believe the gorgeous
color of these leaves littering the ground and the bushes.
I don't think I had ever seen such crimson leaves.
Good thing I had my camera with me.
The red of these leaves after a rain were absolutely stunning.




The red against the green was breathtaking.  It almost looked like
a poinsettia bush.


The gorgeous shade of red covered the walkway.

Two trees flank her walkway.  They had spread their fabulous
bounty on both sides and across your path.
This is Fall in all of her splendor transitioning into Winter.


There were still plenty of leaves in the trees too.



I loved the rain all over the leaves.  It just accented the leaves like
Mother Nature's jewels.


More jewels dangled from this branch.

(I played around with this one with a photo program.)


One perfect raindrop ready to fall.  Enjoy the jewels of
beautiful Mother Nature.

Now she has moved on to the beautiful crystals of snow!  Fall doesn't last long enough.



I will be posting this on Seasonal Sundays.
I will also be posting on Outdoor Wednesdays.

Friday, November 26, 2010

Strawberry Cream Horns

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  Now
that Thanksgiving is over we begin in full swing preparing
for Christmas.  Here is another cookie that is a special
Christmas treat.
I love creating foods for Pink Saturday. 

These Strawberry Cream Horns are a perfect
holiday or special event cookie. 


These little delicacies are an extra special cookie for
when you want something out of the ordinary.  A crisp
outer sugar cookie shell painted inside with chocolate
and filled with strawberry cream.  They are small
two bite cookies that always draw a crowd.


Strawberry Cream Horns Recipe

1 egg
1/4 C. melted butter
1/2 C. sugar
2/3 C. flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/3 C. milk
1/2 tsp. almond flavor

1 C. semi-sweet chips
1 tsp. vegetable oil

1 1/2 C. heavy whipping cream
1 C. chopped fresh strawberries, raspberries or
a combination of both ( I used both)
1/2 C. powdered sugar

Lightly mix the egg, then add the butter and sugar.  Mix with
a whisk.  Whisk in the flour and salt and end with the milk and
flavoring.

Heat a non-stick griddle to 300 degrees.  Using scant
tablespoon of batter, spread out into about a 3 inch circle.
Make the batter as thin as possible.  Let cook until golden
then flip over and let cook about 1 minute.

While still hot form into a cone around  a cone shaped
form, letting cool until it holds its shape.  Only do about
3 at a time. 

Melt the chocolate chips with the oil in the microwave by heating
30 seconds, then stir whether it looks like it needs it or not.
Heat in 30 second increments, stirring each time so as not
to scorch.  At the end, let the heat of the chocolate finish
melting the remaining chips, stirring until smooth.  Paint the
inside of the cooled cones with the chocolate, dipping the
tops in the chocolate.  Put in the fridge to set the chocolate.

Put the fruit in the blender or food processor and puree.
Press through a sieve to remove the seeds.  You should
have a scant 1/2 C. puree. 

Whip the cream until soft peaks form, then add the powdered
sugar until firm peaks.  By hand, blend in the puree.

Place the whipped cream in a pastry bag with a large star tip.
Pipe into the cones.  Refrigerate.
Makes about 24.







Take one and enjoy it during your holiday preparations.


Just a few pink shots from our
Thanksgiving in Cabo
We enjoyed perfect weather in a perfect setting.
                                                      
I will be posting this with

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Fall Buffet

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! 
I hope you have a wonderful feast with loved ones.We
are out of town with the family so I
thought I'd share a tablescape from this past week.

Life is filled with so many blessings and a
this time of year we are always counting our blessings.
One thing I am grateful for is the blessing of
grandchildren.  We had the blessing of
our sixth grandchild.  We followed it with a
buffet dinner at our home.


The buffet was set up at our baking
center since it was for a smaller group.


The stacked plate caddy gets dressed up a little
with Fall leaves and burgundy grapes.  It is so
easy to change with the seasons and celebrations.


The beautifully textured plates are showcased
this way.


This beautiful silvered piece holds chocolate coins
for the little ones.


I love these wonderful drink dispensers.  We use ours
constantly throughout the year.  Everyone loves to pour
their own drink whether it is water or punch.




A beaded and textured table topper was draped to form
a foundation for the tablescape.




A beaded candle holder becomes a flatware caddy.


Goblets in two colors are provided for adults and paper cups
for the children.


Our little turkeys want to be included in the party.


And pumpkins of all different types are placed around the buffet.




We made a sparkling pumpkin punch for a Fall drink.
It was new to everyone and they loved it
It is made of cream soda and Stephen's Pumpkin
Spice Mix.  Click above to get the recipe.


I will end this tablescape with a few night time
shots.




I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.  May
you experience gratitude and thanksgiving every day of
your life.  May your heart always be filled with thankfulness
for that God who gives you everything.  May He bless you always.
Thank you for being such a blessing in my life.

I will be sharing this with

Plates, goblets, pumpkins - Tai Pan
Drink dispenser  - Costco (last year)
Gold flatware - Best (years ago)
Ceramic turkeys - Home Goods/TJ Maxx

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Creme de Menthe Squares

Merry Christmas to Joycee at Granny Mountain. 
She is the winner of the Macy's Department Store's
$100 gift certificate.  Thank you to everyone who
participted.  It was fun to have so many enter and
leave such fun comments.  We had to sit and watch
Miracle on 34th Street as a family too!



It's time to light the fire and enjoy some holiday treats
in front of it while listening to holiday music.

We've been having snow this weekend and although
I hate driving in it, it is fun especially at the first of the
season.  It always puts me in the Christmas mood.

We made another of our favorite Christmas cookies.
These were also in the little magazine that the gas
company sent out one Christmas years ago.



The beauty of these is that you don't have to bake anything.
They are so easy to whip up and look elegant and special
on a tray of cookies.


Creme de Menthe Squares Recipe
Blend together in a medium bowl:

2 C. crushed graham crackers
1/2 C. powdered sugar
1/2 C. melted butter
1/2 C. cocoa powder
1 tsp. vanilla

Press into the bottom of an 8x8 inch pan.  Use the back
of a measuring cup to press down flat.

Combine in mixing bowl and beat until creamy:

1/2 C. melted butter
3 C. powdered sugar
1/3 C. Torani's creme de menthe or peppermint
syrup (this is found by the coffee section)
green food coloring (use if you use the peppermint
syrup as it is not as green)

Spread the mint mixture over the crumb crust.  Chill one
hour.

Melt together in the microwave stirring every
30 seconds whether it looks like it needs to be
stirred or not:

1 1/2 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 C. melted butter

Spread on top of the mint layer.  Chill one hour
until firm.  Remove from fridge and let soften about
20 minutes.  Using a sharp knife, run it under hot
water, then wipe with a paper towel and start to
cut the bars.  Wipe the knife inbetween each cut
and run under hot water again each time, wiping
between so that you get clean cuts.  I cut mine
into 25 squares. 

Store in the fridge.





I also was lucky enough to win!  We were joking that the
only thing I have ever won is 2 little whisks at a Tupperware
party when we were first married.  Well, I was lucky enough
to win the Liz Lemon Swindle print of Mary and Baby Jesus,
"Be It Unto Me." 


The eyes make this so beautiful, both Mary's and Baby Jesus'
eyes are so arresting.  Of course, she is dressed in purple so
it will fit in my home beautifully.  I am also invited to go and
meet the artist and have her sign the print!  Merry Christmas
to me.  Thank you Liz for such a lovely giveaway.

Join me at






Friday, November 19, 2010

Charming Pink Mexico

My giveaway for $100 gift certificate to Macy's Department store
ends tonight - Saturday - at midnight.  Don't forget to
enter if you haven't already by clicking here on GIVEAWAY.
Yes, they do have an on-line store if you don't live close to Macy's
or plan on a trip to New York City to see their flagship store,
especially wonderful during December.  If you haven't been to
New York during Christmastime, you should put that on
your bucket list.


Last year Macy's New York windows featured Miracle
on 34th Street.  This was their window with the Judge
receiving the letters from all the believers.

Each year the major departments stores in New York
create new wonderful windows to explore.  It is a
fun part of the holiday traditions in New York.

                                                               ********
When the snow and cold come, we start thinking of places to go
that are warm and by the ocean.  Some friends invited us to go
with them to Puerto Vallarta and although we are taking the
family to Cabo for Thanksgiving, we were able to sneak away
for a few days.

Mexico has a great love of color and pink is one of the colors
that is found so abundantly there.


Once we drove down the street, I decided my Pink Saturday
post had to be from Pinkalicious Puerto Vallarta.

This charming salmon pink house is ensconced in hot pink
bougainvillea.  I love how the door is surrounded by
the riot of color.  The first time I saw bougainvillea I was
in college and had gone to California.  I thought it was the
most beautiful vine I had ever seen.


This little fellow sits up against one of the bungalows on
the property we are staying at.  Our house is also a
salmon pink color and he has a slight pink tinge.
They have placed reclaimed sea glass from the beach in
front of the house in his bowl.


A curving path offers such mystery as to what
lies beyond and this one is charming in a pink brick.
The grounds at the home are just lovely, surrounded
by tropical plants yet with winding paths through grassy
spots.


Right across the street pink and orange bougainvillea cascade
down the aged brick wall.


Mexico loves gates and there are so many charming
ones, offering a sneak peak at what lies beyond.

The house next door has this gorgeous gate with views
of pink flowers and green mysteries.


There were many pink flowers around the property.  I loved
this gorgeous hibiscus.  There are two things I love most about
being in a tropical spot beside the ocean - the palm trees
and the gorgeous flowers.



What about this for hot pink?  This is the restaurant in the resort
just down the beach from us.


We went to this wonderful restaurant last night.  Everything was
fantastic.


I love the doors in Mexico.  They remind me of the doors in
Italy.  You could spend your whole vacation photographing doors.


Our friend, the host, told our waiter that I was a food blogger
 from America and he wondered if we could meet the chef and
come see the kitchen.  The head chef is on the left.  Turns out he
 had a restaurant in Park City, Utah for a few years so we had a
 lot to talk about.  He was very gracious.


The guys in the kitchen were happy to be photographed.  It was
such a tiny little kitchen, but turned out fantastic food.



The atmosphere was a mix of old world and modern.  I loved
the pink lilies up against the funky modern chandelier.


How about a golden pink sunset over the ocean.  This was the view
from our outdoor table.  I always marvel that people can be at home
 freezing and people just a few hours in an airplane away can be
 enjoying balmy tropical weather.



Although Mexican food and seafood is exceptional here,
we have found that Italian food is done incredibly
well also.  Here is a shot of our bruschetta.  This
one was taken by candlelight.



Spinach ravioli with creamy Gorgonzola sauce.  My husband
took this one with his flash, but held the camera far away
and then zoomed in.  I thought it did well for a flash photo.
Restaurant food in the evening is hard to photograph.


Up the coast just a little we went to a beach town called Sayulito.
I don't know if you can see it in the picture, but at one end of the
bay the sand looked like someone had dumped truck loads
 of Martha Stewart's glitter in the water and the sand.  I have never
seen such beautiful sand in my life.  As the waves crashed the
waterjust sparkled gold.  Can you see the gold glitter by my foot. 
 I don'tknow what created this sand but it was only at one end
 and was  breathtaking.

Mexico is celebrating its 100th Anniversary of their revolution this
week.  Happy Anniversary to them.  We were able to enjoy
fireworks as part of their celebration.

Come join me at




Follow me on Instagram