Christmas treats

If you're going to blow your diet over Christmas, you might as well make it worth your while. I thought I'd share with you some of the treat recipes my family likes, as well as one that I would like to try soon. (Note: I am posting recipes from memory in front of me, so if you're curious about actual weights and sizes of items from the store, feel free to Google for more specific details and recipes).

One of our favorites is a Rice Krispie recipe with peanut butter and chocolate. I think some people may call them "O'Henry Bars," but we've never really had a name for them.

Recipe
1 C granulated sugar
1 C white Karo syrup
1 C peanut butter
6 C Rice Krispies
2 bags milk chocolate chips (or 12 Hershey's chocolate bars)

Heat sugar and Karo just till bubbling. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Once peanut butter mixture is blended, add Rice Krispies and mix well. Spread into greased 9x13 pan. Melt chocolate and spread on top of Rice Krispie layer. Once the treats set up, cut into bars.

Do you like Butterfingers? I sure do. I don't remember where I got this recipe, but if you like Butterfingers, you must try these. (If you have a child or grandchild, have him/her help you out with these).

Cheese Nip Butterfingers
1 box small Cheese Nips
Peanut butter
1 package milk chocolate almond bark

Make little sandwiches with two Cheese Nips and peanut butter. Keep making these till you're out of crackers. Melt almond bark over stove. Add crackers and coat thoroughly. Let set on wax paper.

When my son was little, he was really into cowboys. I'd make what are traditionally known as "Haystacks," but we called them "Tumbleweeds."

Recipe
1 bag butterscotch chips
1 can chow mein noodles

Melt chips over low heat. Once melted, add noodles and stir well. Once noodles are coated thoroughly, spoon out balls onto wax paper and let set.

There are variations to this recipe that call for adding peanut butter, marshmallows, nuts, etc.

Just as I like the juxtaposition of rustic and refined in my decorating, I like the contrast between sweet and salty, such as white chocolate-covered pretzels.

Recipe
1 package white almond bark
1 bag small pretzels

Melt almond bark over low heat. Once melted, add pretzels and stir well. Once pretzels are coated thoroughly, set out onto wax paper. (This recipe can be varied with milk chocolate and straight pretzels. I've also used the big, straight pretzels and added sprinkles before the chocolate sets).

Finally, my husband tried these the other day at his office. I've never made them, but since he sent me the recipe, I think that's his hint for me to whip some up.

Ritz Toffee Bitz
Recipe
1 package Skor or Heath toffee bits
1 box Ritz crackers
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 C chopped pecans (optional)

Crush Ritz into fine crumbs and put in mixing bowl. Add 3/4 of the toffee bits package, 3/4 of the pecans and all the condensed milk. Stir well and put into greased 9x9 dish. Sprinkle remaining toffee bits and pecans on top and cook in 350 oven for 8 mins. Cool completely before cutting into squares. A variation has a 1/4cup of milk chocolate chips on the bottom of the pan before adding the mixture and then another 1/4 cup of milk chocolate chips to the top before baking.

I hope you're enjoying this holiday season and having as much fun in the kitchen as I am.

Christmas in Amarillo

Blogger friend, Julia, is hosting a holiday open house at Hooked on Houses. Longtime internet/decorating friend, Rhoda, is also hosting a holiday open house at her blog, Southern Hospitality. Thrifty Decor Chick is also hosting a party. Feel free to join in with your favorite holiday decorating!

Welcome to my Amarillo house. Enjoy some hot chocolate chip cookies, and be sure and take advantage of the coffee bar.

The colors in my Amarillo house were predominantly red, gold, mossy green and a little blue. That color scheme made decorating for Christmas easy and fun.

I've mentioned before that the house had a fairly small footprint, so we had a skinny tree. I always placed most focus on the tree, and if I had time and energy to decorate beyond that, I would.



The next focus would be on the mantel. Interspersed amongst the garland were simple, silver ornaments. At each end were small hurricanes with cranberries and candles.



I used to have a Christmas magazine article that showed Santa plates hung on the kitchen cabinets. I found these Fitz & Floyd plates at Stein Mart. The concept wasn't ultra-practical, but I liked the whimsy they brought into my red kitchen.


I think it was that same article that showed pepperberry wreaths hung on doors throughout the home. This door leads to my former butler's pantry/utility room. Of all the rooms in my Amarillo house, I miss this one and its storage the most.


Finally, atop this old piano, which I painted (what a before and after that project was), were handmade, Simpitch carolers inherited from my husband's mother. Aren't they wonderful?


While you're here, I'll tell you about the coffee bar. I've mentioned before that while our Amarillo house was a bit space-challenged, it didn't keep us from entertaining. When we did entertain, we stuck with appetizers and drinks or desserts and coffee. I'd set up a couple of carafes of coffee on our breakfast bar, which was adjacent to the living room. Along with the coffee were coffee syrups, cinnamon, sugar, cream, etc., all diplayed in vintage pieces. I'd also put out a pretty bowl of whipped topping. The whole set-up made for a lovely display that was always a favorite of our guests. (Try the whipped topping with your coffee, and sprinkle a little cinnamon on top. Yum!)

I hope you've enjoyed the visit. I'll try to post some pics of this year's decor, if I can figure out how to make the silver and white show up against the white, limestone backdrop. It's gorgeous in person, but so far, photos don't seem to capture that. Now, go check out the other holiday open houses and have a great day!

Holiday Open House Party!

Blogger friend, Julia at Hooked on Houses , is always hosting fun house tours. This Monday, she is hosting a holiday house tour, and Canyon Wren Cottage will be part of the fun. To join the tour, click on the Holiday House Tour button on my side bar. What a fun way to get some great Christmas decorating ideas! Come join us, won't you?

Let's Talk Mantels, Part Deux

#1
#2
#3
#4
#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10

Okay, technically, #4 isn't a mantel, but the concept would work for one. So many great ideas, I think. Is your mantel decorated for the holidays yet?

Let's Talk Mantels

I'm still refining my mantel, and if I can get some time, I'll take pics of my Christmas decorating this weekend. I'm trying a few new things this year, so it'll be fun to see what y'all think. Until then, see what you think about these Christmas mantels.











Do you have a favorite? I love most of them, but if I go with white and silver this year, I've gotta love #2 and the last two mantels.

A Parent's Worst Nightmare

Our little town had a Christmas festival this weekend. I dropped off my 13-year-old daughter earlier this afternoon, so she could hang out with her friends. My 17-year-old son, Cale, would be going to the festival a little later with two of his buddies.

I went to pick up my daughter and was on the way home when I saw a familiar car embedded in an embankment on the side of the road. I realized it was my son's car when I saw three boys surveying the damage and noticed my son's jacket. I was the second person on the scene; the first was a sheriff's deputy.

Now, to set up the scenario a little, we live in a rural subdivision a few miles outside of town, and all the roads in the area are two-lane and a bit hilly and curvy. Cale and his friends were on their way to the festival when he decided to close the sun roof. As he took his eyes off the road, the car veered into some gravel on the right. Cale over-corrected, crossed lanes and ended up facing 180 degrees around in an embankment on the other side of the road. Thankfully, there were no other cars involved, and Cale and his friends are all fine.

The car was towed to a body shop, and we should have an estimate of the damage in the next couple of days. It is an older car, and though the damage doesn't look extensive, it wouldn't take much for it to be totalled. Either way, it'll be at our expense, as we only carried liability on it.

I've heard those horror stories of parents coming upon an accident to find their own kids seriously injured or worse. I'm so thankful this wasn't one of those scenarios.

I'll get back to Christmas decorating tomorrow, and we'll take a look at some mantels. Until then, we're relishing some family time, watching "Home Alone."

White Christmas

As with the white pumpkins, I have a hankerin' for all things white when it comes to Christmas decorating. I can't do it this year, because that'd mean all new ornaments, but perhaps one day...








Okay, so I threw in a little blue for good measure. That's pretty, too, isn't it? If you haven't seen Pat's tree (Back Porch Musings), you need to. She's incorporated blue into her Christmas decorating in such beautiful ways.