Getting To Know You

Sunday, March 27, 2011Getting to know YOU!


Keely over at Mannland 5 is hosting Getting to know You Sunday's again and so I am going to participate for the first time. How about you.....

So today's questions are:

1. What inspires you? I am a blog stalker...I love to look at other blog and get ideas. There are so many talented ladies out there with so much to share.






2. What was the last thing you bought yourself?  A bracelet





3. Would you rather watch a movie in a theater or from the comfort of your own home? At home if I am feeling like hanging out in my sweats, at the movies if I am in the mood for going out and of course the popcorn is better there!





4. Household chore you don't mind doing? Cooking...I love to cook!





5. Coffee or tea? I love coffee, and was raised on it. But I did give it up for religious reasons. I have never liked tea, but do drink hot green tea when I have a sore throat.





6. What could you eat every day and not get sick of? Chocolate of course!





7. What's the last book you read? Living Proof





8. Do you think you "look" your age? Some days I look younger and some days I look much older. I think it depends on what is going on that day and the stress level...LOL I am 51!

Orange Brownies

I am a born and bred southern girl living in Utah...LOL!!

I love all things southern! Grits, cornbread, fried chicken, hoe cake, magnolias, dressing ....we don't call it stuffing and the recipe is much different, and PAULA DEEN!! Yes, I love Paula Deen. I love the way she talks, the way she cooks, the way she has a hug and a kiss for everyone she meets....she is the epitome of a Southern Gal!

These days I don't make much fried chicken or corn bread because the older I get the more those things stick to my ribs hips! But my sweet tooth teeth will always be a part of my Southern heritage. And what is better than a pan of brownies...maybe 2 pans...LOL

Are you looking for something fresh and different for Easter dessert this year? Well, you just found it. You make them with an orange cream cheese frosting like the ones shown above, or just a lite glaze like the ones shown below. Either way you are going to love them!!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

4 eggs

2 teaspoons pure orange extract

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice

1 teaspoon grated orange zest

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Grease a 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan and set aside. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter, eggs, orange extract, and orange zest and beat with a handheld electric mixer until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, or until light golden brown and set. Remove from oven and pierce top of entire cake with a fork.

Glaze

Combine all ingredients in a bowl, stirring until smooth. Pour glaze over cake. Cool cake and cut into squares.

If you would prefer the cream cheese frosting the recipe is below.

Cream Cheese Frosting:


1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

4 tablespoons softened butter

1 (1-pound) box confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons orange zest

2 tablespoons orange juice

In a large mixing bowl, whip the butter and cream cheese together with a hand-held electric mixer. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar until it is all combined and smooth. Beat in the orange zest and juice. Spread over brownies.

Family and friends will want you to bring these to every party and family get together!!

I will be linking up with:
 Dittle Dattle 
 AtThe Picket Fence
 Christina's Adventures 
Little Brick Ranch
Jam Hands
All Thingz Related
Debbie Doos
Blessed With Grace

My Amazing Daughters.

Just feeling so lucky today to be a mom. Want to see my amazing daughters....go HERE
 Guess now that I blogged about them I will have to give my son's and son-in-laws equal time....next month!

Big Changes Are Coming.....

I love my bedroom....and I hate my bedroom! It's nice and big, has a pretty bay window and has a fantastic view of the mountains. But it is boring!! I am so tired of the way it looks. Granted it looks 100 plus better than when I moved in...yucky ivy wallpaper and the previous owner had painted ivy vines all over the master bath coming out into the bedroom...OMGosh......it was HORRIBLE!

 But now it is just boring and I need a change!!

See...waaay too much brown and boring! The honey pine furniture MUST GO!!!

I loved this in 1995 when I had it customed made. Lots of drawers and it hides my TV. But now....not so much. Good thing is my daughter wants it to go with the matching four poster bed I already gave her. Hey she is young, single and poor...LOL

No...I am not allergic to color and yes I was on drugs when I decorated this room....LOL. Not really but can I use that as my excuse? My sweet husband really wanted to be in on it and didn't want it to frilly so we settled on a whole lot of brown!

No....you are not seeing things....all I put to fill up all that space was one little bench! Ok stop laughing...we all have decorating disasters in our past...and I am sure there will probably be a few in the future! But as I said....there are big changes coming!!!

Yes, there will be some color, and  new bedding, the cute bench as been moved to the guest room, and my sweet husband said he will stay out of it this time, it won't be so formal, more relaxed and comfy. I'm too old to be formal and stuffy...relaxed and laid back, and comfortable is more my style these days.

A hint you say...you want a hint...ok...here's a few hints! Let's see what you think!

I'm Soooo Excited!!!

WooooHoooo!!!! I am soooo excited! For soooo long I have wanted new appliances for my kitchen. They were getting old. The stove and microwave were here when we moved in. I brought the side by side fridge from my other house and we bought the dishwasher new when we moved in about 6 years ago.

Way too many magnets but I have such cute grand kids and they love to color pictures for me.
The appliances were not terrible, just getting old. I longed, and I wished and I prayed.... and they were still here. But then I started to save $$....

We decided to get a new fridge, and it came the day before my sister came for a visit. I was so happy to get it but now my appliances didn't match and the new fridge made the old stuff look really bad. Well, my sister went to open the microwave and broke the handle right off...I could have just kissed her!!!
My husband just laughed and shook his head and said go ahead and get the microwave and a new stove. Well I was in my Tahoe and driving down the street before he could blink...LOL. And this is what I have now!

I really love my new appliances!! It is so fun to have something new. The oven is also a convection oven which is nice...well...when I finally get the guts to try it...LOL. The microwave really says a lot about our society and how we eat. It has a button for popcorn, frozen pizza and chicken nuggets....I had to really laugh at that because my grand daughter reminded me that chickens don't have nuggets!!

They all have buttons and gadgets that my old ones didn't have. I am keeping my owners manuals very close at hand. I also learned that stainless steel shows finger prints a lot more than the standard white. But keeping them clean is worth it. I am so thankful that my husband and I both have good jobs and we were able to pay for them. We paid off our credit cards and cut them up years ago and made a vow to never have credit card debt again. So when we want something we have to work and save. Saving for something is not always easy...but it is so worth it. Since we just got a new washer and dryer a few months ago we should be set for awhile......maybe....I do have my eye on a really cute coffee table...LOL

Spring Fever

Are you as tired of the cold weather and snow as I am? I know most of us don't really like to clean. OK, we love the results but not the actual cleaning part. Except in Spring...I love to open up the windows and clean all day. The fresh air, the clean smells after the house being closed up all winter. The sounds of the children in the neighborhood starting to play again. Yep....I love Spring and all that goes with it!!

Are you over the WINTER BLUES

 and have a touch of SPRING FEVER?

Ready to get rid of some things, open the windows and smell the fresh air, get organized, dust off the patio furniture and put away the snow blower...well ME TOO!!!

A friend of mine told me about this site with some really good helpful spring cleaning tips.

Go HERE to get your Spring On!!

Kiwi Chicken Salad

Snow, Snow, and MORE SNOW....I am sooooo over the snow!! OK I know we need the moisture for future water use. I know the ski resorts (here in Utah) and other places rely on it big time but it is almost March and the stuff just keeps coming. Yes it is beautiful to look at and fun to play in ...for A SHORT TIME!!!

I am dreaming of temperatures in the 70's spent on my back patio with a cold glass of something and my wonderful husband at the grill,holding a pair of tongs. Our dog will be laying in the cool grass and chasing the birds that dare land in his back yard (no worries...he has never caught one and no birds were harmed while writing this post)!

Are you waiting for and wishing for Spring as much as I am? Do you long for frosty glasses of lemonade and cool summer salads? Look no more!! I am a salad freak, nut, lover and just found an amazing one over at Cheeky Kitchen. She was contacted by Dole...yes the famous pineapple people and asked to come up with a recipe for them....WOW right! And after this recipe I bet they offer her a job!

Doesn't that look soooooo cool, crisp and inviting!!

I can just look at the picture and know I am going to love it. I bet you will too!!

Kiwi Chicken Salad


This simple, flavorful recipe is the perfect way to use up leftover chicken breast. The savory flavor of grilled, rotisserie, or oven-baked chicken—whatever you’ve got in the fridge!--mixed with the tartness of tropical fruits, and the subtle bite of cilantro-lime dressing is a splendid combination. The recipe can be made in minutes and stores well in the fridge up to 12 hours.

Ingredients:

1 cup cooked chicken breast, diced

4 kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced

2 starfruit, peeled and sliced

3 tablespoons red onion, finely chopped

1/2 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced

Juice of 3 limes

3 tablespoons light olive oil

3 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons chopped cilantro

Salt to taste
Directions:

Place the chicken, kiwi, starfruit, onion, and cabbage in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the lime juice, olive oil, honey and cilantro. Add a pinch of salt. Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and carefully stir until evenly coated with the dressing. Serve & enjoy!

Decorating Dilemma!!!

Usually all my posts are about food or food related subjects but today I need some advice from some  of you that are really good at decorating. I have a decorating dilemma!!!!!!

 This was my front room (as we say here in Utah) I can't call it formal by any means but it is the front living room (as apposed to the family room which is one level down). The room you see when you ring my doorbell and I answer it...LOL

(ALL PHOTOS WILL ENLARGE WHEN CLICKED ON!)

I need curtains because those big blank white squares of mini blinds are killing me!!! But I just have not found any premade that I like and I don't sew....I know...I know...what kind of woman am I. I cook...really well in fact...but I don't sew and I no longer feel any shame in it...LOL

So...getting back to my stark white mini blinds....I wanted to do something to add a little color but not spend a lot of money. This is what I came up with (for the time being) ...I still want curtains or drapes or something pretty on the windows!

I added two of my extra dinning room chairs.....(free)

I bought two pillows for the sofa to add a little color. ($ 6.00 each at Target)

My BFF Tammy found these for me at my favorite store in the whole world "Hobby Lobby" I put one one on either side of the window, for a little more color. They were 1/2 off!!

I love my bird cage from "Home Goods"
So....the question is....does it look a little better and what more would you suggest I do (other than some color on the windows).  I'm open here ladies...give me some suggestions!!

Contest Alert!!

My new bloggy Friend Christina is having an awesome contest at her blog Christina's Adventures. Check out all the cute things she has on her Etsy site...she has loads of talent!!

We use her awesome clipboards in our store everyday and just love them.

I Love This Dressing

Do you just love that pretty green Cilantro Dressing you get on your salads at those trendy Mexican restaurants? I do...In fact I could eat the Pork Salad at Cafe Rio EVERYDAY...and it has to have that creamy green dressing!

I have tried a few of the knock off recipes and none compare to this one!

Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing

1/2 cup Ranch dressing (I use light)


1 large jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed, and cut into 1-inch pieces

1 tomatillo, husk removed, cut into 8ths (that is the green rough tomato looking thing...LOL)

2 teaspoons lime juice

1/2 cup cilantro leaves, lightly packed

Combine everything in a blender and blend until smooth.

Makes about 3/4 cup dressing


I found this and many other wonderful recipes at "Bake Off Flunkie"

Look What I Found

What a wonderful Day!! Not only did I find an old friend Anissa whom I have not seen for years, but I also found out that she has a wonderful recipe blog Anissa's Kitchen just filled with mouth watering, yummy treats. I have been cruising it for hours just wishing I could taste each one.

Chicken Broccoli Pasta is one of my favorite things to order when dinning out and I found out Anissa had it on her blog I though I would share it with you!

Garlic Chicken and Broccoli Pasta


1 lb penne pasta

1 ½ cup broccoli

1 ½ to 2 cups cooked chicken

1 Tablespoons butter

2 cloves garlic can add extra (we did)

2 Tablespoons flour

¾ cup chicken broth

3/4 cup milk

2 Tablespoons parsley flakes Red pepper flakes (to taste)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 to ½ cup grated parmesan cheese (can add extra we did)

Cook pasta according to directions. Melt butter and add garlic in medium sauce pan cook over med heat for 1 min.Add flour and cook for another min stirring constantly, Stir in broth and milk and cook stirring until sauce boils and thickens, Add chicken and broccoli and stir, Add parsley, salt, pepper, pepper flakes and cheese. Stir till cheese is melted. Add pasta and toss till covered. Serve with extra parmesan on top. This was very yummy and fairly easy to make .

Cricket's Chicken Salad

Yesterday I had a really fun baby shower....well it was for 2 sweet mommies at once so I guess it was a double baby shower. The mom's were showered with love, attention and all things cute and baby!

I on the other hand I was showered with so many asking for the recipe for the chicken salad croissant sandwiches I served. I have to say it is my favorite. I like it on a croissant...

Maybe add some crispy lettuce....

Or if cutting back on the bread I just have it on a bed of lettuce....

I hope you enjoy it as much as the ladies did yesterday!

Cricket's Chicken Salad with Grapes

5 lbs. cooked chicken breast, chopped


7 stalks of celery, diced

2 bunches of green onions, diced (less or none is ok if you don't like green onions)

1 lb. seedless grapes (red or green)

Mix together and set aside; make dressing.



Dressing:

3 cups mayonnaise

3 Tbsp. soy sauce

3 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. celery seed

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix dressing together and pour over chicken mixture.

Stir until mixed well.

Chill and right before you serve mix in 1 lb. cashews and (optional of course if you don't like nuts)

3 cups chinese rice sticks. ( I usually just use potato sticks) They are like crunchy potato chips cut in little tiny strips that come in a can. I usually find them with the nuts or the potato chip isle in the grocery store. If you can't find them ask someone in the store about them.

We Have A Winner!

Congratulations Suzanne from Southern Living At It's Best. You are the winner of this beautiful necklace designed by Theresa Mason.

 Contact her through her blog Theresa's Creations so she can get your mailing information.

Please post a picture with it on when you get it. I know it will look beautiful.

Hugs, and thanks for playing!

I Love This Casserole!!

Corn Casserole is one of my very favorite casseroles!! This past week I was thinking how I should probably blog about it and share it with anyone that doesn't know about it. But....it looks like someone beat me to it over at  NOT SO HOMEMADE ...LOL. So I am just going to share the link with you so you can go to her fantastic blog and get the recipe. I just love her blog because like me she doesn't feel you have to do everything from scratch. She has really great pictures as well. And it is the exact same recipe I have.

If you have never tried this....please try it just once and you will be hooked!!

Enjoy!!

FREE JEWELRY!!!

I just love FREE FRIDAY!!A local business gets a few shout outs and someone wins a cool prize. What a great way to start a weekend!

I Looooove jewelry. Rings, bracelets, watches, earrings, pins, necklaces....if it's got anything to do with BLING I have to have it! And jewelry is what we are giving away today.

Theresa Mason of Theresa's Creations is so talented. She wanted to have have fun, beautiful jewelry but had to stay within her budget. She is a wife and a mom of two wonderful boys so she knows all about having to stay on a budget! So she decided to make her own and WOW...it is beautiful. Theresa Mason Designed Jewelry is not only beautiful but very affordable. Many styles to chose from and she does custom colors, and sizes.  You can order by going to Theresa's Creations and she she also sells her wonderful pieces at Anastasia's Attic at Gardner Village

Enter to win this beautiful necklace in two easy steps.

 1. Just become a follower of my blog, and leave a comment telling me you are.

2. Become a follower of Theresa Mason Design, and leave a comment tell her so....EASY RIGHT!!

New Blog And A Cute Prize

OK, so many of you have heard me talk about my BFF Tammy.

 Well, here I go again.....she is sooo talented and her talents keep her very busy, along with working outside her home, being a fantastic mom and wonderful wife! She has started a new blog and to kick it off right she has an awesome prize to give away....so easy. Become a follower and you can win.

I promise you will love her redesigned furniture, her amazing craft projects and her beautiful announcements and invitations. She is a bubbly, fiesty red head with a heart of gold and more creativity in her pinkie than I have in my whole body. She is fun, as well as funny. I just know you are going to love her so go on over to Pink Owl Designs and become a follower...you won't be sorry and you may win some really awesome Valentine Subway Art!

Let's all give her a big bloggie welcome by paying her a visit and becoming a follower!
Hugs,
Cricket

Pico De Gallo

I love chips and salsa (any kind of salsa) but even more than that I love Pico De Gallo. Give me a bowl and a spoon and I can eat it like ice cream!

Pico De Gallo

Ingredients:

5 whole Plum Roma Tomatoes

½  Large (or 1 Small) Onion. I like to mix a little yellow in with red onion.

3 whole Jalapeno Peppers (with seeds if you want it hot, no seeds if you don't)

Cilantro

Lime Juice

Salt To Taste
Directions:
Chop jalapenos, tomatoes and onion (I love using some red and some sweet onion) into a very small dice. (Leave seeds in your jalapenos for a hotter pico). Adjust amount of jalapenos to your preferred temperature. Next, chop up a nice-sized bunch of cilantro. Remove stems as best as you can. Place all of these ingredients together in a bowl. Stir.

Squeeze the juice of half of one lime into the bowl. Add salt to taste and stir again. Serve with your favorite chips, or on nachos, on a salad.

Cricket's Chicken Fajitas

Cricket's Chicken Fajitas


I made this one up one day when I was craving Fajitas them but didn't really have a recipe. It worked out great and now my family asks for them all the time.

One Large onion sliced in strips


One large green bell pepper sliced in thin strips


One large red bell pepper sliced in thin strips


One large Yellow bell pepper sliced in thin strips


2-3 chicken breast sliced in strips and marinated for a few hours or over night


I bottle wish bone Italian salad dressing


I package Tortilla's



Pour some of the salad dressing into a ziplock bag and add chicken. Let marinate for as long as you like...a few hours or over night in fridge.


when ready to cook, spray a nonstick frying pan with spray and add the chicken to brown a little.

 The marinade will evaporate as it cooks. When chicken is done take out of pan and use the same pan to cook peppers and onions.

 Add them to pan and pour some of the salad dressing over them mixing well and cover with lid. Cook over medium heat adding more dressing if needed. Putting the lid on will steam the peppers and onion with the dressing for a fantastic flavor. When almost done (to your liking) add back in the chicken and cover and heat until chicken is hot. (In this picture I have added a can of drained and rinsed black beans)

Warm you tortilla's if you want in microwave and ENJOY!

Garnishes we like are , shredded cheese, avocado, salsa, and little soy sauce. Just use your imagination.


**I also sometimes like to drain a can of black beans and add them for the last 5 minutes of cook time**




*NOTE* I use 3-4 chicken breast because I have big eaters in my house and we like leftovers. You can cut back on the amount of peppers, onions and chicken if you ahve a smaller family or don't want any leftovers.

Theresa's Artichoke Dip

A while back I introduced you to three sisters whom I just love. Regina, Lisa and Theresa. They are all so beautiful, talented and funny. Lisa made her debut on my blog with her amazing recipe for Mexican Caviar. If you have not tried it yet, you are really missing out!

Now it is Theresa's turn.

 This dip is AMAZING!!! And if you make it once you will make it a million times. Friends and family will be begging you to bring it to the next get together!!

I like to use pita chips,Fritos or tortilla chips to scoop up this yummy dip! My hubby likes it with hunks of french bread!

Besides her very successful line of jewelry she also has started a blog about her cooking and party skills. Visit her at Busy Creating.

16 oz can artichoke hearts drained and chopped
1 Cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 Cup Mayo

1 8oz block cream cheese

1/2 Cup Sour Cream

2 green onions chopped

1 clove garlic minced

Mix it all together and spread in a casserole dish.

Bake @350 for 30 minutes

Yum Yum! :)

FELLOW BLOGGERS YOU MUST SEE THIS!!!!!

OK, all my friends from blog land. This is a must see. My BFF Tammy just showed me this and it is amazing. I am always trying to find new ways to find new and interesting blogs, meet other bloggers and of course get my blog out there. Well, here is something that just might work.
http://picketfenceblogs.com/page/about

If you don't already know about it you must take a look. It is a fun way to do all the things I just mentioned. And you and your blog can be in whatever category you choose. If you have more than one blog that works too.

Check it out I know you are going to love it!!

Smile, it may make the difference in  another person's day!
Cricket

My Favorite Things

Happy New Year....WOW....how fast it came this year. OK who am I kidding I say that every year! There never seems to be enough time in a day to do all that I NEED to do and all that I WANT to do. But since my sweet husband is snoring and sleep has eluded me once again I will use this quiet time to share with you some of my favorite things from 2010.

Favorite Recipes:

Rolo Cookie Recipe

Lisa's Mexican Caviar

Jackie's Mango Chicken Chili

Of course there are many, many more but you will find many of them in my next favorite things.

Favorite Blogs:

As you all know I am a blog stalker and this year I hit the JACK POT!
There are so many talented women out there and I am finding them one by one. Women who can cook, bake, sew, decorate,spend wisely,take amazing pictures and the list goes on and on. I wish I could list them all, and actually I have. They are on my side bar but I will give you a peek at at few of my very, very favorites!

Jackie (I am one of the lucky ones who gets to use the short version of her name...LOL)
from Purple Chocolat Home.
 OMGosh is this lady full of talent she fits in the ALL the categories I listed above. Take a stroll over and visit her and her amazing home!

And then there is Joni at Red Couch Recipes. She is actually Jackie's sister and equally as talented. I know each time I visit her blog my family will be smiling at dinner that night!

Then there is Melanie...at true southern sister of the heart. I found her blog Southern Comfort by accident and then just fell in love with her. Because I too am a southern girl living a life somewhere other than home. Take a peek at her blog and I bet you fall in love with her too!

Becca over at Adventures In Decorating just knocks my socks off. This lady has a beautiful home with enough flair to make it elegant and enough love to make it comfortable. In fact I know I will be stealing borrowing a few of her Christmas ideas next year!

Want to learn how to set a table properly, turn a plain napkin into a work of art, create tablescapes that will amaze your guest then head over to Between Naps On The Porch. You will find all that and more. I use it for a reference guide all the time.

I love beautiful jewelry and I bet you do to. And if it fits into my budget I like it even more. Theresa at Theresa's Creations can give you just that. Beautiful jewelry at an affordable price. You can buy pieces she has already on hand or she can custom design a piece for you. Her beautiful jewelry is also sold at Anastasia's Attic.

You know when you see the most amazing cakes and cupcakes and you think they are sooo beautiful but then you bite into them and they taste like sawdust...well my friends and fellow bloggers are you in for a treat. My sweet friend Tatum (don't you just love her name) at Bumble Cakes does an incredible job at decorating them but they taste is OMGOsh slap your mama good!! She has so many wonderful flavors to choose from and she will help you come up with a design to fit any occasion. I have never had a cupcake that tasted so good. If I didn't already live in Utah I would move here just to eat her yummy treats!

Ever at a loss as to what to cook for dinner....breakfast and lunch too for that matter. Well look no more. Because if you can't find something that will please even your pickiest eaters her at Sister's Cafe then you might as well just give up and eat cold cereal forever. These ladies rock the recipe world! Plus they are all so stinking cute you will just love them.

Have you ever received a really cute invitation announcing a birth, a wedding, birthday party...etc...and said WOW that is so cute. Where did they have this made? Well, I will tell you....they got it from my sweet BFF Tammy over at Show and Tell Designs.

Do you ever go to yard sales and see a piece of furniture, and old table dresser, or chair for instance and it has seen some love over the years...you know it has dents and nicks and cuts  and you wonder why would any one want that? I will tell you why...because there are some very talented people out there who can look at a piece of furniture and see what it once was and what it could be again. I have two beautiful chairs and a table in my bedroom that I was given for Christmas that proves it. OK, so I told you my BFF was talented and could design beautiful invitations and announcements for but she is also one of those people of vision was talking about too. Check out her trash to treasure redo's at Mychaez Her beautiful creations or should we say re-creations are also found at Upon the Shelf at Gardner Village

Ok, this posting is already waaay longer than I intended and I have only listed a few recipes and a few blogs. I knew that would happen. I hope you have not fallen asleep! Guess I will have to do another post later and include some of my other favorite things.

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2011.
Cricket

We Have Our Winners!!

The winners of our Friendly Friday "Family Traditions" and this beautiful Kissing Crystal

 from Anastasia's Attic   Are.........

 Samantha of Samantha's Custom Images


                      And.....

 Jacqueline of Purple Chocolat Home

Congrats Ladies!! Send me your mailing address to Cricketheffron@yahoo.com and I will get them in the mail to you. I know it's a bit late to use them this year but I hope this little beauty will add a whole lot of kissing at your house next year ;)
Merry Christmas

Rolo (cookie) Treats

Have you ever stumbled across and incredible recipe that is sooooo easy, fast, inexpensive and just so good you can't stop making it....no...well now you have. This will probably be my pick for favorite  holiday recipe for 2010.

Rolo Cookie Treats

Ingredients:


•Small pretzels (round or square) I like the square myself but couldn't always find them

•ROLO Candies (Chewy Caramels in Milk Chocolate)

•Pecan halves


Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil.


2. Place one pretzel for each pretzel treat desired on prepared sheet. Top each pretzel with one ROLO Chewy Caramel in Milk Chocolate.


3. Bake 3 to 5 minutes or until caramel piece begins to soften, but not melt. Remove from oven; top with either pecan half or additional pretzel. Cool completely.

Friendly Friday!!!

Well, it's Friendly Friday and you know what that means....You get to win a prize!!!!!

As I said in my last post...Tradition is a word that seems to pop up a lot at this time of the year. We talked about traditional foods and recipes that our family looks forward to each year. But there are other types of traditions as well.

Our family has a big party every year and we invite all of our friends and family to come but to get in you have to bring a toy for the Toy's For Tot's drive.It is something very dear to my heart.

We take our children and grandchildren to see the lights at Temple Square.

And for pie and hot chocolate afterwards at the local Village Inn.

Traditions can be something you just started and plan to continue each year or something that has been passed down for generations. Different cultures have different Holiday traditions.

 I know a friend of mine who is German and they hide an ornament that looks like a pickle some place on the tree and the first person to find it wins a prize.

Kissing under the mistletoe is a very old tradition. I was going to research it and find out it's roots but hey it's the week before Christmas and who has that kind of time....LOL

There have been songs and poems written about it. Relationships have started with that first sweet kiss under the mistletoe. Arguments forgotten, and families started all because of this wonderful thing called mistletoe.

OK, I did say you could win something right? So here it is....a beautiful Mistletoe Kissing Crystal.

Hang it up year after year and let the smooching begin. Just share with me some of your family traditions and one....awww....it's Christmas...make it TWO lucky people will win one of their very own!!
Remember...you can't win if you don't play!! You just have to be a follower or become one and leave me a message about your family traditions!!
Contest closes at midnight on Thursday Dec. 23, 2010

I am linking this to: Dittle Dattle Amaze Me Monday