Oldies But Goodies

Here are a couple more of my favorite Christmas time treats.  The links will take you to the recipe and also give photo credit.

Original Chex Mix Recipe

Puppy Chow

Sunday Thought

You just have to decide if you’re a Tigger or an Eeyore.

-Randy Pausch (from The Last Lecture)

Peanut Butter Cookie Cups

Here's another of my favorite Christmas treat recipes.  I've posted this before but it's definitely worth revisiting.

Here's what you'll need to make the cookie cups:
Refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough
Reese's peanut butter cups minis
Mini muffin pans
Cooking spray

 Grease mini muffin pan with cooking spray.  Roll PB cookie dough into 1 inch balls and drop into mini muffin pan.

 Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes.  Insert peanut butter cups into cookie immediately after removing from oven.  Let cool.  Run knife along edges of each cookie to remove from pan.

 These are so easy and so good!  The two packages of dough made about 55 cookie cups.

Sunday Thought

Be thankful for what you have, you'll end up having more.  If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.

-Oprah Winfrey

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My Favorite Christmas Things

Yesterday I happened to catch Oprah's Favorite Things show.  I love watching her favorite things show; I get goosebumps every time she shows a new favorite and the audience screams/cries.  How awesome would it be to be in that audience?!?  She's doing another one on Monday if you're interested.

Anyway, I started going through my Google Reader while I was watching the show and saw that Melissa at 320 Sycamore was hosting a My Favorite things party.  I always enjoy seeing other's favorite things.  I thought I'd join in today too and show you my favorite Christmas things.

1.  Black Friday

I LOVE shopping on Black Friday.  My mom and I shop together so standing in line to pay isn't so bad since we have each other to talk to.  We go a few hours after the stores open so we can still get the "doorbusters" but don't have to wait in line to get into the stores (and most of the crazies are out of the store by then).


2. Shopping for and wrapping presents

I have the best time shopping for Christmas presents.  Sometimes it's a little frustrating when I have no ideas for a particular person but I still love it.  I also really enjoy wrapping presents.


3. Peppermint Hot Chocolate from Starbucks

I suppose this is more of a winter treat but I only drink it in December so for me it's a Christmas treat.


4. Driving around looking at Christmas lights

Definitely one of my favorite things to do during the Christmas season.  I'm not so much of a fan of seeing the blow up baby Jesus in a manger next to a Tigger on someone's lawn.  But, bad decor is still good because decorated houses just make me happy.

5. Watching Christmas movies

A few of my favorites include It's a Wonderful Life (can you believe I saw this for the 1st time only two years ago?), Christmas with the Kranks, The Santa Clause movies, and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.

A few of my other Christmas favorites include baking Christmas cookies, listening to Christmas music, and putting out the Christmas decorations.

Thanks for hosting Melissa!

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Golden Grahams Mix

Can you believe there are only 39 days until Christmas?!?  I'm so excited!! 

Since we are so close to the holidays, I thought I'd start sharing some of my favorite holiday recipes with ya all.

This is a new favorite and I don't really have an actual recipe for this one.   I have no idea what it's called so I'm just going to call it Golden Grahams Mix.  I went into the lounge at work one day and it was there.  I decided I'd make it at home that weekend so Dave could try it too.

What you need:
White almond bark - 1 lb.
Golden Grahams cereal - 1 box
Salted peanuts - 1 jar
Mixed nuts -small can
Pretzels - 1 bag

So, since I don't have a recipe this is what I did:
Melted half of the 1 lb bar of white almond bark in a 6 quart pot (I think that's the size I used).
Once melted, I dumped in a few cups of cereal, a couple handfuls of peanuts, about 1/4 of the can of mixed nuts, and a handful or so of pretzels.

Then I just mixed it all together until everything was pretty well covered.  Next, I dumped it out onto a parchment paper covered cookie sheet.  I stuck in the cookie sheet in the fridge while I did the next batch.  Once the almond bark was hard, I just broke it into pieces then put it in a bowl.

I know, not real exact but you could really alter this anyway you want.  More cereal and less nuts, more nuts and no pretzels, etc.  It's so easy and really good.

If know or have a name for this let me know!  :o)

Sunday Thought

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Love/Hate

It's November 9th and this is what it looks like across the street

Not a single flake of snow around.  I'm trying to enjoy it, and some things I do love.  I love not having to go outside early in the cold to start my car so it can warm up before I leave.  I love that it's still easy to get around.  I really love that it's been in the 60s the past few days so we can still be jacket-free (I hate wearing coats).  And I love that winter won't seem to drag on forever since it's getting a late start.

But, I kind of hate that I'm ready for snow (just a little) and there's none.

Standard time, ugh.  I took this picture at 5:15 this evening.

Yuck, I hate when it gets dark out so early.  It takes my body awhile to get used to it.  I'm ready for bed by 7 since it's completely dark by then.  Makes me feel like I'm 80 instead of 30.  :o)

There are some things I enjoy about late fall/winter though.  I like making hotdishes, soups, breads, and baking.  I like staying home at night and watching movies or reading.  And, I love the holidays that come along with the seasons.

Is there anything you have a love/hate relationship with?

It's November!!

I hope everyone had a great time yesterday celebrating Halloween.  We didn't do anything special but my husband did dress up.  You really need to see this video to understand.  Notice Jared Allen toward the end of the segment and his jorts.


Ok, now that you've seen that...here is my husband in all his glory..

Luckily the only place he wanted to show off his "costume" was at his brother's house.  You should have seen how fast he got out of the car when he saw our niece's boyfriend was at the house.  Poor girl, he loves to embarrass her.

I took the Halloween decorations down yesterday.  I think that's the first time I've taken holiday decorations down on the day of.  I put out the few Thanksgiving decorations I have while I was at it.  I'm not in love with the way this looks but I don't have much so I kind of just threw it all together.

I love the start of November because I feel like it's the start of the holiday season.  Just think, in 2 months it'll all be over.  Gotta enjoy it while we can!