New Year's Family Superstitions

     So with New Year’s Eve/Day approaching, I thought I would share some of my family’s superstitions with you. Have a wonderful New Year!

~ On New Year’s Eve, we take the wax of melting candles & pour over a bowl of cold water. The shape it forms tells your future for the New Year. The year I got pregnant & had my daughter, my wax formed a pink baby booty. (red candle wax) I was, however, convinced I was having a boy until the day she was born. I remembered the wax & pulled it out of hiding & couldn’t believe it. I still have that booty.

~ In my family, we were told not to be in the bathroom at the stroke of midnight, because that is what you would be destined to do the rest of the year!

~ Open the door to let the old year out! Take pots to bang with spoons/noise makers with you to scare any bad spirits away. This is also the reason for the tradition of loud fireworks at midnight too.

~ Have an open purse ready by the window (preferably with some moonlight shining) at the New Year. This will guarantee your prosperity in the coming year.

~ There are plenty of food traditions too. We always had a bowl of nuts to crack on the Eve & ate pork on New Year’s Day. The pig is an animal that moves forward, not backward ~ yes, you never knew a pig could have a profound purpose! (Chickens for instance can move all kinds of ways, including circles – not profound at all for such a special day.)

~ Make sure the first person to enter your home in the New Year is a man for good luck. Preferably tall, dark & handsome ~ lol!

     I know this all sounds exhausting! I guarantee it is fun & will help ensure a wonderful, prosperous New Year. Enjoy your celebrations!

It's a Wonderful Life After All!

     I am proudly re-posting this blog from last year. Sometimes the Christmas season moves quickly away from what it is intended & proceeds to kick us in the butt. It is always good to remember what really is important…

    Frank Capra’s 1947 classic movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” was never intended as a Christmas movie, the film’s wonderful message comes through at the end during Christmas. George Bailey, the main character, is a man who struggles with the reality of his life & the dreams he could never say ‘yes’ to. He wanted to see the world. His younger brother goes off to war and becomes a war hero & George, because of a medical 4-h, hangs back in Bedford Falls to run the family savings & loan business. When a large bank deposit is lost & the business is about to go under, George, regretting the life he never had & unable to deal with the life ahead of him tries to commit suicide by jumping off a bridge. He is thankfully saved by a novice angel, Clarence, trying to earn his angel wings. Clarence shows George what the people & town of Bedford Falls would have become without his selfless, kind heart & compassionate spirit. His wife & kids, family & friends come through in the end raising enough money to pay back the loan & saving the business & town. George’s brother toasts him in the end… “to George Bailey, the richest man I know”. This movie is such a ‘wonderful’ reminder of the kindness of others, family & the true Christmas spirit; the spirit that isn’t wrapped on Christmas morning, but that we hope & pray stays with us year round. 

     So if you find yourself this season at that proverbial bridge, too stressed, too unhappy for a myriad of reasons… remember there are friends & family out there that are forever in your corner, always within an earshot shout-out who will be there & listen & help & provide unconditional love to you (and a few laughs ~ because friends will always remind you to not take it all so seriously). They will help you across that bridge without a hiccup on your part and remind you that it really is a wonderful life! Merry Christmas to you all!!!

The Best Present ~ 'A Christmas Story'

   The now 30-year old classic “A Christmas Story” movie is always a must see. Airing by TBS in marathon form Christmas Eve 8pm through Christmas Day, believe it or not holds one of the most important Christmas messages amongst all the humor.

    The semi-fictional story set in the 1940’s, narrated by the main character Ralphie’s adult self, tells of Ralphie’s Christmas as a nine-year old & his one wish for an official Red Ryder BB gun. His desire is so great that he uses three adults in his life to help guarantee his success. His Mom of course promptly says, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” His next target, his teacher, reads what he thinks is the most persuasive essay on the wish, a guaranteed “A” (for acceptance in his mind), receives a C+ and a “you’ll shoot your eye out” warning. Last, but not least, is Santa Claus. Surely the big guy will get this for him, but Ralphie gets the same message from his last hope! So, with hilarious subplots throughout, we arrive and it’s Christmas morning. Ralphie has opened all his gifts & is looking dejected. You know the feeling, when that one wish doesn’t come true. His father prompts him to a slightly hidden box & Ralphie’s hopes begin to soar! Sure enough, it is his Red Ryder BB gun! His mom is surprised & dad is so pleased with himself. So we realize that it was his extremely, busy, grumpy father who got him all along. There lies the best present; having a someone who gets you.

    Ralphie falls asleep (soundly for the first time in weeks) that night holding his rifle, knowing it was the best Christmas he ever had, but really knowing deep down that it was the gift of having someone know who you are & what your greatest desires are that is the best present of all. So this year thank this person(s) as special in your life & feel constant gratitude for them this holiday season & throughout the year. Merry Christmas!

Poinsettia Cocktail

   This is the time of year that needs a specialty party cocktail. This Poinsettia Champagne Cocktail is just the perfect drink! Easy to prep, fun to serve & drink.

½ ounce Triple sec or Cointreau liqueur (for  some orange flavor)

3 ounces cranberry juice or raspberry/cranberry juice

Champagne or Spumante

Garnishes: Orange peel curls, raspberries, cranberries, cherries, pomegranate seeds

Optional: splash of grenadine for extra red & sweetness

Serve in festive barware.

    Chill all the ingredients first. Mix juice & orange liqueur well. Top with champagne. If you are serving a party crowd, mix together a pitcher of first two ingredients & have ready to pour. Place on a tray and then top with the champagne in front of you guest. Very festive. (Practice this first so you don’t over fill the glass with fizz!) I love this recipe because of the options you have. For those who do not like the orange flavor, substitute vodka instead! You can also switch cranberry juice for pomegranate. Salut!

Cookie Baking Tips

   A blog worth re-posting this time of year especially with the cost of ingredients. Happy Baking!!

   Here are just a few cookie baking tips to get us through these last few days of holiday prep. Right about now is when the baking begins full force. This first tip is something I tried last year & it works great. My cookies were the best ever!

~ Use butter whenever possible – nothing beats it, but melt first & let cool to room temperature. Melted/cooled butter will dissolve the sugar much better! Make sure to cream butter & sugar well, no shortcuts here!

~ In keeping with using butter, use the best ingredients available (ie. real vanilla extract, chocolate). It will make a difference.

~ Follow cookie/recipes closely. You don’t want a too dry or wet outcome. Refrigerate dough that requires this, a sufficient amount of time or you will have cookie that spread way too much, are way too thin.

~ Mix just enough when adding dry ingredients to make sure your ingredients are properly blended but then STOP. Overmixing leads to hard cookies that do not rise properly.

~ Make sure your ingredients (ie. flour, baking powder, baking soda) are not old – again the outcome will not be the same.

~ A sugar cookie shortcut is to buy the refrigerated Toll House dough especially if this is the kid’s cookie project.

~ Make sure to line the cookie sheets for those cutouts with parchment paper. That way the cutouts remove easily & there are fewer lost heads!!

~ An oven thermometer is great to use throughout the year to make sure your temps are what is expected.

~ Use cooling racks & transfer to cookie CANS if possible. They make a difference. Make wax paper circles to separate each layer in the can.

~ Finally, if you find your cookies that should be soft getting hard over the holiday weeks, add a slice of bread every few days. The moisture in the bread will transfer throughout the can!

Cherry Lemon Crowns Holiday Cookie Recipe

    My daughter reminded me of this wonderful Christmas cookie we haven’t made in a while. It is so delicious, festive & most likely not a duplicate of any you make right now.

Cherry Lemon Crowns

2/3 cup butter or margarine softened

3-oz. cream cheese

1 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. grated lemon rind & 1 tsp. lemon juice

2 cups flour

1 dozen each candied red & green cherries, halved

Lemon glaze drizzle ~ 1-1/2 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar & 1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice ~ combine to a drizzle consistency.

    Beat butter & cream cheese at medium speed until creamy. Add sugar gradually until light & fluffy. Add egg yolk, lemon rind and lemon juice, mixing well. Add flour until blended. Cover and chill dough 2 hours. Shape dough into 1” balls and flatten into 1-1/2” discs on ungreased cookie sheet. Press candied cherry in center of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes until edges are slightly golden. Cool 1 minute & transfer to wire racks. Cool completely & drizzle with glaze. Let stand until glaze hardens. Yields 4 dozen. Yum!

     Check out this cool You Tube Video that shows you how to separate your egg yolks & whites with an empty water bottle!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AirVOuTN_M

Hada Labo Tokyo Hydrators

   It has been some time since I’ve reviewed a hair & beauty product for you. I’ve used this particular product less than a couple of weeks now & I just had to share! The Hada Labo Toyko line of facial skin hydrators is that amazing. The line of five products is sold at Ulta stores & Ulta online. I have only tried the Skin Plumping Gel Cream so far. This is the time of year when it seems the air/heat just sucks the moisture out of your skin. This cream contains Super Hyaluronic acids (3 kinds put together) for a product that contains the most of this buzz word ingredient. Hyaluronic acid is what holds the moisture in your skin & attracts moisture to your skin. This also contains collagen, arginine & ceramides – all buzz words of the most expensive moisturizers. The best part is the price! The five products range from $11.99-$24.99 full price. This, of course, is Ulta we’re talking about! So products are always going on sale & they have that wonderful $3.50 off coupon every week. I even had a $3.00 off manufacturer’s coupon (which is why I researched this in the first place. – they had me at hyaluronic acid!).  The line is on sale now buy one, get on 50% off until 12-24 with a $5.00 off coupon! This hydrator is amazing. It feels wonderful going on, my skin looks & feels silky & it works great under foundation. It feels like a super hydrating serum. It claims to plump lines & wrinkles & I agree. I am looking forward to checking out the rest of the line!

http://www.ulta.com/ulta/a/Hada-Labo-Tokyo/_/N-1z13ouy?ciSelector=searchResults&cmpid=PS_Non!google!ULTA_Small_Brands&CAPCID=32456860830&cadevice=c&CA_6C15C=330000200000039022