New Year's Revolution ~ Recipe for a Fabulous 2018

    Happy New Year 2018!! Another year has flown by for all of us and we have the urge to get it started on the right foot, right?!

    As with your Christmas prep & celebrations, perfection is overrated. Perfection suggests flaws & other things about ourselves needing work. What you need to embrace is that you are fabulous right here & now on January 1, 2018!! Fabulous is more your attitude & that aura around you... not a focus on specific body parts and the number a scale says. I received a birthday card years ago that I still have in my work cube. Fabulous is a lot like perfect but less boring & more fun! It's true!! Fabulous is easy because it is a state of mind, an inner confidence that you only need say 'yes' to right away. Trying to work towards perfect can be boring for you to do & others to hear about (I did 3- 60 minute planks yesterday....blah, blah, blah) This is not to say that we don't always strive (most days) to embrace a more healthy diet & lifestyle than the previous year. Having structure & goals are how we get through most weeks. (vacation weeks don't count! - substitute an itinerary or not!)

So I propose this New Year's Revolution Recipe for your Fabulous 2018:

200 parts Fabulous

100 parts Gratitude

50 parts Healthy Eating & Exercise  2 parts Cheat Days

20 parts Goal & Vision Board Focus

100 parts Love, Laughter & Fun

1 pinch Setbacks

1 pinch Disappointment

20 parts Resiliency & Forgiveness

Happy New Year to you all!

The Twelve Ideas of Christmas ~ Twelfth Day

The Twelfth Idea of Christmas My Blogger Gave to Me...

Forgo perfection for the love and warmth that Christmas brings when we open our hearts & homes.

Christmas Eve & Day hold very high expectations for many; if there is a hiccup then there is potential ruin. Well, no Christmas ever turns out perfect, from missing gifts to no appetizers because your cousin got the flu to snowstorms that keep some loved ones away.  I know I suggested those 'perfect' ending Hallmark & holiday movies, but those are meant to warm the heart not raise our expectations of ourselves. Not many Christmas Days end up perfect and that's just fine, really. Remember the true meaning on this day. Mary & Joseph entered Bethlehem and found way less than perfect accommodations. They made the best of their situation. And you know what, the most memorable night in all of mankind occurred. And the visitors still came to visit the most beautiful of sights, yes the simplest of mangers & the loving, holy family. What those visitors felt was the overwhelming love. That is what's important. 
Merry Christmas to you all!

The Twelve Ideas of Christmas ~ Eleventh Day

The Eleventh Idea of Christmas My Blogger Gave to Me..

Embrace traditions old & new.

There are just certain things I feel have to be passed on to my daughter or they may be lost forever! There truly are so many we embrace every season but here are a few from this blogger to you.

Ribbon candy & clear toy pops are two of those candy traditions from when I was growing up and the one I started with my daughter was the chocolate advent calendar. Right after Christmas we looked forward the Christmas visits when I was growing up. We would see Aunt & Uncles and cousins and family friends. These visits weren't over the top with food, but usually involved a tray of their delicious cookies. It was usually a one on one family type of visit. I want to make sure we have a few of those too this year. We have worked so hard decorating and baking. It is a perfect time to serve the cookies and holiday tea! These visits are usually during the week & not late nights so they are a perfect way to connect with family & friends.

The Twelve Ideas of Christmas ~ Tenth Day

The Tenth Idea of Christmas My Blogger Gave to Me...

Watch Some Wonderful Movies & Shows from Home

You don't have to go far to enjoy holiday festivities & get some holiday spirit. Simply tune in to some wonderful holiday movies & shows right at home. There are the classics to watch that you may already own on dvd like Home Alone, It's a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Carol. Along with my Mom, we are truly Hallmark movie marathoners! Since the end of October it's been Christmas all day & night! She & I laugh at how many tree lightings, Santa wishes, mistletoe kisses , cookie baking and ice skating scenes there are. Other channels like Freeform, Lifetime & ION have a bunch of wonderful movies too. On the weekends there is always a new one on all these stations. Sunday I am going to a live performance of A Christmas Story ~  you guessed it, right from my living room. It airs on Fox 7pm est. Looks like it will be a blast. The popcorn is free here at home too! So kick back with a few freshly baked cookies, some holiday tea and a roaring fire and just relax... you so deserve a reboot after this past week & will need it for next week... just sayin'.

The Twelve Ideas of Christmas ~ Ninth Day

The Ninth Idea of Christmas My Blogger Gave to Me...

Maybe with some previous ideas (especially delegating tasks and doing make ahead appetizers & tea), you see a few free hours of time ahead coming your way. The Dickens you say?! (one of my favorite expressions this time of year!) So this next idea is...

Donate time & help others through this holiday season...

We know better than anyone what it takes to pull this season off; but deep down we also know it is the simple things that make the season special. Running a shopping trip for an elderly family member or neighbor and perhaps helping to wrap those gifts would be so helpful Even decorate a few things around their home to make their place festive too. Perhaps they need stamps or some grocery store items; It is a tough time of year to be out in the stores so this is a true gift for them. Maybe those grocery items contain ingredients to make Molasses Gem Cookies or Holiday Tea! How about holding a door for a train of folks laden with packages! I like the idea of buying a few lottery tickets and being a secret Santa to a coworker, neighbor or stranger. All the worthy organizations in your area could use monetary donations and Toys for Tots is there for the kids at a drop off near you. The Salvation Army makes it easy to donate $$ right outside stores! Maybe there is a volunteer organization that could use an extra set of hands in your community. Reading holiday tales to kids or the elderly is a wonderful way to share holiday spirit too! My daughter has been helping her grandmother once a week who is 90. She still gets around but it is overwhelming this time of year for her when she has many stops! They head back to her house after and there are always things to be decked or wrapped. They also have this great quality time together!! When we give, we all receive in many ways.

The Twelve Ideas of Christmas ~ Eighth Day

The Eighth Idea of Christmas My Blogger Gave to Me...

A dessert or breakfast or anytime tea. Perfect this time of year to go with those cookies & fancy desserts! Gets RAVE reviews!!

Holiday Tea

1 teaspoon cinnamon bark (about 1 whole cinnamon stick)

1 teaspoon whole cloves

6 teabags or 5 heaping teaspoons loose tea (your choice)

Place above in cheesecloth & tie with teabag string. Boil in 1 quart water for 5-10 minutes. (smells WONDERFUL!)

Add:

1/3 of 12-oz. can frozen orange juice concentrate

3 tablespoons lemon juice or 6T. Real Lemon

1-1/2 cups sugar (optional)

1 quart boiling water

Store above syrup in refrigerator. ADD: equal parts water to serve.

There are many healthful benefits to this tea too! The tea itself & OJ are full of antioxidants and Vitamin C respectively. The cinnamon is now considered a superfood; It helps regulate blood sugar. The cloves have one of the highest antioxidant ratings of any spice – great for anti-aging. If you have stomach/digestion problems, then throw some star anise into the mix. Delish!

The Twelve Ideas of Christmas ~ Seventh Idea

The Seventh Idea of Christmas My Blogger Gave to Me...

It's time for a cookie recipe. I love to bake with my daughter & this one recipe hands down gets the most yums & wows!

This is an old Sun-Maid raisin cookie recipe:

Molasses Gems with Raisins

¾ c. butter       2 c. all-purpose flour

1 c. sugar         2 tsp. baking SODA

¼ c. molasses    1 tsp. cinnamon

1 egg                 ½ tsp. cloves

¼ tsp. salt         ½ tsp. ginger

1 cup raisins      extra sugar or fancy sugar to coat

Beat butter & sugar until light & fluffy. Add molasses & egg; beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, ginger & salt. Add to molasses mixture; mix well. Stir in raisins, Cover & refrigerate until chilled. (great to mix the night before.) Shape into 1-inch balls & roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. (grease if not coated). Bake in upper third of preheated 350 degree oven. Bake 10-12 minutes. Cool 1 minute & transfer to wire racks. Makes 3 dozen. * Note – recipe can be made without raisins. Last year I took a dozen of the balls & froze them on a sheet. Then I transferred to a freezer ziploc and baked them fresh for company!! I also did this with chocolate chip cookies. Extra delish when warm.

The Twelve Ideas of Christmas ~ Sixth Idea

The Sixth Idea of Christmas My Blogger Gave to Me...

A go-to Cocktail Recipe - You need one so keep easy ingredients on hand for impromptu guests & a parties in general. Also makes a great take along to that party this year. Very Festive!

The 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

3 ounces cranberry juice or raspberry/cranberry juice

Champagne or Spumante

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

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. Here are more ideas from The Food Network... Yum

http://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/packages/holidays/holiday-central-cocktails/12-days-of-holiday-cocktails

The Twelve Ideas of Christmas ~ Fifth Idea

Add Lighting ~ Everywhere you can!

This is truly the simplest, most beautiful, most bang for the buck decorating idea you can do. The sky is the limit with lights these days too; from traditional to LED options, you can get very creative. My favorite things are putting/puddling lights inside baskets, vases, bottles, lanterns, anything that can hold them. Where there is no electrical outlet handy, I use the battery operated LED lights on a wire. They are fabulous!! I use on wreaths and in all the tabletop sleighs I have collected from garage sales over the years. I decorate with greens and pics and candles and add the lights last. Makes everything glow! I use the Merry Brite lights from CVS for this. They have all designs now. They even have clothes pins shapes that light & will hold you Christmas cards! Genius! Happy Lighting the way for Santa!!

The Twelve Ideas of Christmas ~ Fourth Idea

The Fourth Idea of Christmas My Blogger Gave to Me...

Get Inspired!

    Since the decorating has begun my next two ideas will be decor related. (followed by a holiday cocktail [recipe] lol So, even Martha Stewart has a team of folks to infuse & inspire them with fresh ideas for the holidays! Thumb though magazines or watch a Home & Family type show to get a new idea or two. Then there is Pinterist ~ say no more... Even simply moving some decorations to a new spot for a fresh perspective can make a difference. Take a tired wreath and do a mini overhaul on it. I found a few sweet items at garage sales this season & now they have a Christmas home! It doesn't have to be a lot to feel accomplished. Now not too much ~ frazzled is the last thing we want!

The Twelve Ideas of Christmas ~ Third Idea

The Third Idea of Christmas My Blogger Gave to Me...

A make-ahead appetizer that gets applause! You can then freeze and heat again for those drop by guests or to take along to a party. With only THREE ingredients you can’t go wrong – it doesn’t get easier.

Pepperoni Bread

1 frozen round of pizza dough (sold in grocery stores) or fresh dough found in refrigerated sections

¼ Lb. thin sliced pepperoni

¼ Lb. Mozzarella Cheese (variations for extra kick, use some provolone or any favorite easy-melt cheese).

If your dough is frozen you will need some ahead of time prep to thaw the dough & let it rise. You can transfer the dough to fridge the night before. When ready spray a round pan with non-stick & place dough in center. Cover lightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough double its size before rolling out. (this can take 4-6 hours) Fresh dough, just sit out a few hours. Roll out on lightly floured surface to approx. 10” x 16”. Layer pepperoni over rolled out surface then cover with cheese. Roll up firmly and pinch ends & seam. Place on cookie sheet or jelly roll pan seam size down & Bake at 450 degrees until brown. Approx. 20 minutes. (slightly undercook ones you will freeze) You can eat right away, obviously – yum, or let some loaves cool & freeze wrapped in tin foil. Just place in 350 degree oven when ready to reheat. The tin foil will prevent any further browning. Tastes like you just made them! Enjoy!