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Posts Tagged ‘Savvy Entertaining’

Guns and Bling

Posted in Captain Cavedweller, Entertaining Ideas, Fashion, tagged , , , , on December 28, 2011| Leave a Comment »

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas with lots of good cheer, memorable moments and warm blessings.

Ours was very quiet and low key – finished off with some very tasty prime rib.

My True Love always gets me interesting gifts that I would never expect and this year was no exception.

In addition to a pink Browning pocket knife and pink binoculars (I asked if had had some outdoors survival experience planned for me and I got a blank look, so I’m taking that as a definite no which is a good thing. Me + Roughing it = Much Misery for all involved.) I received a Pink BB Gun.

I felt a bit like Ralphie with warnings not to shoot somebody’s eye out as we set up a target in the backyard and I fired away. I have to admit, it was a lot of fun to shoot and as soon as the weather cooperates, I will probably take it back out and see what damage I can do to our targets. I can’t wait for spring when I have dozens of pellets to pick up out of the yard!

On the opposite end of the gun/knife/outdoorsy spectrum, Captain Cavedweller gave me a watch.

Not just any watch.

But a decidedly feminine girly-girl watch that I absolutely love.

His gift-buying thought processes are more than this girl can follow. But I do think the watch is the perfect accessory to wear while I’m toting the rifle and wielding my knife!

She Who Loves Gifts from CC

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Pumpkin Roll

Posted in Cake, Christmas, Desserts, Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, Holiday Recipes, Holidays, Recipes, tagged , , , , on December 24, 2011| Leave a Comment »

My sweet Aunt Louise used to make this pumpkin roll. I thought it was divine then and still do. She was one of those special people who just exuded loving kindness. She always looked for the good in others, was generous and giving and gracious.

She shared this recipe with me, taking the time to type it out on a 3×5 index card. That recipe card is now covered in splatters and caked on sugar, but every year when I pull it out of my recipe box, it makes me smile and remember a wonderful lady.

Although she passed away from cancer several years ago, Aunt Louise’s gentle spirit is still greatly missed.

This yummy dessert isn’t hard to make, but like a lot of marvelous things, it does take a little time!

Ingredients

 

Mix dry ingredients and set aside.

 

You will beat the eggs senseless and then some before adding pumpkin and other wet ingredients.

 

Once you’ve got it mixed, pour into a jelly roll pan and bake. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t get overcooked.

 

Liberally sprinkle powdered sugar over a tea towel.

 

Roll pumpkin roll into towel and let cool completely.

 

When cool, spread on cream cheese filling and reroll.

 

Refrigerate wrapped in plastic wrap until ready to serve, then slice.

 

When cool, spread on cream cheese filling and reroll.

Enjoy!

Louise’s Pumpkin Cake Roll

Cake:

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

2/3 cup canned pumpkin

1 tsp. lemon juice

3/4 cup flour

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. baking powder

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

Filling:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup margarine or butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1/4 cup candied cherries

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a mixer on high for five minutes. Gradually beat in the 1 cup of sugar. Stir in pumpkin and lemon juice. In a small bowl, stir together flour and other dry ingredients. Fold into pumpkin mixture. Spread batter in a greased and floured 15x10x1 jelly roll pan. Sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Immediately invert cake onto a flour-sack towel sprinkled with powdered sugar. Roll cake and towel up together. Cool completely. Unroll cake. In a mixing bowl beat 1 cup powdered sugar, cream cheese, butter and vanilla with mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread over cake. Reroll cake, cover and chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Cut into 1-inch slices and garnish with cherries. Makes 10-12 servings.

* Note: You can substitute pecans for walnuts or make without nuts. You can also garnish with a dollop of whipped cream, glazed nuts or a sprinkle of cinnamon.

She Who Wishes You a Very Happy Christmas Eve!

 

 

 

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Christmas Crepes

Posted in Breakfast, Christmas, Entertaining at Home, Entertaining Ideas, Holiday Recipes, Holidays, Recipes, tagged , , , , , , on December 23, 2011| Leave a Comment »

On special occasions or the rare days when Captain Cavedweller and I can enjoy a leisurely breakfast, I like to make crepes. Our favorite filling is fresh fruit with whipped  cream. Captain Cavedweller loves bananas while I tend to favor berries.

I’ve had this recipe for crepes since I was in the seventh grade. Our teacher decided to give us all some culture and let each of us a select a country to study up on and do a presentation complete with props. While I got stuck with India (when you are next to the last to get to choose, there aren’t a lot of countries left!), one of the girls choose France. Her mother brought in a hot plate and helped her make crepes for the class. They were delightfully wonderful and so different from anything I’d eaten. When she passed out copies of the recipe, I immediately went home and  begged my mom to let me make them. She did and I’ve been making them sense. Although my dad always called these flat pancakes, Captain Cavedweller does enjoy them!

These are light and delicious – just right for a morning brunch before a big holiday meal!

 

Ingredients

 

Mix the ingredients until it is smooth and there are no visible lumps.

 

Cook in a hot pan, lightly oiled. It just takes a minute or so for each side.

 

You want each side to be a nice golden brown.

 

Fill with berries and whipped cream.

 

Cook in a hot pan, lightly oiled. It just takes a minute or so for each side.

Enjoy!

Crepes

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon  sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

2 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Combine dry ingredients and set aside. Beat eggs until broken down. Add milk and vanilla extract and beat well. Beat in flour mixture until mixed then add in melted butter.

Lightly oil a hot griddle, frying pan or (if you have one) a crepe pan. Pour about two tablespoons of batter in the pan and thin it out by swirling the pan around. Tip and rotate until the batter is as thin as possible. Cook until each side is a light, golden brown.

Fill with fruit and whipped cream and roll. Top with a dusting of powdered sugar and enjoy!

Serves about 12.

She Who Loves Crepes!

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Counting My Blessings

Posted in Christmas, tagged , , , on December 22, 2011| Leave a Comment »

“When I’m worried and I can’t sleep
I count my blessings instead of sheep
And I fall asleep counting my blessings…”

Irving Berlin

Irving Berlin wrote this song for the movie White Christmas. I loved it the first time I heard it and I love it still.  It reminds me not to worry, and to be thankful.

At some point during the hustle and hurry of the holiday season, I like to take a quiet moment to think about how very blessed I am. Due to something tragic that happened to a friend yesterday, I am truly counting my abundant blessings this morning.

So often we get caught up in the craziness of our every day lives that we forget how very blessed, how truly fortunate we are for all that we have. I am often guilty of looking at things with a “grass is greener over there” eye. But today, especially today, I am grateful for every single nutty, crazy, challenging, wonderful, warm, loving person and thing in my life.

I’m thankful to all of you, as well. Your encouragement and continued support of my ramblings is a blessing to me.

Count Your Blessings and take some time just to enjoy those you love today.

She Who is Thankful

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