Mary, I couldn't help it - I started it for you! You always
have so many great ideas for the Holidays, and, this
way, every one can contribute!
(*Miss Mary throws a Christmas ornament at breeze...
...breezes ducks, narrowly missing "thunk" on her head,
and laughs...)
Post 'em here, folks! Gotta great Holiday recipe? A great
idea for a decoration? Miss Mary and the Storm2K gang
wanna see your ideas!
Miss Mary's Holiday Recipes & Decorating Thread
Moderator: S2k Moderators
-
Miss Mary
Annette - I'd never throw an ornament at you.....LOL What a great idea for a topic! But I can't take credit for my ideas....I've been known to 'steal' a few......LOL You can all just dub me MissMary/Martha now.....he he After all, she is a former thief.....man, that's some bad company I'm associating myself with. How about I compare myself to the Room by Room co-host Shari Hiller instead.....she's a little too perky for me but hey, she didn't serve time! Now onto the topic at hand.....
That said, does anyone have great ideas for household items used in centerpieces? For example, you can purchase small pumpkins, hollow them out and use them for candle holders. I'd like an idea for the holidays, as a dining room center piece, using fresh greens from a florist or your shrubs (I have hollies, evergreens and huge junipers in the back yard). But putting them in an item you already have around the house. I saw a wooden toolbox used for one in a magazine once....it was so neat - in a country kinda way of decorating.
Ideas - share them!
Here's one - my neighbor tied round multicolored glass type ornaments, with fishing string, from her DR chandelier. At various heights. It was a stunning look. So simple she said but our street raved about it. I haven't stolen her idea....yet!
Mary
That said, does anyone have great ideas for household items used in centerpieces? For example, you can purchase small pumpkins, hollow them out and use them for candle holders. I'd like an idea for the holidays, as a dining room center piece, using fresh greens from a florist or your shrubs (I have hollies, evergreens and huge junipers in the back yard). But putting them in an item you already have around the house. I saw a wooden toolbox used for one in a magazine once....it was so neat - in a country kinda way of decorating.
Ideas - share them!
Here's one - my neighbor tied round multicolored glass type ornaments, with fishing string, from her DR chandelier. At various heights. It was a stunning look. So simple she said but our street raved about it. I haven't stolen her idea....yet!
Mary
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LOL, glad you opted not to throw that ornament, Miss Mary -
for that, I'm grateful!
I remembered seeing an idea in a magazine, last year, that
I might like to try for a centerpiece for Christmas, though it
looks like you might be looking for a Thanksgiving centerpiece.
Take a glass vase, and, really easy - superglue pieces of
round peppermint candy in wrappers all around it. I'm a
real idiot when it comes to decorating ideas, but, that was
one that I saw and thought, "Hey - I can DO that!"
As for you and Martha? Well, I'll take YOUR ideas over
Martha's, any day!
for that, I'm grateful!
I remembered seeing an idea in a magazine, last year, that
I might like to try for a centerpiece for Christmas, though it
looks like you might be looking for a Thanksgiving centerpiece.
Take a glass vase, and, really easy - superglue pieces of
round peppermint candy in wrappers all around it. I'm a
real idiot when it comes to decorating ideas, but, that was
one that I saw and thought, "Hey - I can DO that!"
As for you and Martha? Well, I'll take YOUR ideas over
Martha's, any day!
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Oh I love both yall's ideas!!!! Might use the little pumpkin one with the candles for when I have my parents over for Thanksgiving!! So now I want to share my reciepe for Banana Nut Bread.......I have been making it every Christmas for years ......I'm trying to think 
gosh maybe 12 years now!!! ugggg!!! 
Anyways i used to make like 10 to 12 loaves every year when i was working but now ive down sized it to about 6 to 8.........great christmas gifts!!.....my hubbie always wants me to make some for his manager's at work....so now every year they count on "the boss" cause thats what they all call him LOL...to bring in the banana nut bread every year!!!! 
So if anyone decides to make this.......i use the tin foil pans you can buy in packs at the grocery store.....and i buy the red or green colored plastic wrap they have and wrap it up.....put a bow and a name tag on it and there ya go!!!!!!!!! Yummy bread for a present!!!! And it's always a hit!!!!
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter,softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas(3 to 4 medium)
1/3 cup water 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 chopped walnuts
Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom only of loaf pan. Mix sugar & butter in big bowl. Stir in eggs until blended. Add bananas & water, beat 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts, just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pan. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf pan. Cool completley before slicing.
Pan sizes - 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 or 9x5x3 inches
Enjoy!!!
gosh maybe 12 years now!!! ugggg!!! Anyways i used to make like 10 to 12 loaves every year when i was working but now ive down sized it to about 6 to 8.........great christmas gifts!!.....my hubbie always wants me to make some for his manager's at work....so now every year they count on "the boss" cause thats what they all call him LOL...to bring in the banana nut bread every year!!!!
So if anyone decides to make this.......i use the tin foil pans you can buy in packs at the grocery store.....and i buy the red or green colored plastic wrap they have and wrap it up.....put a bow and a name tag on it and there ya go!!!!!!!!! Yummy bread for a present!!!! And it's always a hit!!!!
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter,softened
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas(3 to 4 medium)
1/3 cup water 1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 chopped walnuts
Heat oven to 350. Grease bottom only of loaf pan. Mix sugar & butter in big bowl. Stir in eggs until blended. Add bananas & water, beat 30 seconds. Stir in remaining ingredients except nuts, just until moistened. Stir in nuts. Pour into pan. Bake 1 hour or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf pan. Cool completley before slicing.
Pan sizes - 8 1/2x4 1/2x2 1/2 or 9x5x3 inches
Enjoy!!!
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Miss Mary
Awww Linda. Christmas 2006 will be a much better year for all of you.
Wish I could send you a real xmas, right now. Things will get better. Have your parents changed their minds about a tree yet?
Amy - thanks for the recipe. Great idea! My next door neighbor made mini-loaves and gave those out to neighbors last year. They were delicious. Two different types - cranberry something and the other was maybe banana too. So good. They didn't even make it to the dinner table. We munched on them and they were gone in a day.
I make caramel popcorn now. But the secret is to make when my family is away from home. Which will be a real challenge this year. Since I work in a school cafeteria, my time away will be when Laura is in school too. When she's home, she keeps taking handfuls. Last year I started my batches by 10 a.m. It was all done by 2, in bags, hidden away. She hit the door and asked - okay, where is it, did you save ANY for me? The dog even wants the popcorn, while it cools on the dining room table. I have to watch each batch like a hawk! I'll post the recipe. It is so easy, trust me. Found it in a Family Circle magazine several years ago.
Linda - again, please know we are here for you. Hugs.
Mary
Wish I could send you a real xmas, right now. Things will get better. Have your parents changed their minds about a tree yet?
Amy - thanks for the recipe. Great idea! My next door neighbor made mini-loaves and gave those out to neighbors last year. They were delicious. Two different types - cranberry something and the other was maybe banana too. So good. They didn't even make it to the dinner table. We munched on them and they were gone in a day.
I make caramel popcorn now. But the secret is to make when my family is away from home. Which will be a real challenge this year. Since I work in a school cafeteria, my time away will be when Laura is in school too. When she's home, she keeps taking handfuls. Last year I started my batches by 10 a.m. It was all done by 2, in bags, hidden away. She hit the door and asked - okay, where is it, did you save ANY for me? The dog even wants the popcorn, while it cools on the dining room table. I have to watch each batch like a hawk! I'll post the recipe. It is so easy, trust me. Found it in a Family Circle magazine several years ago.
Linda - again, please know we are here for you. Hugs.
Mary
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Yum, Amy, thanks! I Looooooove banana-nut bread!
Talk about a "comfort" food!
Linda, you need to pop in here and share your opinions,
'ma dear... it is VITAL...(repeat)...absolutely VITAL that
you do so!
LOL, Mary, you have to watch the popcorn like the turkey
in "A Christmas Story" - remember when the Bumpas' dogs
broke in and nailed "The Old Man's Turkey"? Hilarious!
Talk about a "comfort" food!
Linda, you need to pop in here and share your opinions,
'ma dear... it is VITAL...(repeat)...absolutely VITAL that
you do so!
LOL, Mary, you have to watch the popcorn like the turkey
in "A Christmas Story" - remember when the Bumpas' dogs
broke in and nailed "The Old Man's Turkey"? Hilarious!
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Miss Mary
Found an old holiday recipe thread we had going in 2003. It contains Dennis' caramel popcorn recipe and many others. I have yet to post my caramel popcorn recipe......I'll try to dig it up. It's slightly different from the one Dennis uses. But we own a hotair popcorn maker now. Sooooo much better than using microwave popcorn! I can keep my batches going quickly quickly this way. I get the first one in the oven. Pop more popcorn, measure it out in a huge bowl, put plastic wrap over it. Once the caramel sauce pot is clean, I add all the ingredients for the next batch, while the first one is in the oven. Then the two baking pans I use, I wash quickly with hot tap water. The hot water melts the leftover caramel. I can get the second batch going within 30 minutes of the first one. With microwave popcorn, it really slowed me down. I can pop 5 quarts of popcorn, in mere minutes!
http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic ... sc&start=0
Mary
PS - if you all want a very ~simple~ recipe to hand out during the holidays (work, friends, neighbors), look on the first page of that topic, for the orange spiced tea. You would not believe how easy that is to put together. Just get your supplies organized, small gift bags you buy in packages or individually at card shops or party supply outlet stores (the goody bag size little kids hand out at parties), fill them up, tie with a nice ribbon, putting them inside a holiday mug or nice paper gift bag. I usually throw in loose candy too. You're all set and it was easy-easy! You can also use glass jars instead of gift bags.
http://www.storm2k.org/phpbb2/viewtopic ... sc&start=0
Mary
PS - if you all want a very ~simple~ recipe to hand out during the holidays (work, friends, neighbors), look on the first page of that topic, for the orange spiced tea. You would not believe how easy that is to put together. Just get your supplies organized, small gift bags you buy in packages or individually at card shops or party supply outlet stores (the goody bag size little kids hand out at parties), fill them up, tie with a nice ribbon, putting them inside a holiday mug or nice paper gift bag. I usually throw in loose candy too. You're all set and it was easy-easy! You can also use glass jars instead of gift bags.
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Miss Mary
Miss Mary's Caramel Popcorn recipe.......
Caramel Popcorn
Ingredients:
5 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup unsalted cashews
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1. Pre-heat oven to 225 degrees. Spray 2 roasting pans with nonstick cooking spray. Or one can be a 9 by 13 aluminum cake pan. Mix popped corn and cashews in roasting pans. Set aside.
2. In 3 quart saucepan, combine sugar, syrup, butter, salt and cream of tartar. Bring to boiling, stirring, over medium-high heat. Without stirring, boil until hardball stage, 260 degrees on candy thermometer, 6- 8 minutes. Remove from heat; quickly stir in baking soda. Pour over popcorn in roasting pan. Stir to coat.
3. Bake in 225 degree oven 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread popcorn on waxed paper. Let cool and break apart. Store airtight at room temperature for 1 week.
Note: roasting or aluminum pans work best, not casserole dishes. Cookie sheets are too shallow. While cooking caramel sauce, a wooden spoon works well. While baking, stirring with a large stainless spoon sprayed each time with nonstick cooking spray works well. If not all popcorn is coated, each time you stir, more will become coated. Scrape caramel off bottom of pans, coating more popcorn. Finally, have popcorn and cashews completely ready before beginning sauce. Once it reaches 260, you need to work fast! Enjoy!
Recipe appeared in a Family Circle magazine, 2002.
Ingredients:
5 quarts popped popcorn
1 cup unsalted cashews
2 cups packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1. Pre-heat oven to 225 degrees. Spray 2 roasting pans with nonstick cooking spray. Or one can be a 9 by 13 aluminum cake pan. Mix popped corn and cashews in roasting pans. Set aside.
2. In 3 quart saucepan, combine sugar, syrup, butter, salt and cream of tartar. Bring to boiling, stirring, over medium-high heat. Without stirring, boil until hardball stage, 260 degrees on candy thermometer, 6- 8 minutes. Remove from heat; quickly stir in baking soda. Pour over popcorn in roasting pan. Stir to coat.
3. Bake in 225 degree oven 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread popcorn on waxed paper. Let cool and break apart. Store airtight at room temperature for 1 week.
Note: roasting or aluminum pans work best, not casserole dishes. Cookie sheets are too shallow. While cooking caramel sauce, a wooden spoon works well. While baking, stirring with a large stainless spoon sprayed each time with nonstick cooking spray works well. If not all popcorn is coated, each time you stir, more will become coated. Scrape caramel off bottom of pans, coating more popcorn. Finally, have popcorn and cashews completely ready before beginning sauce. Once it reaches 260, you need to work fast! Enjoy!
Recipe appeared in a Family Circle magazine, 2002.
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O Town
- S2K Supporter
- Posts: 5203
- Age: 50
- Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2005 9:37 pm
- Location: Orlando, Florida 28°35'35"N 81°22'55"W
Sounds great Mary, and not to hard. But ya know I have never purchased one of those candy themometers. Do you do it by eye or do you use one?
Ya know if you are gonna give as gifts you have to do 2 days before X-mas so they will store a week for the giftees. I am right on that. It says only store for a week, or does it really last longer? I think I will give it a whirl. So do you give in cello bags or tins? Thanks Mary, I love Falmily Cirlce, my mother in law started sending me a subscription a year ago or so.
Ya know if you are gonna give as gifts you have to do 2 days before X-mas so they will store a week for the giftees. I am right on that. It says only store for a week, or does it really last longer? I think I will give it a whirl. So do you give in cello bags or tins? Thanks Mary, I love Falmily Cirlce, my mother in law started sending me a subscription a year ago or so.
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Thanks for the recipes and decorating tips posted so far. Man, I could really use some advice about now!
We're having my husband's company Christmas party at our house again. (2nd year) I'm so out of ideas this year. Please help!
I could use some table & centerpiece ideas. I like the stringing ornaments from chandelier idea, Mary.
Last year my neighbor helped me fix the DR table, and it looked awesome, but I don't know if I want to do it 2 yrs in a row. She placed about 3-5 different sized boxes on the table. Strung white lights all around the table. Covered it all with a white sheet or tablecloth. And then covered it with white mesh tule fabric. Then we put desserts on the multi-levels of boxes. It was very elegant looking.
Thanks guys for any help!
Donna
We're having my husband's company Christmas party at our house again. (2nd year) I'm so out of ideas this year. Please help!
I could use some table & centerpiece ideas. I like the stringing ornaments from chandelier idea, Mary.
Last year my neighbor helped me fix the DR table, and it looked awesome, but I don't know if I want to do it 2 yrs in a row. She placed about 3-5 different sized boxes on the table. Strung white lights all around the table. Covered it all with a white sheet or tablecloth. And then covered it with white mesh tule fabric. Then we put desserts on the multi-levels of boxes. It was very elegant looking.
Thanks guys for any help!
Donna
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Miss Mary
Donna - another neighbor who sews, bought many yards of fabric for table runners. She had the main course of our progressive dinner party so she had about 4 tables set up for dinner. She intentionally made the runners longer than the table. She rumbled them all up and placed greens in among the folds and votive candles. The look was stunning. She just used plain tablecloths but because the fabric was dark red, it was very festive. I always want to iron my runners and have them perfect. Her idea was kinda neat.
And one year I bought square candles at staggering heights, put them in a dish, with fresh cut holly from our shrubs. It was a nice centerpiece but it started smouldering! That was pretty funny....someone ran it to me, saying your centerpiece is on fire!
O Town - I like to pass out treats to our neighbors near the last day of school on our street. That way people that travel, are still in town. That's somewhere around the 20th. This year it's late, the 22nd. So I make the popcorn earlier. Then in my family, we celebrate the weekend before xmas, so again, I can make the popcorn earlier, by the 23rd I'm done passing it out. The oven is off! It would be difficult if you were passing it out after the 25th. Cookies might be a better choice.
The candy thermometers are easy to find. In my cooking/baking aisles at the grocery store or Target. I just clip it on the side of my saucepan, making sure the bottom tip doesn't touch the bottom of the pan, but is about 1/2 inch up, so it's in the caramel sauce. In the beginning I unclipped it to make sure the entire caramel batch was 260 degrees. But now I'm made it so much, as soon as it hits 260, I remove the therm., add the baking soda, which is pre-measured and pour it all immediately over the popcorn, already in greased pans. You do have to move very quickly when it hits 260. But if everything is ready, it's not difficult. That last 6 to 8 minute stage when you're watching for it to hit 260, you can't be doing anything else. My family knows, leave me alone. Don't give me a phone call or bother me! Once it's in the oven, you have an hour and can stir it several times, either at 15 or 20 min. intervals. Once I waited 30 min. to stir it and it didn't turn out so well. I prefer stirring it 4 times, every 15 min. Turns out better that way.
Donna - I'll have to think up some good centerpieces. Even just a bowl full of pretty ornaments looks nice but I've never done that. I have several candle rings that I've accumulated over the years. I have too much xmas stuff!
Mary
And one year I bought square candles at staggering heights, put them in a dish, with fresh cut holly from our shrubs. It was a nice centerpiece but it started smouldering! That was pretty funny....someone ran it to me, saying your centerpiece is on fire!
O Town - I like to pass out treats to our neighbors near the last day of school on our street. That way people that travel, are still in town. That's somewhere around the 20th. This year it's late, the 22nd. So I make the popcorn earlier. Then in my family, we celebrate the weekend before xmas, so again, I can make the popcorn earlier, by the 23rd I'm done passing it out. The oven is off! It would be difficult if you were passing it out after the 25th. Cookies might be a better choice.
The candy thermometers are easy to find. In my cooking/baking aisles at the grocery store or Target. I just clip it on the side of my saucepan, making sure the bottom tip doesn't touch the bottom of the pan, but is about 1/2 inch up, so it's in the caramel sauce. In the beginning I unclipped it to make sure the entire caramel batch was 260 degrees. But now I'm made it so much, as soon as it hits 260, I remove the therm., add the baking soda, which is pre-measured and pour it all immediately over the popcorn, already in greased pans. You do have to move very quickly when it hits 260. But if everything is ready, it's not difficult. That last 6 to 8 minute stage when you're watching for it to hit 260, you can't be doing anything else. My family knows, leave me alone. Don't give me a phone call or bother me! Once it's in the oven, you have an hour and can stir it several times, either at 15 or 20 min. intervals. Once I waited 30 min. to stir it and it didn't turn out so well. I prefer stirring it 4 times, every 15 min. Turns out better that way.
Donna - I'll have to think up some good centerpieces. Even just a bowl full of pretty ornaments looks nice but I've never done that. I have several candle rings that I've accumulated over the years. I have too much xmas stuff!
Mary
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Miss Mary wrote:Awww Linda. Christmas 2006 will be a much better year for all of you.
Wish I could send you a real xmas, right now. Things will get better. Have your parents changed their minds about a tree yet?
Amy - thanks for the recipe. Great idea! My next door neighbor made mini-loaves and gave those out to neighbors last year. They were delicious. Two different types - cranberry something and the other was maybe banana too. So good. They didn't even make it to the dinner table. We munched on them and they were gone in a day.
I make caramel popcorn now. But the secret is to make when my family is away from home. Which will be a real challenge this year. Since I work in a school cafeteria, my time away will be when Laura is in school too. When she's home, she keeps taking handfuls. Last year I started my batches by 10 a.m. It was all done by 2, in bags, hidden away. She hit the door and asked - okay, where is it, did you save ANY for me? The dog even wants the popcorn, while it cools on the dining room table. I have to watch each batch like a hawk! I'll post the recipe. It is so easy, trust me. Found it in a Family Circle magazine several years ago.
Linda - again, please know we are here for you. Hugs.
Mary
I said that because I will get FAT FAT FAT. lol. I am reading though, lol.
My Mom changed her mind about her tree.
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CajunMama
- Retired Staff
- Posts: 10790
- Joined: Thu Feb 06, 2003 9:57 pm
- Location: 30.22N, 92.05W Lafayette, LA
Here's a good and easy praline recipe. I make them small and usually add 2 cups of pecans. Great to tuck into little goody baskets!
Microwave Pralines
1 ½ cups light brown sugar
2/3 cups half & half
1/8 tsp. of salt
2 T of melted oleo
1 ½ cups of pecans
Combine sugar, half & half & salt in glass dish. Add oleo. Microwave on high 7-10 minutes stirring once. Stir in pecans. Cool for 1 minute. Time this! Beat by hand by until creamy and thickened about 4 ½ to 5 minutes. Drop onto wax paper.
Microwave Pralines
1 ½ cups light brown sugar
2/3 cups half & half
1/8 tsp. of salt
2 T of melted oleo
1 ½ cups of pecans
Combine sugar, half & half & salt in glass dish. Add oleo. Microwave on high 7-10 minutes stirring once. Stir in pecans. Cool for 1 minute. Time this! Beat by hand by until creamy and thickened about 4 ½ to 5 minutes. Drop onto wax paper.
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I may actually try that one. 
If you don't have a candy thermometer... Here's what the "soft ball" "hard ball" means...
Before you start cooking whatever it is that you need to boil to that stage, line up a few cups with cold water in them and a few teaspoons...
A "soft ball" is when you drop a little of the mixture into a cup of cold water and you can form it into a soft ball. a "hard ball" is just that. Once you actually do this it will make sense...
Lots of people made these recipes (grandmothers, great grandmothers, etc) who did not own candy thermometers...
Before you start cooking whatever it is that you need to boil to that stage, line up a few cups with cold water in them and a few teaspoons...
A "soft ball" is when you drop a little of the mixture into a cup of cold water and you can form it into a soft ball. a "hard ball" is just that. Once you actually do this it will make sense...
Lots of people made these recipes (grandmothers, great grandmothers, etc) who did not own candy thermometers...
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