How to start a holiday tradition – the hard way

The first Christmas The Bob and I were together, we bought a big, beautiful Christmas tree to decorate. We were so excited – egg nog, Christmas carols on the CD player, the whole nine yards. We got the tree home, stuck it in the tree stand and it jutted out at about a 45º angle. The Bob said not to worry, and he took it out in the garage to start cutting off the crooked part. By the time he cut the trunk so that it would be straight in the stand, our 8' tree was down to 4'. What could we do? At first we were upset – our holiday tree decorating was ruined! But then we just started laughing.

The Bob went and got another tree, but we couldn't bring ourselves to get rid of the "first tree" we ever bought together. So, we turned that dinky sawed off tree into our first Chrismtas tradition – the Kitchen Tree. I had a corner I tucked the tree into and decorated it with a ton of oversized fruit ornaments and my mom's old Christmas cookie cutters, similar to the ones shown here. In keeping with the theme, I used a vintage printed tablecloth as a tree skirt.

Since then, we always have a Kitchen Tree. We took what could have been a really rotten situation, and made something cute out of it. What are your holiday traditions? How did they get started? Creating memories is one of the things the holiday season is all about.

Give your gift wrapping a signature touch

Half the fun of getting a gift is the unwrapping. A carefully wrapped gift creates exitement and anticipation, and shows that the giver cares. Every year I come up with my own signature gift wrapping, but you know if you have spent any time at Home Ec. for Grownups that my method is designed to be a time saver, as well as budget conscious.

Here are some ideas for you to try that have all been successful for me, not to mention very cute!


"Special Delivery"
You'll need:
• Brown kraft paper, found on rolls at your office supply store
• Manila hang tags, also from the office supply store
• Colored markers – I use red and green for a bit of color
• Cotton twine

Wrap the box in the kraft paper as usual, then tie the twine bundle-style around the package. Use the manila hang tag as the gift tag. As a variation on this theme, I have used a stamp pad and holiday stamps to decorate the top of the package, as well as the hang tag.


"Simply Wonderful"
• White rolled kraft paper
• Red grosgrain ribbon – use whatever width you like; I use something like 1/2" or 3/4"
• Mini ornament – I find these in packages of 8 or 10 in stores such as Big Lots

Wrap your boxes in the white paper and tie with the grosgrain ribbon. Be as generous as you can with the ribbon. I never mastered the art of tying a big, fancy bow, but I think a simple bow looks best anyway. Tie a mini ornament in the center of the bow – preferably one that reflects the receipient's tastes or interests.

You can vary the ribbon color on this style. I have used cream on white for a simpler tone-on-tone look, striped green/white gives a more woodsy effect. I think a white, round grommeted tag would be a nice touch on this, but experiment and see what you like. The thing to remember is that each package uses the same white base, saving you time and money.

The beauty of either of these ideas is that when your gifts are all wrapped and under the tree, they become part of the decor. My style tends to be more "country cottage" or "cabin in the woods," but your style tends toward more formal or "glitzy" think about all your gifts in the same metallic paper, with satin ribbon.

I have not decided what my look will be for '07, but I am thinking about a Trapper's Blanket effect using cream or white paper and ribbon "stripes" in black, red, yellow and green.


Try something with your own signature touch this year, and get ready for the compliments you will get, not just for the gift, but for the wrapping!

My Thanksgiving tradition – Cornbread Salad

Bob and I don't remember when I first made this recipe for Thanksgiving – I think I tried it the first year we were together, hoping to impress his family. He thinks I tried it out on him before that. In any case, it was a huge hit, and the story in the family now is that the Cornbread Salad is my "ticket" to Thanksgiving dinner. If I show up without it, I can't get in! It's a joke of course, but I dare not disappoint all my fans!

It's a layered salad with a combination of flavors that's just so crazy it works. Don't let the ingredient list throw you. Yes, it includes sweet pickles, cornbread, tomatoes, onion and green pepper. But it also includes a lot of mayonnaise and a full pound of bacon, so how can you go wrong.

You'll find the recipe on Allrecipes.com. A few tips. I use my mini-chopper to make the dicing faster, and I drain as much liquid out of the veggies as I can before layering them over the cornbread. I also dice up the bacon before frying it to save a step.

I hope yours will be a wonderful day full of great family traditions, like my Cornbread Salad. Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Here's a cool tip for painting projects around the house.

I really love painting projects – it's a fast, inexpensive way to change a room or change the look of a piece of furniture. I am currently painting my old kitchen cabinets, and I am really happy with the results. But, I do NOT love the cleanup, so I try to streamline it.

Here's a simple tip to remember when you're painting and your project will take more than a day to complete. If you're going to be using the same acrylic latex color (not oil based), wrap your roller or brush in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator overnight. I use a small zip-top bag for my smaller brushes, squeezing out the air when sealing. The paint stays moist, and you're ready to go the next day. If it's a project you're not going to get to the very next day, put the wrapped roller or brush in the freezer. You will just need to allow a little time for it to thaw when you're ready to pick your project up again.

I know this sounds a little crazy, but I have done it a million times, always with great results. So, stay "cool" the next time you're painting and you won't sweat the cleanup!

Holiday Decorating with Candy

This is a holiday decoration that I came up with a few years back, mostly out of necessity – we didn't have a lot of money to spend on decorations, so I needed lots of bang for my buck. I used this idea a couple of years in a row, first on our mantle, then in the kitchen, and it never failed to get compliments.


Here's all you need:
• Peppermint candy
• Candy canes
• Peppermint sticks
• Clear glass containers – glasses, vases, hurricanes, whatever you have in the house will work with this idea
• Red satin or grosgrain ribbon, optional

Get enough candy to completely fill several containers. (Hint: Keep them in their wrappers and you can reuse year after year.)

Then just have fun. Hook candy canes around tall, cylinders or clear glass tumblers. Stand peppermint sticks in shorter, rocks glasses and tie with ribbon. Fill a brandy snifter or a martini glass with peppermint candies and tie the stem with a ribbon. Fill the bottom of a vase with peppermint candies and stand peppermint sticks or candy canes to resemble a bouquet in "water."

Then arrange the filled containers all together, varying the height. I suggest placing them in among some greenery or garland for the added color and pop. Little white lights look gorgeous with this, too.

This idea would make a fantastic centerpice for a holiday buffet table (I may do this myself this year!).

How to wear a cheap shirt and get away with it.

This blouse is on sale on the Wal-Mart site for 7 bucks. That's less than two double shot lattes! I picked up two of them in white, so I always have one clean and ready to go. It's a cotton/poly blend, so it washes up great and only needs the lightest touchup with an iron, if that. I intentionally chose white because it goes with everything, and can be dressed up or down. Matter of fact, I'm wearing it today with a tweed suit jacket,a black pencil skirt and high boots. Saturday I wore it with my jeans, penny loafers and gray cardigan.

How can I wear a blouse this cheap and not feel self-conscious? Here's how to get away with it.

1. Layer it. The white collar and cuffs give the look I am going for under a jacket, a sweater or a vest.
2. Don't dress discount head-to-toe. I know many of the new lines at discount stores like Wal-Mart are much better than they used to be, but my general rule is to mix some of my better-quality items with the lower quality.
3. Don't tell anyone what you paid for it! Just wear it with pride, knowing you look very polished and put together!
4. When it starts looking shabby – toss it. When this white blouse starts to look dingy gray, or when/if the fabric pills, I will throw it out. If I happen to get a stain, I'll salvage it if I can by continuing to wear it under other garments. But, when it's time is up, it's gone. It was SEVEN bucks, comeon.

Enjoy the price, wear with pride!

Cinnamon Flavored Coffee – Hold the Barista

I have always been a coffee purist, but The Bob recently convinced me to step a foot outside my comfort zone and try the flavored kind. I do not care for coffee flavored with syrups – for me they taste thickly-sweet and leave a bad aftertaste. So I tried several varieties of coffee with the flavor roasted in, and found a few I enjoyed. Hazelnut was surprisingly NOT one of my favorites. Like cilantro, some people just don't like it; to me it tastes like soap. Cinnamon-versions were a favorite of mine, but as you know, one of my recent money saving initiatives was to take my coffee from home (Cup of Joe for a Lot Less Dough).

So, I started experimenting, and came up with a super-easy tip for making cinnamon coffee at home. The delicious aroma of cinnamon will be in every sip.
This is so simple it's hardly a "recipe." But, here goes.

Fill your coffee maker with water, and prepare the grounds your usual way. Sprinkle the grounds with cinnamon. Brew.

This works with either freshly ground beans or already-ground coffee. I just use a French Roast or some other medium bodied blend.

The amount you use depends on how much of a cinnamon aroma you want. Be careful, though. You can go overboard with cinnamon and it may end up bitter. So, experiment with about 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon for a full pot. Then adjust up or down from there.

Cinnamon coffee from home. No barista needed.

NEW! Creamy, cheesy, chicken rollups

The original was pretty good, but I think this little modification made a difference, and will become my new standard. Bob and I both loved it. Basically, I replaced the flavored Philly from the original recipe with Alouette Spreadable Cheese in their Sundried Tomato and Basil flavor. I swapped a thin slice of deli ham for the prociutto. Also, instead of browning before putting the rollups in the oven, I just put them directly into a 350º oven for about 45 minutes, and they were extra tender and juicy. They weren't as brown as the original recipe, but I sprinkled the tops with salt, pepper and some poultry seasoning, which did give them some color.

So, here's the new, improved "creamy, cheesy chicken rollups" recipe!

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded thin
2 T or so Alouette Spreadable Cheese – I think any flavor would work, but I recommend the sundried tomato!
4 slices deli ham
Salt, pepper & poultry seasoning

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray a 9x12 Pyrex® dish with non-stick spray. Spread a layer of cheese on each chicken breast, then top with a slice of ham. Roll, jellyroll style, and place seam side down in baking dish. Salt, pepper & poultry season to taste. Bake, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Check for doneness. The cheese & the juices from the chicken make a nice sauce right in the pan.

They take a little prep up front, but the result is worth it. They also look pretty enough for company. So, give these a whirl and let me know how they work for you!

Mini-Review – Monster House (2006)

Monster House (2006)

Synopsis: For sale by owner – 3BR, 2BA, two-story fixer-upper; appliances and monster stay.

Finally, an animated film that's an adventure with a bit of an edge. Three teens have a run-in with the cranky neighbor and his, well, very bad house. The three main characters are likable, realistic (for being animated) and they make an interesting, offbeat team. I recommend it. It's a little spooky, a little funny, a little dramatic and quite a bit edgier than other kids movies I have seen.

Note: I thought some of the scenes might be too upsetting for little kids, so you will have to be the judge.

My FIRST Holiday Decorating Purchase – Handhooked Rug from L.L.Bean®

Check out my first (of many) holiday decorating purchase. The Vacationland Hooked Rug from the Holiday Gift Shop at L.L.Bean. I first spotted these in the catalog I received in the mail, but went to the website and found they had many more designs to choose from.

These are absolutely adorable, with a very cool, nostalgic vibe. They're very thick and rich in feel, and look like they cost a lot more than their retail price of $19.50. I am very tempted to order another one (or two!) for the house for this Christmas. I chose "Mountainside," which looks great with our "cabin in the woods" holiday decor.

L.L.Bean comes through for me every time! Go check out their other deals in the Holiday Gift Shop!

Easy and cute crocheted scarf – the perfect Fall craft project

In the Fall, I usually get bitten by the craft bug. I wander craft stores looking for that ONE craft that will bring me nearly instant gratification, and this year, it’s crochet. It’s been years since I picked up a hook, but I decided to do a simple project to refresh my memory, and possibly give me something cute to wear. I have been noticing cute crocheted scarves here and there, and online, so when I ran across a free pattern flyer for this Classic Wool - One-Skein Scarf I grabbed it. I made mine in a rich brown, and had a lot of fun making it. I worked on it for about an hour one evening while watching television, and finished it up in a couple of hours on a Saturday while doing laundry. It’s done in all double crochet stitches, so it’s simple. You can go here to learn learn to crochet. The site has good illustrations of stitches. Now that I have one project under my belt, I’m going for another – this time a simple cloche hat in a brown wool tweed. Looking for a quick, easy and fun project for this fall? Try something crocheted!

Quick, easy, cheap and CUTE Halloween pumpkin idea

If I had time (and patience), I would definitely carve pumpkins to rival Martha Stewart. Unfortnately, I don't have a staff to help me with that, so I am on my own when it comes to holiday decorating.

Bob brought home several pumpkins to decorate our porch this year, and I did a cute fall arrangement of them with a straw bale and some fall foliage. But I wanted to do something a little special with them just for Halloween. My idea is to keep them whole, so hopefully they will last a bit into November.


So, here's the TRICK. I gave my pumpkins "costumes!" Believe me this is so cute, and fast, and cheap! And your neighbors will RUN to the store to copy you next year.

I lined up three pumpkins – two short guys on either side, and a tall "girl" in the center. On each one I put a black plastic mask, which I found at the craft store for about $1 a piece. The elastic holds the masks in place. Then on the center one, I found a black, foam witch's hat that I put on and secured in place with a couple of long nails (T-pins would work as well). The foam makes it weatherproof, too, which is a bonus!

They have adorable "personalities" now!

I'm telling you, try this. You will get lots of comments on your "trick or treaters." This would also work well for a centerpiece for your holiday party. It takes about 2 minutes and less than five bucks. That's a trick and a TREAT!

Botox for your clothes – Magic Sizing

I tried embracing the intentionally-wrinkled look. You know the one I'm talking about – shirts that look like they've been slept in. No. Not for me. I wanted botox for those shirts.

So, I iron. I actually enjoy ironing, (when I'm not running late, then not so much). There's something therapeutic about it. And the end result feels so Martha.

I recently rediscovered a really old-school product that helps me get that fresh, crisp look I am going for. Magic Sizing. I use the light body formula, so it's not at all stiff, but it helps get out the big wrinkles and smooths away the tiny surface wrinkles, too.

Check out their site, which was recently updated. While you're there, download their PDF on "How to Iron." It's a one-pager on how to iron a shirt (yes, believe it or not, there really are steps to ironing a shirt).

Give your shirts the professional treatment. Botox for clothes – Magic Sizing.

Who plays you in the movie of your life? Find out here

If you haven't seen this yet, it's an Internet phenomenon. It's called Face Recognition on MyHeritage and it's pretty amazing. Using some very advanced technology, faces in photos are scanned and matched to faces in a database. It is used for geneology research to identify family members, or even find relatives years later through face recognition.

For me, it was just downright fun. They have a free demo that compares your photo to their database of celebrity photos, and calculates the percentage match. I did both Bob's picture and mine, and here's how we did.

Bob was matched to:
Joey Fatone (N'Sync) (66%)
Alec Baldwin (63%)
Travis Tritt (61%)
Adam Sandler (56%)
Brad Delson (Linkin Park)(55%)
Tom Green (51%)
Barry Williams (Partridge Family)(51%)
David Hasselhoff (51%)

I (can't believe I) was matched to:
Reese Whitherspoon (78%)
Jane Curtain (75%)
Kate Hudson (74%)
Adrianne Curry (74%)
Eva Longoria (74%)
Debra Messing (73%)
Audrey Tautou (73%)
Diana Ross (73%)
Nia Long (72%)
Amanda Holden (72%)

Go, upload away and have some fun!

Pick a pair of pork chops

Growing up, I was the salad and side dish kid. Subsequently I can make a killer Waldorf, but I struggle with the main course, particularly if it's meat. I could spot a boneless, skinless chicken breast, but when it came to various cuts of pork or beef I couldn't tell which chop or steak was which.

I found a nice handy pork chop identification chart that actually shows each kind of pork chop, describes what they are used for and generally what to expect in terms of tenderness. What is shown here is a boneless loin chop – these are what I threw in the oven last night. I covered them in mesquite marinade and baked them at 350º for about 45 minutes and they were tender and juicy.

Now I am the salad and side dish queen – and someday I will be an expert on cuts of meat, too. Check out the chart and let me know what you think!

Hair color and shine booster, without all the trauma

I am hair handicapped. I have always struggled with hair styling products and appliances. Coloring my hair at home is entirely too traumatic for me and I would never attempt to add highlights on my own (think Bride of Frankenstein). So, I'm always on the lookout for products that are easy to use and give me a little confidence boost.

John Frieda® - Luminous Color Glaze™ may be the perfect product for someone like me. While you're still in the shower, you put it on your hair like conditioner, distributing it from roots to ends. Leave it on for three minutes, then rinse. That's it. No mixing. No gloves. No haz mat suit.

This isn't like a major transformation (which is perfect for me), it's just supposed to give your own color a little boost. The company claims that the color will build up over time, and they recommend using it at least three times a week. I have used it for two days now and my hair feels very silky and shiny and I notice today that my color is just a little richer somehow. It's a hair product with no trauma.

Let me know if you try it and how it works for you!

Easy one-skillet meal – Reuben Bake

This was easy. Ridiculously easy. Perfect for a dismal, drizzly Tuesday night. I'm calling it a Reuben Bake, but it starts life in an oven proof skillet.

1 lb. package fully-cooked smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4" disks (I used Beef)
1 15 oz. can sauerkraut, drained and squeezed
1 cup (or so) thousand island dressing
8 slices Swiss cheese
1/2 t. (or so) carraway seeds (opt.)
1/2 t. (or so) paprika (opt.)

Here's all you do.

Heat your oven to 350º. In an oven proof skillet drizzled with some olive oil, brown the smoked sausage over medium heat, then pour off any excess grease. Spread the sausage evenly in the pan. Layer in the sauerkraut, the spices, the dressing and the cheese. Pop into the oven for about 1/2 an hour until it's bubbly and the cheese is lightly browned.

I toasted some dark rye bread for Bob and spooned the Reuben bake over, making open-faced sandwiches. I had it right out of the pan with a small salad. Easy to make, easy to clean up.

Ridiculously easy Reuben Bake.

Mini-Review – X-Men: The Last Stand

X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)

Synopsis: Finally. The cure for the common mutant.

It's very hard for me to be critical of comic book superhero movies (okay, except for Fantastic Four, that was easy). So realize that while I found a lot in the latest installment of the X-Men to like, it pains me to say that there was also a lot I didn't like. Likes: the special effects are impressive, Jean is back (and man, is she pissed) and Wolverine is still crush-worthy. Dislikes: characters with no discernable super powers, characters with useless super powers, super powers that suddenly don't seem very super (come on, if you can FLY, why do you have to move the bridge?), too many new characters to care about and favorite characters that disappear or die for no apparent reason. I guess all that makes me sound like a stickler, but I do appreciate a movie with a good plot, and that was what was missing for me in this film. I recommend it for its main attribute: mindless fun. Some younger kids might find the Jean Grey scenes scary (I did!), so keep in mind the PG-13 rating.

The most important thing I learned from my high school job at McDonald's

Like a lot of people, my first job was working at McDonald's in the small town I grew up in. One thing I learned was humility – because we were required to wear horrible, greasy, polyester uniforms. All these years later I am almost over it.

I did learn one thing that has stuck with me and truly makes a difference in my life. Clean as you go.

In the kitchen. I simply will not start dinner if there are dishes in the sink. Letting the dishes pile up until after dinner just means that I'll still be washing dishes halfway through "Survivor." Taking the few minutes to wash those things up gives me a clean slate to start with. I also run a sink full of soapy water, drop things in as I work and, depending on the cooking time, wash them up while dinner's in the oven. Clean as you go, and you will be out of the kitchen and on the couch much sooner.
In the bedroom. I don't leave for work until the bed is made. If that brings back bad memories of your parents' rules, I apologize. Truth is, they were right. Making the bed only takes a couple of minutes. Then it's done. It makes the room look and feel cleaner. It also makes the room feel calmer. Clean sight lines are important after a long day at work. You will be surprised.
In the living room. One quick pass through a day is all that's needed to tidy up, corral magazines and toss newspapers. I suggest keeping a small trash can in the room – the fewer reasons you have to avoid straightening up the better. Remember: letting the clutter pile up makes for a much bigger chore later on.
In the bathroom. I keep a container of disinfecting wipes right on the counter day to day, and stow them below when company's coming. Keeping them on the counter makes it easy for me to swipe down the counter and sink while I'm brushing my teeth. It smells fresh, too, making the whole bathroom seem cleaner.

My parents told me getting a job at 16 would pay off someday. They may have meant something different, but they were right in one way. I learned – Clean as you go!

Mini-Review – Friday Night Lights

NBC.com - Friday Night Lights

Synopsis: Football isn't the most important thing. Oh wait. Yeah, it is.

Right off the bat I have to tell you that I cried, not once but twice, during the hour-long season premiere. It's a little embarrassing because this show wasn't particularly original. You take a small Texas town, add a brand new high school football coach, a shot of team infighting, shake with one golden-boy quarterback, garnish with who-will-sleep-with-the-head-cheerleader and you've got the makings for your typical football movie.

What got to me was that it had some darn good acting (for the most part), looked like a film rather than a TV series, and was a good story (even if it was familiar), complete with a tear-jerking plot twist and a Hollywood ending. I'm not sure how they will sustain that level throughout the season, but we're willing to watch and see. I will just keep the tissues closeby.