Red and Green

 Red is that passionate color in romance and love

But beware of fire, danger, and stop signs above.

Green, red's best contrast, represents life in holly and trees

But its beverage choices are rare unless you're drinking green tea.

When these two colors are beautifully combined,

You can bet it's Merry Christmas time:

Comfort Casserole

 2-10 ounces packages frozen broccoli

2 cups diced cooked chicken

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup\

1 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 cup shredded sharp cheese (or change it up)

1 cup soft bread crumbs

1 tablespoon butter

Grease an 8x11 baking dish.  Put oven to 350.

Place broccoli into a pan of boiling water with salt and cook till tender.

Put broccoli in the baking dish and layer chicken on top.

Combine salad dressing, curry powder, soup, and lemon juice in a bowl and pour over chicken and sprinkle with cheese.

In another bowl combine the bread crumbs with the butter and sprinkle on top of the casserole.

Bake until golden brown about 25-30 minutes.

Oatmeal Cookies

 1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 cups of flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter softened

1 1/2 cups maple syrup

2 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

6 cups of old fashioned rolled oats

Raisins, and or nuts of  your choice, optional

Prepare 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray. Oven should be on 350.  In a large bowl beat the butter, syrup, sugar, eggs and vanilla together with an electric mixer.

Stir in the oats.

In another bowl stir baking soda, salt and flour together.

Into the cream mixture add dry ingredients and stir in well.

If using raisins or nuts add at this time.

By rounded teaspoons drop cookies onto prepared sheets about 2" apart.

Bake: 12-15 minutes

Yields about 6 dozen cookies

Few Poems from Helen Steiner Rice Christmas Blessings Book

Giving

Christmas is a season of giving

And giving is the key to living.

So let us give ourselves away,

Not just at Christmas but every day

And remember a kind and thoughtful deed

Or a hand outstretched in time of need

Is the rarest of gifts, for it is a part

Not of the purse, but a loving heart.

And he who gives of himself will find

True joy of heart and peace of mind

       Peace

     on earth

will come to stay 

   When we live 

      Christmas

      every day.

Christmas Glitter

With our eyes

we see the glitter

of Christmas,

With our ears

we hear the merriment,

With our hands

we touch the

tinsel-tied trinkets,

But only

with our hearts

can we feel

the miracle of it.

God Bless You at Christmas

God Bless you at Christmas

|And go with you through the year,

And whenever you are troubled

May you feel His presence near:

May the greatness of His mercy

And the sweetness of His peace

Bring you everlasting comfort

And the joys that never cease

God, Make Us Aware

God, make us aware

            that in Thy name

|The Holy Christ Child

            humbly came

To live on earth

         and leave behind

New faith and hope

          for all mankind.

And make us aware

             that the Christmas story

Is everyone's promise 

           of eternal glory.

Snack Mix

 Munch & Crunch Snack Mix

1 cup mini pretzels

1 cup corn chips

1 cup oyster crackers

1 cup pumpkin seeds toasted

1 cup honey roasted peanuts

2 tablespoons margarine, melted

2 tablespoons brown sugar packed

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon onion salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Toss the first 5 ingredients together in a large mixing bowl, set aside.  Whisk remaining ingredients together and pour over snack mix stirring to coat. Spread mix in a roasting pan bake at 300 degrees for 25 minutes stirring after 12 minutes.  Cool completely and store in airtight container.

Flavored Mixes

 I feel guilty when I post recipes that I haven't tried.  But I do tell---I haven't made yet.

I don't drink coffee and I don't do flavor teas, but was thinking others could be interested in these so will post.

Cappuccino Mix in a Jar

1 cup powdered non dairy creamer

1 cup chocolate drink mix

3/4 cup instant coffee granules

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and place in an airtight container.

Makes 4 servings

Attach Instructions:

Place 2 tablespoons in a mug, add 3/4 cup boiling water and stir till dissolved. Makes 1 cup.

Cinna-Mocha Mix

1 3/4 cup powdered non dairy creamer

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1/3 cup instant coffee granules

1/4 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse until finely ground.  Store in an airtight container.

Makes 14 servings

Attach Instructions:

To serve, stir 1/4 cup mix into 3/4 cup boiling water.

Cheery Cherry Hot Cocoa Mix (this one I want to try)

3/4 cup hot chocolate mix

3/4 teaspoon cheery mix

4 cherry flavored licorice twists

Combine first 2 ingredients in a plastic zip lock bag shaking to mix.  Wrap licorice twists in plastic wrap and attach to mix.

Makes about 1 cup

Attach Instructions:

Add 3 tablespoons mix 3/4 cup boiling water stirring well with one licorice twist.  Makes 1 serving.

Relaxing Tea Creamer Mix

1 teaspoon cardamom

1 teaspoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Stir ingredients together cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.  Pour into airtight container and store in refrigerator. 

Makes about 2 cups

Attach Instructions:

Add 2 teaspoons creamer to a cup of brewed strong black tea stirring well.  Makes 1 serving.

Some Ideals

Use plastic clear ball ornaments --in all different sizes--to make a snowball tree or to add a few ornaments to any tree.  Coat with white glue, mod podge, or spray adhesive and then roll in glitter to coat. May have to roll twice.  So many different kinds of glitter and the snowflakes etc. to roll in and have different looking snowballs.  Let dry completely.  I would probably spray alittle clear coat on them to seal the glitter on.

When at antique shops, flea markets or rummage sales look for chandelier prisms to make ornaments or to hang on garlands on mantles or staircases.  Also, while at those places besides looking for plates to give goodies on platters work too for bread and flavored butters and just cookies/candies.

I use my big old glass pickle jar (3 or so gallon) and fill with pine cones and put white lights all thru out it.

Cut wrapping paper into about 4" squares and have family members write down fun things to do on blank side thru the Christmas season .  Fold and put into jar. Each day draw one activity to do together.  If you get grandkids overnight or a weekend--you may have to do a few!

If you have any spare grapevine (or get wild grapevine) soak in warm water until pliable.  using inflated balloons of  whatever sizes you want, gently wrap it around the balloon forming a sphere making it as dense or sparse as you choose. Once the vine is dried pop the balloon.  These spheres look really  magical wired with tiny twinkling white lights suspended from bare tree branches, in windows, bathrooms or anywhere you want to put some cheer up.

A gift to start while children or grandchildren are young.  Get a recipe box and start writing down those favorite recipes with any stories or memories you have about them.  When child is older and on own they will have the treasured recipes besides having to ask for them or the chance of not getting them.