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#11 Combining Christmas

#11 Combining Christmas

#11 Combining Christmas

by Jolene Philo & Anne Fleck | Home Again

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We promised links to many of the products, recipes, and crafts mentioned in the Combining Christmas podcast. Let’s start with crafts. First up, is the paper cup/jingle bell ornament that is Tad’s favorite. All you need is a small red or green paper cup, a jingle bell, curling ribbon and a pair of scissors. The pictures below show what to do.

Check out links to some other fun and simple craft links:

Next up, links to recipes that will part of our Christmas celebration:

And finally, here are links to some of the products we mentioned:

Anne’s favorite Christmas CD: John Denver & the Muppets–A Christmas Together
Anne’s favorite version of Dicken’s Christmas Carol: The Muppet Christmas Carol
Our favorite family game: Carcassonne Basic Board Game

Top Ten Thanksgiving Traditions

Top Ten Thanksgiving Traditions

What Thanksgiving traditions are you anticipating this week? Here are my top 10.Thanksgiving is all about tradition…at least at our house. Here are ten of our top traditions in the order in which they occur.

10. All the dog owners bring their dogs to keep the kitchen floor clean.

9.  Generations (4 this year) mingle together creating new links in the chain that stretch into the past we can’t remember and toward the future we can not see.

8.  Everybody brings appointed dishes for the meal…enough to feed a small army.

7.  Once people begin arriving with their appointed dishes, it is imparetive for everyone to talk at the same time. All day long.

6.  Except when chowing down handfuls of Fabulous Franklin Chex Mix to keep up our strength until the meal begins.

5.  Everyone worries there won’t be enough food because we all plan to eat too much.

4.  Certain members of the family guzzle Grandma Josie’s tapioca fruit salad. They are secretly pleased that some people don’t like it so the leftovers can be eaten for Christmas.

3.  After the meal, we play games and games and games and games…

2.  …after the chef pops the turkey carcass into a stock pot and sets it to simmer on the stove…

1.  …and until we’ve digested long enough to make room for pie. With real whipping cream on top.

What are your family Thanksgiving traditions? Leave a comment.

Cranberry-Apple Sauce: Thanksgiving Encore

Cranberry-Apple Sauce: Thanksgiving Encore

Cranberry-Apple-SauceYes, today’s recipe for cranberry-apple sauce is one more encore post in a string of encore appearances that spanned most of October and are now encroaching into November.

But I have a really good reason.

Turns out, authors don’t have much time to cook in months where one book releases and a manuscript is being frantically edited in what may be a vain attempt to get it to the publisher by the November 30 deadline. Add to that a couple family emergencies, a few speaking engagements, and an upcoming visit with kids and grandkids, and it’s hard to find time to cook a thing.

Much less try a new recipe.

So, don’t look for any new recipes to debut along the gravel road this month. Instead, expect to see favorite Thanksgiving dishes like this one grace Wednesday posts until after Turkey Day and the manuscript deadline are both history.

Cranberry-Apple Sauce

1 12 oz. package fresh or frozen cranberries
2 apples, peeled and chopped
2/3–3/4 cup sugar, depending on your taste
1 cup water

Put water and sugar in a medium saucepan and bring mixture to a boil. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add cranberries and apples and return to a full boil. Lower heat to a low boil and cook for 10 minutes. Pour into a bowl. Chill for 2–3 hours before serving.

Top Ten Pie-Making Tips

Top Ten Pie-Making Tips

Pies

Over the weekend, I made 4 pies for a dessert auction at our church. We were raising money for scholarships to send kids to camp. Once the pies were in the oven, these ten pie-making tips came to mind.

10. Always use Grandma Conrad’s Never Fail Pie Crust recipe.

9.   Always use real lard.

8.   Always cover the dough and let it rest for at least 10 minutes before rolling it out.

7.   If you make fruit pies, you can believe pie is sorta good for you.

6.   When making fruit pies, cut the sugar in half and you can believe pie is even better for you.

5.   Contrary to what the name would have you believe, Delicious apples are not delicious in pies. Use Granny Smiths, Jonathans, or Jonagolds instead.

4.   When you’re getting tired of peeling Granny Smith, Jonathan, or Jonagold apples for the pies, imagine happy kids at church camp.

3.   Bake pies in a hot oven (425) at first and turn it down to 400 after the first 15 or 30 minutes for crispy crusts.

2.    Lay a piece of aluminum foil on top of the pie if the top is browning too quickly.

1.   To create memories to last a lifetime, place leftover scraps of dough in a pie plate or flat casserole dish. Drizzle with a little melted butter or margarine, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, and bake until golden brown. Cool for a few minutes before eating or these crispy treats will burn your tongue. Don’t ask me how I know this.

My mom made this special treat for her kids just like her mom made it when her children were little. I used to make it for our kids, and they still think it’s the best treat ever! What traditional goodies does your family like?