Cinnamon Chips & Fruit Salsa

While home for the holidays, my mother-in-law had made this Fruit Salsa & Cinnamon Chips recipe which I thought was amazing, so I decided to make it for our friends at the cabin for NYE.

It was super easy and takes about 20 minutes total!

First, cut flour tortillas into wedges...brush on some butter and dust with some a cinnamon- white sugar mixture. Bake for 10 minutes or less at 350 degrees.

Next, dice up the fruit in tiny pieces for a nice mixture. I altered it from my mother-in-law's recipe - based on my grocery store availability. I combined one golden delicious apple, blackberries, raspeberries, and strawberries. Complete the fruit with two tbsp of brown sugar to help marinate the salsa and bring out the juices and flavors.

Serve warm chips with fresh salsa and enjoy!  

Bacon-wrapped Green Bean Bundles

Everything is better with bacon, right? I was happy to run across the Williams Sonoma recipe for Bacon-wrapped Green Bean Bundles, just in time for thanksgiving!
 

 

Wrapped with a strip of bacon, these green bean bundles add an elegant touch to the Thanksgiving table. To get a head start, you can trim and blanch the beans a day in advance, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 8 thick bacon slices
• 6 Tbs. (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 3/4 tsp. roasted garlic powder
• 1 1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and blanched
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

In a large nonstick fry pan over medium heat, cook the bacon in batches until the slices are just beginning to brown along the edges but are still very underdone and pliable, 4 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool, then cut each slice in half crosswise.

In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, salt and garlic powder.

Divide the green beans into 16 equal portions, about 6 beans each. Gather each portion into a neat bunch and wrap a half slice of bacon around the center to hold the beans together. Place the bundles on the prepared baking sheet with the loose ends of the bacon underneath. Sprinkle the brown sugar evenly over the bundles and drizzle with the butter mixture.

Roast until the bacon is cooked through and browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand for 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the green bean bundles to a warmed platter and serve immediately. Serves 8 to 10.

Miss L was able to enjoy a full turkey dinner this year with us!
Last Thanksgiving, we had to stuff a blanket behind her to fit in the highchair.

Final product...delicious! And good for any dinner - not just a holiday!

Her headband or head looks funny b/c of the shadows...anyhow - Happy Thanksgiving!

Our Thanksgiving Day begins with a light breakfast while watching the Parade...followed by various appetizers in the afternoon during football, followed by our traditional feast in the eve.

Below is our cheese tray - Jeremy's fave: Blue, I'm a gorgonzola + honey + pear on a cracker type
J also enjoys the Asiago- he shreds, I like Gouda, we had some sharp cheddar for little girl, summer sausage and some proscuitto-wrapped mozzorella - mmmmm.



Ugly Christmas Sweater

Two stores, 90 minutes and Twenty dollars later...and Jeremy now owns an Ugly Christmas Sweater. And it is UGGGLYYY!

He wanted to wear one to work, in an effort to create buzz surrounding the upcoming large staff Christmas Party! So, off to the M-O-A we went...not coming home without a sweater. Good thing, we have the store, Ragstock, with "1000's of Ugly Christmas Sweaters" per their large banners at all 3 locations at MOA.

This beautiful sweater works well for the big guy because features a knit-in Christmas Tree (no embellishments to cheat the way to the ugliest sweater!)...also, it's a VEST, and Jeremy's staff has experienced Jeremy in a sweater vest on multiple occasions...lastly, it has a gray cell phone pocket on the left side of the vest - perfect for the crackberry!

He is such a great manager, getting into the spirit and having fun with his staff! Suffice it to say - it was a big hit and required an encore presentation the following week!

Happy Holidays!

A Holiday Cookie Exchange

This weekend, Miss L and I hosted a holiday cookie exchange for some of the neighborhood ladies. I must admit...party prep now takes twice as long with Miss L. And I also must admit that parties at our home could never be made possible without the help of my partner-in-crime, Jeremy.

We sent out an evite 3 weeks in advance and planned for the lil' soiree on a Saturday morning in December.
Everyone brought 4 dozen cookies or sweet treats to share. With about 15 ladies bringing delicious baked goods, I knew this was going to be good! So, I provided foil lasagna pans for everyone to fill as they circled the table - starting with taking 3 treats on round 1, followed by 2 treats on round 2...and so on, until we had a platter of assorted cookies. See photo below...

A couple of party-planning notes, I am thankful I remembered to turn down the thermostat a couple of hours prior to the party. When you have a group of people together, the body heat warms the house...just fine! (Plus, I wanted to have the fireplace on!) Also, be sure to have index cards available for guests to write their recipe on, if they forgot recipe cards to share; as well as some sort of place card/marker to identify who and what the treat is!

A cookie exchanges or swap is a great way to enjoy a variety of cookies in your home during the holidays...but it is an even better way to share in the spirit of the season with friends - new and old! I highly suggest hosting one in your neighborhood.