It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like the Holidays!!

The one thing that can really be irritating about working retail is that Christmas starts in July - now I like the music, the trees, the sparkling everything just as much as the next person, but I need to WAIT 6 months to put up a tree when the ornaments start arriving...so needless to say, I have been planning my christmas tree for 1/2 a year. This year is ALSO really important to me, as I officially have my first menorah thanks to my parents as a wonderful wedding gift, so that will also go up just in time for Hannukah!

Normally, I like to get the tree up the day after Thanksgiving; however, work came first this year, so I waited until this evening so Kevin and I could be together.

There are a few things that must happen when you put up a Christmas tree/holiday bush/whatever anyone wants to call it. 

1. Always play holiday music in the background - it gets the mood very festive, cheerful, comforting, and exciting.

2. If possible - do it while it is raining/and or snowing outside. Why you might ask? Well, what better way to enjoy bad weather than to have this moment INSIDE!

3. Always start by putting lights on the inside of the tree first. This was something my dad taught me. go all the way down the tree and even back up with lights around the core of the tree - then work your way out to the tips. The tree looks amazing when you do this!

Phase 1 of the tree: lights - complete!

 4. If you own a dog/puppy - make sure to keep them occupied!!!!! We bought ours very very large bones!

Neat ideas to add to your tree
1. Wrap a thick (2 inch) sheer ribbon loosly around the trees - this is a designing tip from my mom, and the tree looks magical with it.

2. Add christmas picks by wrapping the around the core of the tree (I got 50 cent christmas picks at michaels, which look like bundles with birds, berries, and sparkly pinecones, with a long wire at the end. This helps fill in any holes the tree has between the branches.

3. Add your sparkly ornaments first- this includes balls, icicles, snowflakes, whatever you have multiple of.  I used an assortment - I have sparkly acorns which remind me of my mom, sparkly fruit which are decorative bowl fillers that I made into ornaments, I have frosted icicles and snowflakes I got for 2 dollars for a back of 24 each at Walmart, I have regular ornament balls in silver, white and red, as well as my favorite one this year, which is my sparkly bristle bear.

My favorite ornament this year - I love this bear!

4. Add the fun ornaments last - this way they will stick out the most and if you have kids - or even a playful husband, they can put them wherever they want - the tree is fair game!

Oscar and Pluto

There had to be a 49ers ornament on our tree :)

Penguin!!!!

5. Go on a walk and collect real pincones and place them on the interior of the tree, resting on the branches - it gives the tree a woodsy look.

6. Lastly top the tree - I always grew up without a star, my mom would put angels, or her classic doll at the top of the tree, which i guess I take after her for. I found a really beautiful peacock clip this year, that I put on the top. Hopefully you all enjoy the pictures!

 Final Product Images:

Our First Hosted Thanksgiving!

Well, as we are now officially a married couple :), and Kevin is no longer getting deployed, we offered to throw our first ever thanksgiving feast....Let me tell you, it was VERY VERY good!

On the Menu:

Homemade Stuffing - 3rd generation Recipe from my grandmother --> my mother--> then me!!
Mac Daddy Mac N Cheese - Kevin's specialty
Green Been Casserole
Homemade Mashed Potatoes
Cranberry Applesauce - Another 1st try by me that was my grandmother's recipe passed down to my mother and then to me...it is really the best!
Lots of Turkey - Also made by Kevin
Rolls
Thick and Peppered Gravy - amazing!
Pumpkin Pie - make sure you bake it first ;)
Strawberry Cake
Pecan Pie

Below are pictures of our progress and the food!

Sauteing the celery and onions for the stuffing

grinding up different spices

Homemade stuffing like my moms! Amazing!!

I can't even tell you how proud I was with how this turned out!

The Layout:

Kevin made this look and taste incredible!

CRANBERRY APPLESAUCE!!!

Stuffing

Greenbean Casserole - Thanks to our friend Ana

Dessert - Thank you to all of our guests that brought pies and cakes!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!!

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti with Sausage-Mushroom Sauce

Active: 25 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Kosher Salt
3 teaspoons of extra-virgin olice oil
3/4 pound sweet or spicy italian sausage - casings removed (we used precooked sausage 1/4, and 3/4 pound of ground beef)
1 8 ounce package sliced mixed mushrooms
Freshley ground pepper
3 tablespoons tomato paste (I used 4)
1 Teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary (I also added basil and parsley)
1/4 cup of heavy cream (DON'T do what I did and misread this as 3/4 - I ended up with an EXTREMELY rich dish - the 2nd batch was perfect with just 1/4)
Shredded Parmesan cheese, for topping

- be prepared for a rich, powerful and comfort food taste with this AMAZING recipe I tried from the food network monthly issued magazine.

Recipe:

1. Bring pot of salted water  to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook as the label directs. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking water, then drain. 

2. Meanwhile, heat 1 teaspoon  olice oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage (and ground beef if you prefer) and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spook until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

3. Add the remaining 2 teaspoons olive oil to the skillet and increase the heat to medium high. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook until lightly browned, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and rosemary and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Return the sausage to the skillet, then add the cream and 1 cup water, bring to a gentle simmer and cook until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

4. Add the spaghetti to the skillet and toss with sauce, adding some of the reserved cooking water to loosen, if needed. Top with shredded parmesan.

This was honestly some of the best spaghetti (with the exception of my mother's recipe), I have ever eaten.

Strongly recommended - 5 Stars!!

Hope you enjoy!

What was I doing on 11/11/11?

   

I feel like this might be one of those days where people look back and ask "where were YOU on 11/11/11?" People are so crazy as to even have their physician's deliver babies early so that they can have this birthday....True...it will not come again, so I figured, might as well try and remember it!


Well I started off the day being able to SLEEP IN! Way to go dogs! I didn't get the paw in the face until around 8:30! Kevin left for a hair cut, so i felt the need to be very productive watching television until 12:00! I don't get to do that very often, so I figured I would try and enjoy it :)

Yes, I have the most hideous paper that I have been procrastinating on for the last month now, due on Tuesday, but I just couldn't find the push today to sit down an research. Kevin bought the new game Skyrim, which I am actually really looking forward to trying to play, and while he was doing that - I was making homemade Miso soup with Korean noodles....it was superb

Miso Soup Recipe:
1 can of beef stock
Korean noodles (your choice as to thickness)
3 large Mushrooms
1/4 red onion
2 chopped green onions
2 large spoonfulls of miso seasoning
1 tablespoon of ginger

Slice mushrooms thinly
Slice red onion in wedges
Fill a quart sized pot with beef stock, red onion, mushrooms, miso seasoning and ginger
Top pot off with water (enough so that it would be full enough to boil noodles)
Keep on medium - medium/high heat for 15 minutes

Add noodles - boil for 5 more minutes

Place chopped green onions on top and serve!


Seeming it was also a perfect day at around 65 degrees - we decided to take the pups out on a nature walk around the neighborhood - which is only an awesome opportunity to pull the camera out and take some shots of where I live!

pigeons perched on a tree

Beautiful tall grasses

This tree caught my eye from the end of the street

Me and the Hubby after our walk

I loved how the sun it the edge of the leaves on this tree - it was stunning!

Another photo of Kevin and me

My favorite photo from the day, the pine tree looks like it is burning

A crazy sculpture in someone's front yard

I loved how the sun cut this tree in half

Something about these trees was very calming - there are actually three different trees in this photo

I have no idea what this, but it looks like a giraffe or something

Another one of my favorites, this tree looked highlighted by the sun

I found another one of these plants growing in someone's yard - I still have no idea what it is

A surprise among the plants

He wasn't moving, I almost wondered if he was dead

ah.....fall is here!

Here gives a picture of how beautiful and tall the trees are on my street

More of my favorite - PINE CONES!

Another view of my street...

When I came home, I was happily suprised by my pups waiting for me in the window - they were soooo excited!!!!