Simply...This. That. And The Other

Monday, November 19, 2012

Cranberry Poppin' Jezebel Sauce

Happy Monday to you all!

Does it even seem possible that Thanksgiving is THIS week??

Among other Thanksgiving traditions, this cranberry sauce {with a bit of a not-so-nice name!} takes center stage every year. It is used to top the turkey, but has a bunch of other uses during the holidays. I think every holiday table looks more beautiful with a crimson cranberry sauce, don't you?

Thank you, Linda for sharing your recipe with our family so.many.years ago!

{Cranberry Poppin'} Jezebel Sauce

Linda Shaw

1 cup water

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 package {12 oz.} fresh cranberries

Cook for 10 minutes on low boil. You will see and hear the cranberries poppin'! :}

Stir well...and smoosh the berries if you want!

Let cool.

Add 3 tablespoons horseradish sauce { I buy the Trader Joe’s brand without the sugar!}

1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard

Makes 2 1/2 cups of sauce.

Store in glass jars. I had enough for 5 mini canning jars. This is one recipe you will want to double or triple!

These make the perfect little hostess gifts. Just think: one pot, a few measuring spoons, and a measuring cup to wash...a few minutes...and you have hostess gifts ready to give!

Even the pickiest of gourmet friends will be loving this!

Other ideas for your Jezebel Sauce:

*Spread onto a toasted bagel with cream cheese and turkey.

*Pour over cream cheese on a platter with crackers.

*Set brie on puff pastry. Top with a bit of brown sugar and hazelnuts or pecans...and top with a bit of Jezebel sauce. Bake according to directions for puff pastry.

The list goes on and on and on!

Shared with: stone gable

Mini Pecan Pies {in mini clay saucers}

The only thing better than a mini pecan pie...is the BEST PECAN PIE recipe.

It is one thing to have a cute little pie that is all your own, but it is an entirely different story when it tastes even better than it LOOKS!

My dear Southern Belle friend, Penny made these most.delicious pies several years ago and they were honestly the best pecan pies I had ever had...and that was without the rum sauce, ice cream and whipped cream!

I asked her for the recipe and it was the same one I had {on the back of the Karo syrup bottle}...but her secret was doubling the pecans!

No wonder it tasted oh.so.good!

Thank you, Penny for the sweet friendship and your secret to the yummiest pecan pies...EVER! You girls from the South do know a thing or two about baking!

Since I am slightly obsessed with mini clay saucers, I decided to make mini pies in them for this Thanksgiving.

All you need is 12 three-inch saucers that are not glazed.

Wash them up well and let them dry in a warm oven.

Mini Pecan Pies

Karo Syrup and Penny Newton

1 cup Karo syrup

3 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla...I use vodka vanilla or vanilla bean paste

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3 cups pecans...I use 2 cups pieces and 1 cup whole

1 store-bought pie dough...you will only need 1 of the 2 inside

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*.

Mix syrup, eggs, sugar, vanilla, butter and pecans together. {YOU gotta love a one or two dirty dish dessert!}

Roll out pie dough.

Using a cookie cutter, use one that is a bit bigger than your saucers.

I got 12 cut outs from one dough.

Line each saucer and fill with about 1/4 cup of your pecan filling.

Place filled saucers onto a baking sheet and bake @ 350* for about 28 minutes.

...and when your little pies are baked and cool, you just may want to box them up so that they don't disappear before Thanksgiving!!

Happy Wednesday!!

Shared with: Hungry Little Girl, Stone Gable

A Burlap Silverware Caddy

You will not need a sewing machine, a needle and thread or even a glue gun to make this caddy.
Can you believe it?
All I did was cut a piece of burlap.
Then, I placed it over the top of the chair and created a small pocket for the silverware.
I grabbed a piece of ribbon and tied it together and voila...a simple little touch for an un-cluttered table for the holidays.

You will need a glue gun for the little placecard unless you want to pin it on.

These could easily be used for other things as well, but I thought it may be something a little different to place the silverware into a pouch as opposed to sitting on a napkin to the left of the plate!

Happy Monday!

Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Debbie E.!!!!!

Thank YOU to each one of you who left such sweet comments.

We love our bloggy readers...

The Pearson family

A {little vintage} GIVEAWAY

GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED

We {yes, it was my hubby's idea, too!} thought it might be fun to do a little giveaway on our neglected little family blog...what do you think?

With the holidays peeking right around the corner, I decided to make a few gifts that would not require a whole lot of time, zero creativity and no energy...and again, using what I already had. Although I did have to buy a few more tags. They are authentic vintage tags from an estate sale.

My friend had posted the idea on her facebook page. I think it was how they served the milk at the HOTEL where she was staying--thank YOU, Leslie! I really had no idea it was me that it reminded you of!!! Anyhoo, I had the bottles saved for Laurissa's wedding. Thankfully, Caleb only used a few for TARGET practice!!! I think his favorite job will always be to "protect" his family...even his sister who is now a married woman!!! Just ask her! :} Oh, how I love our children!

This pair of vintage-style milk/cream bottles {pint size} would make a perfect gift. You can tailor these to fit the occasion...whatever it may be!

Giveaway Guidelines:

1. Please make sure you are a simply...this.that.and the other bloggy follower.

2. Please leave a comment.

We will randomly select one winner on Saturday, November 10th, 2012 at 9:00 pm PST.

P.S. If you would like something different stamped on the tags, I would be happy to do that for YOU!

Happy {almost} Friday! And can I say HOW excited I am for Christmas music, hot tea and my hubby who changed the outdoor globe lights from 2 hours to 4 hours?? It is the little things...

Love to YOU!

A Bloggy Break

A Strawbery Banke Wedding

Not many things in this world are "perfect"...but this wedding was perfect in every way! Perfectly old-fashioned, perfectly romantic in every detail.

A perfectly stunning bride with her adoring groom...so happy together!

Perfectly wonderful music...just like you would imagine from long, long ago...

Two perfectly colorful butterflies dancing together as the new couple exchanged their vows.

Perfect weather...including a down pour of rain during the cocktail hour.

The perfect time of day: just enough daylight to enjoy the colors and the beauty of an outdoor wedding and plenty of time to take in the glow of the evening lights and the glittering stars far, far above and yet so very close.

It was the perfect blend of family, old friends, new friends. Lots of stories, dancing, childhood friends talking, laughing, reminiscing. I briefly imagined them to be scruffy boys at play...now grown-up and still loving LIFE! Oh it does a heart good to see your hubby enjoying every.minute. of the most special of occasions! It was quite the dreamy night!

It doesn't get much better than spending an Autumn evening in Portsmouth, New Hampshire with your LOVE at a wedding. Thank you, honey for the night and best of all for our walk all.alone...I am always most proud to be YOUR wife, and to be the one YOU chose to love and to cherish.

Perfectly...PERFECT!