A NOTE TO MY DEAR READERS...

No fancy pictures, or colorful font...just some plain talk today!

Today is my last post here at StoneGable.

CHILDREN TELl THE CHRISTMAS STORY~ SUNDAY SCRIPTURE

The Christmas Story...Told By God


At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decred that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria. All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David's ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. He took with him Mary, his fiancee, who was now obviously pregnant.

And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

UNLEASH THE POWER... OF THE SLOW COOKER!

The holiday's can be a very stressful and busy time for many of us! So much to think about and do! Presents to buy, halls to deck, cards to get out... events to attend, carols to sing! Our lives can get so crazy it leaves us pondering, "I know the real meaning of Christmas is in all of this somewhere but I am too exhausted to look for it"!

THE GREAT CHRISTMAS DINNER PARTY

Let's have a dinner party! Are you jumping up and down.... excited and ready to start planning? Or are you filled with anxiety and stress... thinking about all the work involved? 

Most of us love to go to a dinner party... and love the idea of a dinner party... but many of us don't love hosting  them. 

Let's see if we can change all that!  This post is all about making dinner parties enjoyable and easy...  for the hostess... from planning to clean up!

 I'm setting a table for a dinner party and sharing lots of tips with you. And I have lots and lots of tips!!!!!  Hope some are helpful to you as you plan your next Great Dinner Party!

STONEGABLE'S FARMHOUSE KITCHEN REVEAL

Warning: This is a long post! Grab a drink and settle in...  

You have been VERY VERY patient and kindly persistent!

Last week I posted a Thanksgiving buffet on the kitchen island and had so many comments about getting a "peek" at the new kitchen.  I knew I could not keep my dear readers waiting any longer.

ON THE MENU MONDAY~ WEEK OF DECEMBER 5, 2011

StoneGable is slowly being dressed in Christmas finery! I love the process of decorating for Christmas as much as the final product. 

I don't have many snowmen, santas (except the little wooden triangle Santa my son made in nursery school many years ago) or ready-made decorations anymore.

Over the last few years I have let go of many Christmas decorations and have been collecting "elements". Sticks, picks, greens, pinecones, snowflakes, etc. Each year I round up the every Christmas box and create. I think I love the creative process the best. Picking a theme, shopping the Christmas area of my basement and  getting a few new new things as well. Working on new and fresh ideas for Christmas is so exhilarating. We have many many Christmas tradition that remain the same from year to year, but the decking-the-halls the same is not one!

ON THE MENU MONDAY~ WEEK OF NOVEMBER 29, 2011

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving! I spent this holiday with family and friends and ate waaaaaay too much! It was fabulous!

Christmas season has now started in earnest at StoneGable. We will be busy decorating the outside of StoneGable this week. I am making fresh wreaths for all of the front and side outdoor windows, the front and garage gables and front doors this year.  I just learned a wonderful new way to make a fresh wreath that is soooo easy and it looks spectacular!  Look for a tutorial very soon!

Then it is on to the inside. I usually start with the mantle and move on from there. This year I am saving my fall natural decor and adding yuletide elements to it for a more natural Christmas in our "family living" areas. The tall skinny kitchen tree will take on a whole new look this year... I am thinking about bird's nests sticks and twigs and grapevine.

The formal tree in the foyer will still be full of glitz and sparkle! At least for another year!

Christmas decorating, for me, is a process to be enjoyed! I do love the halls completely decked... but the process is..... SO merry and bright!

Now here's what's ON THE MENU...

MONDAY

Turkey Pie
Roasted Broccoli

Recipe: Individual Turkey Pies

Using leftovers from Thanksgiving is one of the small pleasures in life! Making something new and interesting from what I have in my refrigerator is always so satisfying to me! I am using my chicken pie recipe and substituting turkey. I am also making the crust from the wonderful recipe I discovered at FAITHFULNESS FARM. For the Turkey Pie recipe, click HERE.

TUESDAY
Planked Salmon On The Grill
Arugula, Shaved Parmesan, Pine Nuts In A Lemon Vinaigrette
Confetti Corn


Recipe: Arugula. Shaved Parmesan, Pine Nuts In a Lemon Vinaigrette
1 bag of FRESH baby arugula
1/4 cup shaved good Parmesan
3-4 TBS toasted pine nuts
1/4 cup good olive oil
juice of 1 juicy lemon
1/4 tsp dijon mustard
good dash of kosher salt

Put the bagged arugula in a large salad bowl. 

In a small jar add oil, lemon juice, mustard and salt. Put lid on jar and shake to emulsify. Pour just enough dressing over arugula to coat. Refrigerate the rest.

Add parmesan and pine nuts. Mix. Serve immediately!
Printable Recipe


Recipe: Confetti Corn
I met my dear dear friend Pinky through blogging and we have become close real-life friends! What a blogging blesssings!  She and I get together almost every week. I can't tell you how much she has enriched my life. This beautiful, petite, Liz Taylor look alike (when Liz was young) has such style and a natural easy way about her! And I am so happy that she is my friend! She had a milestone birthday party for her sweet Son-in-law and made this "kicked-up-a-notch" corn. Visit Designs By Pinky and get this yummy corn recipe. Great for Thanksgiving leftovers! Chick HERE to visit!

WEDNESDAY~ Slow Cooker Day
Smoky Slow Cooker Chili
Buttermilk Sweet Cornbread

Recipe: Smoky Slow Cooker Chili
If you like chili, you will be wild about this recipe. My sister, who is a fabulous cook, made this for a family gathering and it was a smashing hit!!!!! She adapted it from a COOKING LIGHT recipe. Thanks, Lisa! I love this chili and you too! This recipe makes a huge slow cooker full of chili goodness.
2 lbs ground pork
2 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3 cups onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups green pepper, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, presssed
3 TBS tomato paste
1 cup beer
3 TBS chili powder
2 TBS cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2 bay leaves
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans of plum tomatoes, undrained and chopped
1 (15 oz) can of pinto beans
1 (7 3/4 oz) can of hot Mexican style tomato sauce
1 large smoked ham hock
1 1/2 TBS sugar
masa harina (corn flour~ not polenta), up to 1/4 cup
chopped green onions
shredded cheddar cheese
sour cream
lime wedges


In a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray, brown and chop the ground pork for about 5 minutes. Drain and put in slow cooker


Respray skillet and add pork shoulder. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add to the slow cooker.


Respray the skillet and add the onions and bell peppers. Saute for about 8 minutes until translucent and soft. Add garlic and cook 1 additional minute. Add tomato paste and cook an additional minute. Add beer and stir. Cook for 1 minute. Add this mixture to the slow cooker.


Add chili powder to the slow cooker along with teh cumin, oregano, pepper, bay leaves, plum tomatoes, pinto beans, tomato sauce and ham hock.


Cook on high for 5 hours. Add sugar and stir. Add masa harina a couple of TBS at a time. Stir in well and let thicken a little. Be patient.  Each TBS may take a little bit to thicken.


Serve in bowls. Pass the green onions, cheddar cheese, sour cream and lime wedges.
Printable Recipe

Recipe: Buttermilk Sweet Cornbread
1/2 cup butter, melted
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 cup white cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease an 8 inch pan.

In a large bowl, beat eggs and add sugar and combine. Stir in butter.
Combine buttermilk and baking soda and stir into egg/sugar/butter mixture.

In a separate bowl combine cornmeal, flour and salt.  Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients in thirds.

Pour batter into pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean when tested.
Printable Recipe


THURSDAY
Eye Roast On The Rotisserie With Pan Gravy
Muffin Tin Onion Gruyere Stacks

Roasted Carrots 

Recipe: Eye Roast On The Rotisserie With Pan Gravy

1~ 3lb beef eye roast
garlic salt
oil


Rub oil and garlic salt over the roast. Put the roast on the spit. Roast until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees for medium rare roast. Let rest for 10 minutes and slice thin. Serve with a little gravy.  

Recipe: Muffin Tin Onion Gruyere Potato Stacks

These are so delicious and very very easy! For the full culinary tutorial with lots of yummy pictures, click HERE.

5 baking potatoes
2 onions, chopped
6 TBS butter
1 1/2 cups grated cheese, Gruyere or cheddar
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper
heavy cream or half and half
cooking spray
thyme sprigs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Thinly slice raw potatoes. I use a Mandolin but they can be carefully hand sliced into thin even slices. Set aside.
Melt butter (about 4 TBS) in a large skillet and saute onion over a low heat until translucent and slightly golden. Add 2-4 TBS butter in the pan and melt the butter. Set aside.

Grate cheese. Gruyere is my favorite but cheddar works great too! Set aside.

Spray all twelve muffin cups of a regular size muffin pan.

 Add 1 slice of potato to the bottom of each muffin cup. Salt and pepper. Add 1 more slice of potato. Top each potato evenly with 1/2 onion and butter. Add 2 more potato slices. Sprinkle 1/2 grated cheese evenly over potatoes. Add 1 more potato slice and salt and pepper. Add 1 more potato slice and evenly add the remaining 1/2 of onion and butter. Add 1 or 2 potato slices and  top evenly with remaining cheese.

Pour 1 TBS cream over each potato stack.

Bake for 35 minutes until potatoes are tender. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.

Run a sharp knife around the edges of each muffin cup and pop each stack out with a fork.

Garnish with thyme.

Printable Recipe

FRIDAY~ BOOK CLUB CHRISTMAS DINNER

SATURDAY
Chicken With Brussels Sprouts And Mustard Sauce
Herbed Roasted Potatoes


Recipe: Chicken With Brussels Sprouts And Mustard Sauce
Another recipe adapted from Cooking Light. This is easy to make and has such great flavors!
2 TBS olive oil, divided
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
salt and pepper
1/2 cup chicken broth, divided
1/4 cup unfiltered apple cider
2 TBS whole-grain Dijon mustard
1 TBS butter, divided
1 TBS fresh parsley
1 lb brussels sprouts


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Wash and dry small brusssels sprouts. Put them into a bowl. Toss with 1 TBS olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning once. Remove from oven and reserve. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees.


Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 1 TBS olive oil. Salt and pepper the chicken and add to the pan.


Cook for 3 minutes or until browned. Turn and brown the other side. Put chicken in the oven to finish cooking, about 10 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and tent with foil.


Heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and the cider. Bring the liquids to a boil, scraping the good brown bits from the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 4 minutes or until thickened. Whisk in mustard, 1 TBS butter and the parsley. Return chicken to the pan along with the brussels sprouts. Coat with the sauce and serve.


SUNDAY
Turkey Noodle Soup
Crusty Bread

Recipe: Turkey Noodle Soup
Save those chicken and turkey carcasses! They make the best soup! I'll make this early in the week and save it for Sunday after church.  I am adapting my chicken noodle soup and using the Thanksgiving Turkey carcass to make a big pot of delicious comfort-food soup! NO need to add additional turkey meat, unless you have some left over from that big turkey! Click HERE to see a tutorial of my very favorite soup! Lots of photos and tips!

Now What's On Your Menu...

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SUNDAY SCRIPTURE~ NOVEMBER 27, 2011

Nazareth, Church of the Annunciation, Israel

Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee, called Nazareth....

And the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary: for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb, and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.

He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end.

Luke 1:26, 31-33

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

A THANKSGIVING PRAYER...  

Dear God, I come to you with a grateful heart for all the countless blessings that You have graciously bestowed on me this year. Blessings great and small and those from You  I never knew about. Thank you for Your sovereign hand in my life. 

Thank You for walking with me and holding me up through the hard times in life, I have felt Your comfort and presence.

Thank You for you love. It is lavish and beyond measure. I see it in so many ways. But it is manifested best in the abundant life from your Son, Jesus.

Help me Lord, to be more aware of my blessings and my gifts from You and help me to share the love You have for all people. Help me be a channel of your love!

Thank you!

To my DEAR readers....

I am so thankful for all of you! It is hard to express how blessed I feel by your friendship, interest and support! You are in my prayers daily!

I pray that you have many blessings to count!

Happy Thanksgiving!

THANKSGIVING PIES

Look at this pie!!!!! Well, what I really want you to see is the pie dough! 

These pies just came out of the oven and I was holding my breath! I am NOT  a baker and baking is often a stressful experience for me! YIKES!

Although I always make my own pie dough it usually a very trying experience! I do use Martha's Pate' Brisee with good success, but I really like a short crust better (made with shortening as opposed to all butter)!

I think I have found the perfect balance between a butter and short crust... from FAITHFULNESS FARM ! My dear blogging friend, Mrs. P posted a recipe for a "fool proof pie dough". And being no fool, I tried it.

It was a delight to work with!!! This is the first time I have ever made a pie and didn't want to say a bad word!!!!

It tastes so delicious too! If you still need to bake a pie, run over and get this recipe!  FAITHFULNESS FARM'S FOOLPROOF PIE DOUGH  is a keeper, for sure. You will love FAITHFULNESS FARM ! So full of homey great food and it is infused with the sweet ways of Mrs. P!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!