We picked up the tree yesterday. The lights got on and the kids put on ornaments but I may have to take them off to put on ribbon or a star chain. It looks pretty bare without garland of some sort. Will take a picture when it's done.
Christmas is a coming as I made my first batch of Toffee. (I'm finding it's pretty hard to take good pictures of food!)Amanda, Heidi and I did get up yesterday and left the house a little after six. (The plan was to leave at six but when I went upstairs to see if the girls were ready, I found them still asleep!) I'm really glad we went. I did get quite a few things. I was surprised that the stores weren't busier than they were. It actually was pretty fun and feels good to get such a good start on my Christmas shopping.
4 comments:
That toffee is my favorite treat..I always hope to see it at the "H" Christmas party. Another of your specialities is that southwestern dip with black beans and corn...could you post that one?
Sue, here is that dip recipe. It is a Pampered Chef recipe. Heidi made it today. I was out of the Pampered Chef Southwestern Seasoning so she used a Tex Mex Beef Chili Seasoning I had and the kids said it was good. I didn't taste it as we took the two engaged couples out to eat and I was (am) stuffed.
BLACK BEAN SALSA DIP
Dip
2 packages (8 ounces each) fat-free cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Pantry Southwestern Seasoning Mix
2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced, divided
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 can (3.25 ounces) pitted ripe olives, drained and chopped
3/4 cup salsa
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (8.75 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
For dip, combine cream cheese, mayonnaise and seasoning mix in Small Batter Bowl; whisk until smooth using Stainless Steel Whisk. Attach closed star tip to Easy Accent Decorator. Fill decorator with 1 cup of the cream cheese mixture; set aside. Spread remaining cream cheese mixture over bottom and halfway up sides of Oval Baker using Skinny Scraper. Slice green onions using Chef’s Knife; set aside 2 tablespoons for garnish. Finely dice bell pepper. Using Food Chopper, chop olives. In Classic Batter Bowl, combine remaining green onions, bell pepper, olives, salsa, garlic pressed with Garlic Press, black beans and corn; mix well using Mix ’N Scraper. Spoon half of the salsa mixture over cream cheese layer. Pipe half of the reserved cream cheese mixture in a zigzag pattern over salsa layer. Top with remaining salsa mixture. Pipe a decorative border around edge of bowl using decorator. Sprinkle with reserved green onions. To serve, arrange tortilla chips around edge of dip. Serve using Bamboo Spooners.
I think the color and texture is what makes it fun to take pictures in the kitchen w/ the finished product, BUT lighting is always a challenge for me cuz my kitchen has a lot of windows and natural light. I guess there's ways around the lighting issues but then that takes all the fun out of it.
THANKS for the recipe, I'm trying that one for our couples party.
Thanks Anne!
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