My Thanksgiving Weekend- In Pictures

Hope yours was great--my Thanksgiving weekend was just what I needed--relaxing, with lots of fun fall eating and activity to get me ready for the holiday season!  Here are some pictures:

The perfect tree- found at Ray's roadside stand, near the Lowe's on Garners Ferry Road--so affordable!

Our mantle--with amazing blue tinsel garland that James thinks is tacky as hell, but I love!

Homemade pomanders--they smell amazing, and are pretty darn festive-looking as well, if I do say so myself.

James cutting firewood at my Grandmother's farm

My grandparents named their farm after my dad, Steve and my aunt, Becky (Stebeck)

A fun and festive weekend!

Now I'm gearing up for my first-ever Cookie Swap this Saturday, and then our annual Holiday Party Saturday night; so much cooking and decorating (and cleaning!) to do, but I love it!  What are your weekend plans?

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Thanksgiving Week Excitement

The week has already been busy--here's what has been going on with me:

Yesterday was my and James' 2nd wedding anniversary.  Two years has flown by--and it has been so fun.  I had to teach last night, so when I got home James had Village Idiot pizza waiting (yum-the Hurricane pizza is to die for)*, as well as a dozen red roses and a necklace he picked out from an antique store all on his own.

(He knows me well--I do love a vintage piece!)  He is amazing and thoughtful.  We're going out to dinner Friday night to really celebrate and he says I have another gift coming that night...I am a lucky girl.

This morning I went to the Doctor for my 28 week pre-natal check up.  I had to do the gestational diabetes test, and I passed with flying colors.  Blood pressure is good, fetal heart rate is normal, and all is well with me and Jones.  I am measuring a week ahead of schedule, so he will probably make his appearance well before the February 14th due date.

Over the weekend I made James get the Christmas decorations down from the attic and attempted to start decorating--he talked me into waiting until the day after Thanksgiving for most things though.

And I also attempted to make bread from my starter for the very first time.  The results were less than stellar.  The dough came together well, rose well the first time around, but then I just couldn't get it to rise as much as it should have the second time around, so it ended up very flat, hard and heavy after baking.  I am going to try again tomorrow afternoon.

Looks good here, but wait...

A bread brick.

I am working on the knitted baby blanket--see my progress below.  It's going to take me while, but so far, so good.

I am also going to attempt to make a Peanut Butter Chocolate Tart with a Pretzel Crust tomorrow to take to Thanksgiving at my grandmother's house--I'll let you know how that goes.

Happy Thanksgiving Week, everyone!  If you're in Columbia and looking to shop this weekend, keep your local retailers in mind and support Small Business Saturday!

And, just because-- pictures of some of my favorite boys: my nephews, Ben and Taylor, and James and our dingo, Peach.

XO, Becca

*Village Idiot on Forest Drive has an amazing Monday deal where you can buy any size/topping pizza and get one FREE of equal or lesser value!

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Holiday Entertaining Gift Guide

For that person who loves to entertain, (and we know who we are!):

Love this Tasto Chip and Dip Set by David Holcomb for the MOMA Store

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The bowl holds colorful, removable pouches to fill with different dips!

4 Placecard Holder-Ornaments from Crate & Barrel

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Simple, gold wire trees--and 4 for only $10!

Beautiful Topography Dessert Plates by Rebekah Maysles for Anthropologie

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The Little Pink Book of Cocktails by Madeline Teachett

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Creative cocktails and clever quotations, for only $9.95 from Urban Outfitters.

Vintage Silver Plate and Crystal Ice Bucket from Etsy

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Can you say classy and kitchy?!

And finally, a display piece for your gorgeous cookies, cupcakes or cake: 

Vintage Fenton Hobnail Milkglass Cake Stand from Etsy

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I adore hobnail and milkglass...and baking.  Perfect!

And there you have it--some super-cool, modern and vintage entertaining pieces for the entertainer on your list this holiday season!

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My Foray into Holiday Baking

I am happy to report that the holiday baking did occur; late night on December 23rd, and the afternoon of the 24th, before I hosted my family for Christmas Eve dinner. I ended up baking gingerbread cookies, pistachio shortbread, and chocolate covered peanut butter balls. All were successful, thanks to the help of my hubs and my friend Amy.


Didn't get pictures of the pistachio cookies or balls, but here are some pics of the gingerbread.

(A few were armless or legless, but diversity is important).

I packed the gingerbread, pistachio cookies, and balls into holiday Ziploc containers for the neighbors and friends and family.

Did you bake this year?

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Wishful Holiday Baking

I love the thought of baking and creating yummy treats to wrap in pretty containers and give away as Christmas gifts. I still remember the trays of goodies that we received from various neighbors when I was growing up--there were certain ones you always looked forward to because the ladies who made them made the same delicacies each year.

My favorite were the iced sugar cookies dotted with red hots, silver balls, and colored sugar--my sister and I would fight over those.Our backdoor neighbor, Mrs. Gray always made those...wonder if I could get her recipe...

Of course gingerbread people were a staple too, and various other traditional cookies like Italian Wedding Cookies, macaroons, and various fruit-filled or studded kinds, (which I of course avoided like the plague).

Up to this point, my holiday baking has consisted of 2 items: chocolate-covered peanut butter balls and sugar cookies. The peanut butter balls I am pretty damn good at, if I do say so myself. My good friend Amy and I have been making these together for years now; they're pretty labor-intensive, but not difficult, and well worth the effort.

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Not to mention making them makes me think of that hilarious SNL sketch where Alec Baldwin Ana Gasteyer, and Molly Shannon talk about "Schweddy Balls."

I tried to take basic sugar cookies with white icing to another level a few years ago when I bought a set of 3-D cookie cutters from Nordic Ware that promised cookies that look like this:

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Now, I know what you may be thinking...I was pretty naive to think my cookies would come out like the picture, but honestly, my naivete when it comes to holiday baking never ceases to amaze even me. Needless to say, my cookies were not picture-perfect...the bell looked a bit like a large be-headed woman in culottes and the reindeer like a rabid downward-facing dog with no front legs...too bad my pride was too hurt to take pictures.

So, I have decided, (naively, I am sure), to venture into new holiday baking territory this year and make the following recipes to wrap up ever so sweetly and pass on to neighbors, friends, and loved ones...beware:

Mary Ellen Rae's Cardamom Pistachio Cookies

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The Wednesday Chef, a blog that I read regularly, featured these cookies this week, and I think they look heavenly. And possibly easy enough for me not to ruin.

Molasses Gingerbread Cookies

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Now, I'm sure mine won't look as perfect, but hopefully they will be that soft-bready type of gingerbread...that's my favorite kind.

And, I'm going to continue my tradition of making the peanut butter balls and iced sugar cookies, (although they will be decidedly 2-D; Nordicware cookie cutters be damned).

What are your plans for holiday baking?

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