May your Christmas be full of loving, sharing and giving. Peace on Earth and good will to men. May your thoughts and words be full of cheer. May peace be your gift at Christmas and your blessing all year through!
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Slow Season
People talk about their "slow seasons." Can someone please tell me when slow season is? Because if I knew I'd be jumping on that train — like today! Slow season...pffff...I think it must be a fictional thing. Or maybe I picked the wrong life. Or maybe slow season just isn't in my personality type. All I know is there is no such thing as slow season — ever. I look back about five years ago and I can see a glimpse of slow, but it is far in the distance, I can barely get a glimpse or remembrance of it.
People talk about "in the new year, when things slow down..." What?! Please sign me up for that life track. Really, slow? You're going to tell me that is still a thing?
As I type this blog post, I look around me...there is a pen, pliers, hammer, bills, a bag of chips, Christmas gift labels and a mug of lukewarm coffee. My life is anything but slow.
Rushing from crazy 2014 strategic planning at work to Thanksgiving travels to Christmas and straight into a brand new shiny year. Whew! Do you feel any slow in that?
My concern without slow season is that I may be missing the true meaning of the holiday season. Thankfulness at Thanksgiving. A Savior being born at Christmas. Time with loved ones. The splendor of it all.
Through this non-slow season I am trying to find a little bit of slow. In my current life, I need to create my own slow. Maybe it is only 30 minutes so sit down a type out a blog post or meet a friend for coffee or to sit in silence and trying revel in the meaning of the holiday season. But, I encourage you to step back for a moment and realize your current busyness and remember, holidays are about experiences and people. It is tuning in to the current moment. Don't focus on the mess and tasks all around you. Remember the reason for the season.
May God bless you during this holiday season and may we keep Him in our hearts all year long.
Holiday Gifts for the Home Chef
I cannot believe how soon until Christmas will be here! The stores are playing holiday tunes. Christmas lights are now on trees outside. People are starting to post pictures of their home decorations. And shopping season is in full force. Yesterday I received an email from Pinterest looking for the best holiday gift idea boards, and of course I have to participate in this because:
1. I love Christmas!
2. I have some great gift ideas for this year!
So here are my gift list for the home chef:
1. Plenty: Vibrant Recipes from London's Ottolenghi
2. The Sexy Vegan's Happy Hour at Home: Small Plates, Big Flavors, Potent Cocktails
3. Plum: Gratifying Vegan Dishes from Seattle's Plum Bistro
4. Vedge: 100 Plates Large and Small that Redefine Vegetable Cooking
5. Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-Free Desserts
6. Kitchen iPad Holder: It keeps your iPad off the counter and away from spills!
9. Wine Aerator
10. Thankful Sign
11. Recipe Box
16. Mandoline Slicer
18. Whirley Pop
19. Live Simply Mug
And for the big ticket item:
20. Vitamix
What are you holiday gift ideas this year?
An Old-Fashioned Family Christmas
To the American People: Christmas is not a time or a season but a state of mind. To cherish peace and good will, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas. If we think on these things, there will be born in us a Savior and over us will shine a star sending its gleam of hope to the world. — Calvin Coolidge, Presidential message (December 25, 1927)
Like I told you before, we were planning on a cozy Christmas in our home. An old-fashioned family Christmas.
Let me set the scene for you:
A little visitor watching the festivities from our porch.
Sorting out the gifts under the tree.
Adele helping Grandpa Smith unwrap.
Gifts of time and love are surely the basic ingredients to a truly merry Christmas. — Peg Bracken
Once the day turned into dusk, we all bundled up to see the local zoo lights and visit the animals.
All the excitement got the best of little Justin.
The table then was set for a Christmas morning brunch — complete with Nick's grandmother's beautiful china.
{excuse the poor phone picture and quality}
Santa Paws came for a visit.
So that was a quick overview of our holiday cozied up in our humble abode. What were your holiday highlights?
Gift Guide | Stocking Stuffers
Christmas is just a few days away, five to be exact — less if you're family starts to celebrate this weekend. Nick and I are hosting his entire family this weekend. Yes, we will have 11 people in our tiny one bedroom apartment. It's going to be fun, tight, loud and filling — because I am planning on cooking. We cannot wait!
Okay, back to the purpose of this post... As I sit wrapped up in my favorite cozy blanket and holiday music playing, I want to share with you a few excellent stocking suffers for the cook in your life:
{click links above to go shopping}
1. Scalloped Cupcake Liners — what baker doesn't smile at a perfectly scalloped, yet simple cupcake liner? Honestly, I keep various liners around my kitchen because you never know when they can be put to use. I believe the simple ones are the best.
2. iPad Kitchen Screen Protector — Man, William Sonoma beat me to the punch. They created an excellent splatter-proof contraption for a well loved and used kitchen iPad. I know that I use my iPad for recipes, listening to music and checking emails while sauces simmer. But with this new screen protector, you can rest assured that pop of oil from the skillet isn't a dive bomber trying to ruin your evening and electronic cookbook.
3. Mini Bottle of Wine or Champagne — Christmas time is a season for family, friends and celebration. Why not sneak in a little bottle of fun?
4. Kitchen Soap — Every cook loves to have a nice soap sitting near the kitchen sink to wash away the various smells and vegetable peels from their hands. A moisturizing component is always a plus! Meyer's Basil is the perfect scent. Sniff, sniff...mmm! Did I mention it is eco-friendly?
5. Bottle Stoppers — These beautiful broach-topped wine bottle stoppers are the perfect little stocking stuffers. These toppers are to wine bottles, as a star is to a Christmas tree. Perfect I tell you!
6. Salt Cellar — This vintage inspired cellar is a star player on every kitchen counter. How do I know? Well, I've had this item on my counter for quite a few years now, and I love it! Easy access for a pinch of salt here and there.
There you have it folks, the best of the best! On a final note, if you haven't seen or haven't voted, please participate on the poll to the right ------>
Gift Guide for Cooks
Just a mere ten days until Christmas. Are you done with your shopping? I'm just waiting for a few items to arrive in the mail, but other than that, most of my gifts are wrapped and nestled under the tree.
{Click these links to go shopping!}
Do you have a kitchen guru in your life and you are at a loss for what to get him or her? This list is compiled of some of my favorite kitchen items.
1. An excellent apron — To be honest, I don't wear many aprons, but I like the idea of them. Maybe that could be on my new years resolutions/goal list...to wear aprons more often when cooking. Does that count as a resolution? I resolve to wear aprons in 2013.
2. Over-the-sink wooden cutting board — This is a must-have item in my kitchen. Cutting on wood is so much better than any material. Come on people, plastic stinks. But more so, there is a place to clean your fresh fruits and veggies or use the colander as a waste receptacle. And finally, this board saves counter space while resting over an open sink. This is key, especially when you live in a small apartment like me!
3. Citrus squeezer — Look at all your recipes. How many call for freshly squeezed citrus? Um, hello...a lot! This kitchen gadget saves the pain of getting lemon juice in small cuts (gross, sorry) and extracts way more than pure human hands could possibly squeeze.
4. Garlic press — What can I say? Pure genius. Reducing the need to walk around with your hands smelling like you have a fistful of garlic cloves. Not to mention all the time you'll save, not mincing garlic cloves.
5. Adorable kitchen towels — In my kitchen, I always have a cute, decorative tea towel on the handle of my oven. Who wouldn't want this lovely, script-y, ray of sunshine, calendar towel?
6. Stove top espresso maker — This is always out in my kitchen and used frequently. Mmm, this maker quickly brews an extremely rich, full-flavored coffee on the stove top (obviously).
7. Cookbook stand — A stand, similar to this one is another item that is always out on the counter, displaying a delicious recipe along a beautiful photograph. Keep your recipe books propped open as well as free from splatters.
Well that about does it from the essential cooking holiday gift guide.
Do you have a special kitchen gadget you couldn't live without? Share, I am sure other readers would enjoy a few more ideas for their holiday shopping!
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