As I greet many of my clients at their doors, one of the first things said to me is "hope you are ok with dogs"...My favorite things to reply is YES and not to worry as we have 4 of them at the House of Payne :)  That usually puts the client at ease about their one or two that greet me at the door.  Yes, we have 4 wee beasties - all rescued, all small and all spoiled rotten.  Prior to this group we had two Jack Russell Terriers that were our kids before kids.  Around the holidays I like to make their favorite homemade treats to have in their stockings (yes our dogs have stockings along with all of ours = spoiled as mentioned before)...I've been making these since I got the recipe in 1998!! These are fun to make with the kids as its easy and low mess.  Hope your furry friends enjoy these!

"Chiken Inna Biskit"

2 c. whole wheat flour
2/3 c. yellow cornmeal
2 T. veg oil
1/2 c. chicken broth
3 eggs
1/4 c. milk

Heat oven to 350.  Mix 2 eggs and milk and set aside.  In second bowl beat 3rd egg and set aside. Mix flour and cornmeal, stir in oil, broth and egg/milk mixture.  Knead until dough is firm. Let sit 15-20 mins.  Can roll on floured surface and cut out like cookies or cheat like me and spoon into balls and flatten with fork.  Brush with beaten egg and bake 25-30 mins until brown. Remove and cool.  

Bringing it all out of storage is not.  Many trips up an down stairs, heavy boxes, few hands to help are usually the case BUT not when you call me in to help!  That's what part of my work this week has been - helping clients bring out Christmas decor and for one client - then we re-organized the basement storage area.  It'll be SO much easier putting everything away in January.  Mind you that can be made easier too - if you book a session with me to help you put it all away :)  I like doing the stairs and working hard with clients - saves me a trip to the gym and then I really earn my glass of wine at night!  Cheers!

Whew...well there went November in a flash as expected and I know I've been behind in posting on the blog but I've been busy just like you!  I've been helping all kinds of great clients get ready for the holidays.  I tend to post more often on my Facebook page so make sure to LIKE and follow me over there.  There is a link on the home page of the website.

OK so it IS beginning to look a lot like Christmas - how about making the house SMELL great too?  I love this "recipe" given to me by my sister some years back.  It is a great item to bag up and gift with an ingredient/instruction gift tag for neighbors, hostess gifts, teachers - anyone really :)

Christmas Scent:

3 Cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves
1/4 c. whole cloves
1 lemon, halved
1 orange, halved
4 c. water

Combine all in saucepan and bring to boil,  Reduce heat and simmer, as long as you like, adding water as needed to keep mix from drying up.  Can be stored lightly covered in refrigerator for several days.

Before you get all caught up the things to be bought and made in the weeks to come, use this week to get started right.  The 3 week in November each year is the drop off time for Operation Christmas Child - better known as "pack a shoebox time"  Drop off locations can be found in various community centers and places of worship all over the country.  It's fun to take the kids shopping for small items to pack the box with and start this season of gifts by actually giving away.  In recent years, we have enjoyed the process even more by doing our donation tags for the box online as then you can track your box to the country/region it was sent.  The kids enjoy looking on a map to get the magnitude of the process and where that simple box that was once at our house has now been transported to.  For further information please go to www.samaritanspurse.org

Here's a family favorite recipe that fits theme too as it makes 3 delicious loaves so some to give and some to keep!

Best Evah Pumpkin Bread:

3c. sugar
1 c. veg oil
3 eggs
3 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon and nutmeg each (or 2 tsp of apple pie spice)
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking soda
1 T. baking powder
2/3 c. water
2 c. canned pumpkin
1 c. chopped nuts or chocolate chips (white choco chips are great in this!)

Beat together sugar oil and eggs with spoon.  Sift together dry ingredients. Add sifted dry mix alternatively with a bit of water to wet mix, beating well after each addition until all dry/water and wet mixed together.  Add pumpkin/nuts/choco chips and stir well.  Pour into 3 greased loaf pans.  Bake 350 for approx 70-90 mins until tester comes out dry.
 

The two biggest tips I have for getting ready for big holidays meals are: delegate and pick some items for the menu that you can prep ahead.  You know people in your family/friends being invites all have some dish they are known for so take advantage of that and ask them if they can bring that to the meal.  If you have friends/family coming that aren't cooks - ask them to be in charge of bringing extra ice, the honey baked ham or even the Gladware containers for packing up leftovers for folks to take home.  

The following is a great recipe you can prep early and have on hand for your meal - if you can manage to wait to eat them til then ;)

Pecan Pie Muffins:
1 c. packed light brown sugar
1/2 c. all purpose flour
1 c. chopped pecans
2/3 c. butter melted and cooled a bit
2 eggs lightly beaten

In a large bowl:  combine brown sugar, flour and pecans then set aside. Combine butter and eggs and stir into sugar mix.  Fill greased and floured (very important!) mini-muffin cups 2/3 way full.  Bake 350 for 20-25 mins.  Immediately flip onto wire rack to cool.  Yields 2 dozen.

Here we are everyone - one month to Thanksgiving and Hanukkah and less than 2 months to Christmas.  I'm not sure about your clocks and calendars but it seems like mine all of a sudden hit warp speed right about now.  One minute carving pumpkins and handing out candy and next thing I know we have a family room littered with wrapping paper on Christmas morning.  Over the next few weeks my posts here on the blog and and on Facebook will be focused on things to help you stay organizing, prepared and peaceful so you can enjoy the craziness of the weeks to come.  

Each Monday as an alternative to our regular Crock Pot feature - I'll be featuring one of our family holiday favorite recipes.  I have also posted here before about the idea of gathering your family favorites and making your own cookbook via Shutterfly or similar site.  I did this several years ago and gave out as Christmas gifts to many people in my family.  It's fun to have all your beloved recipes in one place along with pictures to relive the people and places that made them special in the first place.

Today's feature Stuffed Celery is one of my husband's family's most beloved recipes and 20 years ago when I first had it - I wasn't a huge cream cheese or olive lover but I thought this stuff was the bomb. This is great all year long but is always a holiday staple - make in a double batch as I promise your crew will love it too.  The stuffing part can be made a couple of days in advance and then stuff celery right before serving.  Also great with other veg or even a spread for crackers.

8oz light cream cheese softened
2 garlic cloves  - chopped
1/2 c. toasted pecans
1/2 c. green olives with pimentos
4 or so shakes tabasco
1-2 T light mayo (for spread-ability)


Chop up the olives, garlic and pecans in food processor into small chunks. Add to bowl w/ softened cream cheese, mix with mayo to blend and add tabasco to taste.  Chill at least 1 hour to let flavors meld and then stuff celery. 

It really IS Christmas in July today - for me at least!  I've been having several issues with my desktop computer and my access to my weebly website editor so I haven't been able to post in a MONTH!  Thank Heavens today I sat down and dealt with computer support/tech support related to several things and at least I'm somewhat up and running again!  So back to my blog post...
Christmas/Chanukah in July??  Seems crazy but this is the BEST time to work on a great idea for the holidays...It's hot outside so spend some downtime inside and make those phtobooks you've been meaning to get to - they make such super gifts but not if you are scrambled trying to make them in November.  ALSO one of my favorite ideas and something I did several years back - Make a family cookbook using your favorite photobook site.  You can scan in the old recipe cards with the beloved handwriting of someone you love, scan in old/new photos, and use the text box to write out the recipe if you need to for easier reading.  I did one of these a  few years ago and gave out to several family members. I kept one for myself and love having all my family's long treasured recipes in one place!  Remember if you need help organizing your photos or making the books - I help with that too! 
You can click on the pdf to see what my recipe books looks like :)

Having friends over on the fly?  Can't find the wine charms?  No worries...when all else fails - use a sharpie from the kitchen drawer to label whose glass is whose.  If you have any residue left on glass base after a run through the dishwasher - just use a paper towel with a bit of glass cleaner will wipe it "write  off"  Cheers!

Clearing up after Christmas and wondering what to do with the cards? 
Re-sharing my Facebook post from 10/1/12 about recycling your cards!  Been doing this for year since my cousin Karen Walsh Buschini of In Its Place Organizing turned me on to this...I also keep some paper ones if the motifs are small and I
can cut and use for toppers to my mason jars for gifts in a jar (i.e. 11/30 post
Jen's Devilish Delish Seasoning Mix)  For the picture cards...I keep those
in a photo box and last year when the box was full I sorted them all out and
sent several family and friends a package with 10+ Years worth of  their
cards - fun to see their kids grow up in a matter of moments :)  See link
for recycling info in post below.  From 10/1/12 Facebook: Today’s tip…do you have last year’s Christmas and other cards stacked up?  You
can’t keep them all…Sure pull out the ones from Grandparents, etc.  BUT don’t toss the rest…DONATE them!  See link below.  St. Jude Ranch will use them happily and you’ll feel great about moving a stack of clutter out of the
house…That counter spot is now ready for a decorative pumpkin!
http://www.stjudesranch.org/shop/recycled-card-program/

We'll be busy over the next few days so I decided I better get out this Monday's Crock recipe early so that you can make and have ready for Football Bowl Games and other New Years guests you may have.  I love this recipe that my sister tweaked to perfection from a Paula Dean recipe.  Click on the picture below for the recipe as I took photo from the cookbook I created with our most favorite family recipes.  That cookbook idea is another blog post to come in the new year!  Note: the recipe calls for the chicken cooked and shredded BUT I'll tell you I often cheat and throw in the 3 chicken breasts uncooked, let them cook in the crock with other items all day, remove and shred when done and then add shredded chicken back to crock for serving.  You can tweak it to use the types of beans your family prefers as long as you use 3 cans as noted below and most times I actually grab the can of the "mexicorn" instead of just a can of regular corn.  It makes a large batch and is more like a stew/chili than a soup.  Great for a football party or any large group!  Happy New Years Everyone!  I'll be working on  more crock pot recipes and organizing ideas while we relax over New Years and look forward to a great 2013!!