Halloween

Halloween was so much fun yesterday!  For a little more about what our little family did, visit the baby blog.

This was the first year that Amelia expressed an interest in deciding on her own costume.  She told me she wanted to be a "happy tutu pumpkin".  Success!  I happen to love making tutus, so that part was easy enough.  Unfortunately, it seems to be quite difficult to find Amelia-sized orange leotards.  Luckily for us, Target carried a cute little sequined jack o' lantern shirt this year in the girls' department.  The XS was still a little large for my pipsqueak (it came nearly to her knees), but I think it looked adorable and can be worn for years to come!  Also quite fortunately, I happened to have some already-curled green corker in my craft room, so Amelia's pumpkin vines were easily made into a bow.  Something tells me Halloween will not always be this easy and I should appreciate this while I can.

Tulle pumpkin tutu with ribbon accents

Sequined shirt from Target

Corker pumpkin vines

The Little Pumpkin in action

Thanksgiving Casserole

Martha Stewart is a big part of my life.  I subscribe to three of her magazines -- Everyday Food, MS Living, and Whole Living.  I even subscribe to a majority of her email newsletters and mailing lists.  I always appreciate the delicious recipes and handy tips and tricks she publishes.  In her October issue of EDF, I was especially enamored with her Turkey and Stuffing Bake.  I made it for the first time week before last and I'm already making it again (I try not to remake meals very often).  To put it lightly, it's a new family favorite.

Turkey and Stuffing Bake

Serves 2 - Active Time: 25min - Total Time: 1hr

My modifications are in red.  For the three of us, I half the recipe.  It is still easily made in an 8-in square casserole dish.
 

Ingredients:

2 T EVOO

2 lb ground turkey (85% lean) or ground chicken

1 tsp rubbed sage (I doubled up on the sage)

3 T all-purpose flour (I used WW flour)

3.5 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I prefer broth made from Better Than Bouillon)

coarse salt and pepper

1 yellow onion, diced medium

3 celery stalks, diced mdium

1 loaf crusty white bread, cut into large cubes (8 cups) (I used WW bread, too)

2/3 cup dried cranberries (I doubled the cranberries and I soaked them in broth)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 T unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425*.  In a large skillet, heat 1 T oil over medium-high.  Add turkey and cook, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon, until browned, 8 to 10 min.  Add sage and flour and stir to coat.  Add 1/5 cups broth and cook, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until liquid is thickened, 2 min.  Season with salt and pepper and transfer mixture to an 8in square baking dish.

2.  Rinse out skillet; wipe dry.  Return to heat and add 1 T oil.  Add onion and celery and cook until softened, 8 min.  Remove from heat and add bread, cranberries, and 2 c. broth; toss until combined.  Stir in eggs.  Spoon bread mixture over turkey mixture; dot with butter.  Bake until juices are bubbling and bread is golden brown. 20 to 25min.  (Just enough time to clean up the kitchen and set the table -- how considerate!)  Let cool 10min before serving.

I think one of the things that is so enjoyable about this meal is that it encompasses the Thanksgiving flavors without requiring days and days of cooking and baking.  It's like Holiday Lite.  Who doesn't love a little added holiday cheer without all the effort??

Christmas by way of Elfster

So, it may seem a little early for a post like this, but I would like to announce that I am already fully immersed in Christmas excitement!  Menu are being planned, gifts are being hunted, and new crafts are in the works. 

A couple a years ago, we started a new family tradition for Christmas.  Instead of everyone buying gifts for each and every member of the family, we hold a Secret Santa Exchange.  Each participant draws a name and then purchase a present (or presents!) for just their one recipient.  We set a price limit, to keep things fair, and then we go crazy!

I feel like this new concept opens up a very different type of Christmas for us.  First, there's an added sense of mystery.  No one knows who selected them until the big day!  Also, there's no direct discussion of *who* is getting *what* for *whom* (see below).  Finally, with the gift-giving budget significantly reduced, I feel like there is more Christmas Spirit available for allocation.  We're not as financially and temporally stressed, so the little details can really shine through.  We can focus on our lovely shared meals and on actually enjoying time with one another.

I think one of the best parts of one of these kinds of exchanges is using fun tools like Elfster.  Elfster facilitates the whole process, allowing a well-orgnaized exchange without blowing anyone's cover.  When we've done {analog} exchanges in the past, someone had to keep track of all the draws, thus ruining the mystery.  With Elfster, everyone is invited to the exchange and each person RSVPs (no one is forced into the process by having their name thrown into the mix without permission.  Trust me, it happens.).  A draw date is selected ahead of time and the draw is performed automatically.  Everyone is notified of their draw, without the information being posted publicly (except to the Organizer who must specifically request to see the draws -- no accidental beans spilt!).  Then, the real fun begins.  Elfster allows participants to create their wishlists, so gift giving is left to chance.  They even offer a nifty "add to wishlist" button that allows you to add items to your wishlist directly from the sit you're already viewing, all without logging into Elfster.  Additionally, Elfster allows the exchange participants to ask one another anonymous questions.  It's really pretty fun, once everyone gets the hang of it.  From an organization standpoint, Elfster rocks at keeping everyone on track.  The organizer posts information about when/where/how the exchange takes place and there is the ability to send reminders about the exchange.  Again, these are real issues that truly do come up in exchanges!

   

 Here's a peek at our actual exchange, including a feed of everyone's wishlist additions.  

This is a screenshot of the "+ Wishlist" button at work.  Caribbean Blue Le Creuset??  Yes, please!

I don't know about you, but I'm feeling pretty inspired. If you need a closer look, you're welcome to look me up and look over my wishlist.. hint, hint!