My gift to y'all~

This is my gift to each of you. If you were closer I'd make a batch and bring them to your back door... We could sit and have a cup of coffee and swap stories.

This is a special recipe that I can remember making with my mom. She always said it was her special secret recipe. I'm just going to go right on believing that, along with most things she told me ~ and share it with my closest friends.

Pecan Tassies

1 stick butter

1 cup flour

3oz pkg creme cheese

3/4 cup brown sugar
1 Tbs melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

2 Tbs karo syrup

1 egg

pinch salt

pecan pieces

Mix the butter, flour and cream cheese into a smooth dough. Chill overnight.

Combine the remaining ingredients to make a syrupy pecan mixture.

Roll the chilled cream cheese dough into pecan sized balls. Press into well greased mini tart pans. Press the dough to the bottom and up the sides, making sure there are no holes in the bottom for the syrup to leak through. Fill with a spoonfull of pecan filling. Bake at 400° 12-15 minutes.

Y'all enjoy~

Sandi

Bree is coming to our party..

Bill was 'blue' to learn it wasn't the Desperate Bree coming to our party... but a crusty brie instead.

The french call it "en croûte" which simply means"in a crust". Brie en croûte is so festive! This makes a beautiful presentation and is really 'oh so simple'.
I made a special holiday baked brie... easy peasy.

Brie en croûte
4-6 inch round of Brie cheese
1/4 cup pepper jelly
2 Tbs dried cranberries
1 pkg puffed pastry
1 egg
Thaw the puffed pastry for 30 minutes or so. Roll it out onto a floured board, just a few times until it is seamless.
Spread the jelly in a 6-7 inch circle. Sprinkle evenly with cranberries. Place the cheese on top.
Using an egg wash, brush the edges of the pastry. Carefully fold in the corners to encircle the cheese. Seal well with the egg wash. Turn onto a cookie sheet with the seam side down.
Roll out the other sheet of puff pastry and with a cookie cutter make your design. (I used stars) Decorate the top of the pastry, using the egg wash to help them stick.
Bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Allow to stand for 1 hour before slicing. Not only will everyone think you are a top chef...the creamy cheese with the spice of the pepper jelly is wonderful!
Enough to chase away any holiday blues!

Don't forget to check in at Smiling Sally for more blues.
y'all enjoy~
Sandi

Photo Hunt ~ Male

The photohunt for this week is 'Male' and I have just the perfect photo... This is a photo of a male mail box in Venice~ I knew I'd have a use for it sometime!

Happy hunting y'all~

Sandi

Friday's Favorites

I decided it was time to 'spruce' up our old tree. It is an articficial pre- lit tree that I have had for several years. It is looking a little tired (or maybe my eyes are just tired)
I filled it with large red and gold balls and a few of my favorite ornaments~ but that still didn't feel right. Then I poked in brances of live pines and cedar with pretty berries
Not only does it help to fill out the tired spots... but the room is filled with the smell of Christmas.
Fabulous and Free!

What is your favorite today?
Y'all join in~

Sandi

Who do you invite to a Christmas Birthday?

It is always hard when you have a Birthday near Christmas.
So who should you invite as your 'special guest'?
Someone with connections of course!
Mrs. Claus has a whole list for Santa...
Starting with the special Birthday girl!


Sandi HoHo

Melting Snowmen

These little snow men are so cute. I first saw them at that Crazy Domestic Megan when she linked to our Friday's Favorites. Then I found the tutorial at Stacy's Sweet Shop but I think the original melting snow man is Chic Cookies. They made it look so easy and I'm just borrowing their great ideas!
Christmas just wouldn't be the same without Christmas Cookies. I use this family recipe~ Gekie's Butter Cookies and roll out my cookie dough. It was a lot more fun when I had helpers. The helpers don't arrive until Christmas day... So this year I decided to do something different.

First I rolled the dough in to marshmallow sized balls and pressed them out onto a cookie sheet.

I used a white icing to loosely cover the cookies. The marshmallows are heated for a few seconds to make them soft and wonky.

I had fun adding the snowman parts

and the expressions

of a warm Alabama Christmas day

it doesn't look good if you are a Snowman! It's looking really good if you have a sweet tooth.
Merry Christmas y'all~
Sandi

It's beginning to look like Christmas~

I have been a little Blue... and slow about getting the Christmas spirit this year, but now finally got my holiday mantle up.

This year I decided to take the advice of all the bloggy experts and start from scratch.

I moved the family painting (don't you love this?)

I started by scrubbing off the mantle ~once a year this is a good plan. OK ... on to the elf work :-)

I collected mirrors from around the house, and layered those.

another collection of glass candlesticks

and vases with jingle bells

A garden angel who just looks perfect.

Now... It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

Merry Christmas y'all!

Sandi

Pomodori e Vino ~ Cotechino

We are getting into the really 'good stuff' on Pomodori e Vino. Y'all might think that the pasta section was good... but we are coming into the 'Variety Meats'. Hold on folks~ this is going to get good.
This week is the perfect example.
Cotechino sausage with Lentils.
What the heck is a cotechino? I wasn't sure... but spent days looking in Birmingham and even in Atlanta. No luck. With a little help from Marcella and Victor, I was able to order it online. Only a Pomodori e Vino'ette' would be willing to go to the ends of the earth to find that one special ingredient. Cotechino is a specialty sausage typically from Modena Italy. (why oh why didn't we make this while we were in Bologna??)
This recipe calls for the elusive cotichino sausage, served with lentils. The perfect good luck meal for the new year. It had a good flavor combination of pork sausage and beans. We enjoyed it very much... hopefully our good luck will carry through to 2011. In the mean time... Liver, Sweet breads, Brains and Tripe
Remember to follow us along daily on Facebook or on the Pomodori e Vino Blog ...

Ciao Y'all,

Sandi

Photo Hunt ~ funny

The photohunt for this week is 'Funny' We were trying to get pictures of the grand-puppies in their wedding attire...No such luck... but it was a funny sight!

Happy hunting y'all~

Sandi

Friday's Favorite

Just in time for your holiday shopping... We have opened our new online store at The WhistleStop Cafe. We've been working hard on getting your shopping cart ready.

How about a Cookbook for mom?
Maybe some Marinade for dad?
You can't go wrong with A WhistleStop Gift Pack
What is your favorite today?
I am hoping to see lots of Christmas ideas!
Y'all join in~

Sandi

Holiday Blues

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,

stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so?

It came without ribbons. It came without tags.

It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.

Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.

What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.

What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

~Dr Seuss


Don't forget to check in at Smiling Sally for more blues.
y'all enjoy~
Sandi

Auburn~ on to the National Championship

War Eagle

Another fun night at Toomer's Corner!

Now on to the national championship~~

Photo Hunt ~ Hard to Find

The PhotoHunt for this week is 'Hard to Find'
Unfortunately...WhistleStop products can be 'hard to find'We know how to get them to your local market~~~ drop us a line!Happy hunting y'all~

Sandi

Friday's Favorites

This is my absolute Fav this friday~ I almost hate to let the secret out...This is that cabin at the lake we rented last weekend...

It is not far from Auburn and Birmingham.

The decor is kind of country-quirky-chic and we loved it. There is room for everyone! Here is the link to the the King's Cove ~y'all just don't take every weekend! I'm hoping to go back soon to sit by that cozy fireplace, or maybe spend a summer evening on the porch.

Now, I need to get busy with those Christmas decorations!

What is your favorite today?
Y'all join in~

Sandi

Cooking Light ~ A Holiday Party

It is Holiday Party time! Not only in your neighborhood... but for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club too. We are having a festive feast for friends.
The original recipe for Turkey Scaloppine with Apricot-Ginger Sauce can be found at Cooking Light. I modified it a bit, by using two nice scaloppine slices of turkey rather than cutting it into strips. I am posting my recipe. Turkey Scaloppine with Apricot-Ginger Sauce
1/2 pound turkey tenderloin
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2/3 cup apricot nectar
2/3 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped dried apricots
1 tablespoon currants
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
Coat turkey tenderloins with all-purpose flour, salt, and pepper. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat until hot. Add turkey, and brown 3 minutes on each side. Remove turkey from skillet. Set aside, and keep warm.
Using the same skillet, add shallots, and ginger; stir-fry 1 1/2 minutes. Add nectar and remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Cook over medium heat 3 minutes or until slightly thick. Return turkey to skillet, and cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.
I served mine with a scoop of polenta, to sopp up the yummy juices.

Now let's see what everyone else has brought for our Holiday Dinner Party!
Jamie has made Vanilla-Bourbon Pumpkin Tart for our dessert
Val is bringing a Wild Rice Dressing with Roasted Chestnuts and Cranberries
Helene has brought a plate of Creamy Artichokes
MaryAnn brought Cauliflower Caviar with Frizzled Prosuitto~ doesn't that sound like a party dish?
Don't forget, that y'all are welcome to join in our virtual supper!

Y'all enjoy~
Sandi