Good morning from the snowy Midwest:)

First of all, I want to apologize to all of the wonderful people who read this email/visit the site and sent me birthday and Thanksgiving wishes through email and on the comments:) I am sorry I’m so late in thanking yall. They meant a lot to me and made me smile:) *hugs to all of you*:) Thank you:)

We are getting our first real snow today:)  It looks so pretty coming down. I think we are supposed to get about 3 inches(ish).  Paul got the lights put up yesterday. It was really pretty last night all lit up:) The kids were super excited;) He spent most of the day getting it all put up and I spent most of the day on the computer. I’m looking at making a couple of different websites (not another recipe website. I guess graphics??) I’m very new to it.  It’s a lot of fun, but it gets frustrating when something doesn’t turn out just as I wanted.  I’ll get there I guess. Today, I want to learn how to make glitters. We’ll see how that goes.

I need to start wrapping Christmas presents. Especially the ones we send over to Paul’s parents. It’s so unpredictable when we send things over. I’ve got the wrapping paper, but I don’t have the ribbons and things yet. I need to go to Joann’s today and buy a nice pair of pinking shears (is that how you spell it?). We bought some the other day for $1.99 each, I guess you get what you pay for! I am making tags for the gifts this year and they made a mess of what I was trying to accomplish.  When I get some made (providing they turn out like what I have in my head), I’ll take pictures of them for yall and post them:)  My friend Carrie always has the cutest things on her site. She’s very talented. I wish for an ‘nth’ of her creativity.

Holiday parties are going to start revving up (Aunt Kathy has 2 next week at her house!) so I thought I’d leave yall with a couple of things that she serves at her holiday parties.   Remember, if yall find any errors on the sites please let me know. I’ve found a few this morning, so I know they are out there:) Have a wonderful day!!

take care,
~kat:)

Aunt Kathy’s Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ranch Ham and Tortilla Pinwheels

Ingredients:

• 4 cups sliced raw potatoes
• 4 hard cooked eggs, sliced
• 2T. dried parsley flakes
• 1 pound can salmon, drained and flaked
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp Worchestershire Sauce
• 1/16 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 cup crushed potato chips

Directions:

Place half of potatoes in 2-qt casserole.  Top with half of the eggs, half of parsley and half of the salmon. Repeat.  Combine soup, milk, salt, Worchestershire sauce and cayenne pepper. Pour over casserole.  Cover and bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F.  Remove cover; sprinkle with chips. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until potato chips are tender.  Serves 5-6

So how was everyone’s Thanksgiving?  Our’s blew by.  We went to Aunt Kathy’s for lunch. It really almost didn’t feel Thanksgiving(ish).  As usual, we turned on Christmas music for the first time and it just didn’t have that great feeling that it usually brings. Both Paul and I were on edge for some reason.

Yesterday, we had one of our neighbors, Tiffany, come over and stay with the kids while we went out and faced the masses. Kohls had some great sales. They always do though. I got a Presto Griddle for $19 with a $10 mail in rebate.  We bought a few other really nice odds and ends. Our total came to $59 dollars, and I had a $5 coupon (from signing up to be on their email list), which brought it down to $54 AND then they gave us a $10 coupon for the next time we shop;)  We did very well there.  But Best Buy, I don’t think we got off any cheaper than we would have any other day—and that’s where we dropped the most money.  We were dreading Wal Mart after reading the news about one of the employees getting trampled, but I have to say, it really was not that bad. Their bathrooms were clean, no one was fighting over parking spots, people smiled AND the lines went super fast. I think Paul is looking to get into the Christmas spirit as well:) For the first time, we are actually putting up Christmas decorations outside;) I should say HE is putting up Christmas decorations outside:)  The kids are super excited:) I think it’s just what we need to get ourselves kick started:)  Last night we watched Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Tonight we’ll watch another Christmas special. I think I may have to try out my new griddle.  I used to have a griddle, and I have no idea where it went. Paul said I threw it away. I must have because I can’t find it. We have a pancake breakfast coming up at school and I need it for that as well as I just like to have one.

The other day, I told yall I was going to show yall the video of Sarah at her Nutcracker rehearsal. Well I’m posting it here today:) She had so much fun doing that.

Well, I am leaving yall with some recipes. I hope yall enjoy them:)

take care,
~kat:)

Messy Toms

Creamed Chicken on Biscuits

After Thanksgiving Salad

Good morning:)

First of all, I want to thank everyone who’s emailed me about glitches and recipes in the wrong spots etc:) That is VERY helpful:) Thank yall:)

Paul is home today:) He took the day off as part of my birthday pressie:) It was a very nice day yesterday. I got birthday txt messages and phone calls from my lovely friends:)  And when we got home from dinner last night, Jamie was so sweet and went to run me a hot bath:) How sweet is that?:)

Sarah did her last performance yesterday and the Nutcracker kept his head on,  so all is well:)  Tomorrow I’ll post the video I took of Sarah from her dress rehearsal on Monday night.  Today, I’m going to post my first picture. I know I’m always talking about my kids, so I figure, I’ll introduce yall to them first:)

I think today, Paul and I are going to run to the Wallll-Mark and look through their DS games for the kids. I need to run to Joann’s and pick up some tags and ribbon. I think Paul wants to stop in at Circuit City (and I’m sure that’ll be followed closely by Best Buy) to have a gander and ogle the merchandise:)  There are a few other odds and ends that I need to pick up.

I can’t believe Thanksgiving is this Thursday!  I’m looking forward to getting all of my snowman dishes out.. Paul tells me I can use them now, so I may have to get them out a few days early:)

Today, I want to point yall in the direction of more recipes for Thanksgiving:)  One of my most favorite things is Sweet Potato Casserole. I can not imagine Thanksgiving or Christmas without this.  I’m a marshmallows on top girl. I know some people like pecans on top or meringue but I’m a mini marshmallow girl:) It’s how Momma always made it:)  I’ll add Momma’s recipe soon. So here are a couple of different recipes for sweet potatoes:)

Make sure you check them out!!:) Remember, we are still working on kinks and glitches so please report what you find:) Thanks so much. Yall have a wonderful day!!!:)

take care,
~kat;)
Mashed Maple Sweet Potatoes

Praline Yams

Sarah, Matthew and Jamie at the Roman Baths.

The kids - June 2008

Good morning!!
 
I’m so excited to tell yall, the new site is LIVE now:) Yay!! It really is cool (to me at least;) AND, I can post pictures, yall can make comments, if you so feel inclined:) And it’s pretty:) 
So today is my birthday and my husband has gone all out:) As I type this, he’s dancing around me singing Happy Birthday to Ya from some party mix album he’s found online;) It’s quite funny–he’s such a goober:) It’s great:) He and the kids woke me up this morning with them singing Happy Birthday and they brought my gifts to me in bed:) It’s a tradition for the birthday person to get that on the morning of their birthday:) He made me biscuits and coffee:) And Momma has called to sing to me:) The kids made their cards for me and Sarah made her own wrapping paper to wrap my gift in:) Very, very sweet. 

I’ve gotta get up and get moving because I’m supposed to make something up for the bake sale for the last Nutcracker performance today. We have to leave here a little before 12 and it’s almost 10 already!  I think I’ll make the caramel popcorn.  I hope I can find my little celophane bags that I put them in when I did this for the Chili Cook-Off at school.  I have ribbon as well to put around them…. if the kids haven’t run off with it.  Hopefully I can post a picture of my little Toy Soldier soon:)  

Today I am sending yall a couple of recipes. One of them is a Weight Watchers 3 pt alternative for Pumpkin Pie. I know how hard it is around the holidays to stick to the plan and this is something I really liked when I was doing WW. Also, I’m sendin yall a recipe for Cranberry Supreme Salad and one that’s pretty popular in our area, White Castle Stuffing. I hope yall have a wonderful day:) Yall go have a look at the new site (www.RecipesUnlimited.com) and please let me know what yall think:) If you find any broken links or recipes in an odd spot, just shoot me off an email and we’ll try to get those fixed ASAP:) Thanks so much:) 

take care!!!
~kat

White Castle Stuffing
http://recipesunlimited.barefootkat.com/thanksgiving/white-castle-stuffing

WW Ginger-Pumpkin Chiffon Pie (3pts)
http://recipesunlimited.barefootkat.com/weight-watchers-desserts/ww-ginger-pumpkin-chiffon-pie

Cranberry Supreme Salad
http://recipesunlimited.barefootkat.com/holidays/cranberry-supreme-salad