Merry Christmas Eve

Happy Christmas Eve!

I have a sneaking suspicion that no one will be reading this post, as you all must be busy with that last minute holiday preparation--or just sitting and relaxing because you've worked yourself silly this season and are now done and ready to celebrate!


I've been having fun with Christmas music this year.  It's no secret that I love Christmas music.  I'm sad when December 26th rolls around I have to wait a whole year (or 10.5 months) to listen to it again. My family?  Eh...not so sad. 

Anyway,  I thought I'd share a few carols with you to wish you a Merry Christmas.
I hope wherever you are you are with someone you love and are laughing together over some great memories.

I grew up with the crooners singing, so that is what I associate real CHRISTMAS MUSIC to be.  Nat King Cole, Perry  Como, Andy Williams--- the records my mom played over and over.  That has always been Christmas music to me.  Nothing else can ever cut it.(  Except for the Partridge family, which is kind of a given because that was the first Holiday Music album I ever bought (circa 1971). )  ESPECIALLY  not  twangy country music.  That never did sound right to me.  
Until......until...... this year. I decided I like it.  And I'm talking real, old school, country music.  
I was going thru some of my mom's old records and CD's and she has on old Statler Brother's Christmas album, and I started listening to it  (They became country music lovers AFTER I left home), and I have fallen in LOVE with one of the songs and I would like to share it with you.

But first---- you have to listen to my crooners.....
Ahhhhhh.....the memories.


It was never Christmas until Nat King Cole sang his Christmas song at my mom's house!
Nat King Cole and Frank Sinatra





A cigarette and a martini Christmas song!!
Dean Martin



And don't forget the Partridges! It's a POP-ROCK Carol! My first 'crossover' from the crooner.   I actually like this song.
The Partridge Family




Another classic fav of mine! Very cutting edge at the time you know!  Traditional Bing Crosby and  strange David Bowie? 
Bing and David




I'm just throwing this one in here.  It's a pretty recent song, but this one reminds me of my mom. She loved Christmas and it will always make me smile when I think of her on Christmas morning.
Sarah




A crooner and a country singer! I love them both!
Blake and Michael




I just discovered this song too! It's a fun one by King George.
George Straight




And my new Favorite Christmas Song!!
The Statler Brothers



Merry Christmas Friends!!  Have a blessed holiday.

Candied Apples and Family Recipes

I knew I was late posting a Thanksgiving recipe for a reason.

The reason is, so that I can start a new year by being a part of:

 

Family Recipes is an event hosted by Shelby of "The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch", Laura of "the Spiced Life", and Lynda of "Lynda's Recipe Box".

Check it out here for complete details.

 

 

I always call dishes such as these, weird foods from my youth, (we have a lot of them)  because I've never seen anyone else make them, EVER.

I'm sure they do, because I used to think that my grandma's hot buttered rum recipe was a family secret too, but have since found out that it's a "very popular" recipe for homemade batter.

By now, I'm sure you're wondering what?  What is she making that is so "weird"?   (but good).

I will tell you...

Candied Apples.

 

My great-grandmother made them:  Lillian Staggs

My grandmother made them:  Irene Shaver

My mother makes them:  Beverly Hambelton

and I make them: Debbie Stone

and I love them.  They are a tradition.

 

The handwritten recipe below comes from my great-grandmother, Lillian.

(notice no paragraphs or punctuation)

 

Notice that she says it makes a "colorful" dish.

And that's the truth.

These are not the candied apples of carnivals...

...but more of a spiced/cinnamon whole applesauce kind of thing.

Like a baked apple, only not baked.

cooked on top of the stove

Candied Apples 

 (taken verbatim from my great-grandmother)

I get apples about the same size

I've always cooked them in that heavy frying pan

about twelve or thirteen apples.

Core your apples first and peel

fill centers with those little red cinnamon candies and  put

enough sugar over them so juice thickens about like Jelly

and I keep turning them with two forks until they

are tender generally a few at a time are ready to take out

if the juice gets too thick I keep pouring a little water to it as they cook and I add red food coloring from the first thats what colors them red

Hope you can read and make this out

you can rewrite it if you can read it once

I think that's all there is to it.

It makes a colorful dish

Love, grandmother

Now I will translate:

find about 8-12 small apples that cook up well  (won't turn mushy)

Actually,  Rome apples work well, or Golden Delicious.

Peel and core them.

place in a heavy frying pan

fill with "red hots"  (little cinnamon candies)

pour extra candies around the apples.

Add a bit of water and a bit of sugar, and a bit of red food coloring

simmer apples , until candies melt and you think the apples are "red" all the way thru.

Keep in fridge, serve cold.

The Trick is to try and get the "red" color all the way thru the apples without them turning to "mush".

you want them whole, like a baked apple.

Sadly, I didn't get a picture of the finishes product.

Here we go.....

Counting to see how many apples will fit in the pan.

Peeled, cored and filled with red hots!

It is okay if there is a bit of peel left on the apple. It happens.

My mother adding a bit of sugar...she was very fast.

Consider this a "action" shot.

She has her old Tupperware scoop. It's been in our sugar bin since I was a kid.

Another "action" shot.... as she began to turn the apples.  I don't think she was using "2 forks", but some tongs.

My mom never quite got the "hold it...I'm going to take a picture" of this candied apple making process.

Pouring the "juice" over and over and over the apples, so they get the color thru and the "red hot" flavor.

My mom.  On the phone.  While making candied apples for me.

Ta-Da!!

We always serve these apples as a....

not really a salad

nor a dessert

but, rather,

with the cranberries.

If you like applesauce, baked apples or apple pie. 

(or red hots, fire styx,  atomic fireballs, all candies of the 1960's and 70's , or candied apples from your old carnival days)

You'll probably like these.

I am submitting this to the Family Recipe Event.

No room left!

Before I move on to other recipes, I thought I'd poke a little fun...at myself, and how obsessive I am about food/cooking.

It has been just my husband and myself for a few years now. Our children are grown and gone, but, recently our middle son moved back home for a "transition" period.

Some years for Thanksgiving we invite friends, sometimes we have family come to visit, and sometimes we travel.

This year, tho...we stayed home, just the 3 of us.

Table set for three.

Hmmm....... I could barely get all the food on the table!!

Out with the old

Out with the old...in with the new. New season, anyway....

But first....see the turkey?

The Turkey is very old. My mother in law, made it for me about 29 years ago. She had one to decorate her yard and would put out the turkey and a chopping block and a hatchet.
That was 29 years ago....leaving a hatchet in your front yard today seems to just be asking for trouble, so I don't think she does that anymore. I don't even know if her turkey is still around.
Mine has seen better days....poor old Tom....but I wanted her to see it, and that we still put it on our porch.

I should have taken a better picture too.... the white iron chair behind the turkey had a plant on it, until I moved it right before I took the picture.
We were finishing putting up our Christmas lights and outside decorations.... poor old Tom went into the shed again, until next year.

And now...... the changing of the wreath!