Egg Nog Tarts

  Christmas is almost here! What happened to the month of December? I really would like to know. Are you ready for the big day? Here's my list: Shopping (check!), wrapping (check!), decorating (um, almost), cooking (nope), baking... I can at last check off the baking from my list. This was the last recipe I made for this year's sweet collection.

Eggnog Tarts

makes approx. 2 dozen

1 package (6 serving size) vanilla pudding mix

1 envelope unflavoured gelatin

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

3 cups purchased eggnog

1/2 cup whipping cream, whipped

24 tart shells (I used purchased)

nutmeg for garnish

1) Bake tart shells according to package directions. Cool.

2) Combine pudding mix, gelatin, & nutmeg in a saucepan. Slowly stir in eggnog. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Remove from heat. Chill 1 hour or until almost set.

3) Beat pudding mixture until fluffy. Fold in whipped cream. 

4) Spoon into tart shells & refrigerate until completely set, about 2 hours.

5) Sprinkle with nutmeg.

6) Store in the refrigerator. 

I ran out of tart shells & had some leftover pudding. And let me tell you that it's very good on it's own too! :)

Have a wonderful day!

Check out the great parties I'm linkin' up to!

My Christmas Tablescape

  Last week I had the pleasure of doing a table "dress rehearsal" for our Christmas Eve meal here at the Richardson home. I received some beautiful Christmas ornaments for my birthday earlier this month as well as a lovely set of silver chargers & napkin rings that I put to good use on my Christmas table. 

I set the table just as a test run & the kids convinced me to keep it set & use it for our supper that night. 

Twist my rubber arm... :)

I made super fast place cards with coloured paper & a paper punch. 

Then I nestled them into the napkin folds with a mini ornament.

So this is what our table will look like for our Christmas Eve meal. Pretty simple but special.

We really enjoy eating beside our Christmas tree. We often talk about our favourite ornaments & where they came from. 

The kids constantly want to hear about their "first Christmas" ornaments. 

Stories are told of those first Christmases & our precious babies. 

Memories are relived & love wells up anew for our treasured family.

We're so very blessed.

Here's to many more Christmas dinners & many more precious memories!

Enjoy your day!

Check out these great parties I link up to!

Nutcracker Suite

    Please tell me, do you have any special Christmas collections? Maybe snow globes, cookie cutters, or trees?

  I've been collecting nutcrackers for about 20 years now. Ever since my mom took me to the Nutcracker ballet when I was a teenager. That year, I bought my first nutcracker & it has carried on ever since.

  It's a special collection that I bring out only at Christmas time. Usually, I set it up on the top of my antique upright piano.

The grandfather, Clara with her nutcracker, & the Mouse King from the original Nutcracker story

My favourite nutcrackers are the knights (one of them is on the photo on the left) & Robin Hood (right). 

Since we bought a small white tree for our family room this year, I've included my nutcracker ornaments on it. I love how the colours pop off of the white!

  I hope this last week before Christmas is special for you as well as productive. 

Enjoy your Monday!

Click Here to see the great link parties I'm linkin' up to!

Cajun-Spiced Party Mix

  You know those go-to recipes you have that are the best you've ever tasted, no matter how many you try? This is one of those recipes for me. My mom started making this party mix when I was in high school & when I got married & left home, this was one of the recipes I copied out from my mom's recipe collection.

Cajun-Spiced Party Mix
makes approx. 20 cups

1 1/2 cups butter
3 Tbsp. worcestershire sauce
2 1/4 tsp. garlic salt
3/4 tsp. white pepper
3/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
3/4 tsp. black pepper
3/4 tsp. hot pepper sauce, such as Tabasco

5 cups small pretzels
4 cups crispix cereal
4 cups shreddies cereal
4 cups cheerios cereal
3 cups pecan halves

Preheat oven to 300º.

Mix butter, worcestershire, hot sauce, & spices in a saucepan. Over medium heat, stir until butter melts.

In a large roaster, mix remaining ingredients.

Drizzle butter mixture over cereal mixture. Toss.

Bake for 30 minutes stirring after 15 minutes.



Spread on foil to cool.

Pack in airtight containers.

~~~

This makes a great teacher, hostess, neighbour gift as well! A nice jar or tin makes the perfect container. 

Just tie on a bow & add a tag with the recipe name printed on it. Done!

Enjoy your day!

Linkin' Up:

Crafty, Scrappy, Happy

One Artsy Mama

Tatertots & Jello

Create & Inspire

Craft-O-Maniac

Everything Under The Moon

The Girl Creative

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Made By You Monday

Chef In Training

Cardboard Roll Treat Packets

  Do your kids ever save toilet paper rolls "because we might be able to make something with them"? Mine sure do! Most of the time, I sneak them into the garbage when they aren't looking. For the past couple of months, however, we have all been saving any kind of cardboard tube on purpose.

  My son & I had the idea that we could make some kind of treat packet for his classmates at Christmas time. We finally saved enough tubes & this week we got to work! Here's what we came up with.

  I had thought that I may want to do something a little more fancy with a cut out tag attached or something & then had second thoughts. Realistically, these are 7-9 year old kids who likely will just tear it open to get at the candy inside. :) 

  So, we made it look as special as we could without spending too much time on this project.

  Here's what we used:

1. small bags of candy
2. toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls cut smaller
3. pretty Christmas paper
4. string, yarn, twine, or heavy thread

  I hope I'm not insulting your intelligence by describing this for you, since it was so simple. 

  We started by stuffing the bags of candy into the rolls.

  Next, cut your paper into strips & adhere around the roll.

  Lastly, loop the string around the tube several times & tie in a knot.

  If your kids are in my son's class, please don't spoil the surprise, k? It was pretty easy & my little guy is excited to have treats that he helped make.

  Are you making something for your kid's friends? What do you have planned? I'd love to know about it. Please leave me a link & I'll come check out your projects.

Enjoy your day!

Linkin' Up:

Home For The Holidays

Crafty, Scrappy, Happy

One Artsy Mama

Create & Inspire

Craft-O-Maniac

Everything Under The Moon

The Girl Creative

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

Made By You Monday