Yes, friends, fall has officially arrived in Texas. While you folks up north are watching the leaves fall fast and furious, we're finally beginning to see some color here in Texas. The temps have been A-MAZING. We might not even hit 70 this week. Whoo-hoo!
And now that the calendar has turned to November, that means the holidays are right around the corner. So much to do, so little time.
This weekend, while my men were deer hunting, I was reveling in my yearly round of pumpkin bread baking. (you can find that recipe here)
Each little loaf has been carefully wrapped now and is nestled safely in the freezer for gift giving.
Have you noticed how Christmas stuff started showing up really early in the stores this year? Some folks don't like it, but I don't mind. I like to spread things out, so I'll buy a little here and there. Some gifts, some decorations. And if there's a particular item I know I'm going to need, I watch for it to go on sale.
Have you started your Christmas shopping yet? I'm a few items in, but I'm itching to git 'er done. Before we know it, the tree will be up and things will start to look like this.
Did any of you happen to see how late Thanksgiving is this year? There's not even a full month between Thanksgiving and Christmas. So I'll be knocking out much of my holiday baking ahead of time and filling the freezer with things like my peanut butter balls. (recipe here)
And the oh-so-yummy (not to mention easy) peanut clusters. (recipe here)
Now it's your turn. Are you ready for the holidays? What are you baking or looking forward to baking? What foods tell you the holidays have arrived?
All these recipes!! Thank you! I'm going to try the peanut clusters...
ReplyDeleteYour crew will love them, Virginia! And think of all the help you'll have spooning them onto the paper. ;)
DeleteI'm drooling over the pumpkin bread -- but mercy -- I can't make that many at one time in my wee little kitchen. I think I'll cut it in half ....or maybe quarter it. Love the idea of mixing in orange juice. And I just happen to have a whole can of pumpkin just begging to baked into something. I was going to do cookies but you've changed my mind.
ReplyDeleteI believe you are the first blog to post a Christmas picture!!!!! I've spotted a few Christmas commericals already -- one for a pet store started airing the week before Hallowe'en. Wasn't quite sure why they'd think that pet owners would want to flock to their store to buy gifts for Fido and Fluffy two months before the big day!? LOL Does that say something about our society?
I'm pretty low key at Christmas...usually plan well in advance and we don't break the budget or anything but this year I am trying to get a special quilt done for my daughter so your post has made me a little edgy! When my dad passed away I kept a bunch of his plaid shirts...the man only wore plaid! And I've been meaning to piece a lap quilt together for my daughter. She was especially close to her Grandpa. Of course, now Christmas is less than two month's away. Yikes!!!!
Oh, Kav, I love your idea for the lap quilt. Your daughter will love it. What special memories that will evoke for her. You must send us a picture when you finish it. Pleeeeze......
DeleteAnd yes, absolutely you can cut down the recipe. I halved it for many years. Next to pumpkin pie, this bread is my favorite way to use/eat pumpkin.:D
I did a giant gulp when I read this. CHRISTMAS?????? Why am I always so far behind?
ReplyDeleteHave you considered hiring yourself out???
No, I haven't, Tina. However, we might be able to work out a trade. ;D
DeleteI am currently working on a GF oriented Thanksgiving post for this weekend. I found gluten and corn free marshmallows and am in heaven. But I have to test to see if I can put them on my sweet potato casserole.
ReplyDeleteOoo, I'm looking forward to that post, Julie. I love reading your ideas and seeing how you switch things up. Though I may not have food allergies, I can still benefit from those changes.
DeleteWe started our Christmas shopping yesterday...well, just enough to start getting some ideas.
ReplyDeleteAnd in our last few drives up in the Hills, I found myself looking at a tree and thinking, "that one would make a nice Christmas tree." (Note to self: blog about our annual Christmas Tree hunt!)
But it isn't hard to see the holidays coming around here - we're working on a projected 4" snowfall today, the woodstove is burning 24/7, and the community ski-swap was last weekend....and that's without even going in the stores!
I like your idea of baking ahead of time and freezing things, but there's just something about that week-before-Christmas sugary kitchen smell, isn't there?
You are correct, Jan. Some things just have to wait. Example: I can bake my sugar cookies ahead of time and put them in the freezer. However, they cannot be frosted/decorated until right before Christmas. Why? First, because they would get eaten. And second, because then the grandkids don't get to participate. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, the week leading up to Christmas is like the big crescendo. The sights, sound, and smells that scream tradition.
BTW, what's a community ski-swap?
The ski-swap is where you take your used downhill or cross country ski equipment to sell on consignment.
DeleteIt's a fund-raiser for Black Hills Ski for Light - an organization that has a four day event/competition for blind and visually impaired skiers.
It's a great thing - the public has the opportunity to sell or buy used equipment, and the organization profits. :)
Very cool, Jan. I love that!
DeleteOh, I love this so much! I did make zucchini bread this weekend, and froze squash and froze freshly grated zucchini to make more breads.... I do my cookies for families ahead of time, with the little peeps. And then we freeze them and do cookie trays on the last day of daycare before Christmas. And we've got our annual Christmas picture (a gift for parents) arranged, now we just need to have all the kids here same day... and nice weather... to shoot the pics. And that's a huge thing!!! My candies I make ahead too, because we'll use some for Christmas... and some for Thanksgiving. I love holiday prep and that's why I'm so delighted to be finishing up two deadlines this week... a book and a proposal because then there's no outside pressure to do things... Just normal Ruthy pressure, and that's plenty. Oh the weather outside is frightful...(It's not, it's lovely!!!) And the fire is so delightful...(that part is true!!!)
ReplyDeleteMindy, I love the early prep work. And mailing things to friends and family... and then the later prep work of things that get done closer to the date. But in light of my job status, I have become the QUEEN OF GIFT CARDS. And I'm proud of it, LOL!
Ruthy, the older my kids get, the more gift cards we end up doing. However, I always ask if there's something specific they want. Then I do as much shopping as I can via Amazon. I like having things come directly to my house.
DeleteY'all are pretty cold there in upstate, aren't you? Perfect baking weather. Hanging out by the oven just isn't as fun when it's 90+ degrees.
You must have had lots of squash and zucchini in the garden, huh? Gotta use what we have.
Oh, I love cookie trays. Like my friend, Drenda's, annual cookie swap. It's always fun to come home with a plateful of lots of different cookies. I know my guys love it. :D
Oooh, I want some peanut butter balls! And all the rest of your goodies too! Some years I get on a baking kick. Others I don't. Maybe this year will be a good one. :)
DeleteMissy, your family would love it if you were on a baking kick. Especially those boys of yours who don't live at home anymore. Think of the care packages you could send with them.
DeleteY'all who have started shopping amaze me. I'll probably start mid-December. :)
ReplyDeleteMissy, just thinking about waiting that long makes me cringe.
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