This Christmas collection of pretty pictures, delightful treats, and Christmas at home is a visual to you, from me gift that hopefully fills the eye and the heart with the most wonderful time of the year sights of the season.
Gathering together to feast, family, and friend during the holidays or just because on a Monday in cozy spaces with good food (fancy schmancy or crackers and can cheese) is rooted in connection, love, and celebration of relationship.
Speaking from years of experience, the kitchen is about to be a hot spot of holiday activity. Music is a must, quality kitchen tools and gadgets essential, organization the sous chef to friend, and the taste of Thanksgiving present and accounted for.
Holiday open houses at favorite antique shoppes result in treasured finds; among them platters O’Plenty perfect for plating birds baked, roasted, and fried.
Louisianans do love to do delicious fried turkey when the weather turns cold and the good holiday times roll.
Country Living – Photography by Johnny Miller
Deep-Fried Turkey
Ingredients
1½ tbsp. kosher salt
1½ tbsp. smoked paprika
1½ tsp. garlic powder
1½ tsp. onion powder
1½ tsp. fresh ground pepper
1¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 (12- to 14-pound) whole fresh turkey
Peanut oil (about 3 gallons)
Directions
Stir together first 6 ingredients. Remove giblets and neck from turkey, and discard. Drain cavity well; pat entire turkey dry with paper towels.
Loosen and lift skin from turkey with fingers, without totally detaching skin; generously spread seasoning under skin. Carefully replace skin and secure with wooden picks, if desired.
Sprinkle and rub remaining seasoning inside cavity and on outside of turkey. Let turkey stand at room temperature while oil heats.
Meanwhile, pour oil into a deep propane turkey fryer 10 to 12 inches from top; heat to 350°F over a medium-low flame, according to manufacturer’s instructions (about 45 minutes).
Place turkey on fryer rod. Carefully and slowly lower turkey into hot oil with rod attachment.
Fry 35 to 45 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion of thigh registers 165°F (about 3 minutes per pound plus an additional 5 minutes. Keep oil temperature between 300°F and 325°F). Remove turkey from oil; drain and let stand 25 minutes before slicing.
Louisiana pecans harvested from area farms characterize the taste of home.
Cinnamon Candied Pecans
Ingredients
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 cup pecans
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
In a cast iron skillet over medium heat, melt together butter, cinnamon and granulated sugar until the sugar starts to caramelize. Add pecans and stir to coat; stirring often to keep from burning.
Pour candied pecans onto parchment or wax paper allowing to cool.
Southern sweet potato casserole, candied sweet potatoes, and Dave the Builder’s requested favorite, sweet potato pie- Louisiana sweet potatoes are synonymous with Thanksgiving.
3 large sweet potatoes, washed, peeled and sliced French fry style
1 stick butter, sliced
1 cup sugar
1 Tbsp water
Directions
Places prepared sweet potatoes in pot. Add sugar and butter slices. Add water and cover with lid. Cook on low about 40 minutes or until tender. Do not stir during cooking time.
Place candied sweet potatoes in casserole and serve.
Preheat oven to 350°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil, and add asparagus. Top with canola oil, salt, and pepper, and brush evenly with basting brush. Bake until tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, add water to a large saucepan, and bring to a simmer. In a stainless steel bowl, add egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne. Hold bowl over simmering water making sure bottom of bowl does not touch water, and whisk vigorously until volume of egg mixture doubles. Slowly whisk in melted butter until sauce is thick and combined.
Remove from heat, and stir in crawfish. Serve immediately over asparagus.
From our house and hearts to yours, Dave the Builder and I wish you a very Merry Christmas 2021 filled with everlasting joy, peace, splendor, and love.
The pace for Christmas season 2021 is set to slow in order to savor the season, embrace the true meaning of it all, and cherish the memories old and new that rush my mind and heart.
Christmas season 2021 Pretty At The Holidays highlights a collection of gorgeous images featuring scenes of the season guaranteed to inspire and impress.
“The rooms were very still while the pages were softly turned and the winter sunshine crept in to touch the bright heads and serious
faces with a Christmas greeting.”
—Louisa May Alcott
“Christmas is most truly Christmas when we celebrate it
by giving the light of love to those who need it most.”
—Ruth Carter Stapleton
“We count down the days, just to experience it nearly
exactly as we always have.
It is so comfortable, familiar and perfectly nostalgic
that, frankly, we have no desire to improve upon it at all.”
— Joanna Gaines
“May your hearth be warm, your holidays grand, and your heart
held gently in the good Lord’s hand.”
— Unknown
Carolyne Roehm
“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,
everything is softer and more beautiful.”
— Norman Vincent Peale
Festive anticipation is super setting in as Christmas week draws closer, and I fa la la la love it!
Flights carrying loved ones begin to arrive, Dave the Builder is patiently awaiting a pan of Fantasy Fudge brimming with chopped walnuts, and as much as I would love a visiting elf to grant me the pleasure of wrapping all the gifts for me, that’s one Christmas miracle I’m pretty sure is not going to happen.
Holiday happenings, tasks, and undertakings can bring immense joy, however, the holiday hustle an bustle can be quite overwhelming at times.
I’ve adopted a slow the pace, win the race attitude towards Christmas season 2021, seeing the beauty and the meaning of the season through a different lens.
Years of holiday decorating, open houses, and professional retail antiques and design business services brought joy, but I noticed by the second week of December I lost all interest in the holidays. Can you say oversaturation?
For this reason, I keep my holiday social media postings light as well as my blogging in order to experience the joy rather than looking up and it being all over.
Remember this, my dear friends; the Christmas season is short at best. Treat yourself while treating others to the joy, the beauty, the goodies, and the glory of this beautiful season.
May the love of family and friends, good health, joy found in the comforts of home, an appreciation of holiday beauty, and wealth in all of these bless your life each and every day.
Gobble and gather together times entice family and friends to come together to share a delicious dinner featuring Thanksgiving sides and holiday sweets.
Today’s post features traditional foundation Thanksgiving sides and holiday sweets recipes I’ve collected from fellow bloggers and assorted social media postings.
Traditional recipes are well represented, but with improved upon ingredients and presentations certain to be requested additions to the holiday menu.
Starches plus tryptophan results in a full, satisfied and sleepy husband, son, brother, and nephews, and that means guilt free Black Friday shopping, keyboard style, for Mama Places In The Home, nieces, and yours truly.
Red, white and blue accents inspired by stellar color choices, engaging stripes, and timeless patterns star in this showcase featuring the bold and bright patriotic inspired palette- the original grand pop of color.
Red, white and blue paint colors in deep, rich, vibrant, and dramatic tones and shades promote a full-on color blast, burst, and boom of visual fireworks.
There’s nothing kiddie about the look created in these kids’ rooms.
Enticing the eye is mixture accomplished by Eclectic Recipes and this red, white and blue stack of red velvet pancakes topped with coconut syrup and fresh blueberries.
Befitting a palette choice with a patriotic theme pop of color, red, white and blue accents lend bold drama and traditional form to a space.
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