Last Minute Christmas

 Did you watch Elf yet?

It sure is a favorite in our house! 

Click HERE for fun facts about the movie!

Pudding Pickle-Pants I am...

 Patty 

reminded me of a good childhood memory

I made these with my aunt in California, I think I was like 8,

 we were visiting from MN.

I have not made them since, but every time I see them, I think of her

And it's a special memory.

 Throwing this one in for good measure.

Does anyone know how to fold like your mama?

I baked 18  loaves of this last week and gave them all away except one!

Green Bread (Sweet Pistachio Bread)
 1 yellow cake mix
 1 pkg instant pistachio pudding
 4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
 1 cup sour cream
5-10 drops of food coloring (or more)

 Mix above well. Generously grease 2 loaf pans.
 Dust with a mixture of
 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon.
 Reserve remaining sugar mix.
 Pour batter into loaf pans.
Sprinkle remaining sugar mix on top.
 Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. (or til done)
 Remove immediately from pans and place in plastic baggies and refrigerate!

Our Christmas Eve 

We go to Mass (Jedi serves)

and come home to 

Baked Manicotti

fresh Italian bread

Veggie Salad (see below)

Fresh sliced oranges

And

This cake below!

We then, open gifts from each other

We make this delicious, rich, chocolate cake for Christmas Eve
 to celebrate the birth of Jesus every year.
 We put on a candle for each of us,
 to symbolize the light of Christ inside of us.

(this is an old picture!)
  It is believed that Jesus was born at midnight.

Midnight Bliss Cake

1 pkg chocolate cake mix, any variety (we picked chocolate fudge)

1 pkg (4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding

4 eggs

1 container 8 oz sour cream

1/2 cup flavored coffee, prepared (I use International Foods French Vanilla)

1/2 cup oil

1/2 cup water

1 pkg 8 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped.

Heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease and flour a tube pan (bundt cake)

Beat all ingredients except chopped chocolate in large bowl with mixer, until well blended and smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate and pour into prepared pan.

Bake 50-60 minutes until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

 No need for frosting with this cake, it's rich and that good!

Christmas Day

Santa has brought each child one gift and stocking stuff

And we play all day!

We are having Monkey Bread for breakfast

and for dinner

we have Ham, Cheesy potatoes, scalloped corn, (like  my grandma's)

buns, veggie salad (see below), fruit salad

Jedi is in charge of making

 Watergate salad 

pistachio pudding,

crushed pineapple

Cool whip

colored marshmallos

and we have these pies:

This is our Christmas Pie!
 We make 2 every year!

The kids are great helpers as they love to help cut up the candy bars and nibble a little bit!

Candy Bar Pie

1 pkg Cream cheese

1 Tbsp milk

2 tubs cool whip

2 pkgs chocolate instant pudding

1 3/4 cup milk

1 pkg mini candy bars

(we usually use Snickers, but could use Milky Way or 3 Musketeers), chopped

Chocolate pie crust (we use the Oreo one)

Mix the cream cheese with 1 Tbsp milk until smooth. 

 Gently stir in 2 cups cool whip and the chopped candy bars. Set aside.

Pour 1 3/4 cups milk into another bowl and add pudding,

 beat wit wire whisk and then gently stir in 1/2 cup cool whip.

spread 1/2 the pudding mixture on the bottom of crust,

 spread cream cheese mixture over pudding mixture

 and top with remaining pudding mixture and then on the very top,

 cover the pie with cool whip.

 (place shaved chocolate on top for decoration)

Needs to refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

It's not good to forget this last part, as it's hard to wait for it to be set!

(Hey, the cool whip has hardly any calories!)

Now for the healthy sides!

I call this "Janine's salad, because Janine gave it to me, so you can call it:

Jamie's Salad! (haha)

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Cherry Tomatoes

Red Onion

Black Olives

Slice veggies and olives, toss with dressing:

Ranch dressing season packet

2/3 cup canola oil

1/4 cup regular vinegar

It's one of my favorites! 

I'm off to an appointment for Little Red at the plastic surgeon's office, 

then to the crazy store for fresh veggies (see above salad) 

and bread!

I'm signing off, might be back to post a Christmas Eve picture....or 

Merry Christmas wishes, 

but otherwise, I'll be enjoying my family

away from the computer!

God bless you,

have a wonderful Christmas!