Countdown to 2011 - Breakfast

SnoWhite over at Finding Joy in My Kitchen is hosting a wonderful blogging event, Countdown to 2011. It's perfect for this time of year, you post your favorite 2010 recipe for that day's particular category. Day 1 is today and the recipes being featured are Breakfast. Stop by her blog for the details and join in. I can't wait to see everyone's recipes!!!

I don't post many breakfast recipes. Breakfast during the week is something quick as we're running out the door. The weekend's tend to be the usual eggs and something or pancakes/french toast. Hands down my favorite recipe is SnoWhite's Overnight Baked Oatmeal.

What's your favorite 2010 breakfast recipe!!

There's still time to enter my giveaway here!!

Merry Christmas and Happy Pink Saturday!!

This week for Pink Saturday, Beverly suggested we share what we are doing today. We're traveling a total of 1200 miles this holiday season. We traveled from Omaha to Kansas City (my home) on Thursday. Last night we drove back home to Omaha long enough to rest our head on the pillow for a few hours. Today we're traveling to Darfur, Minnesota (Tim's home). I made sure to pack a few snacks and water. Nothing is open on Christmas day, unless you want Chinese food.

Despite the number of miles, it's been a wonderful holiday season for us. Justin and Lily with were with us for a few days. For the first time in five years, we saw my family and friends in KC for Christmas Eve. Today we're celebrating Christmas with Tim's mom and sisters.

Wherever you are or whatever you are doing today, I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Day! Merry Christmas!

From The Good Life

There's still time to enter my $55.00 CSN Stores giveaway here!!

This past summer my Thursday posts were entitled "In My Garden". When the weather started to turn cold and the flowers were gone, my Thursday posts became "From the Good Life". This week, I'm so exicited to share an indoor gardening post.

This summer I bought a Meyer Lemon "Tree". I kept it outside on the deck until the nights became too cool. Since I brought it inside and put it in our west facing living room window, it seems to be doing well. The tree has had several blossoms. After the blossoms fell, I noticed what appeared to be the start of a lemon. The first one appears to be continuing to grow, there's a second and third one just starting out as well. If you look closely at the picture, you can see the largest one in the lower left corner.



The sunlight in this window must be perfect for tropical plants. This is the window our bouganvillea has been thriving in for three years! I wonder how long it takes a lemon to fully mature?

Peanut Butter Balls

Don't forget to enter my CSN Stores Giveaway here!!!

Even though I start my Christmas shopping early in the year. I never seem to have enough time for making holiday treats. There's so many recipes I'd love to make, those in my own recipe box, not to mention all of the delicious recipes my fellow bloggers have posted. Unfortunately, this year I think my only treat is going to be these Peanut Butter Balls. I am reposting last year's post for these delicious treats!!

What Christmas treat are you known for? You know that recipe you make every year and everyone asks you for this recipe. For me, it's these decadent Peanut Butter Balls. It doesn't get any better than peanut butter and chocolate.

I've been making these at Christmas since Justin was small. My recipe is scratched onto a piece of notebook paper, it has my son's scribbles and a phone message he took for me on the back. Too sentimental to rewrite onto a recipe card!

Peanut Butter Balls
1/2 cup butter
3 cups Rice Krispies
2 cups smooth peanut butter
1 pound powdered sugar
8 ounces Hershey's chocolate bar
6 ounces semi sweet chocolate bits
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cake paraffin

Melt butter, stir in peanut butter until smooth. In a large bowl, combine rice krispies and powdered sugar. Pour peanut butter mixture over rice krispie mixture. Stir until combined well. Chill for at least one hour. Roll rice krispie mixture into balls approximately the size of walnuts.

In a double boiler or a bowl over a pan of boiling water, combine chocolate bar, chocolate chips, paraffin and vanilla. Stir until melted and combined.

Dip balls into chocolate mixture, making sure to cover all sides. Place on waxed paper to dry.

I am linking this to Tasty Tuesday's, Tuesday's at the Table and Tempt My Tummy Tuesday.

CSN Stores Giveaway!!

The great folks at CSN Stores have given me a $55.00 gift certificate for one of my readers (USA or Canada). CSN Stores has everything from a great tv stand to cookware. How to enter is simple!! Just sign up to be a follower of my blog and leave me a comment! If you're already a follower, thanks for following me. Leave me a comment and let me know and you're entered, too. I don't know about you but entering some giveaways is way too much work for me, so am keeping it simple.

I will pick a winner on December 31st! Good luck and thanks for entering!!

Favorite Holiday Song - Pink Saturday

Today on Pink Saturday, we're featuring our favorite holiday song. It's impossible for me to pick a favorite Christmas song. I love them all, from the fun ones like Rudolph or Frosty, to the traditional ones like Joy to the World or Hark the Herald Angels Sing. Instead I am sharing a song from my childhood. If you came to our house around Christmas time, chances are you'd hear this playing on the record player. My Dad's always been a bit of a jokester, this song, I Just Go Nuts At Christmas, was Dad's favorite.

What's your favorite Christmas song?

Pasta With Pesto, Potatoes and Green Beans

Are you ready for Christmas? My shopping is done but none of the wrapping. My goal this weekend is to finish everything by Sunday night, so I can enjoy the rest of next week.

Today's recipe is from sometime over the summer. Not sure why I haven't posted this one before because I loved this dish. Do you need a quick, easy dinner? If you're like me and you have pesto in your freezer, give this one a try.



Pasta With Pesto, Potatoes and Green Beans
Recipe Courtesy of Martha Stewart Living

2 waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon salt
8 ounces cavatappi
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and halved
1/2 cup Pesto
Pepper
Directions
1.Peel and cut 2 waxy potatoes into 1-inch cubes; place in a large pot of water; bring to a boil.
2.Add 1 tablespoon salt and 8 ounces cavatappi or other short tubular pasta; return to a boil; cook 2 minutes.
3.Add 8 ounces trimmed and halved green beans. Return to a boil; cook until vegetables are tender and pasta is al dente, about 6 minutes.
4.Drain; toss with 1/2 cup pesto; season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I am linking this to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.