January Monday Treats

I was going to call this post "A Month of Mondays" -- but then I thought nobody would want to read that!  So I thought I would share with you the Monday treats I took to work for the month of January.  The first Monday I took a Breakfast Casserole.  Recipe follows:
1 lb. sausage
2 slices cubed bread
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 cup grated sharp cheese
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon dry mustard
Brown loose sausage & drain.  Spread bread cubes over 9 x 13 greased pan.  Top with grated cheese and crumbled sausage.  Beat eggs and remaining ingrediants.  Pour over top.  Regrigerate overnight.  Bake at 350 for 45 - 55 minutes.

The second week I took a Strawberry Cheese Ring that is credited to former First Lady, Rosalynn Carter.
16 ozs charp cheddar cheese grated
3 ozs of softened cream cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 small onion chopped
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt or powder
Cayenne pepper to taste
1 cup strawberry preserves

Combine all ingredients except perserves in a food processor or with electric mixer.  Mix thoroughly and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.  Scoop mixture onto a plate.  Mold mixture into a ring.  Spoon strawberry preserves into center of ring and serve with crackers.

 

The third Monday I took Cherry Cheesecake cups

Crust: 1 package yellow or Devil's Food cake mix
1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted -- (I think that the next time I would use 1/2 cup)
Cheese Filling: 2 - 8 oz packages of cream cheese softened
3 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:  1 1/2 cups sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 can cherry pie filling
Preheat oven to 350.  Place liners in 24 muffin cups.
For crust, combine cake mix and melted butter in large bowl.  Beat at low spead with mixer for 1 min.  (mixture will be curmbly)  Divide mixture evenly among cups.  Level, but do not press
For Cheese Filling - combine cream cheese, eggs, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla in medium bowl.  Beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth.  Spoon evenly into muffin cups.  Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until set.
For Topping, combine sour cream and 1/4 cup sugar in small bowl.  Spoon evenly over cheesecakes.  Return to oven for 5 minutes.  Cool completely.  Garnish each cheesecake with cherry pie filling and refrigerate until ready to serve.  

The fourth Monday I took a loaf of Panera Bread Cinnamon Raisin Bread and sliced it and then cut each slice in half.  I served it with cinnamon butter spread.   Monday treats don't have to be homemade.....just thoughtfully presented.

It's just a small way to spread good cheer to my co-workers and give us all something to look foward to on Mondays!

See ya!

Snow Tree

I'm usually the one who takes down the Christmas decor and has it all packed away by New Year's Day.  But this year I decided to make my smaller Christmas tree into a Winter Snow tree and enjoy it even longer.

It's filled with white lights and snowflakes -- some are the white plastic ones...

I've also got white candles and some old fashioned children playing in the snow.

Of course lots of snowmen.

Love the crocheted snowflakes that one of my dad's cousins always gave us at family reunions.

Found these tiny flakes in a vintage thrift store years ago.

How about your house?  Do you leave your tree up? Redecorate it for winter or Valentine's?  After Christmas do your snowpeople stay and play?  I just wonder what took me so long to do this.

See ya!

Snow in Love

This week's table is set to capture the Winter weather.  We had our first snow of the season last week.

The first snow is always magical.  And the snow men and ladies gather for the "Winter Snow Ball"

This smile could just melt the icy chill away.....don't you think?

And isn't her date for the ball quite dashing in his hat?

Perhaps after the ball they will have a romantic moonlit dinner.

But for now, the food will have to wait while they take another spin around the the dance floor....while the snow swirls around them.

They may have to stop for just a sip of  cold water or perhaps champagne from these icy blue goblets.  No hot cocoa for these two!

Silver and white make the perfect setting for snow romance.

Silver snowflakes are most dainty treats to catch upon your tongue as you dance a winter's night away.

A silver ring for a sheer napkin.

Let's blow they layers away and see what we have......

.....silver snowflakes under clear glass.....

....sandwiched between our white dinner plate.....and our silver plated flatware.

.....what better charger than a giant snowflake?

.....and our snow lovers dance on and on......

....while the little birds gather on the fence to watch.....

....among the pink roses in the snow....

.....and the waltz music continues.....

.....far into the winter night.....

.....for our snow couple know all too well.....

....that come morning and the rising sun....their brief love affair will all melt away....but for tonight, they will dance and dip and hold each other close.....under the moonlight.....and under the magical spell.... of the first snowfall of winter.

See ya!

Better late than never, I'm linking to Cuisine Kathleen at "Let's Dish" -- be sure to stop by for more winter tablescape fun.http://www.cuisinekathleen.com/2013/01/snowwinter-table-challenge-let-dish.htmlhttp://www.cuisinekathleen.com/2013/01/snowwinter-table-challenge-let-dish.html

Be sure to check out the tabletop fun at "Between Naps on the Porch" this week as well.http://betweennapsontheporch.net/a-valentines-day-table-setting-tablescape/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BetweenNapsOnThePorch+%28BETWEEN+NAPS+ON+THE+PORCH%29http://betweennapsontheporch.net/a-valentines-day-table-setting-tablescape/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BetweenNapsOnThePorch+%28BETWEEN+NAPS+ON+THE+PORCH%29

A year of Tables in Review

This past year I used a Lang Calendar from 2010 for tablescaping inspirations.  So I thought I would do a year in review.  For some strange reason the November table REFUSED to load at the end and would only take "1st place".  Every other month seemed to cooperate.  So here's my year in review (just a bit out of order).

November -  Pumpkin table

 

January - Oranges and blues

February - Watering can tablescape

March - Flight of the butterflies

April - Tulips in a jar

May - Bouquet

June - Garden Bounty

July - Flags by the Sea

August - Squash Harvest

September - Bike Ride

October - Crow Basket

December - Happy Snowmen

2012 was a fun year of tablescaping -- some months seemed to come together easier than others....and I tried to use what I had rather than purchasing anything new. 

Looking forward to 2013 -- and more tabletop inspirations!

See ya!

I'm joining Susan (master tablescaper) at Between Naps on the Porch....the lady who first inspired me to join in the tablescaping fun!http://betweennapsontheporch.net/http://betweennapsontheporch.net/3-party-table-settings-with-coca-cola-dishware-and-memorabilia/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+BetweenNapsOnThePorch+%28BETWEEN+NAPS+ON+THE+PORCH%29