another recipe.

okay...another oldie but a goodie recipe. this one is popular for most of our special occassions here around the block. and thanksgiving is no less an important reason to bring it out yet again. broccoli dip has been around our family for almost as long as we have been a little family...anyway, it is always requested and mutually enjoyed. hope you like too.

broccoli dip
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 cup sour cream1 cup mayo
2 T chopped green onions
2 T chopped fresh parsley
1/2 t dill week
1/4 t salt
1/8 garlic powder
mix all ingredients in large bowl, blending well. cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours to blend flavors.
i make french bread. slice and toast under broiler and use slices as dippers. yum! it is also popular as a dip for the turkey around the left over table. enjoy!

cranberry chutney

came across this recipe a few years back and it is a wonderful compliment to roast turkey. recipe compliments of sunset magazine. my dad keeps all the november and december issues going back years and years. always makes for a good read.

baked cranberry-ginger chutney
1. sort 1 package (12 oz.) fresh or thawed frozen cranberries, discarding any bruised or decayed fruit. rinse and drain berries.
2. in an 8 or 9- inch square baking dish, mix cranberries, 1 cup sugar, 1/3 cup cider vinegar, 2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger, 5 whole cloves and 1 cinnamon stick.
3. bake, uncovered, in a 350 oven, stirring occasionally, until berries are tender when pierced and juices are syrupy, 50-60 minues. lift out and discard cloves and
cinnamon, if desired. serve warm or cool.
note: you can make this sauce up to 1 week ahead; cover and chill.


so do you have a very special thanksgiving recipe you bring out this time of year? would love to have you share.

have a great day!

quick post here...

i have been so very busy on the home front, and not much time on the blog front. but i keep wanting to share my thankful album from last november. i am so very glad i did this album as alot of the 'avery' clan were together with my grandmother for the last time. she just turned 89. makes for a bit of an emotional thanksgiving this year as she would have been 90, and she was always with us for thanksgiving since we lived here in colorado.

but anyway...the book was inspired by jessica sprague and downloads she provided...let me go check if those are still available...found it!!! 'so thankful' mini album instructions.


here are a couple of looks at the book i did...

as i just now went to locate the book, i realized i did not take photos of the book, but these are photos that made up the book. it was done all digitally. great way to go this time of year.

looking forward to bringing the mini front and center as we focus on the holiday that is thanksgiving.

thanks for visiting...

veteran's day

it dawned on me as i woke early, and took time to renew and pray...i have never thanked my father for his service in the service. not really sure how i would go about that without making us both feel very self conscious, or myself crying. he would be quick to point out that he did not serve in a foreign war. but he willingly donned the uniform during an era in our nation's history where it was not popular to be a member of our military. he was spat upon, just the same, the story goes. and that is the very reason we take the time on veteran's day, is to say thank you to all veteran's, because they were willing, no matter what the climate of the world was at the time.

my family comes from a long line of brave men who proudly served in the military. my grandfather, my dad's dad, was in one of the last actual calvary posts in this country. my mother's father served on mcarthur's staff in the philipines during world war II. my great uncle was serving the marines in pearl harbor that fateful day of december 7, 1941. my husbands grandfather was in the navy and served faithfully too, during the frightening days of world war II in the pacific theatre. his father went on and volunteered in the army and served in vietnam. we don't hear too much about that experience, but we are deeply thankful, just the same.

this brings us up to modern day. our family's blood is spent on the ground in iraq with my army officer cousin. he gave the ultimate sacrifice asked of one in the military in february of 2006. we will never forget.

and my prayer is that we teach our children to never forget, and teach them the value of life and liberty that we experience daily in this incredible country we call home.

may we bless GOD in this effort.

looking forward.

i love calendars. not sure it's the photographic images that they usually come with that draw me...i think it's the numbers on a grid...the order...all those numbers in a row with opportunities in them to look forward. the book i read tells me to number my days, and so i try to do just that.

this time of year it is time for me to look forward to the new year and a need for a calendar. my problem is that i already have an academic planning calendar that i use quite heavily, but i want more!!! i know...a little weird here.

the above calendar is part of this month's WorkInProgress gallery. and it has inspired me (yeah, sometimes i even inspire myself), to make a few of these up for christmas presents this year. all i did was make the calendar part in photo shop elements, and i can change those layers around for a different month. the patterned paper was added to the bottom as was the little glittery image from crate paper. easy, fun, orderly. gotta love all those things.

so that brings me to some etsy finds that i wanted to share with you. again, maybe some inspiration to make your own, or to simply pick a few up for some christmas or even appreciation gifts (read teachers).

now this one is very versatile as it is a pdf file enabling you to print many on in one place, or to print them seperately, as well as print them on cardstock or patterned paper.

these are very fun...of course if they were to go on my fridge, i would never really know what day it is after my kids got to them.

more printable options here. love the clean graphics and big letters on these.

talk about clean lines, this option is very basic and i think has alot going for it.

simply pretty.

and these are all sold out, not calendars, but super sweet. ideal for the advent project that ali e did last year if you are still thinking of doing that.

thanks for visiting.

election day

Holy Father, in a world where so many are hungry,
You have given us food in abundance;

In a world where so many are hurting,
You offer to bind up our wounds;

In a world where so many are lonely,
You offer friendship to every heart;

In a world longing for peace,
You offer hope.

Yet, we are so stubborn and resistant.
Have mercy upon us, Lord.

Our nation is at a crossroads this year;
we look to you to be our strength and shield.

Please give us the guidance to elect one who will honor you
and to respond to the wisdom from above
so that our hope may be renewed and our blessings be treasured.

In God's holy name.
Dr. Ravi Zacharias

my post for today...

is a cry for help...as of this writing, all my right-hand sidebar is sitting at the bottom of the page, not where it is suppose to be. does anyone know how to right this? i am at a loss, and seem to go in circles looking in the help center here on blogger to find an answer.
thank you so much if you can give me a definitive answer.

ETA: i might have finally fixed it. will check it again tomorrow.

traditions...

here's a challenge...scrap a tradition, or many traditions in your home for a holiday. makes a great mini album idea too. the scones in the above layout using WIP's November kit is our traditional Thanksgiving morning fare. i make as many as the canned pumpkin quantity will allow, and then they are gone! till the next Thanksgiving, that is. this recipe has been requested several times and so i share it here with you. please, let me know how it goes for your family.

pumpkin scones

About 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
About 1/2 cup butter or margarine, cut into chunks
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon milk
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1. In a bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and salt. Add 1/2 cup butter and, with a pastry blender or your fingers, cut or rub in until pea-size crumbs form.
{my note: if you have a food processor, pulse all dry ingredients first, add and pulse butter until pea-size crumbs form.}

2. In a small bowl, whisk pumpkin and 1/2 cup milk until well blended. Add to flour mixture and stir just until dough is evenly moistened.
{my note: continue in food processor and add wet mixture to flour mixture and run processor until dough balls up, easy and quick way to make these}

3. Scrape dough onto a lightly floured board, turn over to coat, and gently knead just until dough comes together, 5 or 6 times. {this step not needed if using food processor}. Pat dough into a 6-inch round 1 1/2 inches thick; cut into 6 equal wedges.

4. Separate wedges and place on a lightly buttered 12- x 15-inch baking sheet. In a small bowl, beat egg yolk and 1 tablespoon milk to blend; brush lightly over tops of scones (discard any remaining egg wash). In another small bowl, mix granulated sugar and remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon; sprinkle evenly over scones.

5. Bake at 375 until scones are golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a rack; serve warm or cool.

In our family, we mix equal parts whipped whipping cream and sour cream with a little powder sugar for our own version of creme fraiche. Add a dollop on a split, warm scone, with a cup of french roast coffee, and sit and enjoy the blessings of your lives.
this is from the 'so thankful' mini i did last year. so glad i did this little book. it holds precious memories never to be gained again.

enjoy!

Welcome November...

...and the Work In Progress design team gallery is up and groovin'. And, shoutin' out a bit here, I was asked by Trish to be her guest this month and it was a great treat. These kits were packed with so many inspirational goodies. I enjoyed the process of putting some layouts and projects together for her. You can see them here, and she may just have a few kits available as well. Run and get them!
When I first discovered Work In Progress this past spring, I knew I wanted a chance to design on her team. So this was a little dream come true to do just that.
Thanks, Trish!!! Your awesome.
Here are a few of the projects:


Thanks for visiting...