Monday, December 8, 2025

Early December Holiday Happenings!


I don't decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving, so I decorated our Christmas tree on the first few days of December. It is full of sentimental ornaments that bring back many memories as I place them on our tree.


We were happy to have decorated the outside of our home the day after Thanksgiving, as the cold and snow finally arrived! Colorado experienced significant snowfall over several days following a prolonged drought.



We usually leave some leaves on our lawns in late fall, as we have seen the deer dig under the snow to eat them all winter.  They are good foragers, and they survive on what they can find in the wild.


Santa Claus visits our community in early December, and although our oldest granddaughter is a few months away from becoming a teenager, she agreed to take photos with him again. 
My husband and I joined in, as this might be the last year we see him!



We even get to take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage after seeing Santa Claus!




Our community is about 25 miles west of Denver, located in a valley of the foothills, and on our way back home after seeing Santa Claus, we had this view of dramatic, stormy snow clouds over the city!
 



This past week, we enjoyed listening to our oldest grandson and oldest granddaughter play the viola in a holiday orchestra production at their schools. They both enjoy music very much!


Our youngest granddaughter enjoys ballet, and her ballet school put on a fabulous production of "The Nutcracker" this week.



Our granddaughter had some solo parts in the dance of the "Russian Candy Canes" segment of the ballet, as seen in the short video above.


She was so excited!


As these assorted decorations proclaim ..."It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas"...and more busy times are ahead! 
I'll be writing my Christmas cards, baking some traditional cookies, and making savory zeppole that we serve as appetizers.

I'm sure you are all busy too! Enjoy all the fun!


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Sunday, November 30, 2025

The Grateful Season



“I am grateful for what I am and have.
My Thanksgiving is perpetual.”
~ Henry David Thoreau

Thanksgiving may be over but being grateful is never over!

We had a bountiful Thanksgiving Day, full of feasting and family fun! 

Our family consisted of fifteen people this year as our son's in-laws were all invited.  

Pre-dinner appetizers were plentiful!



I do all the cooking and spent three days ahead of time preparing as much as I could to be reheated, with slow cookers helping to keep things warm. I serve buffet style as it saves table space,
For dessert, we had pumpkin and apple pie, almond and lemon gluten-free cake, pumpkin mini cakes, and a chocolate birthday cake for our daughter!

Everyone takes home trays of leftovers, so nothing goes to waste.



I cooked a 24-pound turkey and made turkey stock from the carcass the next day. 

Turkey Stock

1 leftover carcass from a roasted turkey, preferably including neck, wing, and leg bones
4 or 5 onions, quartered 
2 large or 3 small carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
4 large or 5 small celery ribs, cut into chunks
2 large or 3 small garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
Sprigs of fresh thyme and sage, if available; otherwise, use a tablespoon each of dried.
3 dried bay leaves
Leftover parsley stems
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
 Salt to taste


Add the roasted turkey carcass to a large stockpot with vegetables and herbs, and add 6 quarts of water. and place over medium-high heat just until the mixture comes to a boil.

Immediately reduce the heat to low, skim any foam floating on top, and simmer, skimming as needed, for 3 hours. 

Add 1 teaspoon of salt and taste. If the stock tastes watery, keep simmering until the stock is flavorful. Taste the stock for salt again and add more if needed.

Strain stock through a sieve into a large container or containers. Discard solids. Let stock cool slightly, then refrigerate. Skim off any fat from the top of the stock when it is cooled

 Use within 4 days or freeze. This stock makes delicious soups!




 I made a big tray of sausage, chestnut, and sourdough bread stuffing for Thanksgiving, and tried a new way to use some of the leftover stuffing as a waffle mixture. My husband was a bit doubtful whether he'd like it,  but after pouring maple syrup over his serving, he did! Your could malso serve the waffle with leftover cranberry sauce.

 Leftover Stuffing Waffle

For each waffle:

To one beaten egg, add two cups of stuffing mixture
 and two tablespoons of turkey stock
Mix together and place the mixture in a well-greased and hot waffle iron. 
Cook until crispy, and the egg is cooked, around 10 minutes. You may need to adjust cooking time according to the size of your waffle maker




A happy event occured the day after Thanksgiving as the Denver area finally had its first snowfall! We have been in a drought, and the snowpack in Colorado has been low for this time of the year. It wasn't much, but my backyard deer visitors seemed to enjoy it!

Now it is December, and time for Christmas decorating, cookie baking, and enjoying the many celebrations of the season!




"The fall air grows colder, winter is soon deep upon us. 
But, no matter the weather, we have Christmas coming with all its goodness."
 ~ Byron Pulsifer


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