I don’t know how things are at your house, but in the Sloderbeck and Janes’ family household, there are some dishes we ONLY make during the holidays. What is interesting to me is that they are often recipes that could be enjoyed and made any time during the year, but we actually don’t seem to even think about them until it is holiday time. I guess that is why they are special!

One of our favorite holiday dishes is one Jim’s mom used to always make. She called it Coca Cola Salad. Now that she has gone on to Heaven, Grace, our 16-year-old daughter, has taken charge of making this treat for the last several years. It makes sense since she is the one who always requests it. While all of us help her eat it, she loves it so much that she decided to make a double batch this time. Hopefully, it will make it past the first go-round of eating.

This year, we encouraged her to try making a couple of changes or “tweaks” to the recipe. We decided to try cutting back on some of the sugary parts of this recipe by using sugar-free Jello instead of regular Jello and used Coke Zero for the Coca Cola part. It certainly “acted” the same in the recipe and the taste is just as good as the “original” version.

So without any further ado, I present to you Coca Cola Salad from Ellie Mae’s kitchen! (I just know you’re smiling, Mom!)

Coca Cola Salad

Ingredients:

• 1 – 20 oz. can of applesauce OR 2 1/2 cups
• 1 – 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple
• 1 large box of cherry Jello
• 1 cup Coca Cola
• 1 cup chopped nuts (pecans are our favorite)

Directions:

1. Lightly spray a rectangular dish with a cooking spray. If doubling the recipe, you will want a 13″ x 9″ pan. Otherwise, a smaller rectangular pan will hold it all.
2. Using a medium saucepan, place the applesauce in the pan on the stove and use a medium heat setting.
3. Stir occasionally until the applesauce just starts to boil.
4. Turn off the heat and add the box of Jello to the applesauce.
5. Stir in the Jello until it dissolves completely.
6. Now add the crushed pineapple and Coca Cola and stir until blended.
7. Finally, add the nuts to the warm mixture.
8. Pour your Jello mixture into your prepared pan and cool until firm.

Enjoy!

Now, how about you? Do you have some favorite recipes that you only save for the holidays?

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Well, today is November 3rd and I’ve decided it’s officially time to start my holiday planning. We’re in a new house this year so that will mean lots of new Christmas decorating fun. But first things first–I need to plan for Thanksgiving. We’re hosting two Thanksgiving dinners at our house this year on two different days. So, I’ve been putting my thinking cap on today for planning menus and collecting recipes so I can get ahead of the game.

One of my favorite websites is All Recipes.com. The number of recipes available is nearly endless. A great feature is the review section for every recipe. It’s always helpful to get suggestions for tweaking a recipe to add a personal touch or extra flavor. I always try to read the reviews because I love to tweak recipes. My favorite feature that really helps me prepare for large groups is the recipe calculator. It will scale a recipe’s ingredients for the exact number of servings you need.

One of the more simple things that has really helped me with my planning in the past is to write out my menu and identify how each item will be prepared. This really helps when you discover what dishes can be prepared ahead of time. It has also taught me to use my crock pot whenever possible. This year I plan on making my mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and my dressing in a crock pot.

I’m sure my thoughts will be side tracked with lots of holiday plans in the days to come. So check back for more tips and recipes for the upcoming holiday season.

I remember the time several years ago when I asked each member of the family, “What is your favorite dish at Thanksgiving?” After I did this, I had my menu for that year! While I can’t remember what everyone voted for, it was this year when Mary Lou punch became a family favorite from that point on. Click on “A Scrumptuous Punch” to find this delicious recipe.

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Today begins a marathon for wrapping as many presents in one day as I can. I’m not quite sure how it got to be four days before Christmas. Unfortunately, it’s already 1:00 in the afternoon, and I haven’t wrapped the first present yet! Maybe that’s because I’m busy writing this post.

To begin, I thought you’d enjoy this picture. Now, I’ve wrapped a lot of presents in my lifetime, but never have I ever attempted anything quite this big!

Photo found at http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20026873.800-the-scientific-guide-to-gift-wrapping.html?full=true

I wonder how many rolls of paper and ribbon it took to accomplish this? Well, I guess in actuality, if you can  afford to give a present like this, the price of paper and ribbon is no object.With Christmas right around the corner, Faith and I thought you might enjoy having our list of helpful and useful tips to assist you with your final gift wrapping. Whether it’s a marathon session for you, or simply finishing up those last-minute items, we hope you will find these tips beneficial.

1. First, put on your favorite Christmas music. This is absolutely essential. There’s nothing quite like some good Christmas songs to set the mood.
2. Wrap presents with some other people. Gift wrapping can be such a lonely and thankless job. Do it with other friends and family members to help pass the time and to keep you motivated to finish.
3. Station yourself at a big table if possible. I’ve tried wrapping presents on my king-sized bed for years, but I’m finding it’s hard on my back. Being able to sit down and wrap presents at a table or other surface you can slide your knees under will definitely help with back strain.
4. Make sure you have plenty of snacks. You can work up quite an appetite as you measure, cut, and secure your packages. Snacks like luncheon meat and crackers, salsa and chips, as well as fresh fruit help to keep up your strength during this event.
5. Your own roll of tape, scissors, and pen are a requirement. While Scrooge is not my favorite character at this time of year, it’s easy to get a little “Scrooge-ish” when you have to constantly take back the tape your helper “borrowed.”
6. The new stick on nametags are a must. What did we ever get along without them?
7. Don’t waste your time peeling off the back of sticky bows. You know they’re going to fall off your package if you do that. Besides, trying to find a corner to where the backing is easy to peel away from the sticky part can cause you to become “unglued.” Instead, put a small piece of scotch tape on each side of that piece of sticky backing and tape it to your package.
8. Some gift bags from the Dollar Store are a blessing for those odd-shaped items. Round is not a fun shape to wrap with paper.
9. Be sure you leave enough time to finish wrapping all your gifts! Just like running a real marathon, it’s no fun not to be finished when the event is over.

If I could think of one more, I would call this a “Top Ten List” of some kind. But I can’t, so I won’t.

We hope these tips come in handy for your wrapping session. Plus, now you will know what to do for next year in case you wait to do your gift wrapping at the last minute like I did.

Merry Christmas everyone.

I can say that because this is our blog.

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Can you identify with this picture?

I must confess there have been some years at Thanksgiving and Christmas when I’ve felt like this. Some years I’ve felt as though I hardly had time to sit down and enjoy a cup of coffee, much less time to watch “It’s A Wonderful Life!” But it IS a wonderful life, especially during this time of year when we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.

Well, this year I’m going to try something different. I’m going to poll the members of my family and ask them this question: “What three things are the most important aspects of Thanksgiving and Christmas that just have to be there for you in order for it to feel like Christmas?” For me, that means asking the two youngest children still at home who are 13 and 14, my mother who lives with me, and my husband. I, too, plan to examine this question.

I don’t know about you, but I can feel so out of control during the holidays that I lose focus of what is really important.  It’s so easy to get sidetracked on non-essentials. For instance, nobody makes me send out Christmas cards, decorate the house like it’s an entry for House Beautiful, or bake as if I was opening a restaurant.

For me, much of my stress level rises because I do it to myself. I know that time pressures elevate my blood pressure and December 25 is certainly a biggie. While I enjoy many of the things that come with Christmas, I want to use good judgment and make my efforts count. I know about being a good steward with my money, but my time is valuable, too. I want to use it wisely and for moments that really matter to my family.

Well, here is my chance to break the crazy cycle of the holidays–to find ways to slow down and cherish these special moments with my family.

So, this year I’m going to try a different approach. And while I haven’t asked my family members the “big question” yet, I suspect there will be a few things we all will share several things in common. Those will be the things I will focus on the most.

Will you join me?

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As we were putting up the Christmas tree this year, I noticed several ornaments my children have made over the years that have lasted for years. And the other thing I realized about them was that each one of them was made by a child of mine when they were young.

While I wasn’t involved in all of the processes that went into making them, I hope my pictures will help you know what to do. The first two ornaments were made by my children during a church project. The other one I made with my child at home.

I happen to know when each of the ornaments was made because I always date them. This is something I’ve done since my first Christmas with my hubby back in 1974. If you don’t date your ornaments, may I encourage you to do so. Knowing when your child made a particular ornament and how old they were when they did, will bring a sweet memory and a smile to your face.

Ornament #1

This first ornament was one that Faith made when she was seven years old. It dates back to 1984 and was one that she made during a church activity.

It is composed of three clothespins that do not contain the springs–two of them are glued side by side to form the body, and the third one is turned and glued upside down to form the head and antlers.

As you can see, there are tiny eyes glued on the sides of his head, along with a tiny bell that is placed under his mouth and tied around his head once the glue is set. (I suspect a glue gun was used for the gluing part of this project.) The bell was tied on with a thin piece of white string so it is difficult to notice.

Finally, small pieces of red and green felt were glued over the body, a small white ball glued on for his tail, and black felt markers used to color his hooves.

And by the way, this little reindeer is extremely easy to “clip” onto the Christmas tree.

Ornament #2

This cute little bird ornament was made by my son Danny when he was only three. Now, I suspect he probably had some help with it, but it was simple enough that he was able to actively participate in its creation.

As you can see, this little bluebird was made from a pine cone. Here in Georgia, pine cones are plentiful. However, if you don’t have very many where you live, you can certainly buy them at a craft store.

Basically, it consists of a pine cone for the body, a small styrofoam ball for the head, a firm piece of cardstock for the beak, and another piece  of cardstock for the tail.

If I were making this myself, I would start by cutting off the rounded part of the head that sits on the pine cone. This will make gluing much easier as it will allow a bigger surface to adhere to the body.

Before gluing, paint the body and head with some blue paint. Apparently, the pine cone and head were painted with an acrylic water-based paint, patted on with a brush. Using this type of paint will allow for fast drying.

The little beak was made from yellow cardstock cut into a triangle and gently forced into the styrofoam, or maybe a small slit was cut and the paper eased into the slit. I can’t really tell at this point.

Cardstock was then cut to look like a tail and then glued into the pine cone. The curl to the tail is optional. As I recall, it was flat and straight when Danny first brought it home 23 years ago.

A string was then tied to the head, or went around the body, and with great pride, Danny brought it home from church and hung it on our tree. It has been one of my favorite ornaments ever since.

Ornament #3

Finally, this ornament was probably the easiest of all three to make. This was made by my son Jeremy when he was five years old. I actually helped him make this one, so I know firsthand what was involved in the process.

First, I gave him five craft sticks. These are the fatter ones you can buy at a craft store, or right here. They do make thinner ones, but I wanted to let him color the sticks, so I used the fatter ones.

After Jeremy finished creating his works of art on each side of the sticks, I began placing a  small amount of tacky glue at each place where they intersected.

Making sure that glue had not oozed out from under each intersection, I then placed a clothespin at each point of the star and allowed it to dry overnight.

The next day, I simply removed the clothespins and had Jeremy place his ornament on our tree. I wish I had taken a picture of the smile on his face.

It is my hope that if you have little children–even grandchildren–that you will enjoy making these simple ornaments with them. If they turn out like ours did, you will be able to enjoy them for many years to come.

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The first year our family began homeschooling was 1989. It was a time of excitement, hard work, and trying new things.

One of my favorite memories from that first year was our study of the Pilgrims. In order to make this event in history “come alive” for my children, my husband and I decided to put forth some extra effort. What better way to make your children feel like a Pilgrim, than a ride on The Mayflower. Here is what happened.

On a Friday, early in the afternoon, we announced to our children that they only had two hours to pack up some of their belongings. Without disclosing what we were planning, we told them to pack items they felt they would need, as if they were going on a trip. After two hours, we would meet in our bedroom.

At approximately four o’clock in the afternoon, the children showed up with a small trunk, a few toy cars, and some books. Then we announced that for the next 24 hours, we would be re-enacting a voyage on The Mayflower. From that moment, they were not allowed to leave our room and would have to remain until we “landed.” There would be no electricity used–only candles–and our attached bathroom would become “the bucket room.”

The children were instructed that they would have to sleep on the floor with whatever coverings they brought aboard; however, mom and dad would be allowed to sleep in their own bed. Rank does have its privileges, you know.

We placed an expandable gate across the doorway, high enough off the ground to allow our dog to come in and out of our bedroom by crawling under the gate. My mother, who lives with us, would remain “on land” and would take any phone calls and see that the dog was allowed to relieve himself outside.

From our studies we had learned that the Pilgrims ate beef jerky, hard tack (a hard, dried-out biscuit), and drank stale water during their journey across the sea. While I had prepared some jerky and allowed some rolls to harden, I personally refused to drink stale water.

Throughout our voyage, we read stories about the Pilgrims, played games, and talked of how difficult it must have been for over 100 people to remain confined in such a small space for 66 days. (I wish we had had The Voyage of the Mayflower Game back then to play.)

As darkness fell, we lit our candles around the room and tried to imagine how scary it must have been for little children–even adults–to be down below deck with little or no light. Thankfully, our Mayflower did not rock and roll as the real one would have; we talked of how beef jerky and hard rolls would not be our favorite foods after a short period of time; and we shared how brave these people must have been and how their faith would really have been tested during their journey.

After a refreshing night’s rest (at least for mom and dad), we had more jerky and hard tack with water for breakfast. It was becoming obvious that all of us were looking forward to coming ashore in America. With several more stories and times of quiet play, we landed!

Grandma was there to greet us as we came ashore. Upon our arrival, we enjoyed a wonderful hot meal, prepared by my mom as we shared stories of the Pilgrims from a new perspective.

This is definitely one of my most memorable homeschooling experiences from growing up! Well, the full size (and by that, I meant gigantic) Tee-Pee that my parents built in our living room comes in as a close second for most memorable homeschooling experience. My brothers and I still laugh about eating beef jerky all day as we were trapped on The Mayflower. For some reason, it sure seemed like a longer “trip” when I remember the story.

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My oldest son is coming home for Christmas on Thursday and he is requesting spiced cider. He’s not a hot chocolate fan, so this is his beverage of choice for the holidays. Normally, this is not a problem; however, I can’t find my recipe. Yikes! I basically know what goes into it, but I want the proportions so it tastes good.

I asked Faith, but she doesn’t have it either. And the other problem is, I can’t remember where I got the recipe years ago.

While I thought I’d look up some variations of this drink on the Internet, I also decided that maybe some of you would also like a recipe, too.

Listed below are a few that I found, along with a link of where I found them. I want to make sure I give credit where credit is due.

I’m sure after I look them over, I’ll tweek them here and there and come up with my own. In fact, I know that’s what I did years ago……That’s why I can’t find an exact copy!

Happy sipping!

Recipe #1

Hot Spiced Cider

Apple cider is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Ingredients:

• 3 quarts apple cider
• 12 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil. Strain and serve hot spiced cider hot in mugs.

Makes 12 cups of hot spiced cider.

This recipe is a very basic one, and may taste great. It has some of the ingredients I use, but I’m looking for one that uses a percolator for preparing this beverage. Back to Google!

Recipe #2

Hot Spiced Cider

This recipe sounds pretty good, and contains most of what I put into mine, but it doesn’t have cranberry juice, so I think I’ll keep looking.

Recipe #3

Hot Spiced Cider

First, take a large jug of apple juice or cider (a gallon is a good amount). Then pour the juice into a large pot on the stove (or into the crockpot if you don’t want to use a burner). Heat to a simmer.

Then add the following ingredients to the simmering juice:

• 1 cup of frozen orange juice concentrate (this ingredient is a MUST)
• 2 teaspoons (more or less) of EACH of the following: cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves (whole or ground)
• 1 cup (or less) of cranberry juice

Let it all simmer for awhile (half an hour at least).

The smell wafting through the house while the cider is simmering is simply heaven. Serve the hot spiced cider in mugs. For a nice touch, add a whole cinnamon stick to each mug.

Having a large pot of hot, spiced apple cider simmering on the stove when company arrives is a sure way to make them very happy that they chose to come over to your house.

Recipe #4

Vickie’s New and Improved Hot Spiced Cider

As I’ve looked over the recipes above, mine is starting to come back to me. Here’s what I’m going to propose as my new recipe for Hot Spiced Cider.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon of apple juice or cider
• 1/2 gallon of cranberry juice
• 1 cup of orange juice
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 6 cinnamon sticks
• 10 whole cloves

Preparation:

Using a percolator:

1. You need a big percolator that holds at least 18 cups.
2. Pour apple cider and cranberry juice into coffee pot.
3. Place ingredients in the coffee basket and fill with brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves.
4. Brew, and serve hot.

Using a crockpot or pot on top of stove:

1. Be sure your pot can hold 18 cups of liquid.
2. Pour apple cider or juice, cranberry juice, and orange juice into pot.
3. Place brown sugar, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a piece of cheesecloth and tie with string or twist tie.
4. Place spice mixture into liquid.
5. Heat cider mixture until desired drinking temperature.

Now, don’t tell Matthew I had to wing it this year. It will be our secret….

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