Stuffs (and gift suggestions I suppose)

I'm tweaking my template. It is borked in IE, but what else is new. I've tried everything I know of to fix it. I recommend looking at this site in anything but IE. I'm in Firefox right now and it's beautiful.

In other news, I've added a list of my Favorite Reads from Amazon over there to the left. I can honestly say I've read 90% of the books on my list. And I'm not done adding them. I'm a huge Peter Straub and Nicholas Sparks fan. I also love John Grisham and have a strong like for Stephen King. Something about him skeeves me out just a little. I have read all three of Eleanor Herman's books, well, I'm half way done with Mistress of the Vatican and I cannot wait to read King Peggy. And as you already know, I fell in love with Oogy.

With all this free time on my hands, Santa is bringing me a slew of new books for Christmas. I cannot wait to read You had me at Woof and Santa scored me a first edition, signed copy of Peter Straub's A Dark Matter and it's companion, A Special Place: The Heart of a Dark Matter. He is also bringing me Room, Not Without My Sister, and Damaged.

I should be sufficiently busy until at least May.

Cinnamon Glazed Pecans

1 stick butter (real butter, not margarine)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon vanilla
1 cup brown sugar
1 pound pecan halves

Stove directions: Melt butter in heavy, deep frying pan (cast iron is best). Add brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and cook to bubbly for five minutes. Add pecans and vanilla, mix well andcook 8 minutes. Cool on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and store in an air tight container.

Microwave directions: Melt butter in casserole dish. Add brown sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Cook on high for 3 to 5 minutes.

Add pecans and vanilla – Mix well and cook 3 to 5 minutes more. Cool on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and store in an air tight container.

Cream Cheese YUM!

At the request of those Crazy Hip Blog Mama's, this is one of my favorite dishes during the holiday. Easy to make and fun to eat! Throw it on your list of appetizers and your guests will go wild!

Cream Cheese Yum!

10 slices Deli Ham
10 small green onions (cut off root and leave about 1 1/2 inch of green stem)
10 slices thin Salami
10 baby dill pickles quarters
1 small tub spreadable cream cheese

Spread cream cheese onto piece of ham or salami, add an onion or pickle (not both) and roll up.

Switch off so you have half ham with pickle and the other half with onion, and do the same with the salami. Refrigerate for 1 hour and serve chilled.

Variations:

Use flavored cream cheeses and try other deli meats. Turkey is very good with the cream cheese and cranberry sauce. Enjoy!

Easy Christmas Sugar Cookies

This is the easiest sugar cookie you'll ever make. I promise.

1 pkg Pillsbury Sugar cookie dough
1 tub Vanilla Frosting
10 candy canes

Freeze the cookie dough.

Once frozen, open and cut the dough in half long way. Now, slice those pieces into half moon shape and bake according to directions.

When the cookies are done, set them aside to cool.

Open the candy canes and place into a freezer bag. Give your children a rubber mallet or rolling pin. Fold the freezer bag into a dish towel and let the kids pound the candy canes into small pieces (You'll have some dust but that is okay).

Next, frost the cookies and while they are still wet (i.e. the frosting hasn't dried yet), sprinkle on the candy canes and powder.

These will be the best, easiest cookies you'll ever make.

Thank me later.