Monday, December 23, 2013

Last Minute Christmas


 Did you watch Elf yet?
It sure is a favorite in our house! 
Click HERE for fun facts about the movie!

Pudding Pickle-Pants I am...



reminded me of a good childhood memory
I made these with my aunt in California, I think I was like 8,
 we were visiting from MN.
I have not made them since, but every time I see them, I think of her
And it's a special memory.

 Throwing this one in for good measure.
Does anyone know how to fold like your mama?



I baked 18  loaves of this last week and gave them all away except one!

Green Bread (Sweet Pistachio Bread)
 1 yellow cake mix
 1 pkg instant pistachio pudding
 4 eggs
1/4 cup oil
 1 cup sour cream
5-10 drops of food coloring (or more)

 Mix above well. Generously grease 2 loaf pans.
 Dust with a mixture of
 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 Tbsp cinnamon.
 Reserve remaining sugar mix.
 Pour batter into loaf pans.
Sprinkle remaining sugar mix on top.
 Bake at 350 degrees for 55 minutes. (or til done)
 Remove immediately from pans and place in plastic baggies and refrigerate!

Our Christmas Eve 
We go to Mass (Jedi serves)
and come home to 
Baked Manicotti
fresh Italian bread
Veggie Salad (see below)
Fresh sliced oranges
And
This cake below!
We then, open gifts from each other


We make this delicious, rich, chocolate cake for Christmas Eve
 to celebrate the birth of Jesus every year.
 We put on a candle for each of us,
 to symbolize the light of Christ inside of us.
(this is an old picture!)
  It is believed that Jesus was born at midnight.
Midnight Bliss Cake
1 pkg chocolate cake mix, any variety (we picked chocolate fudge)
1 pkg (4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding
4 eggs
1 container 8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup flavored coffee, prepared (I use International Foods French Vanilla)
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
1 pkg 8 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, chopped.
Heat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease and flour a tube pan (bundt cake)
Beat all ingredients except chopped chocolate in large bowl with mixer, until well blended and smooth. Stir in chopped chocolate and pour into prepared pan.
Bake 50-60 minutes until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

 No need for frosting with this cake, it's rich and that good!
Christmas Day
Santa has brought each child one gift and stocking stuff
And we play all day!
We are having Monkey Bread for breakfast
and for dinner
we have Ham, Cheesy potatoes, scalloped corn, (like  my grandma's)
buns, veggie salad (see below), fruit salad




Jedi is in charge of making
 Watergate salad 
pistachio pudding,
crushed pineapple
Cool whip
colored marshmallos

and we have these pies:




This is our Christmas Pie!
 We make 2 every year!
The kids are great helpers as they love to help cut up the candy bars and nibble a little bit!


Candy Bar Pie
1 pkg Cream cheese
1 Tbsp milk
2 tubs cool whip
2 pkgs chocolate instant pudding
1 3/4 cup milk
1 pkg mini candy bars
(we usually use Snickers, but could use Milky Way or 3 Musketeers), chopped
Chocolate pie crust (we use the Oreo one)
Mix the cream cheese with 1 Tbsp milk until smooth. 
 Gently stir in 2 cups cool whip and the chopped candy bars. Set aside.
Pour 1 3/4 cups milk into another bowl and add pudding,
 beat wit wire whisk and then gently stir in 1/2 cup cool whip.
spread 1/2 the pudding mixture on the bottom of crust,
 spread cream cheese mixture over pudding mixture
 and top with remaining pudding mixture and then on the very top,
 cover the pie with cool whip.
 (place shaved chocolate on top for decoration)
Needs to refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.
It's not good to forget this last part, as it's hard to wait for it to be set!
(Hey, the cool whip has hardly any calories!)
Now for the healthy sides!

I call this "Janine's salad, because Janine gave it to me, so you can call it:
Jamie's Salad! (haha)
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cherry Tomatoes
Red Onion
Black Olives

Slice veggies and olives, toss with dressing:

Ranch dressing season packet
2/3 cup canola oil
1/4 cup regular vinegar

It's one of my favorites! 
I'm off to an appointment for Little Red at the plastic surgeon's office, 
then to the crazy store for fresh veggies (see above salad) 
and bread!

I'm signing off, might be back to post a Christmas Eve picture....or 
Merry Christmas wishes, 
but otherwise, I'll be enjoying my family
away from the computer!
God bless you,
have a wonderful Christmas!

11 comments:

  1. Have a wonderful wonderful YUMMY Christmas Jamster. Blessings to your family. Pray for me, too, at Christmas Mass...mammogram came back and I now I need to have a biopsy. stinks.

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  2. Yummy food! Hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas! God Bless

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  3. You are making me hungry! Thanks for the linky-love. From your fellow lover of Elf, Jingle Tinsel-Shoes! Merry Christmas up there in MN!

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  4. I am drooling all over my computer...can I come eat at your house?! Looks great!

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    1. Also, let us know how little man's appointment went. He's in our thoughts and prayers and the kids ask about him.

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  5. Ok...so we are coming over...all six of us...for cake and Elf.....
    Merry Christmas my dear sweet friend!!!!

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  6. Have a beautiful holiday! Thank you so much for the daily reminders of Christ this season.

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  7. Mmmmm. Love the pistachio bread. Maggie and I sometimes make loaves for neighbors for New Year's Eve!

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  8. All those things look yummy! I can't fold fitted sheets like my mom and it bothers her how I do fold, but the kids end up unfolding everything before I can even put the stuff away. Does that happen to you?

    Pudding Pickle-Pants...that's quite a name! I'm Cookie Angel-Eyes :)

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  9. Merry Christmas to you and your family! We have that very same chocolate cake for Christmas, too. :o)

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  10. Just popped back in to get your salad recipe! Thanks for the recipe, Jamie!
    Fun to see your family celebrating Christmas! So sweet!

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Thank you so much for stopping and commenting!