Easy Snack Food for the Holiday

I found some red pistachios and green pepitas (pumpkin seeds) to make some festive snack bowls to pass around with drinks. Use a white bowl and fill one side with the red and the other green. I use a piece of paper to divide the bowl and it looks GREAT!

Kid Activity

We usually take out the tree on Thanksgiving as part of the day. Sometimes, because so many people are at the house, I won't take out any of our ornaments for fear of breakage. I do, however, always offer some kind of decorating activity for the kids. I want them to  bond with each other and stay occupied so grown-ups can talk.

In past years I have set out squares of aluminum foil to make chain rings. It doesn't require adult supervision - no glue, scissors or sparkles to clean up later. I buy the pre-cut squares like delis use and find a spot for the kids to work out of party traffic areas.

I have also done ribbon chains. This requires prep work of cutting up the ribbon and perhaps some adult supervision because I let them use a stapler. The kids use up all my scraps and create a beautiful, colorful chain to hang on the tree! Other items that work are pipe cleaners and paper strips. I let the grown-ups do the popcorn and cranberries because of the needles, but always offer a bowl full of thimbles!

Cookie Trees

I save the gingerbread house construction for Christmas and create Cookie Trees for Thanksgiving. It becomes an activity even the youngest of hands can help with. The process of building may take up to an hour, but well worth it. You will need:

• 2 16 ounce boxes confectioners' sugar
• 6 egg whites
• 3 Styrofoam cones, ranging in height from 7 inches to 12 inches
• 4 12 ounce boxes vanilla wafers or other small, flat cookies

1. Beat all but 1/4 cup of the sugar with the egg whites until stiff.
2. Spread a thin layer of the frosting on a cone (one cone at a time)
3. Working from the bottom up, overlap cookies, using more frosting as necessary.
4. Repeat for the other 2 cones.
5. Use a small sieve to dust the trees with the remaining sugar.

Straight pins can be used to hold the cookies in place while the frosting dries. The trees look pretty classy on the dining room table as a centerpiece. Sometimes I forget to remove them so I buy pins that have colored ends to look like ornaments.

Linda's Christmas Eve Soup

My dear friend Linda shared this recipe ages ago and I have added it to my holiday menus! This Sherried Wild Rice Soup is fantastic! You will need: 

• 2/3 C. raw wild rice
• 2 C. salted water
• 2 medium leeks, including some green, diced
• 2 large mushrooms, diced
• ½ C. butter
• 1 C. flour
• 8 C. hot chicken broth, salt & pepper
• 1 C. half and half
• 3 Tablespoons dry sherry

1. Wash wild rice thoroughly. 
2. Place in a heavy saucepan with salted water. 
3. Bring to a boil.
4. Simmer covered for about 45 minutes until tender, but not mushy.
5. Fluff with fork.
6. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
7. Drain excess liquid.
8. Saute the leeks and mushrooms in butter about 3 minutes or until soft.
9. Sprinkle in the flour, stirring and cooking until flour is cooked, but not browned.
10. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring until flour mixture is blended well.
11. Add the rice and season to taste with salt and pepper.
12. Heat thoroughly, stirring in half and half and add sherry.
13. Heat gently, but do not boil. 

 Makes about 12 servings.

I assure you this soup is so wonderful you will be adding it to your holiday menu!

Food!

When the holidays roll in, from Halloween to New Years, we seem to find ourselves faced with FOOD every where we turn. I have hypothyroid and find it harder and harder to keep the weight off so I'd like to share a few of my tips to avoid over-doing-it:

1. Don't skip breakfast. I have some lean protein and high fiber carbohydrates - no more than 350 calories total.
2. Have a small morning snack. I usually have my fruit for a morning snack.
3. Decide what you going to eat. I know who's hosting for the holiday meal and all the "traditional" dishes that will most likely be served; so I know what I really want to eat and what I could choose to skip. I always think about serving size too.
4. Schedule an after dinner walk. Since I have kids who are constantly on the go, this is easy for me. The neighbors usually have holiday lights and decorations up so a 20 minute causal stroll gives us all a chance to spread out a little.
5. Skip the alcohol. This is a challenge for me - especially if we go to my in-laws! I will sip club soda with a lime because it looks like a cocktail. Definitely a mind trick.

I hope these help you too.

Green Chile Pie

This recipe is similar to Pastel de Elote, but turns out more like a pie where the Pastel de Elote is closer to corn bread. Again I have Mrs. Bowers to thank. You will need:

• 4 eggs
• 1 1/4 sour cream
• 2 cups jack cheese shredded
• 7 ounces green chiles (I prefer diced)
• 1 1/3 cups cheddar cheese shredded
• salt to taste
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
• pie shell
• picante

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl sprinkle the chiles over the shredded cheeses.
3. Beat eggs, sour cream, cumin and salt in a separate bowl.
4. Pour wet mixture into pie shell.
5. Sprinkle cheese mixture into pie shell.
6. Bake 1 hour and let stand to cool for 15 minutes.
7. Serve with picante.

I love using these recipes for the holidays and Fall potlucks. I get to tell a story about my "younger days" and how someone opened their home to me. (sigh) Gives me a warm feeling inside - not just because of the chiles! I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I do and consider sharing them or opening your home to someone who could use a little company around the holidays.

Pastel de Elote or "Corn Pie"

My first Thanksgiving away from home was my during freshman year at Colorado State University. Lucky for me there was a gal whose family lived in Fort Collins and invited me into their home for the holiday. This post is a recipe Mrs. Bowers shared and that I have used every Thanksgiving since. You will need:

• 3 large eggs
• 1 can of corn
• 10 ounces frozen corn
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup corn meal
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 ounces Jack cheese cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 4 ounces cheddar cheese into 1/2 inch cubes
• 4 ounces diced green chiles
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp Worcestershire
• salsa 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Grease 10 inch pie pan.
3. Beat eggs.
4. Add remaining ingredients and continue mixing.
5. Bake for 1 hour.
6. Serve with salsa.

Thanks Mrs. Bowers!