see you soon

everyone else is probably just as busy as I am but I just wanted to drop by here (virtually) and say (type) that i have not abandoned this blog (to anyone who is listening (reading) ;)

we have had some sickness, tragedy, vacations, and general holiday business that is keeping my mind and body focused on other things, with no creativity or time left to write here.

see you soon. 

Christmas Favorites

I picked this jewel up at Marshall's. Instead of a cat lady I'm sort of a wreath lady. I just paused and counted the number of wreaths in my home that I can see sitting here at the kitchen table and let me just tell you, that number is in the double digits.

Remember these old Christmas light bulbs from this post? That was at the beginning of August and I was bummed because it was going to be foreverrrr before I got to decorate with them. Here we are folks.

I showed you my beloved red sleigh last December when my grandparents gave it to me (Levi). It looks nice on our entertainment center. I hope to get it down in the next few days and snap some pictures while Levi still fits in it.

Nothing new here. Same kitchen hutch and I threw some red beaded trees, garland, and rice lights up for Christmas. I have a love for rice lights. I'm aware that they were banned a couple of years ago, then brought back, and now I don't know what the legal market status is on them. But I have about 10 strands of them. There is no way a picture could capture the way that they twinkle (in your choice of 8 different settings), but here is one attempt,

...and here is another.

I'm aware that my posts have slowed down lately. For now, and especially this coming year, I have priorities far greater than the internet. No plans to shut it down though. I do enjoy communicating and sharing with family and friends this way.

I hope everyone takes time to slow down and enjoy this great season.

Simple Peanut Butter Cookies

I got a cookbook made by a local church as part of a wedding gift. I don't remember who, but someone commented that it wasn't a very exciting gift, but I have used the heck out of that cookbook the last 5 years. There are some great "staple" and basic recipes in it that are now some of my staples that I cook all the time.

A couple of years ago (pre Pinterest), I realized I had never made peanut butter cookies (from scratch) when my uncle requested "simple peanut butter cookies" as a birthday present. I grabbed that cookbook and it had a great, easy recipe for PB cookies. I have since added and taken away from that recipe to create my own favorite simple recipe.

I asked my father-in-law what his favorite dessert was (his birthday was last week), fully expecting to make a pie or something equally challenging, but he said peanut butter cookies and oatmeal cookies were his favorite. Here's my simple PB cookie recipe:

Ingredients:
2 C sugar
1 stick of butter/margarine
1/2 C butter-flavored shortening
1 C peanut butter
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C all purpose flour

Instructions:
Cream together butter, peanut butter, shortening, sugar, and vanilla, and then add the eggs. After it's mixed well, add the flour. Roll into balls and press with a fork to flatten. Add sugar or sprinkles on top. Bake at 350 for 10-11 minutes.