Big Fat (Random) Holiday Shopping Guide

Hello, fair readers.  Do y'all even remember who I am?  I am so sorry for my blog break of late.  I just cannot seem to get it together enough to write anything, but I learned recently that I have more readers than I knew about, so I guess there is some added external pressure to update this baby so you don't have to look at my Amazon.com wishlist of cookbooks any longer....

Without further ado, here is my big, fat, holiday shopping guide.  There is no rhyme or reason to this list...it is simply a list of interesting gift ideas I've seen lately.  I was going to do separate posts for a bunch of different categories, but clearly I've not shown I'm capable of that much follow through so I'm just going to try to do a mammoth single post.  I hope you find a few things that someone on your shopping list might like too!

For the hostesses on your list

Seeded Glass Pitcher - This beauty would also double as a unique vase, and it's on sale right now!

These soapstone whiskey stones will keep a drink cool without watering it down (you can buy with or without the pictured glasses).  Pair with a nice bottle of his (or her) favorite brown liquor for a complete gift!

This bay leaf peace wreath is a fun twist on an old standby gift idea for me.  I love giving wreaths, especially to those who I don't see very often.  A beautiful greenery wreath goes with most any decor and I think it's definitely one of those gifts that keeps on giving (plus it is stunning as is, so you don't have to worry about it not being wrapped, since most of them cannot be gift-wrapped).   

My favorite place to send wreaths from is Williams-Sonoma.  I have been ordering them for about the last 5 years and they have always been high-quality, long lasting and beautiful!

 I have this Magnolia & Pomegranate Wreath from last Christmas and it is still beautiful. 

 I think this cook's herb wreath is a wonderful option for the chef in your life!

For the person who has everything

Sorry for the blatant giveaway of where I stole this photo from (here is the link to it on amazon.com).  I think this would be great for a friend who has everything and might appreciate some new material on her coffee table (especially one that might have a hidden stash of Us Weekly magazines hidden in a cabinet somewhere).  It's a little bit cheekier than just pictures of landscapes, or houses, etc but still has gorgeous photos. 

There are endless possibilities out there for a photography lover - gorgeous options exist for almost any interest or hobby.  Here are two that I'd love to feature in my home. 

Click on the photo for a link to the item.

Another great idea is a personalized puzzle. I got these puzzles made from a satellite image of an address for several family members on our list (the hometown puzzle is more of a general area).  John's extended family is very hard to buy for, so I just got everyone a puzzle of thier address. If nothing else it will keep them occupied for a while!  I got mine from LL Bean since they have free shipping on everything right now, and I can just ship them directly to the recipeints, who live in FL and CO so we're not going to see them anyway.  However, they are available from a bunch of different retailers, so if you have a coupon or promo code, you may want to do a quick Google search to see if you can use it to buy one from some other retailer. 

For the charitably minded

First, let me say that I totally support charitable giving at the holidays in lieu of gifts.  There is no one on my gift list who truly needs a single thing; nor do I.  Of course getting gifts is fun and that's what most of this list is about, but I fully support this method if this is the way you admirably choose to go.  I hope to push my "gift giving" more in this route in years to come.  A nice note explaining why you have chosen to give to a specific organization in honor of someone is certainly sufficient.  However, if you would rather give a more tangible gift here are some good options.  All of these ideas donate to worthy causes in some way.

Juliska Cornerstones Charity Piggy Bank - available in pewter and signature Juliska whitewash

$8 for every bank sold, with minimum of $50,000 goes to Save the Children; I would write a nice note and encourage the recipient(s) to choose a charity to support with the funds they place in the bank.

(sorry the picture is so tiny, it got very blurry as I tried to make it larger)

Donors Choose

This was recently featured on Oprah's Ultimate Favorite Things (Did y'all see that one by the way?  Completely over the top.).  We all know teachers who have to pay out of their own pockets for necessary supplies.  This site helps you match up your donation with a classroom.  You can choose what project you want to donate towards.

Kellie is the daughter of Hank Greenwald, who was a baseball broadcaster for the Giants and Yankees during his career.  He published his autobiography in 1999, after which Kellie expressed her desire to put out her own story.  Kellie was born with Down's Syndrome and wanted her book to portray memorable events and emotions in her life.  From Amazon: Kellie's Book expresses her celebration of life & promises to be a source of hope for people with developmental challenges, their families, extended families, providers, & educators. It is a testament to the fact that when children know they are utterly loved & supported, there is no end to what they can achieve & no end to what they can give back by uplifting the lives of those around them.

Part of sales proceeds are being donated to The Cedars of Marin, a facility for adults with developmental disablilties. Y'all know this book hits a soft spot with me.

***There are millions of ways to do this same thing.  If you are passionate about local food, then buy a membership to a local CSA/food box/co-op program.  If you love the Humane Society, sponser a few animals to be spayed/neutered in someone's honor.  If a local charity produces an item that gives the proceeds back to it's causes, buy a few of those for gifts.  The sky is the limit.  I think any thoughtful gesture that supports a cause someone is passionate about is the ultimate gift.***


For the gourmand


There is a heck of a lot of fancy food out there. I prefer to find something sort of cheeky and fun to give; if you see some crazy unique food item and think, "I'd love to try that, but I'd never buy it for myself", then it's a great gift idea.  I like the idea of picking one thing and buying a case, or in whatever bulk quantity for that to just be your signature gift for the year.  Here are a couple of things I've seen that I'd love to try (but probably won't buy for myself, wink wink).

Mo's Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix

This stuff is made by Vosges, a "haute" chocolate company.  The Mo's Bacon Bar has bits of bacon in a chocolate bar.  This mix has bits of the bar in it.  Need I say more?

Blackberry Farm Spicy Pear Chutney I think by now y'all know I'm obsessed with this place.  Many of its popular products are available for purchase online, and this is one of just several that I want to try.  They even sell a handsome looking birch box that will hold 2 12-ounce jars so you can give someone a sampler if you wanted.  Some other products I have my eye on are the green tomato chutney, the winter jam and the spring thyme marmalade.


As for other food gifts, think regional.  If you love a particular item from your hometown, consider packaging up nuts, cheese straws, honey, jam or any other special item that has some significance to you or the gift giver.  As always, a nice note explaining why the gift is special helps give it that personal touch.  Consider making your own gifts.  I get my ideas most regularly are the kitchn blog, Smitten Kitchen, My Recipes and Real Simple.


For the young (or young at heart)
*My apologies this part of the list is sparse.  As I write this on December 8, I don't even know what I plan to get my own child for Christmas, so I'm hardly able to give you much guidance on what to give yours.*


I am in love with Elizabeth Mitchell's music.  We have You Are My Little Bird, You Are My Flower, You Are My Sunshine and I just ordered her newest release, Sunny Day.  Her songs are sweet, fun and creative, and I find myself listening to them for my own pleasure, which is something I cannot say for all children's music!  Consider tucking one of these into a child's stocking.


Mary Englebreit's 'Twas the Night Before Christmas
This book is absolutely beautiful.  Even if you already have a copy of TtNBC, I think this is a gorgeous addition to a child's library.  Her sweet Nursery Tales book is also a great gift.

My favorite children's gifts come from The Land of Nod (free shipping on lots of great gifts right now), Learning Express, or Uncommon Goods.  I know lots of people find lots of wonderful things on Etsy, but I always feel like I need anti-anxiety medicine and a personal shopper before I go looking for anything on there.  There's almost too much available.  If you don't know what you are looking for, do not go there. 

I hope this gives you some great ideas.  If I come up with any other gems this week I will do a follow up.  I am also trying to squeeze in a quick Mitchell update.  Stay tuned!

 

Wishlist: Cookbook Edition

First off, full disclosure: I am in a cookbook state of mind...I have been working on the fabulous new Junior League of Chattanooga cookbook (out in April 2011), and our committee got to sneak a peek at the cover art last week (gorgeous) so I've got cookbooks on the brain.  Sorry to bore those of you who don't share this obsession with me!

It's not really Christmas shopping season yet (I guess maybe it is for some of you overachiever types), but I've got a wishlist a mile long on Amazon, and just thought I'd share what foodie books I'm pining for lately...maybe you have someone in your life who's like me and would appreciate one of these beauties under her tree?

New Ina, out later this month...I want Ina's life (or at least her house), but since I don't see us moving to the Hamptons any time soon, I will just have to be satisfied with her newest tome.  I have Family Style (this is the cookbook that has my fave lasagna recipe) and Parties and have used them both extensively.  This is what Amazon says about her:

"Ina Garten is known for her uncomplicated but elegant recipes designed for the home cook whose priority is spending time with friends and family--not in the kitchen."  And I ask you, who doesn't want to live like that?

 

Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook - Anthony Bourdain

This isn't a cookbook, but it's a book about food, which I think counts.  Doesn't that title make you want to read it? If you know who Anthony Bourdain is, and what he's like, it does! I am a huge fan of his TV show, No Reservations, and his persona as a judge on Top Chef, and I love how adventurous he is with food, so clearly reading his "valentine" is a must for folks like me!

I need this one in my collection of famous Birmingham chefs' cookbooks.  Also, I'd like to go eat there very soon.  Who's with me?

New one from The Lee Brothers, the native Southern, NY transplants.  It's OK, I don't hold it against them, because their food is so good!

And last, but certainly not least, this gem:

The Blackberry Farm Cookbook: Four Seasons of Great Food and The Good Life

Y'all, if I ever get to actually go to Blackberry Farm and stay, I will just die and go directly to heaven.  It is located here in East Tennessee, not far from where we live (less than 2 hours), but based on the price of the rooms (cheapest starts at right under $800/night), well, this gorgeous beauty is probably going to have to do me for many years.  I actually recently purchased this one for myself, from a Random House sale on One King's Lane (if you aren't a member and want to join, let me know and I'll send you an invitation) and it is supposed to arrive in a week or so, and I cannot wait.  The pictures are just gorgeous, the recipes are so inviting and well, I think this would just be an awesome gift for your momma, or your sister, or just a very special person in your life. 

In the immortal words of Mrs. Julia....Bon Appetit! 

Fall Feast

Oh Fall, how I love thee! 

I celebrate thee!  I...you get the picture.

After a brutally hot summer, I am especially grateful for Fall this year...our schedule is a bit slower, we're spending breezy afternoons on a blanket in the yard, and just enjoying being a trio after some long months of missing John during baseball season.  This weather always makes me itch to entertain - gather some friends together to watch football, or play in the leaves, or take a ride to the pumpkin patch.  There's just something about fall that to me, says family, hospitality and warmth. 

So I've got a whole slew of recipes I've been collecting, just waiting for the right occasion, and I thought I'd share.  Maybe you can whip up a few for your next gathering. Yes, some of these are heavy....it's almost hibernatin' time...what can I say?  I've tried to throw a few salads and lighter ideas in too, in the interest of balance.  Go take a walk outside to work it off, OK?

Appetizers/Dips/Spreads

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  A perennial favorite in my family & circle of friends is sausage dip.  Mix 2 blocks of softened cream cheese (reduced fat works great, fat free, not so much), a can of rotel (pick your preferred spiciness level), and a package of browned, crumbled and drained bulk sausage (Jimmy Dean Sage is my pick for this) in a baking dish.  I bake mine at 350 until it is bubbly, about 1 hour, depending on the shallowness of your baking dish.  This also works great in a crockpot on low for 4 hours or so.  {Variations: once I accidentally bought a can of Rotel for Chili and it was great as well.}  Serve with tortilla chips.  **I kid you not, we have some friends who are expecting a baby in a few weeks and the husband has already put in his request that I make them a big batch of this when they come home from the hospital.  So easy and so good!**
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  Buffalo Wing Dip: this recipe was borrowed from some college friends of John's.  He has asked me to type it up and submit it to a local bar he frequents to see if they will put it on the menu as an appetizer.  This would work great for a football party.  Shred 1 rotisserie chicken (or a few cooked chicken breasts), combine with 2 blocks softened cream cheese, 1 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing (whichever you like better with your wangs), 3/4 cup finely chopped celery (optional), and 1 bottle of Texas Pete Wing Sauce (or your favorite variety, and I recommend starting with half a bottle and adding more in to taste, I usually end up with about 2/3 of the bottle for a spicy but not scorching taste).  Pour in a big casserole dish (you could also do this in the crock pot) and top with plenty of shredded cheddar cheese.  Bake covered for about 20 minutes at 375, then uncovered for another 10 or long enough to melt the cheese.  Serve with tortilla chips and celery sticks.  If you do this in the crock pot, I'd probably recommend just mixing the cheese in with everything else and cooking on low for 4-6 hours or until bubbly and dippable.
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  Butternut, Goat Cheese and Walnut Spread: just seems a bit more refined and intriguing, don't you think?  I think this would be a gorgeous color from the squash, and perfect garnished with some snipped chives or a sprinkling of fresh thyme. I would like some of these with a glass of sparkling rose, please!
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  Pumpkin Hummus: as a lover of all things hummus, I think I owe it to myself to try this one, soon!  Heck, you could even use your leftover seeds from pumpkin carving to make this dish.
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  Spiced Walnuts (makes 1 cup): combine 1/4 t each of ground cumin, ground cinnamon & ground nutmeg in a bowl, add 1 T honey.  Toss in 1 cup walnut halves and stir to coat it in the spice mixture.  Sprinkle 1/2 t kosher salt {not sure why you couldn't just put this in with the spices, that's what I would do} over the nuts and pour onto a sheet pan coated with wax paper.  Put in a 300-degree oven and toast for approximately 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown in color.  Cool, and devour.  Store up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. 
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  Olive Biscuit Cookies: I must admit, these sound fascinating and maybe a little scary, but you'd better bet I'm trying them very soon! {based on her comments I'm not sure if they should be here or in desserts, but I just flipped the coin and put them here!}

Entrees/Salads/Sides - I restrained myself from posting about 90 soups I have bookmarked to try.  The one I did include comes with a ringing endorsement from my kitchen, to yours (sorry, Paula Deen, I sort of stole your line).

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   44-Clove Garlic Soup: please, please, please, even if you aren't a huge garlic person, try this soup.  You roast a bunch of it, which takes away the bite that some peole don't usually like about garlic, and the end result is something so wonderful that I think you'll be a convert.  This soup is one of those recipes that seems very impressive, and if you serve it to guests, they'll be pretty blown away, but it's really not that much work, so it is pretty manageable to do even on a weeknight {provided you get started on roasting the cloves as soon as you get home, or don't mind a really late dinner time} 
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  Spinach Salad with Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette: this dressing is fantastic, such a great twist, and it perfectly compliments the rich, creamy gorgonzola cheese.  We like to add dried cherries to this salad; sweetened dried cranberries or thinly sliced tart apples would work too.  Perfect anytime, but it just seems to fit especially for fall (I think it was originally featured in a Cooking Light Thanksgiving issue). 
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   I subscribe the Weeknight Kitchen e-mail newsletter of Lynn Rosetta Kasper's American Public Media radio show, The Splendid Table {since our station doesn't air that fabulous show, and I don't usually get around to listening to it online}.  I saved the newsletter from earlier in the month that featured a smoked ham, cheddar and pear sandwich that sounds like a great step up from tailgating or picnic food.  I cannot link to it, as it is originally published in a cookbook and reprinted with permission (and the newsletters are only available for a week online), and I don't really want to type the entire thing out in this bullet-pointed post, so if that sounds like your sort of thing, e-mail me and I'll forward you the recipe.
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  I was given a handwritten recipe for a Spinach Ricotta Pie, along with a pie plate, by a dear friend at a wedding shower.  It is delicious and comforting, goes great with a simply dressed green salad, and freezes beautifully.  Along with deep dish quiche, I make this one all the time and I think it is an easy weeknight meal, even for someone who's not particularly adept in the kitchen (plus it is kid-friendly which I am always on the lookout for).  Again, I don't really know how to share it here, but please e-mail me if you are interested in having the recipe!
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  Ina's Turkey Lasagna: this uses turkey Italian sausage and while not cheap (lots of cheeses, including goat, to buy), it is so yummy and it is my go-to recipe.  Ina will never steer you wrong, folks!
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  I have been working to perfect a sweet potato and bacon hash that was born out of a dish I took to Thanksgiving dinner last year with John's family.  There is no real recipe {I was asked to bring a side dish, and John asked me to try to go for a hashbrown type dish using sweet potatoes and I tried a few different ideas out before settling on what I actually served to his family, but since then I've made it a few times and tried out some different tweaks}, but if you are interested, let me know and again, I'll try to write something down for you.  This would be good with pork or turkey, although last week I served it under pecan crusted fish.  I'm thinking this is going to become a staple in our house, so it's probably good if I "write" a recipe anyway.

Desserts

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  Um, Homemade Nutella.  Need I say more?  She even gives you an idea for how to put it into a tart!
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  Butterscotch Pudding: if and when I make this, John will give me a big, fat kiss.  He loves butterscotch anything (which I only recently discovered, I guess the subject just never came up???), so I've got this one in my queue!
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  Pumpkin Bread Pudding: all evidence to the contrary, based on the text immediately above, but John's really not a big dessert person.  About once a month he'll ask me if we have something sweet in the house (answer is usually no, or the sugar free popsicles I do have to offer get turned down with a huff) but other than that it usually goes to waste (or to my waist) if I make anything.  But last year for his birthday his parents were coming down and I knew they'd be upset if there wasn't something to sing Happy Birthday over; of all the desserts, cake is both of our least favorite, and growing up, John's mom would make him a pumpkin pie for his birthday (close proximity to Thanksgiving).  At any rate, I found this, it looked pretty easy, so that's what I served for his birthday.  Hey, it had bourbon in it, which is really more his kind of dessert anyway!  And it was yummy.  It is very low maintenance and would be easy to whip up on short notice.  And I hear the canned pumpkin shortage is officially over, so you shouldn't have a problem finding it this year.
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  I recently made these gingersnaps and they were good, although I increased all the spices from the amounts as it is written, as I like my g'snaps with a lot of bite.  I am going to keep playing with it and try less sugar in the cookie itself next time - they still didn't have quite the spice factor I wanted, but the teachers at Mitchell's school loved 'em!  I made mine more of a regular cookie size; this recipe as written says it will yield 250-300 cookies, but apparently gingersnaps were originally a tiny, bite size cookie, about the size of a quarter or half-dollar.  Based on the size that I made mine, I think I got close to 3 dozen out of them.

Happy pumpkin patching, tailgating, leaf-jumping and all your other favorite Fall activities!  Go work up an appetite!

Piglet

Mitchell's latest nickname is Piglet.  It's just so descriptive.  He always wants "mo" (usually accompanied with the hand gesture) and he just gobbles up whatever you give him.  John called him the trash compactor the other night.  We went to the doctor today (he's been pitiful all weekend but the doctor says it is probably just a secondary infection from him being stopped up/congested from allergies, so we have antibiotics) and he weighed 25 lbs, 8 oz this morning.

Here's little piglet at a birthday party this weekend, with a tight grip on a cupcake:

(Sorry, this is in the right orientation on my file but it keeps turning when I upload it, any advice from my fellow bloggers?)

And here's a recent video of him sucking down an entire sippy of milk in about 30 seconds:

Nanas and Other News - 13 Month Update

I have been a blog slacker of late.  My apologies.  Life has been busy, my camera is being cantankerous and I guess I've been suffering from a bit of writer's block too. 

Mitchell is now 13 months old and continues to amaze us with a new "tricks" daily.  I have been working on the sign for "more" with him for months, but they also use a lot more signs in his new class at school and all of a sudden he busted out the more sign this weekend and I got so excited.  It sure beats the urgent grunts and pointing at things he wanted before! 

His vocabulary continues to expand but really more than anything it's his comprehension of what we're saying to him that amazes me.  He can say Dixie, Daddy (very rarely does he say Momma), hi/hey, hello (usually with hand up to his neck like he is talking on the phone), 'nana (more on that in a sec), a sound that approximates out (as in outside, when we take Dixie to the bathroom), and a very Southern pronunciation of "ice", which basically sounds like EYE-th (emphasis on the loooong "i" sound).  However, if I say "bring me your shoes" he will go over, get them, and bring them back and sit down so I can put them on him (generally, I don't want anyone to think this happens every time, by any means), or if I ask "where" something is he will put his arm up in the air, with his palm turned up, and then will walk around that way until he finds the object.  He is doing a lot of things like that now, so I won't bore anyone with going into more detail, but we are constantly amazed at how fast he is learning and doing new things!

The boy loves his 'nanas.  He has several books that have pictures of bananas in them and I quite nearly have to avoid those pages because he almost always wants a banana as soon as he sees one or hears the word.  It is hilarious.  If one of us point to it and say 'nana, about as fast as he can repeat the word he is up and moving off toward the kitchen and will stand and point up to spot on the counter where he knows I usually keep them.  Luckily we haven't had the problems that bananas can sometimes pose on the intestinal system, but I do try to limit his banana consumption to one per day.

John recently had Mitchell solo for 3 days (Sunday - Tuesday) when I had to go out of town for work.  The boys did great together and they seemed to both have a ball.  John told me tha the was really glad he had that time alone with him (as much as they both missed me, of course), because of his schedule this summer and the fact that Mitchell wasn't all that familiar with him anymore.  Even I could tell a huge difference when I got back, at how much Mitchell would go do him and want John  to do things for him that he'd normally have have wanted me for previously.  It's also nice to see now that Mitchell will just as readily reach out for John when he's tired or upset, when before it alwasy HAD to be me.  Not that I ever minded, but I think any of my readers can understand how nice it is to be able to share that burden with a partner from time to time.  John was also great to send me lots of pictures, texts and videos of my boy while I was gone.  I'll post two of my fave pics; I wish I could post the videos but I cannot figure out how to transfer them off my phone.  They don't e-mail like a picture does. 

Eating breakfast

Fish face



One thing I do have on video is M's newest trick.  He now climbs up our stairs, and every night he waits for us to move the baby gate out of the way so he can lead the charge up for bath/bedtime.  It is so funny and he seriously loves it.  I think we have done well with teaching him about safety though.  If he's ready to go down stairs he will just go and stand by the gate and wait for one of us.  I'm really trying to reward that behavior through lots of praise, so that he keeps that up!

Anywho, we're loving life with our boy and I'm sure I've left out all sorts of fun tidbits, but at least that's a little glimpse into our days of late!