Due to my fractured pelvis, Christmas decorating has been severely scaled back this year. In fact, if it weren’t for the help of my very patient (I can be kinda bossy, I’ve been told on more than one occasion) and ultra kind BFF, Peggy, there may not have been much more than a tree. Peggy decorated at least six different areas of the house for me in those first couple of days after my return home from the hospital.

Another day, I had my dad take me to Home Depot to buy a couple of fresh evergreen garlands and a huge boxful of free fresh-cut greens (cast-off trimmings from trees they had sold), and a couple of handfuls of little tree truck rounds that had also been discarded.

I used the fresh greens throughout the house and put the rest in the canvas cart on the front porch.

A couple of other new additions to the porch are this vintage sled and ice skates, not that we’ve ever had or will ever have enough snow or ice to sled or skate here in the desert, but they do look darn cute and festive.

Plus, this huge red lantern I found for a steal, back in November, at Home Goods.

Come on in. The first thing you’ll see is the decked-out Chinese wine barrel that sits in the center of the entry. To create something similar in your home, you just need to find some used whiskey barrels and then you can create a number of different decorations in your home. Barrels can make lovely decorations, especially when they’re designed correctly.

Atop it is a cute and easy idea I stole from Pinterest. So easy – just use double-sided tape on a candle, then sprinkle glitter on the tape. Turns a plain-Jane candle into a Christmas candle in a matter of minutes. After the holiday, just peel off the tape.

If you venture in a little further, you’ll run into the sofa table. One of the garlands graces it, along with a few more new little touches.

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On Saturday, the names of those lost in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy were released. As soon as I saw it, I posted this on my Facebook page.

The post received a huge response, but one of the first and the most inspiring came from my friend of more than three decades, Nancy Jones. Nancy is the mother of 7-year-old Zada. Here is what she said:

“The names have now been posted. The ages as well … many around Zada’s age. Zada and I will write all the names on paper and cut each one out and put each inside a little clear crystal ball ornament, so we shall always remember them.”

I responded:

“I plan to do the same thing! Thank you, sweet Nancy, for a wonderful and beautiful idea and a way to remember. xoxo”

So I went to work typing out each name. Green ink for the adults. Blue for the little boys. And pink for the little girls. I printed them wirelessly but had to wait for Dave to return from the office to go upstairs to retrieve them for me. I was anxious for those couple of hours, wishing I could get up those damn stairs myself. I wanted, I felt as though I needed, to do this now!

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Here, all on one page, are my 12 Days of Christmas Gifts from the Kitchen. Enjoy!

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

Homemade Irish Cream

A Jar of Vanilla Sea Salt

Tins of Bacon Toffee

Rum Glazed Eggnog Bread

Fennel Cured Salmon

Spicy Guinness Mustard

Two Jars of Mustard

Pumpkin Pie Spice

Homemade Kahlua Liqueur

Lemon-Sugar Hand Scrub

Cranberry Citrus Vodka

and a bottle of Tomato Dust

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Hallelujah!
Day 12 has finally arrived.
I wasn’t positive I was going to make it!
But I did!

Yay for me!
And yay for you, 12 gifts from the kitchen.
I hope you’ve made at least one! If not, this may be the one to make…

On the twelfth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

A bottle of Homemade Irish Cream
A Jar of Vanilla Sea Salt
Tins of Bacon Toffee
Rum Glazed Eggnog Bread
Fennel Cured Salmon
Spicy Guinness Mustard
Two Jars of Mustard
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Homemade Kahlua Liqueur
Lemon-Sugar Hand Scrub
Cranberry Citrus Vodka
and a bottle of Tomato Dust

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Fleur de Sel (Flower of Salt) is French sea salt that is hand-harvested by workers who scrape only the top layer of salt from the sea before it sinks to the bottom of large salt evaporation ponds. Traditional French fleur de sel is collected off the coast of Brittany, most notably in the town of Guérande, making Fleur de Sel de Guérande the most revered of all sea salts.

I’ve used Fleur de Sel de Guérande to make my Vanilla Fleur de Sel before, but it is a bit too pricey to use for multiple gift giving. A more budget-conscience but still very lovely salt to use is Pink Hawaiian Alaea Sea Salt. It is conveniently found at Cost Plus World Market in a 1-pound bag. While you are there picking up the salt, grab a couple vanilla beans as well. That’s all you’ll need for this Eleventh Day of Christmas Gift.

That’s right, only two ingredients to make this gift, the easiest of the dozen!

On the eleventh day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

A Jar of Vanilla Sea Salt
Tins of Bacon Toffee
Rum Glazed Eggnog Bread
Fennel Cured Salmon
Spicy Guinness Mustard
Two Jars of Mustard
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Homemade Kahlua Liqueur
Lemon-Sugar Hand Scrub
Cranberry Citrus Vodka
and a bottle of Tomato Dust

Vanilla Sea Salt is a wonderful condiment to have and to give. It brings out subtle flavors in sweet and savory dishes from seafood, poultry, salads, and vegetables to sweet bread, chocolate, and popcorn. I love how it brings a delicate sweet tone to foods without adding a drop of sugar.

It is perfect for making salted vanilla bean caramels and is an extravagant addition to the extravagance of Foie Gras.

Or how about using it for a Vanilla Fleur de Sel, Chocolate, and Caramel Buttercream? Now that’s what I’m talking about!

Most importantly, you can not beat it as a margarita glass rimmer. Especially on Elote’s De Lujo Margarita. The vanilla salt on the rim brings out and enhances the warm vanilla flavor already present in the margarita – awesome stuff!

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These pinwheels are an adorable, festive, and savory appetizer fit for any holiday table. When I made them for the Christmas Craft Party, I wasn’t able to find the lovely green spinach tortillas. I hope you will search them out if you whip this up for Christmas, the mix of green and white tortillas makes for a lovely presentation.

Tomorrow and Saturday – are the last two days of my 12 days of Gifts from the Kitchen series. Hope you’re excited!

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I am writing this from a hospital bed on Sunday evening. What happened, you ask?

Yeah, um, I kinda fell, about 20 feet off an extension ladder while putting up Christmas lights… no big deal.

OK, it is a bit of a big deal. I fractured my pelvic bone in two places. Do you wanna hear the whole sordid story? Sure you do! We all know how much people love to tell their accident stories to anyone within earshot. Of course, I do too, so here goes.

Let me begin by acknowledging that we all have our fears and phobias. I, for instance, am deathly afraid of fire. Strange for someone who uses fire in the form of a gas range every day, but I’m not afraid of that sort of controlled fire.

I’m afraid of fire in fireplaces, or campfires, the sort of fires that can easily and quickly get out of control and rapidly spread. In fact, thirteen years ago when we moved into the home we now live in, I insisted, against a lot of opposition from Dave and the kids, that we switch from a real Christmas tree to an artificial tree because the house is a 2-story and I couldn’t even think of the kids sleeping upstairs with a real (and eventually dry, crispy, fire-hazard) tree downstairs.

That said, let me quickly assure you that I am not in the hospital due to a fire. I mention the whole fear and phobia thing to let you know that my husband, Dave, is afraid of heights.

Because of that, every Christmas when we put up the lights on our house, he puts up all the lights except for the ones on the two high gables. I climb the extension ladder and put those portions up. He deals with extending the huge ladder and securing it and I climb it and put up those lights. He also holds the ladder while I climb up and while I’m up there… holding it the entire time until I descend. Above is a 2008 photo of the side gable, which I did first this year and, as usual for the last 12 years, all went well and without incident.

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One word about today’s gift from the kitchen. Bacon!

Almond, Chocolate, and Bacon Toffee to be exact. Yes, BACON in toffee!

It’s not something new. I didn’t dream it up. In fact, I’ve spoken of it before. I even made bacon peanut brittle just over a year ago. This year, I’ve decided to give the toffee a go at it.

You and your very lucky, and soon to be grateful, gift recipients will love it! Just be certain to chop your crispy cooked bacon fine … into little bitty pieces. I left mine a bit too big and although I still love that batch of toffee, it is better chopped finer, as I discovered on my second batch.

On the tenth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

Tins of Bacon Toffee
Rum Glazed Eggnog Bread
Fennel Cured Salmon
Spicy Guinness Mustard
Two Jars of Mustard
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Homemade Kahlua Liqueur
Lemon-Sugar Hand Scrub
Cranberry Citrus Vodka
and a bottle of Tomato Dust

Silvered almonds are used in the recipe. You can find untoasted silvered almonds and toasted slivered almonds at Trader Joe’s. You will need toasted almonds.

To toast the untoasted almonds; place nuts on a dry baking sheet and into a 350-degree oven for about 12 to 15 minutes, stirring a couple of times until nicely browned. That’s it, now you have toasted slivered almonds and you are ready to make your delicious toffee.

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Today, it’s another of the recipes from Saturday’s Christmas Craft Party, stuffed mushrooms. What’s not to like? Bacon. Cheese. Mushrooms. Pepper Jelly. It’s all good! This would be perfect to bring to a holiday party.

But, before I get to it, I have to share with you just how clever my friend, Sheila is and how she “constructed” a second long table for our crowd in her craft room.

See this table? It’s really drywall set atop two sawhorses. Next, she cut up two twin bed skirts and used them as the table skirt. Finally, Sheila used her Kitchen Papers Flourish Paper Table Wrap to cover the top. So resourceful and so darn pretty!

OK, on to the recipe!

Bacon-Wrapped Cheesy Mushrooms

15 to 18 slices bacon, cut in half
12-ounces (1  1/2 packages) cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup diced green onions
3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup pepper jelly
30 to 36 fresh medium to large crimini or white mushrooms, stems removed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two large baking sheets with foil. Place a rack atop one of the baking sheets.

Place the bacon pieces, in a single layer, on the prepared baking sheet without the rack. Partially cook the bacon in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool while you prepare the mushrooms.

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese, green onions, cheddar cheese, and jelly.

Use a small spoon to stuff the mushroom caps with the cheese mixture, really pack it in there.

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You didn’t really think I would do the “12 Kitchen Gifts of Christmas” without adding at least one sweet baked treat, did you?

I didn’t think you would think that! Today is the day … Rum Glazed Eggnog Bread… it’s a keeper!

If you want to get a jump on your Christmas baking, these loaves freeze beautifully. Just don’t make or add the glaze until you’ve taken them out of the freezer and allowed them to thaw overnight in your refrigerator.

Although the amount of rum is minimal if you want or need to avoid alcohol, substitute orange juice in its place.

I found the adorable German paper baking pans at Home Goods and I also saw them at T. J. Max. Undoubtedly, they are at Marshall’s as well. They are half the size of standard mini loaf pans, so I am calling these  *ultra-mini loaves. It’s all good – this way, there are twice as many loaves for giving.

On the ninth day of Christmas
My true love gave to me:

Rum Glazed Eggnog Bread
Fennel Cured Salmon
Spicy Guinness Mustard
Two Jars of Mustard
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Homemade Kahlua Liqueur
Lemon-Sugar Hand Scrub
Cranberry Citrus Vodka
and a bottle of Tomato Dust

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