Monkey Bread

We made this for Christmas morning breakfast and it is so yummy fresh out of the oven!

Monkey Bread

1/2 c. butter (or margarine)
1 c. brown sugar
2 small packages vanilla or butterscotch pudding (cook & serve, not instant)
2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped pecans
2 loaves frozen bread dough

Thaw 2 loaves of bread.  Break up 1 loaf into small pieces and place in bottom of greased bundt pan.  Melt butter.  Add brown sugar, pudding, milk, and cinnamon.  Mix together; pour over bread pieces.  Break up other loaf and place on top.  Let rise for 2 1/2 to 3 hours.  Bake 30 minutes at 350.  When cooled slightly, invert onto a platter.

Quiche Lorraine (my momma's recipe)

I haven't posted a recipe in a while...and I just recently made my favorite quiche (my mom's recipe) for Christmas Eve breakfast.  So I thought I'd share!

Quiche Lorraine

1 1/2 c. (6 oz) swiss cheese, shredded
8 sliced crisp bacon, crumbled
1 unbaked 9" pie shell
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 c. heavy cream
1/2 c. milk
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
dash cayenne

Sprinkle cheese and bacon in pie shell.  Beat remaining ingredients together and pour into pie shell.  Bake in moderate oven (375) for 45 minutes or until firm and browned.  Cut into wedges and serve warm.

Glad Christmas is over???

I guess I just don't understand people.

I have seen and heard more people say they are glad Christmas is over lately.

Why?

Why are these people so glad it's over?

Yes...

It's A LOT of work decorating, buying/wrapping gifts, addressing cards, baking, cooking, going to gatherings.

But what is so terrible about all that?

Maybe I'm just still a child at heart?

I don't know.

Although it totally exhausts me...

There is something magical about sitting in the dark living room with only the glow of the Christmas tree lit up.

Nibbling Christmas cookies and munchies.

Running out to the mailbox each day getting Christmas cards.

It all just excites me.

I love it.

I always will.

I can understand people being tired.

Maybe wanting to get back to some kind of normalacy in life after all the hustle and bustle.

But to say they're "glad it's over"?

It's just so sad to me.

To be glad that the celebration of Christ's birth is over?

I just find it sad.

Someone slap me...

As the south and east are being blasted with snow...
I can't help but be a little jealous.
Crazy...
Yes.
I know.
Living in Michigan, I never thought I'd say that.
But most of the ground was green on Christmas Day!
Most of our snow had melted!
It's winter.
I've gotten used to snow in winter.
And since I work from home...
I say...
Bring it on!
LOL!

Christmas Day 2010

Santa came!

And what did he leave in their stockings?

McDonalds gift cards!

Yay!

Look what we got!

Video games and sticker books!

Books and DS games!

Galactic Heroes for Nate!

Just what he wanted!

More video games and DS games!

What could it be?

It's a pillow...

It's a pet...

It's a Pillow Pet!

Nate got the frog!

It's...

It's...

It's...

Well...

What is it Evan?

(Nate got another game!)

The suspense is killing us!

(Nate got a Star Wars wall clock!)

Evan...where are you...what was is?

(Nate got another sticker book!)

EVAN!!!  WHAT IS IT?!?!

(Nate got a cool Star Wars bobble head!)

Woohoo Evan...what was it for goodness sake?!?!

(Nate got another DS game, yay!)

FINALLY!

There he is!

It's an iPod iTouch!

Just what he wanted!

YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!

We had a delicious Country Ham for Christmas dinner that we ordered from Cracker Barrel.  Evan and I LOVE Country Ham!

Delicious salty goodness, as Nate puts it!  LOL!

Evan enjoyed every last bit of it!  LOL!

You enjoyin' that ham bone Ev?

Argh!  Yum!  Yum!  Yum!

We all had a wonderful Christmas Day!

We pray you all have a blessed holiday season as well.

Christmas w/ our fam...

This year we celebrated Christmas with the extended family at Jess' house.

We had a great time

Here's Nate and me just sitting on the couch waiting to open pressies!

We played a new game called "Wits and Wages"...or something like that.

It was a lot of fun.

We had lots of yummy goodies...spinach dip, artichoke dip, two different cheese balls, white chicken chili, meatballs, tator tots, pickle/ham/cream cheese wraps (yummy!), and loads of cookies!

My wonderful mom and dad!

My momma and me enjoying some coffee!

Me and my amazing three guys!

Jess and me...

My sister's beautiful tree!

Papa, Logan, Geeg, and Raegan...Presents please!

The kids waiting patiently...ready to dive into the gifts!

Visiting with the fam!

Hilarious shirt Geeg and Papa got Nate...pretty "corny" huh?  Teeheehee!

What could it be?

The boys both got some model airplanes, ships, puzzles, clothes, giftcards to Game Stop.

They loved their stash!

My sister's family opening gifts...

I think Rae is a little excited!

Geeg and papa opening their gifts from Jess and Ben.

Raegan opening her gift from us.  We got her four books by her favorite author.

We got Logan the "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" series he had been wanting.

We got mom and dad a Kindle!

Smile Jess!

We all had a really fun time together!

Merry Christmas all!

Cookie baking at the James house!

The first Saturday of December, my sister and I take the kids to my parents house for cookie baking.

That was nothing...nothing I tell you...compared to what I've been doing this week.

I think I'm crazy.

Every year I say I'm not going to do it.

And each year...I do it again.

I make waaaaay too many things.

I seriously need to just stick to a few of our favorites.

We're going to be eating cookies till February!

Actually not...these guys of mine have been TAKING THEM DOWN each night!

My silly little bakers rolling out their dough and putting sprikles on the sugar cookies.

Busted!

I saw you sneak a cookie!

The sugar cookies...

Peppermint sugar cookies...

(Thanks to my bloggy friend Liz!)

Candy cane blossoms...

Hershey Kiss blossoms...

Zastrow Delights...

Butter Balls and Snickerdoodles...

Cocoa Crinkles...

Whew!  Now that's a lot of cookies!

I still have to make Holiday Wreaths and Magic Cookie Bars...

But I don't think I'm doing those right now.

I may even save those for the weekend or New Year's Eve.

Next up...

Dips and spreads for our extended family party.

(sigh)

I'm pooped!

LOL!