Vintage Blue Metallic Tree gives way to Vintage Blue Art Glass

Vintage tree Love! Last Christmas(2010) we went away for the Holidays to a country lodge. I wanted to bring some Christmas with us,I had found this vintage blue tinsel tree at a favorite resale store for a whopping $3! I brought it home and Hubby was strangely excited..that tree reminds me of Christmas at my Grandmas! Perfect! Into the truck it went! I also brought lighted garland and wreaths but that is a tale for another time!
Christmas 2012 found us at home and decorations abound! I found a special place for the Blue Tree in our Master Bedroom, atop an antique buffet that was in my parents dining room for 30 years after they rescued it from a storage garage. As the season wound down we did not want to put the tree away,loving the way the blue works with the paint color and light in the room.
Blue Art Glass Love!
Off to my resale store I went, just to browse and found the perfect piece to replace the blue tree! I love art glass and have recently started collecting pieces. This fit our master and will be our 'blue tree' for the other 3 seasons! Can you take a guess at what I paid? ;)
The New Year is fully upon us! Valentine's Day is almost here! Please comment,it makes my day!

Bean Dip Rolls Appitizer Recipe & Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!
Trusting everyone had a relaxing and joyous holiday! Now it is time to re-new and organize and plan(wait) for spring! First up though many fun celebrations and I hope to share my ideas for all of them! I have been thinking about Super-Bowl..mostly because our partners in this day have moved to California and it just won't be the same! Secondly I love to cook and feed people and this is a perfect game day appy! Bean Dip Rolls!


Easy to prepare,I usually make ahead and freeze! 10 minutes in a 350 oven and yum!


You need a pkg of 10-12 tortillas, a can of re-fried beans,plus whatever spice you would use in a bean dip,I am using taco seasoning,and a brick of cream cheese,softened,shredded cheese, about 2 cups.
Cube the cream cheese into portions according to how many tortillas you have, this recipe has wiggle room!
Butter the tortilla with an even layer of cream cheese.
Cream Cheese does not have to spread totally,all ingredients will melt and mix together.
Sprinkle a handful of shredded cheese overtop,I used tex-mex.
Firmly roll up your tortilla into a long tube.
Slice even sections about 1/2 inch wide. I always cook the little ends with not a lot of filling,they get crispy and some people favour theses!
Ready to cook or freeze! Cook on the edge,if you lay flat all the gooey goodness will stick to the parchment paper you line your pan with! Flash freezing on a tray and then bagging works or transferring to a container right from the cutting board is what I do.
Serve on there own or with sour cream,ranch or our favorite 3 cheese ranch to dip!
Hope you enjoy this little tempting treat! Join me for the usual thrifty finds,freezer recipes,decorating,child-rearing, and more! Can't wait for all the fun of 2012!

Yule Love'em logs aka Cathedral Windows Bake Exchange recipe

As kids we loved these logs! A refrigerated slice that is ready for company! I do not have a lot of pics as I found this messy to make and was not planning to do it again..however my kids love them and they were well accepted at the bake exchange so here goes!

More of a candy than a cookie, slices of colored marshmallows create the "stained glass" in a chocolaty window surrounded by flaked coconut.

Makes about 60

1/4 pound butter or margarine
1 (12-ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (I left these out as we did a nut-free exchange)
1 (12-ounce) package colored mini marshmallows (about 9 cups)
7 ounces sweetened grated coconut (about 2 cups)

Heat butter and chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted and smooth.( I used my microwave,just under 2 minutes,find that much friendlier then dealing with a double boiler!) Cool slightly. Toss marshmallows and nuts in a large bowl; stir in chocolate. Tear five 9-inch sheets of waxed paper and sprinkle each generously with coconut.(I used a mix of dessicated and shredded) Divide dough into fifths and place each fifth on a sheet of waxed paper. Roll tightly into 2-inch diameter logs(I had a bit of a struggle with this and used scotch tape to keep everything rolled up tight!) and refrigerate overnight(I cooled in the fridge and then transferred to freezer) or until firm. Before serving, unwrap from waxed paper and cut into 1/2" slices.

Lovely wax-paper wrapped logs! Any one who has made these before and has any tips let me know! They are messy but worth it when you have neat slices of 'Cathedral Windows' lined up on your baking tray! They make me smile!
Also pictured are my 'famous'chocolate dipped marshmallows. The big boys named these Snowman Hats and the are a kids favorite! How too's coming soon!

VINTAGE TREASURES Santa Hot Chocolate set made in Japan

Treasure hunting is one of my favorite pastimes..Love vintage and kitsch..was very excited to find this set to dress up my Christmas themed china cabinet!
Vintage Santa Hot Chocolate pitcher and six matching mugs.
Original box..Original price?
$1.25!!!!!!!!!!!!! This one really set me back! LOL!
Santa is a little sneaky looking...has to be to keep all those secrets I guess!
Matching mugs are tooo sweet!

Thanks for peeking! Comments are loved shared stories are loved even more! What is your favorite vintage score?

CANDY'S CANDY CHRISTMAS BAKE EXCHANGE! YUM!

Sweet Candy's,so easy to make,a favorite on my baking platter! Peanuts are involved!

• Recipe
• 1.5 cups each
• peanuts
• chocolate chips
• butterscotch chips
  

1 bag of chips easily crushed.
I melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips in a large bowl in microwave,about 2 minutes
Stir in the peanuts and crushed potato chips
Keep mixing until all you see is the color Chocolate!
Scoop a heaping teaspoon full
Drop into cups layed out on baking sheet
Makes about 60, 90 or more if you use a smaller cup
I sprinkle half in candy balls in Christmas colors,you can do them all or none,personal preference!
Cool in the fridge until hard,and serve or freeze and serve later!

Pizagna! Big Cook With Friends Pizza-Lasagna Monthly Cook

Invention can be interesting! I decided to try mixing the fun casualness of pizza with the yum and heartyness of lasagna into the practicality of a bake from frozen cassarole! Some of the 'Big Cook kids' tried a crockpot pizza recipe and were disapointed there was no pepperoni, my kids love Tim Horton's lazy lasagna...sooo Pizagna was born!
A friend had just given me an electric turkey roaster,had used it for our Thanksgiving 2 turkey extravaganza and it had not yet found a permanent home in my house . While watching Extreme Couponing (you all sneak a peek,admit it! LOL! ) I noticed a gal cooking a huge batch of chili in her eelctric roaster so I plugged mine in and went to town!

• 8 cups pepperoni (reserve 1 cup for topping)
  
• 8 cups onions diced
  
• 8 cups of cheese(put 2 cups aside for topping)
  
• 8 cups Italian sausage pizza topping
  
• 4 cups chopped green pepper
  
• 8 cups or 6 jars spag.sauce
  
• 4 cups pizza sauce
  

Simmer all ingredients together season to taste I used salt,pepper,garlic,onion and pasta seasonings. Toss with 8 cups curly noodles(cooked)
I portioned in to 8 containers, then garnished with pepperoni and cheese
Reviews so far have been great! If you are monthly cooking for yourself or doing a Big Cook with friends, give it a try! :)

Halloween Happy Pumpkin

How sweet is this Happy Pumpkin? He goes together easily and quickly!
Supplies may vary,I spent $6 at the dollar store.
Leftover stuffing fills the cauldron and stuffs the pumpkins pointed hat. I used my hot glue gun to loosely affix the stuffing to the bottom of the cauldren.
Nestle the Pumpkin in the cauldron adjusting stuffing for a comfy fit,using your hot glue gun secure the Pumpkin on the stuffing. Loop black tinsel twice around his neck so no stuffing peaks thru. Place the pointed hat on his head and hot glue in place
I attached a cheeky spider to the rim of Pumpkins hat. Affix a large bowtie to the cauldren under Pumpkin's chin if desired.
I could not resist making a whole crew! One will find it's way to the receptionist at our office, one the front desk at DD's school and BOO knows where the others will find a home!!