News From the Nest, December 9
New on the Blog
Good Morning, Friends!
When we chatted last week, I had pumpkins on my front porch and nary a Christmas decoration indoors.
I have been very busy!
So busy that I haven’t had a chance to take pictures, but I promise I will for next week.
In general, I am not a great fan of exercise. I know, not a great characteristic for a long and healthy life. That said, I stay busy and find ways to exercise my body by doing things I like! For instance, these past seven days, I walked an average of five miles a day just hustling around my home, up and down the stairs, decorating for Christmas. I figure the oversized, heavy totes I pulled from the attic and brought down the stairs surely count for resistance training! And who needs a stair master when I hiked up and down the ladder, putting up the wreaths on my cabinets and garland over the windows and around the front door?
I also know interval training is a good thing, so I’ll finish decorating this week, then take a couple of weeks off until it is time to take everything down, and I’ll get boatloads of exercise doing that! See, I have it all figured out!
This picture is from our wonderful trip down the Rhine last year to visit Christmas markets, primarily in Germany. I love this picture I snapped in Cologne.
Table of Contents
New on the Blog
I’m excited to make this Brunch Charcuterie Board with family favorites on it for Christmas morning! This charcuterie board will come in handy on holiday mornings and for your Book Club meeting and baby or bridal showers.
From the Knit + Crochet Studio
Remember that these and all of my knit and crochet patterns, in addition to an assortment of other valuable printables, are available to all subscribers in the Library. Forgot your super-secret password? Don’t worry, I share it at the bottom of the email I send every Monday. If you still can’t find it, email me at [email protected] and I’ll gladly share it.🫶🏼
- This is an easy knit washcloth pattern for beginners, though anyone will enjoy the pretty pattern created by simple knits and purls.
- Should a washcloth be this pretty? Not only is it pretty, but it’s pretty good at washing, too! 😉 The Diagonal Basketweave stitch creates a lovely fabric, perfect for washcloths or dishcloths.
- This easy-to-knit baby blanket features rosebuds scattered throughout the body of the blanket and an oh-so-sweet crochet ruffle edge to finish it off.
From the Kitchen
Some Savory Samplings
- This Gorgonzola Cheese Spread is likely this kitchen’s most frequently made appetizer. It’s super easy and loved by all; once you make it, you’ll understand why.
- This White Bean Soup with Ham and Vegetables is a lighter, brothier version of traditional bean soup recipes.
- For that ham and bean soup, you can use store-bought ham stock or make your own from leftover ham bones.
Holiday Sweets🎄
- I have a bag of Molasses Crinkle Cookie dough balls in my freezer for emergencies (like after-lunch emergencies or decorating the Christmas tree emergencies). 😉 When I need them, I just take them out, let them come to room temperature, and bake them in the oven. They are, without a doubt, my family’s favorite Christmas cookie. It’s the combination of a chewy inside and slightly crunchy exterior that wins me over at every bite.
- Can we all agree that some desserts are more festive than others? These Mini Chocolate Cranberry Tarts are just all-caps FESTIVE! They are surprisingly easy to make as the components can be made ahead of time and assembled as needed.
- If you are looking for an easy-to-make and fun Christmas recipe suitable for young hands, these Snow-Covered Coconut Christmas Tree Cookies are just the thing. The dusting of ‘snow’ and a sprinkling of edible gold stars make these coconut cookies even more festive. And not for nothing, they are gluten-free!
- This Gingerbread Bundt Cake is moist and flavorful but not too molasses-heavy. I add bits of pear, but that is optional. Serve it right out of the oven, dusting it with powdered sugar or drizzled with the Spiced Bourbon Glaze.
Puppers Like Homemade Treats, too! 🐶
Make one of the following recipes (or several of them) to give to your favorite four-legged friends or family members. Bag them and tie the bag up with one of these gift tags, made specifically for gifting dog goodies!
- These 3-Ingredient Dog Treats are easy to make with items you most likely have in your kitchen. The ingredients for these homemade dog treats are easily substituted, and suggestions for substitutions are included.
- This post includes the Pumpkin Dog Treats recipe, grains you can use in your pumpkin dog biscuits, and instructions for dehydrating your treats to prevent them from getting moldy.
- Here is a simple recipe for making your homemade dog treats with cheese. These cheddar cheese treats are healthy and delicious, perfect for training your puppy, giving as gifts to pup play pals, or just anytime!
- This is a super easy recipe for homemade sweet potato dog chews.
A Few Favorites
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- When I opened several boxes of Christmas decorations, I was pleased to find I had stored the command strip hooks I had used previously with the appropriate decor! Yay me! These are handy for securing the garland on our mantle, the mini wreaths on our kitchen cabinet doors, and a variety of other decor uses. All I needed this year was to buy a pack of replacement tape.
- These heel socks, combined with Kerasal or this homemade heel balm, are why my heels have never looked or felt better.
- This morning, as I came upstairs to write this newsletter, I toted my laptop, calendar, several file folders, the just-cleaned bowls for the rabbit’s food and water, two stuffed dog toys, two bully sticks, and my phone in this Mollie Ollie tote. I can’t even tell you how handy this little tote has proven to be.
- In the off chance you need an Ugly Christmas Sweater with the logo of your favorite NFL team…they are currently on sale.
A Little Self-Care for This Busy Month
As we prepare to get everything done over the next six weeks, we need to make sure we also take care of ourselves! I know I am guilty of burning the candle at both ends in pursuit of orchestrating the ‘perfect’ holiday for my family. With these 7 Mindfulness Exercises to help manage holiday stress in my back pocket, I can still do what I want to do but also take care of myself.
More Gift Ideas
- My brother and I come from a family of foodies. Our mom is, and her mom was, a world-class cook and baker. I think it is fair to say that I tend to be more of a traditional cook, while my brother is much more adventurous. He dry-ages his own steaks and mixes creative cocktails. With that in mind, I asked my brother what some of his favorite kitchen tools are. So, if you are looking for gifts for the Foodie Guy in your world, I am sure you will find some good ideas here.
- If you’ll be attending any holiday gatherings this season, you’ll appreciate this list of great hostess gift ideas.
Well, my friends, Kate is coming home for a couple of days today. We will decorate the Christmas tree and put the finishing touch on the house, as a whole. We are also going to see ‘Wicked’ tonight! It’s been a hot minute since I’ve actually gone to a movie theatre.
I hope you have a wonderful week and that you take some time to take care of your ‘self.’
Hugs!
Always love seeing this in my Monday emails! Agree on the exercise thing!! My husky has trained me to speed walk!! lol. Enjoy your week. Kimberlee
Aw thanks, Kimberlee!
I love writing it each week, especially with readers like you on the other end.
Hugs, Lynn
can I freeze balls to bake using the Dutch chocolate cookies too?
Hi Mary Kay,
While I have not done so, I believe you should be able to freeze the balls of the Dutch Chocolate Cookie dough. Let it come to room temperature before you use the fork to push it down.
Hi Lynn,
When freezing the spiced molasses cookies… do you roll the balls in sugar before freezing or roll them in sugar once you take them out of the freezer (before baking). Thank you for the clarification.
Hi Sue Ellen,
I always roll them in sugar before i freeze them.