Silver and Gold Snowflakes for New Year's Eve

It's Tablescape Thursday sponsored by Susan at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH!



Thanks Susan for hosting Tablescape Thursday every week!

Here is my New Year's Eve Table decked out in silver, gold and snowflakes. If the pictures are cut off to the right, you may click on them to see the full view.









I have put on my gold tablecloth and used a beaded snowflake runner I got at Target for 50% off. I used my gold ornament tree and hung silver and gold glitter ornaments and some New Year's hats and saucer champagne ornaments from KMart (also 50% off). I used both gold and silver chargers and my snowflake plates that I got from Cracker Barrel last year. I have my water goblets with the silver and Greek Key trim and some saucer champagne glasses. I used ivory napkins with silver snowflake napkin rings. Between the plates and the chargers I used large plastic snowflakes from the Dollar Store. I saw these used by Susan at A Southern Daydreamer last year, so when I saw them this year I grabbed them ! Thanks Susan for a great idea!



Here is a close up of the centerpiece:



I love these ornaments!









Happy New Year to all! :D Jewel

Christmas Food Traditions

Thank you Gollum for hosting Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!


For this LATE Christmas Foodie Post, I want to share two Christmas Food Traditions with you. The first is Rum Cake.



My mother made this when I was young and I have kept this tradition going with my family.

The recipe is from the Bicardi Rum Company but I make it with light rum instead of dark rum as they suggest.

Rum Cake:

cake
1 box yellow cake mix (not butter recipe or pudding in the mix) I prefer Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe Classic Yellow Cake
1 3 1/2 oz. box vanilla instant pudding mix
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup rum
4 eggs

glaze
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup rum

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a large Bundt cake pan. Do not just use PAM or the cake will stick.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the cake ingredient. Mix with hand or stand mixer on medium for 2 minutes.

Pour batter into pan and bake for 45 minutes or until it tests done with a toothpick.

As soon as cake comes out of the oven, combine all glaze ingredients in a saucepan and boil for 5 minutes.

The standard recipe calls for turning the cake out onto a platter with a lip, poking holes in it with a fork and slowly pouring the glaze over the top of the cake. BUT here is how my mother taught me to do it: Just slowly pour the glaze on the cake in the Bundt pan while still warm. Let it soak in for a bit and then turn it out onto a cake plate or platter.

This cake is very moist and is even better the next day.



The next food tradition is our Christmas morning quiche.




I don't really have a recipe for this.

I use a Pillsbury pie crusts and unroll it into the quiche pan and blind bake it for about 10 mins at 325 degrees.

I spread a bit of Dijon mustard over the partially baked pie crust and spread a pound of sausage, cooked and drained over this. Then I add shredded cheese (whatever we have in the refrigerator) all over the top. Then I beat 4 eggs with some milk, salt and pepper and pour this over the sausage and cheese.

For a festive Christmas touch I add red and green bell peppers (which my daughters usually pick out as they eat!)




Thanks Gollum for hosting Foodie Friday!

I hope you all had a wonderful Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve Tablescape

It's Tablescape Thursday sponsored by Susan at BETWEEN NAPS ON THE PORCH!



Here is my Christmas tablescape! I don't have time to reduce my pictures so they are all cut off. Click the photo for a full view.







Centerpiece:



My china is Christmas Tree Grove by Spode.



Dining Room Mantle





Various serving pieces on the buffets:





My teacart full of snowmen:



Sorry not much time to type, but it is a busy season and day!

Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends! :D Jewel

Deck the Halls

I have been so busy I have been taking an unexpected blog break! I do want to share some Christmas decor with all of you though!

Susan at thoughtsfromovertherainbow is hosting Deck the Halls, so make sure you visit her blog and see all the Decking going on.



It has been so grey and rainy lately I haven't taken a lot of pictures. But here are some pictures from Christmas Past.

The pictures are cut off, so click on them to see the whole room.

Here is my foyer:


One of my Christmas teasets - possibly my favorite:





The Billiards Room



The Library



Parlor





Our Sunroom becomes the Town of Bethlehem





I will save my dining room for Tablescape Thursday, but in the meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed this tour of my home!