Gingerbread Tea Latte

Tags

Christmas, drink recipe, foodie, gingerbread, recipe, tea, tea latte

There’s nothing quite like sipping a gingerbread tea latte while trimming the Christmas tree or baking Christmas cookies.

Ingredients:
1/2 c. hot water, 2 English Breakfast tea bags, 1 c. milk, 1/2 tsp. gingerbread spice mixture, sugar, ground cinnamon

Directions:
Steep teabags in hot water until you have a strong tea. Mix in sugar and spice mixture. Steam and froth the milk. Pour tea into mug, and top with steamed milk and then foam. Sprinkle with fresh cinnamon.

XOXO,
Young Wifey

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Holiday Chicken Salad

Tags

chicken, Christmas, cranberry, foodie, Holiday, luncheon, pecan, recipe, shallot

Spiced pecans and dried cranberries are two of my favorite seasonal flavors. When mixed together, they give a nice holiday spin to a classic recipe making it the perfect dish for a holiday luncheon.

Ingredients:
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, 6 stalks of celery, 4 shallots, 1 c. dried cranberries, 1 c. spiced pecans, mayonnaise

Directions:
Poach chicken breasts and cool completely. Chop celery, shallots, cranberries, and pecans. Shred or cube chicken. Toss ingredients together, using only enough mayonnaise to wet the mixture. Chill for about 6 hours before serving. Mix again before serving.

*Serve on a fresh baked croissant or bed of mixed greens.

XOXO,
Young Wifey

21 Gifts for the Naughty

Tags

charcoal, Christmas, coal, gift giving, gift guide, happy holidays, humor, present ideas

Is someone on your Christmas list naughty this year? Go beyond the lump of coal gag gift and give them a true gift of coal!!!

Buy them some hand-crafted charcoal soap. Try Black Magic Soap from Ole Mill Soap Co.

For natural tooth whitening and oral care, gift them some My Magic Mud.

For help brighten a dull winter complexion, give them Freeman’s Charcoal & Black Sugar Mask.

Give the gift of the purest water they’ll ever taste with a Berkey Water Filter system.

Make them a delicious homemade treat with this Christmas Coal Candy recipe.

Cure their stinky feet with charcoal shoe insoles or charcoal shoe fresh pouches.

Give the gift of cleaner air with a charcoal air purifier.

Purchase charcoal pencils for the artist.

Carved coal figurines or charcoal sketches will add a flair of drama to any home decor.

A bookworm would appreciate a copy of Moving Mountains by Penny Loeb.

Lemony Snicket’s The Lump of Coal would work for a young bookworm.

Try by Coal Cracker Culture… Harold Aurand for the history buff.

Hand-crafted lump of coal earrings work for the fashionista.

This lump of coal ornament makes a cute Christmas gift.

Give the party animal in your life activated charcoal capsules to help them detox after the holiday season.

Zetta’s Coal Camp Recipes cookbook by Sandra P. Aldrich or Coal Miner’s Gourmet Cookbook by Dolores A. McCorkle and Cecelia. Clarkos are perfect for the home chef.

For the meat enthusiast? How about a luxury charcoal smoker and a copy of Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifest by Aaron Franklin and Jordan Mackay?

XOXO,
Young Wifey

PS – This list was complied by a coal miner’s daughter-in-law.

 

Young Wifey’s Holiday Drink Guide 2015

Tags

beer, cheers, Christmas, cocktail, Entertaining, foodie, Hanukkah, Holiday, holiday spirit, sangria, wine

Grab a glass and give a toast! Here is my holiday drink guide for December 2015. Cheers!

 

XOXO,
Young Wifey

Christmas Button Art

Tags

button art, buttons, Christmas, craft, crafting, Holiday

Epiphany has arrived, and I wanted to share one more Christmas post before I packed up all the seasonal decor.

Each year, my eldest sister hosts Christmas dinner at her house. This year, she surprised us with a Christmas craft. First, we chose our frames and fitted them with our selected craft paper (I chose sparkly silver). Then, we sorted through a bowl of buttons and arranged and rearranged them within the frame. Finally, we carefully used a hot glue gun to secure them in place. I think I may use a silver sharpie to add the year to the base of the frame. We enjoyed creating our unique button Christmas trees and chatting around the craft table. Maybe each year, we’ll take turns planning a holiday craft.

Have you started any new holidays traditions?

XOXO,
Young Wifey

Ugly Sweater Day

Tags

Christmas, craft, crafting, gingerbread man, shirt, ugly sweater

Sorry, I’ve been out of commission the last few months, our computer operating system was so out dated, I couldn’t continue to perform basic internet activities. Thus, there was no posting to my blog. Hubster and Pumpkin bought me a new laptop for Christmas, so now I’m back in action!!!! ❤

The Friday before winter break, my work had an ugly sweater day. I jumped out of bed Thursday night to quickly make something. I was inspired by the Gingerbread Man Ornaments that Pumpkin and I made a few years ago.

Ugly Sweater Day

My students and co-workers loved it. It doesn’t look completely finished to me, but it worked for the day. Maybe next year, I’ll add some white rickrack as frosting on his limbs.

How have you all been?

Third Day of Christmas – Pecan Sugar Cookies

Tags

12 Days of Christmas, 3rd day of Christmas, Christmas, family recipe, food, foodie, pecans, recipe, sugar cookie, third day of Christmas, tradition, twelve days of Christmas

On the third day of Christmas Young Wifey shared with me: Nanny’s Florida’s pecan sugar cookies, shortbread squares, and chippers recipes.

Nanny Florida’s Pecan Sugar Cookies

Ingredients: 
1 c. butter, 1 3/4 c. confectioners’ sugar, 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla, 1/4 tsp. almond extract, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. cream of tartar, 1 c. chopped pecans

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cream together butter and sugar, and beat until fluffy. Blend in eggs and extracts. Mix the dry ingredients together and add to wet ingredients. Mix throughly. Stir in pecans. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until barely colored. Allow to cook slightly before moving them to a cooling rack.

XOXO,
Young Wifey