“Sunday in the South” Book Signing & More

This Saturday, October 29th, from 1 to 4 pm, Christmas Place hosts author and chef Ginny McCormack for a signing of her book, Sunday in the South.

More than just a cookbook, although it is filled with delectable recipes, Ginny’s book includes 350 photographs of  food, gorgeous table decor, and beautiful Southern imagery.  Complete dinner menus; quotes, stories, and humorous anecdotes; and tips and techniques fill each chapter, making this much more than a simple cookbook – it’s a story about incorporating food into the best times of our lives with Southern  grace, hospitality, and congeniality.

Chapter topics and recipes cover a range from ”A Formal Sunday Feast” to ”A Comfort Food Family Dinner,” “A Seafood Lunch on the Porch,” “A Hearty Outdoor Dinner,” and “Ten Southern Classics,” and include breakfast and other meals.  I’m going to check out her recipe for Southern Key Lime Pie – it’s my personal favorite, and I’ve been gathering ideas for making the best!  In the mean time, can I interest anyone in Southern Home Style Meatloaf with Sweet Chili Glaze,  Creamy Corn Pudding, and White Cheddar Cornbread, finished with Peach Bread Pudding?  (I would just choose today to write about this, when I left my lunch sitting on the kitchen counter at home!!)

Ginny is a cooking instructor, speaker, author, food columnist, editor of an online magazine, and host of GinnyMcCormackCooks.com.  She has appeared regularly as a T.V. chef.  She lives with her family in Marietta, Georgia, and enjoys writing and teaching about the art of Southern hospitality and new Southern cuisine.

This is Ginny’s first visit to Christmas Place, and we are looking forward to meeting her.  Her book would make a fabulous Christmas or special occasion gift!

Also at 1 o’clock on Saturday, our Floral Department will be demonstrating  how to assemble and decorate the mesh boxes that are such a favorite for holiday decor – and especially since they can be themed for any occasion, not just Christmas.

We’ll see you Saturday!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

P.S.  Two more signings on Saturday – you can take care of all your Christmas at one time! – Ne’Qwa Inside Art Ornaments, painted on the inside of glass ornaments – Trieste will be here once again demonstrating her amazing painting technique – sometimes she brings brushes you can buy to try it yourself.  I have painted on glass – it’s a very mental challenge, because you have to think about the image in reverse order from traditional surface painting.  (This iconic snowman & cardinal image is my personal choice – I got mine signed when it was first released in 2008.)

R. J. McDonald is back with us for the weekend to sign his wonderful Santa prints and giclees – some of which can be personalized by adding your family names to Santa’s “nice” list!

Come see us!

Food for Friday

As soon as I figure out how to squeeze a couple of extra hours out of each day, I’m going to be cooking up a snow storm for Christmas!  I really am!  I haven’t even had time to make my favorite peanut butter-marshmallow-almond bark treats this year .. now that’s too busy for me.

I think an excellent gift request to send to Santa this year is a wish for ANY of the Gooseberry Patch cookbooks – or even one of each.  I can’t say enough about how much I enjoy every volume they print, from the delicious recipes and serving suggestions of the recipes’ authors, to the quick and easy tips on each page for holiday decorating and entertaining.

At only $16.95, Christmas with Family & Friends would make an excellent hostess gift for the holidays.  This volume begins with a collection of brief essays & stories from contributors sharing their own Christmas memories – a special treat!  Then all the food categories are covered, from Breakfast & Brunch with Friends to soups, casseroles, and, of course, Festive Family Desserts.

As I flipped through the pages, I was caught by this recipe title:  “Fancy Pants Chicken.”  For sure!  Don’t we always have chicken in the fridge or freezer?  What a fast and fun dish to put together for any holiday or every day gathering.

Fancy Pants Chicken

Ingredients
12 chicken breast tenders
2 T olive oil
1/3 C teriyaki marinade sauce
1/2 C ranch salad dressing
6 to 8 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled
1 C shredded Colby Jack Cheese

In a large skillet over medium heat, lightly brown chicken in oil.  Remove chicken and place in a lightly greased 11″ x 7″ baking pan.  Brush both sides of chicken generously with teriyaki sauce.  Top with salad dressing, crumbled bacon and cheese.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees until chicken juices run clear, about 10 to 15 minutes.  Serves 6.

I’m very intrigued by how the flavors of the sweet teriyaki and the creamy ranch dressing mix together.  It sounds like something you can make in a snap – the contributor recommends serving the chicken over an almond rice pilaf.

C = Cup; T = Tablespoon

Here’s another hostess gift idea – seasonal salt & pepper shakers!  We have some really cute styles in the store and on-line this year.  Check out this classic Santa set.

Hope your Christmas shopping and celebrating plans are going well!  We’ve had snow, and the kids have missed several school days already, so we’re thinking the holidays are working out pretty well so far this year.

Have a Merry – and tasty – Christmas!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

P.S.  My sister taught me that you can put frozen chicken tenders  straight into a toaster oven and bake them up in about 20 minutes – a good draining, a good saucing, and a good vegetable side and dinner’s on the table.  Easy really works for me!

Food for Friday

Oooo..I just found the prettiest and most fun cookbook in the Gallery with a wonderfully promising subtitle ~ The 12 Days of Christmas Cookbook, The Ultimate in Effortless Holiday Entertaining.

The folks who compiled this collection really had fun with naming their chapters, following the pattern of the Christmas carol ~ Beverages-a-Blending, Cookies-a-Cooling, Desserts-a-Delighting, and so on, all the way to Soups-a-Simmering.  In the middle is Ca-a-an-dies (five-gold-den-rings, you get it?).  “On the first day of Christmas my true love sent to me An Appetizer on a Platter.”

The pages are all printed in Christmas-y shades of red & green, and accented with snowflakes and candy striping.  “Effortless Entertaining Tips” are included with each chapter, and on page 184 I just found the most delightful idea called “Scrambled Dinner.”  No, it’s not serving scrambled eggs, it’s serving a secret meal in which every dish – and beverage and utensil and napkin! – is given a Christmas name and guest have to order based only on the names – like “Clouds over Bethlehem” (mashed potatoes) and “Herod’s Scepter” (dinner knife).  A guest might end up with meat, veggies, and dessert, but only a toothpick with which to eat!  What a fun party idea – if your friends are up for some holiday hijinks!

The recipe I’ve selected to share is called “Strawberry Pretzel Salad” because I was immediately intrigued by the idea of mixing a sweet, soft strawberry with a salty, crunchy pretzel – I enjoy mixing sweet and salty together – and wondering where to get fresh, tasty strawberries in December.  Turns out I might like this recipe for many more reasons than just sweet+salty!

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Ingredients
3/4 C butter or margarine, melted
3 T sugar
2 C crushed pretzels
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
3/4 C sugar
1 (8 oz) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed
**2 (3 oz) packages strawberry-flavored gelatin
2 C boiling water
1 (16 oz) package frozen strawberries
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained

In bowl, mix butter or margarine, 3 T sugar, and crushed pretzels; press mixture into 9×13-inch pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Cool completely.

In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 C sugar.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spread evenly over cooled pretzel crust.  In bowl, combined gelatin & boiling water; stir to dissolve.  Mix in frozen strawberries & pineapple.  Allow gelatin to set slightly; pour over cream cheese mixture.  Refrigerate til completely set.  Makes 12-15 servings.

I think I’ve had a slice of this heaven at a party or a pitch-in sometime in the past, and I’m so happy to have a recipe for it - I’m going to make it for an event this Sunday!  I’m just not sure how they class this as a salad though .. sounds like a fruity dessert to me.

This cookbook is item 491000, and it will be on our website later today – as soon as it is up, I’ll add a link to it from the photo above.  In the mean time, if you love strawberries, and maybe chocolate, too, how about a really special ornament for your Christmas tree??

Taking a bite NOT recommended!  Enjoy!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

**UPDATE!

Okay, I tried to make this on Sunday, having printed a copy of this post to take with me to the grocery store.  I did not notice until I had half of it constructed that I had NOTHING to add to the two cups of boiling water!  I’m so sorry, folks, that I left out the 2 boxes of gelatin!  As it was, I only used one box of gelatin, and my dish failed .. which means I’ve been munching on the crust and cream cheese layer only, and I had to buy a snack for my Sunday night gathering.  I hang my head in shame (though I love the sweet & salty mix, even without the fruity layer).

Now that I have returned to the office, revisited the original recipe, & updated it above, I hope you’ll have more success.  Also, I was making mine with raspberries instead of strawberries, and I found a box of raspberry jello in the cabinet – how amazing is that .. when did I last think to buy raspberry jello?  I think you could mix this up with any fruits & jellos that strike your fancy – while looking for frozen raspberries I also contemplated a package of frozen mixed berries, and a friend recommended frozen blueberries.

Note to self:  better blogging through better proof-reading!
 

Food for Friday

Recipe time again, and I spotted a new cook book in the gift gallery.  Favorite Brand Name Holiday, a collection of recipes that are perfect for parties, open houses, cookie exchanges, and all your holiday eating opportunities!

The food photographs in this book are amazing – I’m looking at a picture of cheese “balls” made in the shape of a Christmas tree, a football (covered in almonds to look like leather) and a pine cone (covered in sliced almonds resembling the petals of a cone).  Virtually every recipe is illustrated by a closely-detailed photo – I’m now looking at a one-bite burger, with the buns cleverly crafted out of pre-made breadstick dough that is easily shaped into the miniature buns.

It’s much too close to dinner time to keep turning these pages!  I’m going straight to Cookies, and this quick and tasty recipe made with chocolate bars.

Snowball Surprises

Ingredients
1 C (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 C powdered sugar, divided
1 t vanilla
1-3/4 C all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1 C pecan halves, toasted* & finely chopped
1 bar (3 oz) chocolate candy with almonds, broken into 36 (1/2-inch) pieces

Lightly grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.  Beat butter & 1/2 C powdered sugar in large bowl until well blended.  Add vanilla; beat until blended.  Gradually add flour & salt, beating after each addition.  Stir in pecans.

Shape dough by tablespoonfuls into 36 balls.  Press chocolate pieces into each ball, working dough around chocolate to cover.  Place balls 1-1/2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheets.  Refrigerate 30 minutes to 1 hour or until dough is firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Bake cookies 13 to 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.  Remove to wire racks; cool slightly.  Sprinkle remaining 1/4 C powdered sugar over warm cookies.

*To toast pecans, spread in single layer on cookie sheet.  Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring frequently.

Your guests will not expect the surprise of the lovely chocolate center to these delicious snowball cookies!

This cook book is an absolute feast for the eyes, not to mention the guests – it’s one that will draw you into every page, and I know you’ll find many new favorites in every category.  You’ll have to finish the meal with Bubbling Raspberry Coolers and Cranberry Snow Punch!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Food for Friday

Do you like to bake and share homemade goodies for Christmas?  I remember once managing to acquire M&Ms® in the colors of a friend’s tartan (she plays in a bagpipe band), and putting together a cookie-mix-in-a-jar gift layered with those special candies ~ it was a real hit!

If you like to personalize your gifts with a handmade touch, check out Homemade Christmas, a collection of recipes, gift, and decorating ideas to help plan everything from tinsel at breakfast to your holiday open house and the gifts under the tree on Christmas morning.  There are even gift ideas for the beasts of both the field and the hearth.

This book includes a very wide range of recipes for all tastes and occasions, including some rather unique dishes.  Have you heard of Callaloo (crabmeat & coconut milk), Luku (starts with 8 hard-boiled eggs), or Lefse (Norwegian flatbread)?  There are also some very fun sweets recipes that kids would love to help with in the kitchen, such as this one.

Lincoln Logs

Ingredients
1 C chunky peanut butter
2 T butter, softened
1-1/4 C sifted powdered sugar
3 C crispy rice cereal
Chopped peanuts

Combine peanut butter, butter, and powdered sugar.  {They say that like it is so easy to incorporate things into peanut butter, don’t they??}  Add cereal; mix well, and crush slightly.  Shape into three 7×1-1/4″ logs.  Roll logs in crushed peanuts.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill.  Slice in 1/2-inch thick discs.  This sounds awfully yummy to me!

C = Cup; T = Tablespoon

As I was flipping through the book, I noticed a letter from a contributor  about her family’s holiday traditions; gift opening did not commence til after a breakfast of homemade biscuits and chocolate gravy.  Chocolate gravy?  Here’s the recipe.

Chocolate Gravy

Ingredients
2 C sugar
4 T cocoa
1 stick butter or margarine
3 C milk, divided

Mix sugar, cocoa, and butter in large saucepan over medium heat.  Add 1/2 C milk; let mixture come to a boil, and cook for 10 minutes.  Add the rest of the milk, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil.  Reduce heat to simmer, and let cook for 30 minutes.  Serve over hot homemade biscuits.

I’m just thinking that maybe someone left a pan of hot chocolate on the stove a little too long, and then figured out how to salvage it – and chocolate gravy was born!  I’m just not sure I can handle that much chocolate at dawn, but maybe I’ll get a chance to try it one day.

Have a sweet weekend!  R.J. McDonald, Santa and wildlife painter, will be here Saturday and Sunday for a signing of his prints – he’s bringing a cookbook with him, too – I hope I’ll get to see what it’s about.

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Food for Friday

Here’s a wonderful Christmas book compilation of recipes, tips, wrapping ideas, and holiday lore that will be a treat under the tree this year.  The Gooseberry Patch 10th Anniversary Christmas book is new in the Gift Gallery this season.  Filled with luscious photos of holiday decorations, directions for all sorts of Christmas crafts, baked gifts, and party ideas, chapters carry such titles as “Here We Come A-Caroling,” “Handmade Happiness to Share,” and “Simply Soothing.”  In addition to the rich instructional content, it’s a visual feast for the eyes!

As I leaf through the book, I see plenty of tips and recipes that I could use for events and celebrations year round.  I also see that it is much too close to dinner time for me to be picking out a recipe to share ~ they ALL sound fabulous…

Spiced Applesauce Cake with Caramel Sauce

1/3 C butter, softened
1-1.3 C sugar
2 eggs
1 C applesauce
1/3 C water
1-2/3 C all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground ginger
1/4 t baking powder
1/2 C walnuts, finely chopped

Beat butter and sugar together; beat in eggs, one at a time, until mixture is light and fluffy.  Add applesauce and water; set aside.  In another bowl, combine next 7 ingredients; blend into applesauce mixture.  Fold in walnuts.  Pour into a greased and floured 6-mold Bundt pan (each mold holds one cup).

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in cakes comes out clean.  Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove cakes from pan and cool on a wire rack.  Place cakes on serving plates or mini cake stands and drizzle with Caramel Sauce.

Caramel Sauce

1 C brown sugar
1/2 C whipping cream
1/4 C corn syrup
1 T butter
2 t cinnamon

In a large saucepan, heat all ingredients to boiling, stirring constantly.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for about 5 minutes.  Makes 1-1/2 cups.  Tastes great on spice cake, pound cake, shortbread and ice cream!

Christmas even has knitting, embroidery, & quilting instructions for cozy winter projects, and several pages of patterns and templates are included.  This is a very well-rounded holiday book  that could be your complete guide to celebrating this Christmas.

We just unwrapped a beautiful new collection of Christmas trays, divided snack trays, and coordinated platters, napkin rings, salt & pepper shakers, and mugs.  Our web photographer was taking pictures while I was, too, so they should be online shortly.  Here is one style, a striking red platter and mug ~ this would really look swell, filled with mini Spiced Applesauce Cakes, wouldn’t it now?  ~And a mug of Christmas coffee to go along with dessert.

Hope you enjoy a restful Labor Day weekend, and don’t forget to come on down to our clearance tent sale.  Also, the buy-3-get-1-free ornament sale is ongoing – we haven’t talked about it recently, but even the new season’s ornaments are included in this deal.

~Janet @ Christmas Place

Food for Friday

In my next life, I will be a person who has time to read cookbooks.  There are so many amazing publications from which to choose, so much creativity in recipes and ways of presenting them.  I have mad love for collecting recipes…and no time to enjoy them all.

Here’s a new discovery in The Gallery, The Great Southern Food Festival Cookbook.  This book covers 75 food festivals throughout the South, from Texas to Florida and Virginia to Kentucky, all states in between, and January to November (everyone’s busy shopping at The Christmas Place in December, of course).  Poke Salat Festival in Alabama, Gautier Mullet Festival in Mississippi (high fashion bad hair??), National Grits Festival in Georgia, RC & Moon Pie Festival in Tennessee, Chitlin’ Strut in South Carolina – we celebrate everything from apples to watermelon and spoonbread to shrimp.

Arranged by month, the cookbook includes a few photos along with mouth-watering selections from each festival.  I really want to share from the watermelon treats, but that’s not until next month!  July – hey, it’s the Slugburger Festival.  Let’s see what they’ve got…oh, it’s like elephant stew, but it only serves about 400, depending on how many patties you make from a pound of mixed pork, soy meal, flour, salt, and water.

Okay, I’m still turning pages, but my sister is pathologically afraid of melon in all forms, so I’ll skip the cantaloupe festival.  (Really, it’s like the way some people react to snakes, or those spiders that suddenly appear after they have grown to be three inches in diameter, or cracking gum-chewers.  The girl cannot abide a cantaloupe in her zip code.)  wait, where was I … food … recipes…Grilled Peaches!  I have had these before, and they are amazing.  You just have to try them.

Grilled Peaches

1 peach
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 C sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar (I prefer to use a really good balsamic – it has to be Bravo’s good)
1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

Halve the peach; remove the pit; drizzle each half with about 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.  Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, brown sugar, the remaining lemon juice, and the black pepper and boil until reduced by about half.  Place the peaches cut-side down on a hot, lightly oiled grill.  Cover and cook for about 2 minutes, or until there are grill marks.  Turn over and baste the cut sides with the vinegar mixture.  Cover the grill and cook for about 3 minutes more, or until peach halves are softened.  Enjoy!

Too bad I don’t have a grill.  Maybe I’ll have to see what the neighbors are leaving unattended on their patios, and sneak over after dark…  Doesn’t this sound like a great book to leave under someone’s tree this Christmas?  I’m just saying, only about 150 days to go.

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

Food for Friday – Elf Approved!

Today’s recipe was recommended to me by not one but two of our very own elves, Dee & Beth.  It’s from Granny’s Taste of Christmas, by Dianne C. Evans (Item 276003).

This delightful holiday cookbook is illustrated throughout with photographs of the author’s family and favorite Christmas treasures such as ornaments and decorations.  Geared toward the beginning cook (with warm memories for the experienced chef), it is packed with extra hints, cookings tips, and insights from Granny, who is clearly very experienced in the kitchen!

“How come a 2-pound box of candy can make you gain 5 pounds?”

Each chapter starts with a list of the recipes included ~ what a great idea.  Chapter titles include Yuletide Menus; St. Nick’s Nibbles, Bites, & Nogs; Visions of Sugarplums, Cookies; and Desserts Yule Love.  Most of the chapters end with a reprint of a traditional Christmas carol ~ you can cook and sing your way through the holidays!

Here’s the recipe our elves are singing about.

Shopping Day Casserole

4 chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 oz. jar chopped pimientos, drained
10-3/4 oz. can cream of celery soup
16 oz. can french-style green beans, drained
1 C mayonnaise
1 C grated sharp cheese for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix all ingredients together (except cheese) in a large bowl; pour into a lightly greased 9×13 inch baking dish.  Scatter cheese evenly over top and bake for 30 to 40 minutes.  Makes 6-8 servings.

You can prepare this the night before, refrigerate it overnight, and pop it into the oven for an easy one-dish meal when you get back from a day of Christmas shopping .

Sure sounds yummy to me!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

P.S. There is even a picture of the Duke & Duchess of Windsor in the book!  You’ll have to get your own copy to find out why.

Food for Friday

We just received a new cookbook at the store, Smoky Mountain Magic, from The Junior League of Johnson City, Tennessee.  Wow!  This one is packed with over 300 pages of wonderful recipes.  After last week, I really feel the need to share something healthier, so here is a salad recipe that you can easily prepare with low- or no-fat ingredients for a healthy and tasty addition to your well-rounded meal.

Apple-Swiss Cheese Salad

2 C cubed Jonathan apples (or any tasty red apples)
1 C shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 C chopped dates
1/2 C chopped celery
1 C shredded or finely chopped cabbage
1 T horseradish
2/3 C mayonnaise

Combine apples, cheese, dates, celery, and cabbage.  Mix horseradish with mayonnaise and  toss gently into salad.  Serve on a bed of crisp lettuce.  Serves 4.

Oh, man, I’ve got to stop doing this before lunch ~ unless I’ve prepared and brought the dish with me to eat!  This just makes my mouth water.  One page over in the recipe book I noticed a favorite of my family, Cucumber Mousse ~ yuuuuuummmmmy right down to the Worcestershire sauce…did you ever think to put those two ingredients together?  It works.

Call and ask for item 276008 – I’m getting ahead of the game with some of these cookbooks, sorry!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place

C = Cup; T = Tablespoon

Food for Friday

If you live in the Knoxville, Tennessee area, you need to check out the newest Indian restaurant on the west side of town, Taj.  Had dinner there last night with family, and I can’t wait to have my leftover Chicken Makhani for lunch today!  The makhani isn’t even on the menu, but the chef at Taj was happy to cook up the three dishes we wanted that weren’t listed.  The naan bread was hot and buttery and light and delicious.  The samosas, both veggie and meat (lamb) were terrific.  I could go on…..

I haven’t found an Indian cookbook in Christmas Place yet, but I’m keeping my fingers crossed!  Until then, how about a recipe from Ruby Ann’s Down Home Trailer Park Cookbook, by Ruby Ann Boxcar.  Ruby Ann’s smokin’ hot on the cover here!

Cooking’ so good, folks will be turnin’ off the wrestlin’ channel just to come ‘n’ get it!

Beautician, international entertainer and singer, and syndicated columnist Ruby Ann Boxcar lives with her husband Dew and their three dogs in a two-story double-wide pink trailer home at the High Chaparral Trailer Park in Pangburn, Arkansas.

Let me just say, these trailer park folk don’t know from low cal – you have to get to Chapter 12 on page 171 to find a main dish (past appetizers, drinks (featuring gallons of grape soda), bread, cookies, candy, desserts, and helpful hints – it’s all about priorities!).  Here’s one to entertain the kids.

Grill Master & Friend, Department 56

Chihuahuas

10 hot dog buns, toasted
6 oz corn chips
10 hot dogs, grilled
1 lb chili
1/2 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
1/4 lb Government cheese, melted

Line the buns with the chips, add the hot dogs, and top with a large spoonful of chili, lettuce, and cheese.

Look, this one included lettuce – what can I say, I tried!  This book is quite a hoot – it includes a map of the trailer park and a history of each of its residents.  Call and ask for item 285076 (couldn’t find it on the site).  A great gag gift or stocking stuffer for the right person!

We’re planning on a warm and sunny early spring weekend to welcome Daylight Savings Time here in East Tennessee – hope it’s fantastic for you, wherever you are!

~Janet @ The Christmas Place