Nineteen in Nineteen and a recipe

Well I'm finally getting around to thinking about my Nineteen in Nineteen. I was considering not doing it this year as it keeps getting longer, but its fun to refer to over the year and I look back on them to see how I did.

So a couple of my goals last year were a little unrealistic eg. 100 Blog posts and Participate in 4 challenges a month. Even my book count was a little too high so I've redone what I think is a bit of a challenge but also doable.

I've already started the year off by finishing 2 books, I've got 10 on request from the library and I'm currently reading this one...

I'm only a few chapters in and I think its going to be excellent. Sam was born with a rare genetic condition that resulted in red eyes. That's all I'm going to say about that but I think its a rare jewel like Wonder. With a strong start, I think I can meet this year's goal of 40 books. I'd also like to participate in a Readathon which I think is just basically laying around all weekend and giving yourself permission to ignore the chores and read.

I also would like to instigate a bit of a cleaning routine. This one looks like it is pretty straight forward....

Some of them are so complicated, forget it. I'd be spending hours everyday with 2 shedding dogs. I also want to try and not leave dishes in the sink. My dishwasher is broken and I don't want to replace until I redo kitchen so it's a challenge to not let them drip dry.

You can read my other goals on the sidebar if you're interested but another one that I've started already is only use the freezer for main meal item and other things if possible for the month of January. Early in the year, I cleaned out and organized it with oldest items up front and its been working great now that I know what's in there and I don't grab meat etc just because its on sale. It will be interesting if it lowers my grocery bill. Which leads me to turkey... I usually have one or two on hand but I've cooked them up and had a lot of chopped meat left over which I used up in this yummy casserole..

Turkey Noodle Casserole

2 cups of cubed turkey or chicken
1 condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream (light is ok)
chopped onions/mushrooms/red pepper (optional)
1/2 cup frozen peas
salt and pepper to taste
I add at least a cup of milk or water as it tends to dry out in a large open casserole
16 ounces of egg noodles, cooked

Mix all together and place in a greased 9x13 baking dish.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or you can freeze unbaked (but then you'd be back to having another freezer item to use up, lol)

You could put some buttered breadcrumbs on top or crushed Ritz crackers but I thought it was already decadent enough.


I should also say that I'm running another major Fundraiser in April for Autism Dog Services so a lot of my time and energy will be dedicated to that. 

December Card Swap

I was going to title this the first card of 2019 but it seems as if we always work a month behind. We have the month of December to create the card and exchange them near the first of the following month. So while we are keeping the tradition alive, this is still last year's cards. Whomp!

Keri created a shadow box type card using Birthday Chicks from MFT, that a certain friend may have gifted her from Florida. Don't you love the rainbow ice cream cones? She had to cut some of the stamps to make it work. I love it!

I'm always looking for more ideas for Sympathy/Thinking of You and I had this new stamp and die set from Your Next Stamp that fit the bill.

These cards seem simple but there are a lot of steps. I fussy cut the vase and coloured the flowers with Copics. The bow is sparkled but you can't see that too well.

Cherry Shortbread Squares

I thought I would post another Christmas staple even though I'm sure everyone is into NO SUGAR mode as it is Jan 1st. This was a later addition to my Christmas baking repertoire and now I have to make it every year. It doesn't always look the best (the condensed milk goes brown) and the bottom sometimes separates from the top but it's so good, I have to make them. Another fun fact - well not really fun is I always buy candied cherries at the start of the baking season thinking I need them for this recipe, when actually its maraschino cherries that I need. The recipe calls for red and green but you can get away with just red. (How long do cherries last anyway??? They're not a high demand item)

Cherry Shortbread Squares
1 cup butter
2 cups all purpose flour (or slightly less as mixture is dry)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup white sugar
2/3 cup coconut
2/3 cup red and green maraschino cherries, cut up fine
1 can condensed milk

Butter an 8inch pan. Cream butter and sugar together. Add flour. Pat dough evenly into prepared pan.
Pierce with a fork every half inch. Bake 30 min at 350F.
Combine remaining ingredients. Spread evenly over shortbread. Bake 35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan and cut into squares. *I cut the edges off so it looks nicer but they're still yummy!

If you want to see the process I posted this recipe in 2012. Whoops!

My Top 3(4) Books of 2018

I thought I would cap off 2018 with my book total and Top 3 books of the year, but I couldn't narrow it down to 3 so I am making it 4. Don't ask me to do a review since I read a couple quite some time ago but they stood out to me for various reasons.

In no particular order except I LOVED this book...

Another WWII novel...

Another brilliant story...

And my favourite character..

I read 24 books out of my goal of 40. I guess that was a little ambitious at approximately a book a week but I enjoy reading especially when the novel is gripping. I hope to set another reading goal next year and maybe participate in a Readathon where you just spend one whole week end reading. Wouldn't that be great?

Annual Card Swap

It's always so fun to get together and see what the other gals have created. I had to finish my cards before I went South and I used my beloved dies as usual. I wanted to have a card that wasn't completely Christmas and this is what I ended up with...

Keri did a mason jar card. Can't go wrong with those and a cool metallic embossing piece...

Nicole used a beautiful Joy die with a neat plaid embossing folder...

Robin created a cool present card that folded out like a gift.....

Lisa added shimmer spray to her card. I know one or two people that ran right out to their LSS to purchase that!...

Anne Marie spent ages putting all the little pieces behind this background die from Your Next Stamp...

Janice gave us a 2 for 1. A beautiful package around a beautiful card...

Liz took us to spring with a colourful rainbow card....

and Corrina used the MFT Snowman dies to make this cute card...

There, I think I got them all. For a look back at last year's swap link is here.

Mennonite Shortbread

This recipe is such a favourite of mine, I knew I needed to add it to the blog in case it goes missing. I make it every year without fail at Christmas. It's shortbread with the added sweetness of buttercream frosting. A little fussier to ice each one but well worth it. On the front end, you can make the dough and roll into into logs and throw it in the freezer until you're ready to slice and bake.

Mennonite Shortbread
1 cup butter
1/2 cup icing sugar
2 cups flour minus 2 Tbsp
2 Tbsp corn starch

Cream butter and sugar. Add dry ingredients. Blend in with your
hands if needed. Roll into cylinders and chill or keep in freezer until you're ready.
Slice into 1/3 inch slices. Bake at 300F, 15 to 20 min.
When cool ice with your favourite frosting. Makes about 3 dozen.

November Card Swap

So yesterday, I was defrosting a turkey in the laundry tub, threw in a load of wash and took Lindor for a walk. I went to the basement to transfer over to the dryer and it took me a minute to figure out why the floor was wet. Oh yeah! flooded. Don't know how I forgot the bird was in the tub but as turkey stockpiler, I had another one in the freezer ready to tap in.

So onto the November card... we got them done and exchanged. Almost time to exchange Dec.
Keri used the Lawn Fawn Simply Celebrate Winter and made this adorable card. I think I use that word every time to describe her cards....

This is the set she used... so quick to colour up and lots of options...

I used one of my Pure Innocence girls from MFT...

I love using kraft and paper piecing her sweet little dress..

Came together pretty quickly with minimal colouring. Well, I'm off to check turkey #2.