Holiday Traditions!

I thought it would be nice to share a holiday tradition that my husband and I started about four years back. Christmas Eve is spent with my in laws for a feast that my mother in law cooks and then we open presents and chit chat! Since my in laws live an hour away we usually don't drive back for Christmas day. About four years ago we started going to Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco and getting fresh crab. Then we walk over to the famous Buena Vista Bar for a holiday cocktail. We get home and cover our dinning room table with newspaper and start our feast of crab, salad, bread and wine! Please share your holiday traditions go to sew mama sew blog for details! Or let me know!

Deck the Halls!

I'm not a huge Starbucks fan but the other  day I went in for a cup of tea and saw these amazing wreaths made out of yarn balls. I thought it was the cutest most creative wreath I have ever seen! Here is my version of the wreath! Although not as professionally made it suites my needs! I will say that the Styrofoam at Michael's is pretty pricey. If anyone has a better way let me know! 

And the winner is!

After reading all the comments I received, I had to choose Anya from Wellsboro, PA. Her favorite holiday treat is popcorn with jello! The reason I chose her is because she had the most unusual holiday treat. Good job!  

Give-Away Day!

It's here! Give away Day! I pledge to give a way a bag of home made marshmallows and coco mix to one random reader of my blog. Please comment on this post on the following:

1. What is your holiday treat
Also, I will ship anywhere in the United States and Canada. Sorry to all across the ponds!
I will choose a winner tonight at 8pm and ship out tomorrow morning. I will be in contact with you so please make sure I can contact you though your blog or email.

GOOD LUCK!

My winter treat is a cup of hot chocolate from Peets Coffee. Last night I wanted my fix of chocolate and remembered I had marshmallows left over from my craft show. This is what I enjoyed after dinner! YUM! You could be lucky and get to enjoy a cup in a few days!

Banana Bread

It seams like I bake banana bread quite often. In my household we go through so many bananas! I am always buying them! Sometimes they ripe too fast. What a great excuse to bake! Here is a new recipe I found in a book by Lou Seibert Pappas called "Coffee Cakes". I actually used a recipe that called for persimmons but inside I used banana. I think it turned out really good!

Here is my variation on the Persimmon-Ginger Cake(Banana- Ginger Cake):

1 cup of banana pulp

1 teaspoon of baking soda

1 large egg

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/8 cup of brown sugar

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 tablespoon of melted butter

1 cup plus two tablespoons of whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup pecans

1/4 cup chocolate

Preheat oven to 350 and spray pan with cooking spray.
With over ripe bananas mash them until very liquidity (I used a blender). Add baking soda to banana mixture.
In large bowl beat egg and sugars together until blended. Sir in vanilla and banana mixture together add melter butter.
In another bowl add flour, baking soda, salt and spices into combined.
Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and bead until blended. Mix in nuts and chocolate. spread into pan evenly.
Bake for 35-45 minutes depending on oven, until cake tester comes out clean, insert in middle to test.
ENJOY.

My First Craft show!

Everyone needs to start somewhere! A few months ago I found ad for a craft show at the San Bruno Senior Center. I thought this would be a great place for me to get my feet wet selling my crafts and seeing how others do it. I was at this Holiday Boutique from 10-4 on Saturday and had a nice time. Although I did not sell as much as I wanted to I think I did good for my first time! I hope to do more shows in 2009!

Stop the door!

Most nights I come home from work and my cat, Eli is dying to go outside and roam the front area of our house. The way we keep the door open is usally with a ugly dirty shoe! I think it looks so yucky! So I did a little searching and found a doorstop pattern at all it took....Here is a picture of what I made!