A few other Christmas decorations...
We added the ornaments we had made of our cats over the years to our critter tree. If you enlarge it, you can see some of them better...
and these are two of our ceramic cats sporting Santa hats! (I forgot about them on my last post)
And then there's our Christmas Elf that sits on our grandfather clock year round... (you may have seen him before)
The tree is still a work in progress... but should be done sometime this week.
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And I started baking Christmas goodies today. So far I have the rum cakes, Christmas almond tea cakes, and home-made nutty granola done. Tomorrow will be chocolate nut brittle and bourbon whiskey balls. If time permits I will add espresso delights and chocolate pecan tassies.
These I send out to the kids and a few friends and neighbors. My mother-in-law always sent us a box of her home-made Christmas goodies every year (we loved it!) - and after she passed, I decided to keep up the tradition.
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And also DH is in the process of making
my well loved
red beans and rice!
He is making it today (Sunday) although we will have it today and tomorrow. Monday is the traditional day in New Orleans to cook and eat red beans. If you google why Monday is red beans day here: Monday's Red Beans, it will explain. You can almost always find it on the restaurant menus on Monday and probably on the table in many households - even today.
Guess I will close for today.
I however, have to show you something
I bought for me for Christmas.
It reminded me so much of our beloved black and white cats
that we lost at the beginning of this pandemic
that I had to have it to put under the tree.
(and he purrs...)
Hugs (virtual),
Rian
Love your little kitten! It won't make a mess, probably won't shed fur, and is as cute as can be.
ReplyDeleteI bought most of the ingredients for red beans and rice but nowhere here in the far north can I find andouille sausage. What would you or DH suggest as a substitution?
Your Christmas baking sounds delicious and the Christmas decorations are so pretty.
Mae, DH recommends you use Eckrich natural casing smoked sausage, not Andouille. Makes great red beans and shouldn't be hard to find. The beans however are best with Camellia red beans as they don't have the thick skin some kidney beans have. He also uses bacon in his beans which some recipes don't. It really makes a difference.
DeleteI love your catty ornaments. Heart melters - and the newest is an absolute beauty.
ReplyDeleteI have (I hope) nearly finished the Christmas baking I make as gifts. Yours sounds much more impressive. I have made cakes, shortbread and today made a gluten free squidgy brownie for a friend with coeliac disease.
EC, I have not found a gluten free brownie that I like. Perhaps you should send me your recipe? And I make a espresso shortbread too... but haven't made it this year. It is one of my daughter's favorites.
DeleteLove the ceramic Santa cats. That kitten is adorable. Where did you find him?
ReplyDeleteHi Patti! Found the kitten on Amazon (of course). He is adorable.
DeleteOh Rian, I love your pretty kitty for under the tree! And all those goodies make me feel fat, just reading about them. I'm glad you're doing it, though. :-)
ReplyDeleteDJan, I don't think Christmas goodies will make you fat... as long as we don't overdo. It's Christmas and there's a little magic involved, so enjoy!
Deleteyour critter/cat tree is adorable and i am sure very special to you!! the little cat you bought for yourself is adorable, that is a definite must have for you!!
ReplyDeletei'll bet the house was spelling very good as the husband cooked his special meal, it sure does look good...your home looks good too!!
Thanks, Debbie. The critter/cat tree is special to us... we do miss all those babies who shared our home and our lives for so long. And yes, between the red beans and all the Christmas baking, the house has been smelling pretty good these days. I'm not as neat and organized as you... as I have 'stuff' all over, but that's me.
DeleteI love your cat tree, so fitting :)
ReplyDeleteYou are way ahead of me in my Christmas baking, and all sounds so delicious Rian.
Red beans and rice, now there's a dish I would love, yum.
Wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas Rian ...
Hugs,
~Jo
Thanks, Jo. Always love your pics and poems...
ReplyDelete