Home for Christmas

Decorating our home for the holidays - we decided that even if we were the only ones to enjoy the decorations we needed to "haul out the holly"!  Last year we spent our first Christmas away from home on a wonderful Viking Ocean cruise, so we did very minimal decorating and no tree.  There was discussion of not putting out all the Christmas paraphernalia and even getting a small, table top tree. But in the end we got in the Christmas spirit and now we enjoy the decorations every day.

Note:  Please excuse some of the photos.  My camera decided to break down and I have not yet replaced it.  Took all these photos on my phone...some are wonderful, some not so much.  

The wreath on our door is made of Cat's Meow houses that were a gift from our dear friends.  Remember when these houses were a huge thing ?  We had many all over the house and a bunch on the top of the breakfast nook window in a previous home.  We'd switch them out with these for Christmas.  These are the It's A Wonderful Life series.  That movie is our favorite...for so many reasons.  It is a wonderful story on it's own...but so many things reflect our life.  My dear husband worked in a small bank, I was a librarian, and we just embraced the movie.  So much so that I hired actors to come to the bank on my husband's 50th birthday on Christmas Eve and act out the movie...hah!  A "bank examiner' showed up first and told him $8,000. was missing!  It was amazing.  Then on his 60th we spent the weekend in Seneca Falls, NY - the town turns into Bedford Falls for a weekend and does all things ITAW!  Fabulous time...and we even got to meet Zuzu!

So, these little homes were the perfect gift for us.  But, then we moved to a home with no breakfast nook window.  I attached wire to the back of the homes and put them on a live wreath in our dining room - perfect.  I did not want the wreath out in the weather so the houses would not get damaged.  Then we moved to an apartment...and since our front door is no longer outside this has become our Christmas wreath.

On all of the pieces there is a little black cat...thus the "Cat's Meow" houses.  I had so many pieces...including trees for each of the seasons - but they were sold at our moving sale and I hope they are being loved in someone else's home.

The Building and Loan...

Gower's Drug Store..."HOT DOG"!

Martini's...and in Seneca Falls the Italian Restaurant changes there name for the IAWL weekend...

Erinie's Taxi Cab is here, too...

 

And, of course...320 Sycamore!  I added some silk rose petals for Zuzu's petals.  And a bell  - that rings everytime we open the door...and everytime a bell rings an angel gets his wings!  Very few people realize the meaning of the houses on our wreath, but that is ok...we love it!

St. Nicholas wears his mask....

And our version of Elf on a Shelf welcomes everyone to Our New Vista!

Our entry is ready to welcome guests...wish we could have guests this year...

When we spent the weekend in "Bedford Falls" they rang all the bells and if you donated to charity your could have the bells ring in honor of someone.   The bells rang for my wonderful husband!

I like to pull out our photos with Santa from our childhood..and our visit to Macy's many years ago...

These little elves were purchase from Hallmark the first year we were married - 1977 - and we have used them to hold our stockings and to decorate each year since then...

A little decoration for the wine rack...

And in the kitchen...that Santa wine bottle makes a great lamp.  I bought that wine as a gift for neighbors years ago..and cannot find it any longer!

The little mouse with the cookie cutter was a tree ornament, but I think he looks perfect in the kitchen...

We always put my dear Uncle Joe's cane near the fireplace after we watch Miracle on 34th Street...

This wreath hangs on the door to the patio...

A simple cookie cutter wreath on the coffee table...

A N.C. Wyeth Santa Claus...love this print...

All our Christmas cards go in this basket...we like to save them and look at them through the year to remember the people in prayer...

A little bit of snow and red for the mantel...

An elf watching over the kitchen, perched on my grandmother's bread making bowl...

A little cheer for the stove...and burning Yankee Candle Mistletoe...it smells WONDERFUL!

My mother in law's beautiful Nativity set...

Cheer at the sink...

Simple centerpiece...

I did pull out my holiday dishes, but did not fill the hutch with all the pieces this year..

Our tree...with my Aunt Mamie's antique doll ( that she got for Christmas in 1908 or so..) under the tree...

And this cozy spot, on a snowy day...perfect for a good book, a cup of hot chocolate, and time to dream and watch the snow fall.

Today is another snowy day and this week we are supposed to have a really BIG snowstorm...I love it!   We no longer have to drive in it or shovel it...just watch it fall!  I will be making some cookie dough today to get the cookie making started...and then I intend to read a good book ( In A Holidaze by Christina Lauren) and enjoy our holiday home!

Thanks for stopping by Our New Vista today.  Are you decorating for the holidays ?  Doing it all - or going low key?   Would love for you to leave a comment below .  Have a wonderful holiday season...better days ahead for us all!

Tea Time Treat

When life gives you too many bananas....make banana muffins.   I love to make and share muffins.  I use the same recipe for most of my muffins.  It comes from a recipe booklet I use from Gold Medal Flour.  

The copyright on this booklet is 1983 - so I have been making this recipe for quite some time.   Once, in a move, I lost this booklet...called God Medal and described it and they sent me another.  I then copied the recipe several time and saved it to make sure I am never without my muffins!

Here is the link to the basic recipe...

Muffin Recipe

I like to make some for neighbors as a treat.  With everyone staying home and being very socially distanced it is nice to drop off a treat to brighten someone's day!

I like this recipe because it makes about 2 dozen muffins...more to share!

I not only added walnuts to the mixture, but sprinkled some walnuts and sugar on top before baking.

Once the muffins are cool it is time to pack them up for gifting.

I like to shop at the Dollar Tree and have bags, seasonal napkins, and ribbon on hand.  A local store sells Twinings Tea Bags at a bargain price, so I stock up on those as well.

Wrap the muffins in wax paper to prevent staining the gift bag and put a tag on it so everyone knows what the muffins contain.

I found some printable tags online that read " So very thankful for YOU!" and used a glue stick to them onto the bag, then tied it with a bit of raffia. I dropped these off at the front door of neighbors here in my apartment building. I did this the morning of Thanksgiving so there would be a treat to enjoy while watching the Macy's Parade!   Depending on the season, you can use ribbon, too. 

This idea can be used for every holiday, occasion, or "just because"!  It's a random act of kindness  - just a little one - but the world needs all the kindness it can get today!

Do you like to share your baking ?  Please let me know in the comments below - and thank you for stopping by Our New Vista today!  Enjoy your day and spread kindness...and muffins!

 

 

Turkey Broccoli Divan

Thanksgiving has come and gone...but leftover turkey is still here.  The holiday was very low key here at Our New Vista.  Just the two of us, a small turkey breast, and a wonderful dinner.  I had a boneless turkey breast and it was perfect for slicing up for sandwiches, another repeat of Thanksgiving menu, and enough to cut into cubed pieces for this recipe.  I usually make this with cooked, cubed chicken.  But it works wonderfully well with turkey, too.

Chicken/Turkey Divan

1 lb. fresh broccoli, cut into small pieces 

1 1/2 cups cubed chicken or turkey

1 can cream of broccoli soup

1/3 cup milk

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 Tablespoon melted butter

2 Tablespoons dry bread crumbs

You can make this dish in a pie plate, or in a small 8x8 dish.  I used my Temptations dish that I picked up at the QVC outlet.  I love these dishes...they cook evenly, clean up quickly, come with a nice ceramic lid and a plastic lid for leftovers.

I lightly sprayed the dish then put in the cut up broccoli...

Add the cubed turkey or chicken on top...

The recipe that you can see in the first photo is many years old.  I cut it out of a magazine and have had it for years.   It calls for Campbell's NEW Broccoli soup...I just use whatever cream soup I have on hand...

Mix the soup with milk until well blended...

Pour over the turkey and broccoli...

Be sure to spread it evenly over the top of the ingredients....

Top with 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese....

Okay...I use more than 1/2 cup!  I cover the entire casserole !

Then top with breadcrumbs.  I used Panko because it makes it so crispy.

And...I use Squeeze Parkay instead of melted butter...by the way, does anyone else have trouble finding Squeezw Parkay in your grocery store ?  I do...only place I can find it is Walmart!

Once it is spread evenly over the dish, pop it in the oven at 450 degrees for about 25 minutes or until it is hot all the way through and a temp check reaches 165.

And there it is !  Super easy and yummy !

I usually serve it over rice...but we were so stuffed from eating SO much over the holiday weekend that I actually forgot the rice until we sat down to dinner and then figured we did not need it!   It is a great meal served with a side of cranberry sauce ( if you are still using up leftovers) or applesauce.

What recipes do you have for using up holiday leftovers?  I would love to hear about your ideas, and hope you will leave a comment below.

Thanks for stopping by Our New Vista today...Happy December - enjoy this magical month!