Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas from Anarae

ANARAE

My great niece on
Christmas Day!
At only 18 months of age,
she can read 35 words and is learning more everyday.
I couldn't be more proud!!!!!
And, of course, she's named after me!

Merry Christmas!
Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Merry Christmas from Poppett!!

Poppett,
our beloved Shih Tzu,
wishes you a very
Merry Christmas!

She was 10 1/2 years old yesterday.

Christmas Eve Gift!


CHRISTMAS EVE GIFT!

Since I was a child, it has been a tradition in our family that the first one to shout 'Christmas Eve Gift'
gets to open one of their presents on Christmas Eve.


I've decided to carry this tradition over to my blog.
Therefore,
the first person to email me with
"Christmas Eve Gift"
in the subject line
will receive a surprise gift from me.

My email address is
beads@bledsoe.net

There is no time limit on this little game.
You will be notified via this blog when the entry has been made.

Merry Christmas to All!
Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Merry Christmas


We are just back from a short cruise and I thought I'd let you see that we clean up pretty nicely. I wasn't feeling well on formal night, so you will have to miss seeing my handsome guy in his tuxedo until next time.

I thought I'd let you know that we went Christmas shopping Monday, and every single sales person wished us a Merry Christmas! Perhaps it takes the tragedy of a depression to bring folks around to the basics of goodness. There's hope yet!

Merry Christmas to you all!
Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Merry Christmas! We got started late getting ready for the season and we're just as late finishing. Our shopping is finished. Yay! Our Christmas card are ready, but not addressed (I always make my own cards.) I have a few small handmade gifts to make. Our tree is up, but not decorated.

Our 200 CD changer decided to die as we played the first Christmas song. Ray took the changer completely apart. He did repair it, but I held my breath with all of those tiny parts laying around.

Cookies have been baked - and consumed - so we'll have to start that one over. The party mix has also been consumed.

Merry Christmas to All and to All a Good Night!

Ruth Ann
http://www.r2swanger.etsy.com

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Creme Caramel Recipe

This is one of my all-time favorite recipes, but it seems particularly appropriate at Christmas. It lends a lovely light dessert after a heavy meal. I love it and your guests will love you for it!!

This recipe is adapted from Susan Branch.


Creme Caramel


3 eggs
w egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups hot milk
1 cup hot cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 cups sugar
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Beat eggs and yolks together, just enough to blend. Heat milk and cream together. Stir 1/2 cup sugar into eggs. Slowly add hot milk mixture to egg mixture, stirring constantly. Add vanilla extract.

To make caramel:

Put 3/4 cup sugar into dry skillet over medium heat. Swirl pan, but don't stir. Cook until deep caramel in color. (The sugar dries out quickly as it cools, so work quickly.) Divide the caramel among 8 buttered ramekins, swirling each dish to distribute caramel.

Line a roasting pan with a towel and set the ramekins onto the towel. Pull out the middle rack of the oven and place roasting pan on the rack. Pour boiling water into the roasting pan about 1" deep. Pour the custard into the ramekins, filling about 3/4" full.

Bake for about 45 minutes until a knife inserted into the center comes our clean.

Cool, then chill, covered in the refrigerator.

To serve, cut tightly around ramekin.

Invert a small bowl over the ramekin. Turn both upside down. The caramel will slide out on top of the pudding, creating a pool of deliciousness.