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Christmas is almost here!  YEA!!!  I can't wait to see Rylie tear into all her presents this year.  Last year, she just didn't quite get it, ya know?  I am hoping this year it will be a little bit more fun for her.

I HAVE to get her to the mall to see Santa Claus soon.  Last year she was such a good girl, she didn't whine, whimper or cry in the least little bit.  Here is a picture from last year with Santa...

And this is a picture of Rylie on Christmas morning.  Yes, she was teething at the time.  I love how this picture captures her big blue eyes.

So hopefully I will soon have some new pictures with Santa Claus to show ya'll.  Along with having more teeth than she did a year ago, she also has a wee bit more hair.  LOL, actually the way it grows on her head, it almost looks like one of those old man comb overs.

Okay, okay...on with the recipes.  I got this first recipe from Kraft foods this year.  I made them for our Christmas party this past Saturday.  If you like meringue, you'll probably like them.  Ray said they are pure sugar, lol, must be why kids like them so much.

Merry Meringues

4 egg whites

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

3/4 cup sugar

1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Brand Lime Flavor Gelatin

1 pkg. (4 serving size) JELL-O Brand Strawberry Flavor Gelatin

PREHEAT oven to 225°F. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in small bowl with electric mixer on high speed 5 minutes or until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar, 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form.

DROP tablespoonfuls of the egg white mixture onto baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle each meringue lightly with dry gelatin powders.

BAKE 50 minutes. Turn oven off. Prop oven door open slightly; let meringues stand in oven for 1 hour or until completely cooled.

*Our oven is fairly small and I learned not to put them on the top shelf.  That tray was too close to the heating element and the meringue got a tad brown, they tasted the same, but were not quite as pretty as the tray on the bottom shelf.

Italian style cheese bread

Pizza or bread dough
1 Tbs Olive Oil
Italian seasoning
1/2 Cup shredded Mozzarella cheese
1/2 Cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1 Lg Tomato chopped up

Prepare a box of pizza dough (something like Jiffy) OR prepare white bread or pizza dough in bread maker (just mix, dont let it rise).  Press into a well oiled large cookie sheet, brush with olive oil, let rise a short time (about 20 minutes) in a warm room. 

Sprinkle with Italian seasonings, cover with the 2 cheeses.  (You don't have to be real specific with the cheese, I'll use whatever kind of cheese I have in the house)  Then top with the tomatoes. 

Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until cheese melts and it becomes light golden brown.

*Great to make for a party as an appetizer too.  Use sliced cherry tomatoes instead.  When cool cut into small bite size pieces.

If you weren't here for my Thanksgiving plans I want to give you a great idea for a flower arrangement. 

Use a simple clear vase.  Fill it with cranberries and add water.  Now if you can afford to get a dozen white roses and half a dozen red roses to put in the vase.

I on the other hand am going to buy a bunch of white carnations and if I can a few red roses, or some other pretty red flower.  A few stems off a poinsettia would be pretty  However, they are poisonous and I have a small child in the house, so I won't be using them.

I did this for the centerpiece on our Thanksgiving table with a cheap bunch of grocery store flowers, and it was real pretty.  If you have access to a live growing pine tree, you might even want to go cut a few bits off that and randomly place them in the arrangement.  That will add more color and the smell of a real Christmas tree for those of you who don't have one.

Well, that's it for this morning.  I want to thank Niki again for her complimentary description of my journal.  What a wonderful thing to say! 

Have a super day everyone!  And go be a wee bit naughty today, right Niki?  LOL