Simply Home by Beth

From Fancy to Family Fabulous

By Beth Wood

**One Appetizer+ Three Variations=Four Appetizers**

On the day before New Year’s Eve, a sweet friend sent me this recipe as a fun appetizer suggestion.

Here is the Original Recipe:

Preheat oven according to Puff Pastry dough directions, spray or butter cupcake baking pans, set aside

Press a square (about 4″x4″) into each cupcake section of pan

Add 2-3 tbs. fig preserves

Add 1 triangle or slice of goat cheese, about 1/2″ thick

Sprinkle walnuts, chopped or halved over preserves, then drizzle with honey

Bake according to pastry directions, cool on baking rack about 10 minutes,

remove gently from the cupcake pan

I personally love an easy-to-assemble, time saving recipe which just happens to be quite elegant as well! My family, however, prefers less “fancy” and more “hardy”, with simpler flavor combinations.

This should be titled “Renovated Recipes: From Fancy to Family Fabulous”!

So, why would I alter an excellent appetizer recipe?

Let’s think about that…

who are you serving?

Do you have dietary restrictions or fussy eaters around your table?

How do you handle it?

Sweet Ivy Joy wants to feed herself! I put a drop cloth under her highchair, always!

I’ve learned over the years, to alter ingredients as needed according to the person or people I’m serving, to their food-preferences or needs.

I know I’m not the only momma-cook who’s done this, I’m sure you have as well!

When I considered the teenage boys who had just returned home after a quick Christmas visit here with me, I laughed when I read the ingredients for these appetizers.

5 ingredients are used for this appetizer:

Puff pastry

fig preserves

Goat cheese

honey

walnuts

garnish

Of those five ingredients, not including the garnish, 2/3 of my “group” would prefer the dough and honey!!!! That’s it!

You guys! The first group to visit Grandma’s house for Christmas was my three young ladies, my granddaughters. These two sets of grandchildren could not be any MORE different as far as their “food” intake goes! My grandsons go for quantity, with simple dishes of limited ingredients, and my oldest granddaughters have a true culinary appreciation and adventurous spirit. These girls would love the figs and goat cheese!

Group number Three consists of four under the age of eleven years old, which brings us right back to “bread and honey”!

Christmas Party with 2/3 of my crew, my heart was as full as my sofa !

This little group above holds my heart tightly, and every minute I get to spend with them is a treasure. Feeding them is less blissful!

Three teenage girls, granddaughters are not pictured here, they arrived before Christmas, mid-December. They are sushi lovers, even when they were very young, which I thought was amazing. They have no dietary restrictions and they’re adventurous to try something new. They will be the first ones to try the Honey & Fig Goat Cheese Appetizers recipe, as written! I know they’ll love it!

Group two, the teenage boys, are the bread and meat eaters! No figs for them!

I thought they may like my savory version of the altered appetizer recipe., which included dough, meatballs, pizza sauce or marinara with a creamy Mozzarella cheese melted on top. I think that’s a safe bet for them!

**Savory version of the Honey & Fig Goat Cheese Appetizer: meatballs, Mozzarella and Marinara**

**Savory Appetizer for the meat lovers’ in your home**

Note: on the above photo, you’ll notice that I used Phyllo dough, which did not turn out well. Do not switch the dough used, Puff Pastry sheets worked best.

Version Two is just for me, it’s similar to the original recipe, which uses Fig preserves, I would love the original recipe, but I wanted to show you how EASY it is to simply alter a few ingredients…for the non-fig lovers!

**Version Two is just for me, still sweet and creamy with a tart little twist of the cranberries.**

**My version, Honey & Apricot with Cranberries, walnuts and Provolone**

My last version makes this recipe almost-a-dessert!

In fact, I chose these ingredients to please my littles, but watch out for sticky fingers after you serve it!

**Chopped Candy Cane sprinkles on melted marshmallows for garnish makes this a WIN!**

Friends, since this is my third day of making my EASY 30-minute appetizer, I’m choosing to “pass” on making the third version for your viewing pleasure. Because after all, who do you think is sampling every recipe?

I just can’t do it!

January has always been my “back to the gym” month, look better month and/or let’s get fit month!

The reason I’m altering an already fabulous recipe, is to simply show you that you CAN!

Play with the recipe, switch things up, experiment. You have nothing to lose! ,

except perhaps, three days…

Happy Baking!

and Enjoy!

xx,

Deleting Christmas… all through the House

By Beth Wood

Well, my friends, Christmas has come and gone, but Winter is here in full force!

When the entire country was under a blizzard-watch, we did receive some snow, though not as much as predicted. The temperatures and the wind-chill were below zero before, during and after Christmas day. In a few days, it’ll be above freezing which will feel like a heat wave, so at that time, I’ll remove the Christmas decor on the front porch.

FIRST THINGS FIRST…

What’s the first area you decorate as you prepare for a holiday, or a seasonal change in decor?

Personally, I always start with the front door, then the exterior of my home before I do anything inside.

Who knows why?

Probably for the “curb appeal”, I have a long past of fixing and flipping homes, so yes, …”looks do matter”! I know I sound so “shallow”, but it’s not a joke when it comes to your home.

My first, have-to-refresh, is my front door and the area around it.

I don’t design or decorate around “current” trends, instead I will mix new “favorites” in with my seasonal decor, for a fresh take on a classic look.

I decorate simply, preferring items of nature associated with the current season, which are timeless in their appeal. My Winter’s decor, after Christmas, consists of pine branches, pinecones, white birch logs and cut firewood in a basket, copper pot, a wood box, urn or a large crock.

Next, I add lanterns with white pillar candles, classic in style. A flickering candle in the dark is always welcoming, next, I add an all-weather rug in a fun pattern to catch all of the dirty, melting snow before it comes inside.

NOW, if I’m feeling “fancy”, I’ll coordinate a large bow on the wreath with the patterns or colors of the rug!

So, number two, would be what’s “behind” the front door…

You have ONE chance to make a “first impression” of your home, your style, and yourself, am I right?

Yep.

This year, every family member that came to my home was either recovering from a violent flu, or unknowingly spreading one around….

So, needless to say, the days after Christmas, I spent in bed recovering, not worried in the least bit about my decor.

**All things red, and Santa has to go!**

Better now! so, I’ve started pulling out all of the red berries, red bows, anything red, all things Santa, all things that say,” Merry and Bright”, and even the little manger went back into its box.

Three=Tree…

This little tree is my kitchen tree, decorated with old-fashioned kitchen utensils, old cookie molds, biscuit cutters, a small rolling pin, and wooly and bright pompoms!

You can see that this girl makes her own trends!!

My living room has a 9′ tree, covered with antique German ornaments, as does our mantle. I can’t tell you how many ornaments I dropped, because it was late at night when I decided to decorate, and they do NOT bounce!

Obviously, poor judgement on my part!

On both of my trees, I’ll keep the white twinkling lights only, probably through January 2023, and then I’ll box everything up, and call it a year! I have garland on a stairway to the basement family room, and that will be removed as well.

**Christmas garland on Basement Stairway**

That’s it! Easy as 1-2-3, Three easy ways to “delete” Christmas as we go into a brand new year…

which reminds me,

What are you’ all doing for New Year’s Eve?

Drop a comment, I need some fun suggestions, my friends!

Because,

**Hoosier, our little buddy, was the best napper ever!**

right now, I really am just thinking about taking a nap!

Love to all,

Shiny-Brites for Christmas

By Beth Wood

two Toilet Seats installed for the guest bathrooms!

**There’s more than One kind of Shiny-Brites for your Christmas pleasure!**

Sometimes friends, a DIY leaves little to the imagination, it simply has to be done.

My Christmas gifts are wrapped, except a few little ones, basically stocking stuffers, my menu is planned, and the refrigerator stocked and ready. I haven’t decided how to “set” my holiday table yet but will throw that together quickly with what I have on hand.

Yesterday I stopped at Menard’s, a local large hardware store, and purchased new LED lightbulbs for a couple of light fixtures and two toilet seats that are self-closing.

Note: I’ve installed both toilet seats, I like them, and they were easy to install. However, the LED bulbs will be returned, they made my kitchen walls look blue! Have you noticed that? Those bulbs may “last” forever, but not if I don’t use them!

Enough ranting…back to the toilets…

My powder bath (half bath for guests) is right at our backdoor and I can see into the room if the door is open. So, picture this, from my kitchen I can see the toilet seat UP every time someone walks out of the bathroom and leaves the door open. Unsightly, to say the least!

Well, I’m sure you think a famous blogger like myself, would lead a more glamourous life!

I do “care” about details, and I simply wanted the seats to be as clean and fresh as possible. One of those seats were original to the house, and stained beyond being able to clean it, even with pure bleach.

So….why did I call them Shiny Brites? I referred to my new toilet seats as Shiny Brite’s, ( the old-fashioned Christmas ornaments) as a reference to shiny and bright, as in fresh and clean….

It is important to me to offer my best to family and guests, so I chose to add new toilet seats to two of our bathrooms.

The reason was sound, and the installation was easy.

Changing out hardware, lightbulbs, toilet seats, are all tasks that someone else has done for me in the past. Years of being a single Mom taught me that I’m more than capable of doing those things myself, or for myself.

Over the years and out of necessity, I’ve learned by doing, picking up tools I’d never held before, learning skills I’d never had before, and slowly, each new task and new tool became a part of who I am.

Doing becomes being.

Consistent doing creates excellence.

Yes, I’m still talking about toilet seats!!, AND creating the home you desire, the occupation you choose for yourself, and shaping the new You that is reflected in your bathroom mirror.

All of this is doable…

It truly is, it’s just up to you!

Thank you for following along on my “not so glamorous” blog post. Not every home is always Instagram or Pinterest-worthy, sometimes the best of them have old, stained toilet seats…. what’s a girl to do?

**Christmas cards and a Shiny Brite vintage ornament**

Wishing you all a Merry and Bright Holiday Season!

xx,

It’s All About Family

By Beth Wood

Just look at that photo above!

Those two starry-eyed kids on the upper left are my not-yet parents, and like most teenagers, they’re staring at each other instead of the photographer!

Christmas is this coming Sunday, and I’m writing this on the Tuesday before. This will be the first Christmas both of my parents will be absent from my Christmas dinner, served on the table they bought as newlyweds.

Both of them were ill before they passed, and the common phrase heard was,
at least they’re not sick now, or they’re together now, or the “perhaps it’s for the best”, was my least favorite.

Friends and family both suffered, not knowing what to say or how, that I understood.

What I don’t understand is how to DO Christmas this year. My “routine” has been disrupted. For the past almost-four years, I’ve baked pies and Christmas cookies, decorated trees and front porches all under the watchful eyes of my mother. She most enjoyed watching me decorate the living room mantle. I could tell when she approved, and also when she thought I’d been “excessive”, after all, I’ve spent my entire life trying/wanting to please her. Surely, you know what I’m talking about…life is easier when Momma is happy!

So, as I decorate this year, I’ve taken more photos than usual, posted them more often than in the past, and have asked my husband, “do you like it?” a million times. He plays along, he always likes everything I do now, probably afraid to say NO, fearing an instant meltdown!

**Christmas Morning with my Betsy Wetsy doll!**

Christmas Past was easier, wasn’t it?

A child is on the receiving end of a holiday, the adult is on the doing and giving end of a holiday, they MAKE the holiday happen for the child!

I’ve been an “adult” for decades now (doesn’t matter how many y’all!), but now with my mother gone, my last parent, the child in me is uncertain of HOW the holidays and celebrations will work from now on.

Who will I decorate for, bake for, cook for, clean for, shop for, buy Christmas cards for, set the table for…from now on?

Who will watch me carefully, lest I make a mistake?

Who will smile slightly at me and nod approvingly?

I will.

Me, Myself and I.

I will.

After my mom passed away, my youngest daughter said that “the baton had been passed,” and referred to me as the “Matriarch” of the family now.

Wow!

Absorbed by my own loss, I didn’t realize the depth of my daughters’ grief, losing their dearly loved grandmother.

So, without my mother telling me to, I stood a little taller, a little straighter, and said ,”Yes, I am.”

With or without my parents sitting at my table this year for Christmas, their presence will be felt and known in their children’s lives and their grandchildren’s lives. They will not be forgotten but cherished for years to come.

As the “Matriarch,” I’ve decorated, baked and will cook Christmas dinner as I always have. My children and grandchildren will be visiting in shifts this year, each one with their own schedules to follow, and I’m grateful to be able to see them.

Life will move on, differently than before, but in a positive and loving direction for my family, which includes my brothers and their families.

I will be fine.

I’ve been a well-loved child for many years, and what more could I ask for?

Now, I’ll pass that feeling and knowledge on to my children, the certainty of an unconditional love from me, from their Savior, from loving grandparents whom they will see again.

That is Family.

My wish for you this Christmas and for the New Year, is a life lived richly, filled with Blessings unfolded and unconditional Love.

Blessings to You,

Clay Pot Christmas Bells

By Beth Wood

Remember those Mother’s Day gifts we made in Elementary School?

No matter how talented or able we were, or NOT, our mothers would proudly wear macaroni necklaces, simply because WE made them!

Sometimes our talent grows as we do…for some of us, that is not the case!

When I chose my old sheet music to use as Christmas art, I thought I’d “make” my own sleighbells, or actually Christmas bells to add to the above grouping. You must believe me when I say that this craft is as easy as tying your shoes!

One twine string, one craft bell, one small clay pot plus one plastic washer …equals one Christmas bell!

Could it be any easier?

I used last summer’s clay garden pots, twine that I already had, and 3 little Christmas ornaments chosen for their colors, 2 red and 1 green, and yes, I “already had” these as well! In less time than it takes to get into the car and drive to Wal-Mart or Hobby Lobby, I was finished with my little bells!

I actually really like them, especially how they complement the artwork of Santa’s Sleigh.

I posted/shared this photo on Instagram and added that I would make a video showing how I made the bells…

Note: to date, I’ve made about 6 videos of a 2-minute craft!!! All of the videos were too long to post here on the blog, at least with MY abilities! You guys! This is so embarrassing…I promise to GET IT DONE…CORRECTLY!

Let’s try again…. take 7 here we come!

Gee whiz…. still didn’t work.

Let’s look at the photos below as an “instructional guide”.

Have a great December!

xx,

simplyhomebybeth