Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Tuesday's Treasures and Wednesday's Texas Trash!!

I had thought I would skip seeking treasures on Tuesday this week.......
but I needed sour cream to bake a cake.
So.....if I must get dressed and go to the store - I might as well hit up a couple of thrift shops!
Am I right??


I love this framed print!
It was brand new and still had a tag on it.


Can you believe I bought another small tree?
It was - and still is - in an orange woven basket which I simply plopped down into my red tub.
I was finally able to hang up the last of my memory ornaments.....including Big Bird from 1986.
Most of these are painted on glass balls and Big Bird has a hole in the side but you can't really see it.
I got other things, too. Mostly tops for Mother and Lillian and even a few for myself.

Then I came home and prepared for a Ladies Dinner Party.


The table was set for six but there were only five of us.
Val works at Baylor Hospital downtown Dallas and she often has to work late - which she did.
Since she can't count on being available, I invite her to just about everything I do in case she can make something! Val, we will keep trying!


I lit the candles and even vacuumed the house.
Vacuuming is the one thing I absolutely do NOT like to do!


It's wonderful to enjoy the late December days when the house is all decorated and the cards have all been sent. The gifts have been purchased and wrapped and all you have to do is bake and then sit back and enjoy yourself.


The house was ready and the guests would arrive soon.


I had baked a cake and something different than the Crack Cake I have made over and over again.


This recipe came up in my Memories on Facebook that morning so I went with it.
It was shared by another friend on Facebook, so Thank You, Ginny S!!


I also baked up the last of my Fruitcake cookie dough.
There was enough to serve and send home with everyone.


Just look at these lovely ladies!!
Maria is in front on left with Lynn beside her and Candie across from Lynn. 
These three ladies and I are synchro moms and share a special bond just as all our daughters do.
We were talking last night that we have never seen a synchro swimmer from the Pirouettes of Texas that did not grow up well and be a success. No troubled swimmers that we know of and the most precious thing is how they all have stayed such good friends through the years.
As have the moms.
My sister, Luann, is on the front right.
She and I get together every December and we are running out of time.
She missed the Christmas Tea so I was happy she could join us last night.


Lynn brought the main dish - a delicious chicken salad, bread, crackers, humus, dressings and even eggnog!


My sister brought these amazing roasted sweet potatoes with a yogurt dipping sauce.
I just remembered she left the rest here so I may go in there and raid the refrigerator in a few minutes.


Maria brought these cookies!
AROMAS de MEDINA
ROSCO DE VINO

Delicious!!!!


And I opened a bottle of really good wine.
Thank you, Joni! We enjoyed every last drop!

Ah, I love a good party and this one was small enough that we were all able to really visit together!
For whatever reason, Louis Dean and I both slept like babies last night.
I think it's partly because most of the Christmas rush is over.


I woke up first so I tip toed out of the bedroom and turned the coffee on.
Only 5 days until Christmas!


I took my prayer journal and that first cup of coffee out to the gazebo.
Sitting by that real tree smelling the fragrance of pine and seeing the pretty lights was a magical moment for me. I loved my morning out there.

Today I met Brenda for lunch!
We try to get together every month but that hasn't worked out well for us lately.
Today it did!


I met her at her office and we went to Fuzzy Tacos - which always makes me feel like we're at a party! The hour flew by as we caught up with each other and really visited.
I truly needed this.
It's good to have a friend you can truly share your heart with and she share hers back.
I guess when you think about it, Brenda and I have been through a lot together.
We went to church together over 30 years ago.
I worked with Brenda at a State Farm office.
She was supportive as I went through a divorce and she I admired her as she became a grandma in what could have been a complicated situation but she made sure it wasn't.
I've learned a lot from Brenda.
She was there for me when I married Louis Dean and we were there for her and Billy when their son was accidentally electrocuted. I'm happy to say he made a wonderful and miraculous recovery.
She was encouraging as I became a MeeMaw to quadruplets and lived in Katy for 7 months.
We never missed a monthly lunch back then.
I would have never taken Louis Dean on that Alaskan cruise if they had not been with us.
Just talking to Brenda makes me feel better.

I came home and started my Texas Trash!!


It's a big deal around here!


And I make a lot!
This huge trash can was three quarters full!


It's not hard to make but it is time consuming.
I started at 3:00 this afternoon and am still at it.
I mixed it all up in the trash can.
Then I take out 16 cups at a time and make the 'juice' to coat the mix.
Butter, Worcestershire Sauce, garlic salt, Lawry's Seasoned salt and Slap Yo Mama Cajun seasoning. I bake it at 250 Convection setting for 15 minutes. Take it out and salt it down and turn it over. Switch racks. Bake another 15 minutes. Turn out on an old tablecloth and let cool. 
Pour into yet another trash sack.
I like to bake it all and put it all back together and toss it good before filling the tins.
That mixes all the flavors from the different batches so it tastes the same - or pretty much the same.
My kids always like the crunchy bits where the seasonings have caked up the best.

It's going on 10:00 and I have one batch in the oven and another one after that.
Will still have two batches to bake tomorrow.
And then make sugarplums.
This is the part of Christmas I like best!!






17 comments:

  1. Your party looks so wonderful! You make wonderful friends wherever you go! The Texas Trash looks like an all day chore!

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  2. You are surrounded by such good friends. Thank you for sharing your lovely Christmas themed home today Linda - and my goodness, that is a LOT of Texas Trash.
    Hugs.
    Joy

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  3. You are creating a beautiful Christmastime...for yourself and your family and friends. I thought Brenda looked familiar! The cruise, of course. That seems like quite awhile ago. I can not believe all the things you find thrifting. It is really amazing. How in the world do you get the Texas Trash mixed? With a shovel? 😉














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  4. You are such a good friend! Glad you are enjoying these days before Christmas. I am too!

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  5. May the Christmas season fill your home with joy, your heart with love and your life with laughter.

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  6. P s
    Love love the framed picture

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  7. Linda, I loved the pictures and it seems you are still very busy. LOL Love the gazebo tree. I bet it's wonderful to sit out in December with coffee and relax. It was nice here yesterday. But too much going on to even enjoy life. I went to the drugstore for the remainder of Ted's meds and I saw Santa Claus in the drive thru...kind of made me laugh and nervous at the same time. :):) Hope he was getting a script for one of the elves. :) Wishing you a slower time now that the holidays are so close. Blessings to all , Love you, xoxo, Susie

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  8. Your table looks so pretty...and the "girls" all look like they are having such fun. I know it must be a treat to be in your home. Everything looks so pretty and festive.
    Texas Trash is such a favorite of mine...got to make some ...maybe today...Love and hugs to you....

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  9. A dinner party and lunch with your friend do make it for some happy times for sure. You pack your days full but all fun. I can't believe the amount of that Texas trash you make. Here, I'm having trouble just mixing up a single batch of chex mix. I'm running out of energy fast these days. I haven't baked a thing yet either. But there is still time. Our family gathering won't be until the 29th. Hope you have a wonderful Thursday and can relax a while.

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  10. Back to the hustle and bustle, so glad you enjoy both. The party looks wonderful and know all had a wonderful time. You are good to maintain friendships and special times are the reward.

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  11. I am sitting in SHOCK at how you make that Texas Trash. you tell us about making it each year and I know that part, but don't remember instructions on how much work. I bake nothing, that would be nada...and since I don't eat sugar or snacks, I don't even buy it, but I used to.... you have so many friends I don't know how you keep up with them all. but you do, that is your specialty. I need just a tad of that for me

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  12. Your home looks gorgeous and I know your party was amazing! You do so many fun things and enjoy life to the fullest! Holiday hugs to you both, Diane

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  13. So festive, so beautiful, so wonderful!!!

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  14. I think you are really Mrs. Santa!! I love the print, and there's never a bad day to go thrifting!
    My little Chex Mix bakes are tiny compared to yours.
    You really show us how to celebrate friends and strangers -not just at Christmas-but everyday!!💕 Merry Christmas!!

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  15. Love the way you keep up with your friends. Cheers to a champion Texas Trash maker!

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  16. Linda you are amazing! You have time for everyone, including us onliners. Bless you darling and all your folks!

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  17. So many beautiful photos! Very festive and cozy for the holidays! Merry Christmas!

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