Dec 23, 2010

THE COFFEE CAKE WAS HUNG BY THE REFRIGERATOR WITH CARE

So today was supposed to be the day that I just did one or two things around the house like tidy up and make some potato salad. I happen to be a connoisseur of potato salad and insist that there be ample quantities of it whenever ham is in the house, so potato salad making day it was.

I also wanted to get a few things ready for Christmas so that I wouldn't be scurrying around like some kind of hyper little squirrel tomorrow, but the best laid plans....

I was finished with the potato salad and had just started to clean the kitchen when I got the bright idea that what the Spinster Stitcher Sisters needed for Christmas morning was coffee cake! And not just any coffee cake! Mom's Jewish coffee cake that was a staple in our house from the very time I can remember being old enough to sit on the counter and dip my fat little fingers into the batter bowl.

And then I just HAD to have jello! Who has Christmas without jello? And not just any jello....black cherry jello with peaches and pears and walnuts and mini marshmallows! (It looks like a tragic accident in the bowl, but I would imagine that after a few glasses of vino it will be just what the doctor ordered.) (And no...I don't think I've ever thought of making jello with stuff in it before, so where I got the idea that peaches and pears and walnuts and mini marshmallows were needed is just beyond me.)

The last thing that I put together were pickled beets and hard boiled eggs. Now I know that most people eat these at Easter time (at least we always do), but somehow Aunt Chrissy and I got the idea that we will have our big fancy dinner on Christmas Eve this year and will then just "snack" all day on Christmas. And what could be more perfect to snack on than ham sandwiches, potato salad, jello with peaches and pears and walnuts and mini marshmallows, and pickled beets and hard boiled eggs?

We might be small in number, but we're no amateurs when it comes to our holiday feastings.

Bring it on, Christmas. Bring it on.

18 comments:

  1. Oh, Conni.... I just laughed till I ... well... you know.... "Hyper little squirrel".... Yeah, I can relate! Kiss Stewey for me! Merry Christmas!
    Barb in Syracuse

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bring it on! LOVE it!!! :) Merry Christmas! Cathryn

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sounds to me like you are all ready! I love the snacking all day idea... ham, potato salad....pickled beets! yum. Merry Christmas to you both, and Bosco and Stewey too.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Okay Conni, I always love yours and Stewewy's posts but this time your description of your jelly sounds absolutely VILE !!! lol
    Do you have Christmas with all your family as well as Aunt Chrissy and the Boys?

    ReplyDelete
  5. Conni - I, too, am a connoisseur of potato salad. I used to think that mom's potato salad was the only potato salad in the whole world that was edible. Over the years, my making of mom's potato salad has morphed it into Pamela's potato salad. It was the only one I deemed acceptable to pass my lips. However, recently a girlfriend showed up at a potluck with a killer potato salad. Who knew??? From one connoisseur to another, I'd love it if you would share your recipe in your blog. I think that would be hunky dory! Merry Christmas to you and Stewey (and Aunt Chrissy too) from 72 degree Tucson, Arizona. PS: I think your jello sounds amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Coni..my mom made Jewish coffee cake at Christmas too. Does yours have sour creme in it? And from one hyper little squirrel to another, Merry Christmas!!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Conni, you wonderful lady, er spinster, I have missed your last two posts because I was crazy busy finishing gifts. I ALWAYS wait until the last minute to do things. Don't you?

    Tell Aunt Chrissy that I do own a circular saw, a power screw driver and a cordless drill. Oh, and since I live a few (?) states away I guess I am independent.
    So does she still want another sister? Heck, I already have four (and five brother too) One more would be easy. And one who would spoil me would be great. LOL

    I hope you, Chrissy, Bosco and Stewey have a wonderful Christmas Eve and Day!
    Kathy
    and Rory too.
    PS. I can't let Rory read your blog again. He keeps stealing the baby Jesus from the manger. And he chewed the head off one of the lambs. I am positive that he got the idea from Stewey. But al least Rory doesn't water the drapes.

    LOL

    ReplyDelete
  8. YES....we want the potato salad recipe!

    Merry Christmas to you and the furry one.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I will take a bit of everything ...BUT ... the beets and eggs?! Merry Christmas to you and Stewey...and Aunt Chrissy too.

    ReplyDelete
  10. If you devil those Hard boiled eggs, then you'd be good to go!!! LOL....sounds great!!! Have a great stitch-and-snack kinda Christmas!!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Good the important stuff is organised.
    Enjoy the day.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I haven't been able to comment too much lately Coni but have been following your exploits as always. I hope you and Aunt Chrissy and Stewey and Bosco all have a wonderful holiday - enjoy the jello and other sundries (but pickled BEETS?? I haven't gone close to a beet since my 8th grade Home Ec tacher made us cook Harvard Beets whatever that is....). Happy New Year too!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Pickled beets and eggs . . . Y-U-M-M-O ! ! ! ! But, when I come for Christmas Eve dinner, I expect to have some onion slices being pickled in with them.

    You have made me SO HUNGRY for them. I swear, when Dad made them I think I could sit there and eat until I ws as happy as a pig in slop.

    Have a safe and happy Spinster Christmas <:0}

    ReplyDelete
  14. Good Plan! I say that because we've done the fancy dinner (complete with my Mom's Wedgewood china)on Christmas Eve since we got married 36 years ago. Makes for a REALLY relaxed Christmas Day!

    However, I'll pass on the beets - beets taste like dirt.

    Merry Christmas!

    Mary in MN

    ReplyDelete
  15. Ham? Got it. Potato salad? check. Jewish coffee cake? We have it every year, made in a bundt pan with a little bit of powdered sugar icing drizzled over it. I'm also making deviled eggs and pumpkin rolls.

    I'd love to see what you put in your potato salad. There's so many variations and I like a lot of them. This time mine is like deviled egg potato salad with green onions added. I'm making gooey butter coffee cake for Christmas breakfast also.

    The jello sounds great. I'm making an apple, pecan salad but may rethink that and go for jello. I've never thought about making pickled beets for Christmas. I don't think they'd go over well with everyone else but I'd end up eating them all.

    Merry Christmas Coni,Stewey and Aunt Chrissy. I love reading your blog. Thanks for sharing it with us.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Coni, I just love you! You are the highlight of my day...it's going to be homemade cinnamon rolls at my house Christmas Day and crockpot stew and munchies!

    Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Sounds as though you have it all under control Coni. I still have gifts to wrap and cooking to do.....

    Merry Christmas Coni and Aunt Chrissie, have a wonderful time together and with 'the boys'! I can't wait to hear what Stewey gets for Xmas! Has he tuned in to the 'track father christmas' website yet?

    Thanks for all the laughs this year and also for sharing all your beautiful stitching.....

    love Jackie x

    ReplyDelete
  18. Your Jello concoction sounds very similar to our traditional Trifle.

    Get a whopping huge glass bowl.
    cut up a swiss roll cake (the jam type, not the cream) into slices and line said bowl. Pour a jar of two fruit salad (peach & pear) gently over the cake. Then prepare some jelly (I'm an aussie -going to use my terminology) - port wine flavour is the traditional choice. leave to set in fridge.
    Dish up with cold or warm custard and sweetened cream and icecream.
    mmmmmmm
    Merry Christmas to you all
    bronny

    ReplyDelete