Cracker Barrel Holiday

 

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Ooohhh…I love this place! Incredible food, retro candy and toys and games that just can’t be found anymore. Here’s the good part…

If you are and avid “after Christmas Special” shopper–you won’t want to miss this!  After Christmas–Cracker Barrel puts all their Christmas everything–on sale for 70% off.  This is big news since the prices are already low enough to start with.

 

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This little blown glass snowman was 97 cents–before the sale.

I’m only letting you in on this well guarded secret because…

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people keep asking me where we get such pretty ornaments every year.

It’s getting to where–if I didn’t get it as a child, or make it myself…

then it’s a pretty good guess…

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that it came from Cracker Barrel. No, this is not a paid announcement. I just love this place.

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Some of these guys are even cute enough–or hairless enough–for the Bald Kid–which is saying something. His tastes in Christmas ornaments usually look something like…

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this.

Yeah, it’s Squidward…in a Santa hat and beard.

Definately NOT from Cracker Barrel.

I probably didn’t need to tell you that last bit. I’m just saying…

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So I’m doing you a big favor. Click here to see if there is a Cracker Barrel and all the Christmas stuff you’ll ever need for next year at 70% off–right by your house. If there is–go there. Go now.

You’ll thank me.

White Chocolate Popcorn

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All the rage–these days, and for good reason. Incredibly simple. Dang yummy. Perfect for your New Year celebration.

White Chocolate Popcorn

Ingredients:

4 c. popped popcorn

1 Tbsp. Crisco Shortening

1  11 oz. bag Ghirardelli Chocolate Classic White Chocolate Baking Chips

1 cup dry roasted peanuts, M&Ms, raisins, pecans, pretzels –or any combination you’d like

Directions:

Important Note:

You can pop the corn yourself or buy the bagged kind–either way is fine. However–please, please pour the popped corn in a large bowl and shake it around–to get the un-popped kernels and the “Old Maids” to sink to the bottom. Then, lift the whole, popped corn out and set in another big bowl. Throw away all the nasty little tooth breakers. Seriously, they don’t get to be part of our adventure. Now, then–with that said…

Melt the Crisco and white chocolate together. Pour the mixture over the popped corn mixture and thoroughly coat all the pieces. Spread on waxed papered cookie sheets to set. Store in tightly covered container.

Nibble until 2010…and beyond.

White Chocolate Popcorn
 
:
Ingredients
  • 4 c. popped popcorn
  • 1 Tbsp. Crisco Shortening
  • 1  11 oz. bag
  • Ghirardelli Chocolate Classic White Chocolate Baking Chips
  • 1 cup dry roasted peanuts, M&Ms, raisins, pecans, pretzels --or any combination you'd like
Instructions
  1. Important Note:
  2. You can pop the corn yourself or buy the bagged kind--either way is fine. However--please, please pour the popped corn in a large bowl and shake it around--to get the un-popped kernels and the "Old Maids" to sink to the bottom. Then, lift the whole, popped corn out and set in another big bowl. Throw away all the nasty little tooth breakers. Seriously, they don't get to be part of our adventure. Now, then--with that said...
  3. Melt the Crisco and white chocolate together. Pour the mixture over the popped corn mixture and thoroughly coat all the pieces. Spread on waxed papered cookie sheets to set. Store in tightly covered container.

~A New Blog Swap~

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A few weeks ago, I told you all about the Blog Swaps that are going around in the Blogging world–you know, where you send a fellow blogger a treat and they send you one in return. Some of you may remember that Lyndi and I participated in the “Blog or Treat” and earlier this month the “Santa Swap,” both set up by cute little Shannon over at the Mommy Files.

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Well, Shannon–who is incredibly on the ball–is already setting up the Valentine Blog Swap. If you’d like to be part of the fun–just click on over to her site and leave a comment saying that you’d like to be included. You don’t have to do anything right now, except say you’re interested and she will email you the details in a week or so. Trust me–this is a good way to get into the holiday spirit–no matter which holiday you choose!

You know how fun it is to get a surprise in the mail, right? Of course you do.

So, come on–join us.

Let’s SWAP!

Savoring…

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Oh, I do hope you are all sitting back somewhere, sipping warm cider and watching “Miracle on 34th Street” with those you love for the 100th time. I hope that you are hanging on tightly to the warm, tender feeling of the holidays so that the sparkle and glow will last just that much longer. We certainly are savoring it all at this house–what with twinkle lights in dimmed rooms, new toys scattered lovingly under the tree, 3 flavors of hot chocolate, and far, far too many sticky treats.

As always, we will pause here, in this season until the next joyful holiday entices us to loosen our hold and move forward. We could only be persuaded to trade our tree for fire crackers, fire crackers for pink hearts and pink hearts for painted eggs–because we know that it all comes back around again to the cider and the pine, the music and the mittens, the candles and the sweet baby in a manger bed.

So pardon us as we linger in the “happiest season of all.”

Join us, if you’d like.

We’re blessed to have you.