Isure hope you all enjoyed Christmas as much as we did. It comes and goes so fast, doesn’t it?! We don’t do a lot of tearing open gifts on Christmas morning anymore, since there aren’t any little ones around our house. In fact, buying a lot of Christmas presents isn’t that important to us at all these days. I really have everything I need or want, to be honest.
I did find a spot for the moss wreaths here on the railing after I found some pretty ribbon in my stash. It’s just a simple look, but I love it. I think I’ll add one wreath to each of my guestrooms after the Holidays, since they are natural and pretty all year long.
I set the dining table with the new plates from TJ Maxx, mixing in 2 of my every day white ones with it too.
I’m really glad I picked up these plates, I know I’ll enjoy them for years to come. The silverplate flatware I found earlier this year at an estate sale has come in handy for the Holidays too. With 16 place settings, it was plenty for our Christmas party.
On to the food, I cooked for a couple of days and everything turned out great, to my relief. I got out my tried and true church cookbook from my dad’s church that he pastored and I grew up in in Marietta. The Women’s Ministry put out cookbooks 2 years and I have both of them. You know there are great recipes in here and you can see it is well used. I’ll share these 2 with you.
This year, I decided to do a squash casserole and knew that I could count on this one to be tasty. It’s Aunt Fanny’s Baked Squash from Aunt Fanny’s Cabin in Atlanta and it was entered in the church cookbook by a sweet lady in the church, Sis. Juanita Gothard. She was the sweetest lady and sadly, passed away a few years ago. But, her family was an anchor family in our church and she could cook up a storm. She had her own catering business and was such an elegant Southern lady to the core. We called everyone growing up at church, Brother and Sister So and So, did any of you do that in your church too?? Those were special times and I miss them and treasure them dearly.
I started taking some pics as I was cooking it, then dropped the ball and totally didn’t get a finished one, but I’ll give you the recipe. If any of you grew up in Atlanta, you probably remember Aunt Fanny’s Cabin in the Smyrna area. It was a landmark for many years and a true Southern experience. Sadly, it closed many years ago. The original old home was later moved and reopened as the Smyrna Welcome Center.
Aunt Fanny’s Baked Squash
(Aunt Fanny’s Cabin)
3 lbs. yellow squash
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup cracker meal or bread crumbs (I used more and just sprinkled Italian bread crumbs generously on top)
1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 eggs
1 stick butter
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. salt
Wash and cut squash. Boil until tender, drain thoroughly, then mash. Add all ingredients except 1/2 of butter to squash. Melt remaining butter. Pour mixture in baking dish, then spread melted butter over top, sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake in 375* oven for approx. one hour or until brown on top.
Sweet Potato Souffle
2 lb. 8 oz. can sweet potatoes (I used my Dad’s fresh sweet potatoes that he grew in his garden, see above pic)
1/2 cup milk
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
Heat potatoes and mash. Mix other ingredients with potatoes and put in greased baking dish. Mix in bowl:
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
Sprinkle over potatoes. Sprinkle enough chopped pecans to cover top. Melt about 1/2 stick butter and pour over top. Bake 350* for 35 minutes.
Another favorite around here, the Hash Brown Potato Casserole is popular for the Holidays. I got this one from my old friend in Atlanta, Vicki.
Hash Brown Potato Casserole
32 oz. bag hash browns (defrost)
16 oz. sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 can cream of chicken soup
2 cups grated cheese ( I usually use cheddar)
1/2 cup melted butter
Put all ingredients in bowl and mix well. Pour out in 9×13 baking dish. Smooth out the top.
Topping:
Crumble 2 cups corn flakes and 1/4 cup melted butter. Put on top of potatoes and bake at 350* for 1 hour.
You can see the baked squash to the right of the cranberry salad on my plate. 🙂 and yes I ate every bite. Here’s our menu:
Baked Smithfield ham
Sweet Potato souffle
Baked Squash
Hash Brown casserole
Tossed green salad
Collard greens from our little garden
Rolls
Dessert was red velvet cupcakes and cookies.
And here’s the whole gang. They don’t like to get their pic taken so I had to snap in a hurry. From Left: Grandma Eleanor, Peter’s son, Ben (23), his daughter, Stacey (25), Peter, and Mom Barbara. We all enjoyed the meal so much. Peter is wearing the new Bama shirt I gave him for Christmas.
I did a tiny little video with Grandma Eleanor and Peter’s mom and 2 kids, so you can get a brief look here. Nobody likes my camera for some reason. 🙂
Christmas with the family from Rhoda on Vimeo.
Peter’s kids had plans for Christmas evening with other family members that are in Alabama, so we went over to eat with our friends, Rick and Debbie and had another meal with them. It was nice to just sit around their fire chatting and relaxing. Great way to end the day.
So after all the cooking and relaxing, I was ready to hit a few stores on Saturday a.m. to see what was out there in the after Christmas sales. And I did make it to my spin class, which I definitely needed after all the food.
I always love Target and usually head there first and they had plenty left at 1/2 off. I then stopped by Michaels and they were already at 75% off and brought home a few more lime green and red things.
Those cute little lime birds were only 89 cents and most of the sparkly picks were 17 cents. Love those deals after Christmas. I found a pretty mercury glass seashell at Homegoods, the only one I found. The little Pout sign was from Steinmart, the only thing I found there and only $1.25. It’s hard to say no when things are marked that cheap.
Target had all these pretty bright and colorful ornaments and I scored all of these at 1/2 off. I have a 4 foot tabletop tree that I normally put downstairs in our den that I didn’t put up this year. I used the white and gold ornaments that I usually put on it on the cute Ballards tree that I now have in the foyer, so that tree was ornament-less this year. But, next year, it’s going to go ALL retro and colorful with these ornaments. I can’t wait! 🙂 It’s so fun to put them away and bring them out for the next Christmas.
How was your Christmas? Was it merry and bright too? Tell me all about what your family did to celebrate.
Did you go to any after Christmas sales??
Several of you have asked that I do some posts about organizing and storing Christmas decor, so I promise I will do that. I’m not an expert, but I do have a nice large attic with a plywood floor and that is where all of my Christmas goes, but I’ll take some pics along the way and we’ll ALL discuss organizing, how about that?!
Jennifer @ Fiddle Dee Dee says
Rhoda it looks like a fabulous Christmas! Nothing is more fun and dare I say relaxing (?) day celebrating with the family! Your dinner looks so yummy and I am sure everyone enjoyed it emensely.
Looking forward to all of your inspiration in the new year!
xo, Jennifer
Daisy Cottage says
Hi Rhodie!
I have so enjoyed ALL of your Christmas posts and sharing this year! What a gift YOU are.
Everything looks so lovely and your food scrumptious! Oh heavens – what lucky folks you had gathered ’round your gorgeous table!
Much love to you and yours…. we had a wonderful Christmas – and I’m so glad you did too!!!
Love,
Kim
Sarah says
Looks like a splendid Christmas! I liked the red and lime green found this season as well. ~ Sarah
Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions says
I did not hit any sales today, Rhoda, although I’m thinking of doing that Sunday and sometime on Monday {I have a client to finish up that I’m hoping won’t take ALL day}. I did go online though and ordered some red and white little ornaments {peppermint-like} as I’d like to do a candyland looking theme in my kitchen next Christmas. Those were about half off too. I must make sure to pick up a few more totes and organize my Christmas stuff once I pack it up for this year.
WendyBee says
Hi Rhoda, What terrific pictures of your holidays! The tabletop looks out of a magazine and the menu made my mouth water. Thanks for sharing your Christmas with us. Your blog is terrific!
WendyBee
Sandra says
Everything looks great! I hosted a family supper, and it almost wore me out! We had a great time, although I get really stressed hosting these things.
After all the family get-togethers, I opted to sleep in this morning, and I have not left the house all day! I think I needed this bit of rest!
4littlepilgrims says
Hi Rhoda,
Everything looks so beautiful and scrumptious! I am so glad that you included the Aunt Fanny’s Cabin Squash Recipe. What a joy to have found that. I have many good memories of that wonderful restaurant! Thanks so much and Happy New Year from 4littlepilgrims !
Charlene @ A Virtuous Woman says
I grew up in a small town church where we called everyone “Brother” and “Sister” and I still use those titles around church folk–it looked remarkably like the drawing on the cover of your cookbook! I also have a collection of church cookbooks–they are always full of those tried and true family favorities. Thanks for sharing your holiday with us!
missmustardseed says
Looks like a wonderful day (and productive shopping day after!) I noticed that we bought some of the same things at teh after Christmas sales. 🙂
Carmen says
We had a wonderful Christmas with family. Cut back on the presents and it turned out perfectly! Looks like you had a great time as well. The food all looks delicious. I didn’t make it out to any sales today. I didn’t feel like getting up early (haha) and I really don’t have the money.
Lauren says
Looks like all had a wonderful time! I am loving the moss wreaths…have plans for those next year! We were wiped out today, may hit the stores tomorrow!! I absolutely love my church/women’s club cookbooks…they are the best, tried and true recipes!!
Rachel @ Off to the West says
Rhoda, it looks lovely (and delicious!). I don’t remember your father’s church (I was born and grew up there, but obviously, Marietta is not a teeny little place!). I’ve got one of the cookbooks my church ladies put out, I was given it as a wedding gift a few years later. It isn’t anywhere near as nice as yours 🙂
I don’t know, but there is something about those old church cookbooks. Not the newer, glossy ones. But the old ones have the recipes my grandmothers used to make..so I think that that is part of the appeal.
God bless you and your family, Rhoda, and may you all have a happy and healthy new year…
Funky Junk Interiors says
Your dinner looks so fabulous. 🙂
And love those mossy wreaths. I think I know what I need to do after the decorations are put away.
Thanks for sharing your day with us!
Donna
Jane says
I love those moss wreaths, Rhoda. We just can’t get them here. I would love to have them year round too!
Your table looks lovely and it looks like a fun time was had by all. Ineeded a day to relax, so I did not hit any sales, but off I go on Monday!! Happy you had a great holiday!
xoxo
Jane
Beth@The Stories of A to Z says
Good times with family, good food, good friends and good sales! What more could a girl ask for? Many blessings and Happy Holidays friend. I’m so thankful we met this year!
Much love,
Beth
Sandra says
Your table setting was beautiful and I just adore old cookbooks especially those published by little churches…I have been collecting them for years. Like you I served ham and hash brown casserole…but my Award Winning Homemade Rolls recipe came from one of my old church cookbooks!
Vickie H. says
Your plates look lovely, Rhoda. I found them here in Dallas at a TJ Maxx…did you want more of them? I did not get them for me as I have far too many already of everything under the sun…but I would pick them up for you and mail them to you if you want more. Just let me know!
Melissa Miller says
What a beautiful Christmas you had.
Love the moss wreaths and the meal. Yum!
Kimberly says
I love the glittery birds from Michael’s too! I bought some on “Black Friday”, but this reminds me I should go back and look for more. I was actually inspired by Martha Stewart’s magazine to put glitter on some plain white birds and nests; I attached them to gifts for co-workers. Very festive!
I enjoy your blog. I found it when I was looking for ideas to decorate book shelves. I saw your scrapbook-paper bookcase. I decided to use fabric, but it was inspired by you. Thanks!
justine says
Rhoda, why do you have the salad fork next to the plate and not on the outside of the dinner fork? just wondering, j