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?!
I love the bird plates. They are lovely. You can not go wrong with a church cookbook. I have way to many cookbooks but I love them and use them. It looks like you had a great Christmas!
Christmas dinner looks yummy, Rhoda.
The photos and video are fun.
I didn’t go shopping yesterday. I’m hoping for some bargains at Target’s 75% off sales, in January. I found all the g’kiddo’s b’day gifts there, last January.
I also found the navy, white and gold toile comforter that started the guest room makeover. I just remembered that as I’m looking through my archives for makeover stories.
Hi Rhoda,
Loved your video! Your home looked beautiful and what a nice family…wishing you a happy and healthy new year and I look forward to your reading your blog. You are so talented and inspiring and I feel like I’m visiting with an old friend evrytime I visit. Thank you for sharing so much….
Lovely table Rhoda. Glad you had a wonderful CHRISTmas! We did as well. Not much gift opening here either. DD, who is 11, tends to only want gift cards herself now days. Clothes and to decorate her bedroom. LOL!
Oh Rhoda, your Christmas dinner looked delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipes. I adore Grandma Eleanor. You are so blessed to have her. My Grammy passed away a few years ago. I miss her so.
Looking to your future post on organizing and storage solutions.
I wish you a blessed, happy and healthy 2010!
Justine, oh you caught my error, which I didn’t even notice til you pointed it out. 🙂 I don’t set formal tables all that much & got my forks switched up. I do know better, just don’t always remember the right way to do it.
Vickie H, thanks for the offer on getting more plates. I think I’ll just stick to 4 right now. I don’t have a lot of storage for a whole bunch more dishes & have to remember that. I sure do love these though.
Thank you ALL for coming by to visit with me! Makes my day, I love to hear from you.
Wow, I didn’t even notice the forks. 🙂 I don’t think it would have mattered to me given all that yummy food! Merry Christmas again.
Love,
Jen
I sent the recipes over to my daughter (the cook) they sure look good. Thanks
I love all your photos. I get the same moans and groans from people when I take out my camera, I don’t understand. I agree with you about a nice, simple Christmas. This year we had some family over for a pre Christmas dinner and then, on Christmas Eve my folks and I had dinner at home. It was a nice, simple meal and we were still talking around the dinner table an hour after we were done eating. It was great.
Hi Rhoda,
It all looks delish! Aunt Fanny’s Cabin! I used to live about five minutes from it and remember all the hoopla when they moved it to the Weiland homes on Atlanta Road.
Love the moss wreaths! I only went to Target after Christmas and got that same bit plastic ornament filled with balls to finish my wreath (ran out of them when I did it originally but it looked o.k.)
Glad you had a great Christmas and I’m so looking forward to the new year!
Manuela
I, too, grew up in church with “Bro.” and “Sis.” and miss that very much. I also cook a lot out of old Assembly of God cook books. Church cookbooks are the best! Love your blog.
I’m like you – I love Target!! I started my day there and visited 4 more throughout the day… I found almost everything I “needed” on my wishlist, too. A good shopping day!
I bought some new ornament boxes (mine was starting to crack), plus 2 new storage containers – my goal is to sort & purge anything that I don’t absolutely LOVE. If I wouldn’t buy it tomorrow, it’s going to be sold in a yardsale or donated! So that’s my project for next week: I’m hoping to do normal chores tomorrow, and then start pulling stuff from the attic to begin the Christmas organizing party.
I love to organize stuff – but, with a 6 yr. old son & a DH that both suffer from what I call “Right Where it Lands Syndrome”… I have to have a sense of humor about repetitve tasks or I’ll end up driving myself crazy!
I never knew that “syndrome” had a name! I have 3 small boys a husband that have it! I feel your pain! Good luck with the purge.
Hi Rhoda!
Glad to hear you and your family had a wonderful Christmas.
I loved the Mercury Glass ornaments from the Home Goods Store. I bought the same one a few others. Here is my post showing them: http://thethriftygroove.blogspot.com/2009/12/three-or-more-tuesday_22.html
Love all the pictures and what great buys you got…Those colors really pop and make everything burst. Love bright colors at christmas.
Now I see why my Hashbrown Casserole doesn’t cook all the way…never have any of my recipes called to defrost it and ole me just never thought to leave it sitting out to thaw…really most show frozen but now I am going to try defrosting. I think I will make some New Years Day.
Have a great week!
Love it! That menu looks right up my alley! I often make that same hash brown casserole in my family though I’ll often serve it for breakfast with fruit – it has earned the name “Happy Potatoes” and are asked for by name! Blessings to you this joyous season – thank you so much for your blog. I don’t comment much, but I sure do enjoy ‘following’ you!
Have mercy, Rhoda! I could dive right into that plate of yumminess! We usually make Mexican or Tex-Mex food for Christmas since we’ve pigged out on turkey and fixins’ at Thanksgiving. But I’m tempted to change our menu next year to yours or something similar! I grew up in the Assemblies of God churches too. I was a soloist, organist, pianist, etc. for years. And yes, those church cookbooks are still some of my favorites. Brings back such wonderful memories. Thanks for always sharing your wonderful gifts and talents with us. Love everything you do!
Rhoda,
I’m new to your blog…love it! Have to tell you I bought the bright retro colored ornaments in your pic from Target this year also. Bought them before the BIG DAY so not on sale…boo! Anyway, my sons, ages 8 and 6, decorated a tree in their room this year and used all of these precious ornaments. Cutest thing I’ve ever seen and the vintage angel, from my younger years, on top was just the finishing touch it needed! Happy decorating, and I will be a regular to your site from now on!
My Christmas was merry and bright…and EXHAUSTING. 🙂 We hosted, and then we had a “second Christmas” yesterday with extended family. I need a vacation! But it’s back to work tomorrow after a day of sitting on my couch eating cookies today. Good times.
No after sales for me, shockingly! I realized I’m filled to the brim with more stuff than a gal should own, so I I actually started boxing up and getting rid of. So I can make more room for new additions to the shorehouse collections in 2010. 🙂
Yum, yum. Your Christmas dinner sounds scrumptious. I’m so glad you had a good time!
I know just what you mean about the “Brothers” and “Sisters” at church; we did the same thing. And when we wrote out their names, we wrote “Bro. Jones” and “Sis. Smith.” Of course, I also had an uncle George who always signed his name “Geo.” Those were the days!
God bless you, lovely Rhoda!