Another Christmas Season comes to a close

/
What a fantastic  holiday season it was.  Full of events and family just as it should be.We were able share another great holiday luncheon with Mom and most of the family (only missing were the Florida entourage).  Have Christmas morning with our beautiful grand-daughter and her mom and dad :) and then have a post celebration with both of Guy's girls and their men. In  between all that we attended the Reynolds sibling lunch and went to Northern VA to visit Guys sister and our brother-in-law (who was not feeling well and missed the luncheon) and their whole family.Christmas at Mom's
 As you can see it was such a wonderful holiday season and one that reminded us once again how truly blessed we are.   

Yvonne's Done-to-death Apple Bread

/

Yvonne's Done-to-death Apple Bread From the 2Peas Board

Set oven 325, bakes in about 1 hour and 10 minutes

3 eggs, slightly beaten

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups chopped, pared, cored apples (about 3-4)

1 cup chopped pecans

Topping:
2 Tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven to slow 325. Grease and flour two 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 x 2 1/2 inch loaf pans (or I use those mini loaf pans)

2. Stir together the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla in medium sized bowl until well mixed.

3. Combine the flour, soda and cinnamon on piece of waxed paper, and then then stir into liquid ingredients until just evenly mixed. Stir in the apples and pecans. The mixture will be very thick and gloppy.Divide between the loaf pans.

4: Prepare the topping: combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small cup, and sprinkle over the loaves.

5: Bake in preheated slow oven at 325 for 1 hour and 10 minutes, approximately. Check it carefully with a tester inserted in center comes out CLEAN. Make sure it's done. Sometimes in my oven they take longer than the time specified. Make sure they are done. Nothing worse than raw middle.

Let the breads cool in the pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edges of the pans. Remove the breads from the pans to wire racks to cool.The breads are better the second day. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store at room temperature.

Candied Peanuts

/
Candied Peanuts
 
From Southern Plate Blog
 
 
 
Ingredients
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ½ cup water
  • 2 cups raw peanuts (skin on)
 Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and water. Place over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves.
  2. Add peanuts to sugar water and continue to cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the peanuts are completely sugar coated and no sugar syrup remains, about thirty minutes.
  3. Pour out onto ungreased cookie sheet and spread out a bit. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring every ten minutes. Allow to cool on cookie sheet and then store in sealed container.

Wreaths Across America - Quantico National Cemetery

/

​

I went to Quantico National Cemetery yesterday to visit my dad and brother and took these pictures. The wreaths were laid this past weekend as part of the nationwide "Wreaths Across America"event to honor and remember our lost veterans during the holidays.
 
For those who do not live local, Quantico National Cemetery is a military cemetery located outside Quantico Marine Corps Base in Virginia and was created to be the back-up to Arlington National Cemetery. As I grew up here many of my childhood friends have family that also rest here. If you are ever in the area please visit. It is a touching, beautiful place and makes you really feel and think.