December Newsletter
Candalada
WHAT IS YOUR CELEBRATION STYLE??
Kool and The Gang - Celebration was the theme song for my family and I from November to December. To be completely honest I prefer to spend the holidays in bed and somehow it never happens that way; with the exception of 2020.
This year my aunt celebrated her birthday on Nov 5th and hosted Thanksgiving. The last week of November I threw an intimate surprise party for my sister, who’s birthday falls in early December.
My aunt is known for her beautiful table settings. I am not much of a decorator. I focus on photo booths/photo collecting and food presentation.
AUNT ROXANNE’S BIRTHDAY
THANKSGIVING
MY SISTERS BIRTHDAY
FOOD NEWS
DINER
Remember last month when I wrote that you wouldn’t believe what I made with Tabitha Browns Hello Sunshine seasoning? Here it is, a 17 pound turkey! The feedback was, it was REALLY GOOD.This is how I made it. You can use the same method to make chicken.
Defrosted the turkey in the sink
Used rubber dish washing gloves up to my elbows
Removed package in the turkey cavity
Cut the turkey neck off
Rinsed the turkey thoroughly inside and out
Separated the skin from the turkey but didn’t remove it
Stabbed turkey breast, three slits on both sides ( so seasoning and butter can move through)
Gathered ingredients, Land o Lakes salted butter, Grace MILD jerk seasoning, Tabitha’s Hello Sunshine seasoning
Buttered the entire turkey placing some chunks of butter underneath the skin especially around the legs and breast
Lathered the entire turkey in mild jerk seasoning (underneath the skin)
Sprinkled sunshine seasoning on the outside of turkey and inside cavity
Added frozen vegetables to the cavity more sunshine seasoning, butter and garlic powder
Placed entire turkey in a large Reynold’s oven bag, tied a knot on top
Cooked at 350 degree’s from 8am to 3pm
Tested the internal temperature with a digital thermometer before serving
This gem of a pie crust is a game changer. Better than the crust I tried to make by hand last year and all the other store bought crust I have had in the past. It is sweet but not too sweet. When baked it has a slight crunch and melts in your mouth.
This vegan pie flew off the countertop. The comments, “It taste like regular pie.” Music to my ears. The goal is to make food that others enjoy without an odd aftertaste or texture confusion.
I find the trick to a good pie is no short cuts during the creation process. I bake the potatoes, I don’t boil them. I use organic white and light brown sugar 2 parts light brown to one part white. I always use an electric mixer for smooth texture. I also let the mixture sit and bind at least 45 minutes before placing it into the crust and back into the oven. I did this even back in the day when my pies were not vegan.
Takes forever. Always taste good.
LUNCH
I had to see what all the hoopla was about with Bentgo lunch boxes. My first question was why are they 30 dollars? The first lunchbox that I learned about was during the 2021 back to school layout at Target. It was the Kids Chill lunchbox made to keep food cold for long durations of time. I purchased it as a gift. When I decided to try one out for Issa they were sold out.
I browsed the official Bentgo website, they offer tons of fun designs beyond the basic, solid pink and red I saw in Target. Bj’s sells a few adult ones in lime green and purple online, I haven’t seen them in the store.
After five months of using a classic insulated lunch bag with no dividers, I grew tired of using zip loc bags. It was Kohl’s for the win! They had the Bentgo Fresh lunchbox in a neutral grey color, the sticker price was 26 with a 6 dollar of coupon. I decided not to get him the kid box because the suggested age limit for them is 7. The portions sections seemed too small for Issa’s needs.
Thus far, I have no complaints. It has really made lunch easier.
DESSERT
I am a bit confused by this sign that reads, “Made with No Gluten Containing Ingredients”, then at the bottom of the same sign reads, “Not gluten free due to shared preparation area”. Luckily, I am not gluten intolerant. Perhaps they should consider not sharing the prep area! My friend always says, “Reading is fundamental!”
I tried the chocolate caramel dessert bar. It was too rich to eat in one sitting. I did not dislike it but I also didn’t absolutely love it.
CANDY
Finally got a great picture of the Unreal offerings. An Unreal candy was originally introduced to me as a gift in October, I have already tried two flavors. In December, I tried their version of a Reeses.
The Unreal dark chocolate peanut butter cups taste great. Within the full-size bag, each peanut butter cup is individually wrapped, making it easy to pop in a lunch box or share with friends.
To learn more about this start up created by a teenage boy and his father click here.
How to Upgrade Your Gifting Presentation
Things to consider when gift giving,
The size of the objects. Sometimes I take the items with me to make sure they fit and packaging is sturdy enough.
Matching the prints of the boxes and bags. I love giving matching gifts to a family even if all the gifts are not for the same person.
Over do it - I once wrapped three boxes and placed the wrapped boxes inside a matching gift bag. No one does that. They chose one or the other, sometimes I do both. It also helps with people or kids that like to peak in gift bags. When they peak and see another wrapped box they can not believe it.
Purchasing cloth tissue paper. Cloth tissue paper builds excitement when opening the gift and feels noticeably different than regular tissue paper.
Ask a child's opinion - Kids don’t lie and have a great artistic eye. Their feedback can be useful.
Skip cheap cards for very special occasions - Milestones and 45 year anniversaries deserve signature cards, cough up the extra 6 dollars its worth it.
Shop the signature section - Hallmark signature cards and wrapping paper are chic. The selections tend to have blacks, golds, plain white, pearl and unique patterns. The cards have texture, 3D features or wood on them.
Collect eye catching bags when the shelves are stocked - Stores such as Target roll straight into the next calendar holiday marketing set up the day after a holiday has past. Shopping the first day items are displayed will give you the most options. I saw the Valentine's Day boxes out on Jan 1st. By February the section will be depleted with slim pickings.
Shop for birthdays in advance - Currently I have about three cards for birthdays that are over six months away. When the pressure is low it is easier to think straight. I also like matching cards to gifts. For example shoe cards, for shoe gifts.
Ask Hallmark for a box - I couldn’t find a bag or box big enough for a gift I purchased. I decided to ask the Hallmark manager would she be so kind and provide a box. She gave me a beautiful large white box. Better than anything I have seen in the stores.
Wrap heavy items on hard surfaces - My room is cozy and it is tempting to wrap gifts on my carpet but sometimes the weight of the gift punctures the paper on the corners. This doesn’t happen when I wrap gift on a hard surface.
