A New Year for New Adventures

Today...we're trying to get back into the routine of normal living after Christmas, birthday, and New Year's Eve activities. Tom returned to work this morning after taking off vacation days since mid-December. Ohhh, I was getting quite used to having him around all the time; I'll love it when he retires!

To wrap up 2011 before the new year's blogging begins...I wanted to share about our annual family Christmas program that the kids always produce for the rest of the family on Christmas Eve. Here's a picture of the girls playing flutes for one of the carols. Tom and Jonathan also played guitar and banjo as part of the musical evening filled with scripture.

We also went out caroling on two different evenings this year...once to a neighborhood we weren't familiar with and once to our neighbors. We left each house with peppermint popcorn the girls made and a gospel tract, and we have been praying that the Lord will use the scriptures presented to change lives.

Last week we packed Granny up to head off with my sister to South Carolina for the winter, and we're missing her already! She took plenty of basket-making supplies with her to keep busy while she's gone.

Here's a picture of my beautiful Mustard Basket Granny made me for Christmas. I love it!

New Year's Eve was very enjoyable...we invited friends over and decorated with snowman plates, snowflake napkin rings, and a new item this year...snowman placemats and table runners (a gift Sarah made me for Christmas). Here's a picture of the table runner. A decorated tree centerpiece goes in the middle there, but it's removed so you can see the snowman heads turning every which way (I love them!):

Here's the dining room table set and waiting for company to arrive. The square snowman plate in the foreground right is a new one this year from my sister:

And here's the nook table set in the kitchen area:

Our menu was as follows: *Chicken in a Biscuit, Stuffed Baked Potatoes, Tossed Salad, homemade Strawberry Yogurt, and frozen Peanut Butter Pie for dessert.

I've probably mentioned Chicken in a Biscuit many times on the blog, but I'm not sure I've ever posted the recipe. I took pictures this time because usually everyone asks me: "How do you get the chicken inside those little biscuits?"

*Recipe on next page

~Deb

Chicken in a Biscuit (taken from Southern Living 1980 Annual Recipes)

(Yield: 8 biscuits, double or triple accordingly)

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

2 tablespoons milk

2 cups finely chopped cooked chicken

2 tablespoons drained, chopped pimiento

2 tablespoons minced onion or chives

salt and pepper to taste

1 (8 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1/4 cup softened butter

1/4 cup Italian-style breadcrumbs

Combine cream cheese and milk; beat until smooth. Add chicken, pimiento, onion, salt, and pepper; stir well:

Separate dinner roll dough into 4 rectangles, firmly pressing perforations to seal; cut each rectangle into 2 rectangles. Place a heaping tablespoonful of chicken mixture on each rectangle:

Fold sides and ends of dough toward center and pinch to seal. Shape into biscuits. Place seam side down on cookie sheet; brush with butter (I used my fingers to spread softened butter on top of each biscuit), and sprinkle with breadcrumbs:

This is the most chicken biscuits I've ever baked at one time!

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until golden brown. You'll just have to picture them coming out of the oven toasted to perfection and totally yummy!

Well, that's a small glimpse of our end-of-the-year activities...more to come in 2012!

~Deb

Comments

[Dorothy]

Happy New Year! How great to have had Tom home for so long! We are trying to get things back to normal here, too, and have to un-decorate today...maybe. :-) The table settings look beautiful & Sarah did an incredible job on that cute table runner! It was nice to spend time with you "last year" and look forward to all the new year holds. Maybe another visit to see you all. Love and miss you! Dorothy

[Leslie from Virginia]

I use that recipe except when my Grandmother gave it to me, she just called them Chicken Crescents. I like the name Chicken in a Biscuit better!!

Happy New Year!

[victoria]

Your table looked so pretty and festive. I'll have to give that recipe a try. Sounds delicious. Happy 2012!

Victoria

[Rose]

Happy New Year Deb and all the family from all of us!

I'd love to hear you playing your music some day. My playing extends to the iPod button. ;)

[michelle]

super fun looking holiday! i love that you all play instruments. none of our family does and it's kind of a bummer. i really tried with my kids but they just weren't interested. :(

[Bobbi]

I love your tablescapes! I noticed your Christmas Cactus in the background, it's beautiful. I have one too but I think mine is more of a "Thanksgiving" cactus since it usually blooms around that time. Mine is not as pretty as yours. I guess it would do better if I would water it more often! I can't wait to try your chicken in a biscuit recipe. When I was a little girl, my favorite snack was Chicken in a Biscuit crackers that you buy in the store. I tried them recently and they didn't taste as good as I remember when I was a little girl.

Blessings to you,

Bobbi

[Laura]

Happy New Year!!!! May the Lord's hand be upon each of your family this year. What a special family you are, each one has such talents. When put together you make a wonderful team. I would have loved to hear the Christmas music!

Your table was lovely! And the chicken biscuits look tasty, we'll have to try them.
Hope your first week into 2012 has been productive and enjoyable.

[Rhonda]

I LOVE your chicken in a biscuit recipe. Bet has made them for me several times, and they're always a favorite! Happy New Year! :)

[Vicki]

Deb and family-- it's not just that I want that recipe-- I actually want to come to dinner at your house!! What a beautiful Christmas table- love all the snowman plates!
I can only imagine the joy and pride that you feel when your children perform their annual Christmas program.
You are blessed--

I hope Granny has a nice healthy winter "down south!"
Love,
Vicki
Ps- your mustard basket is gorgeous!

[Stephanie in Mi]

I just love the baskets. I really want to get one one of these days!