Christmas Parsons Table Arrangement

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Christmas is one of my favorite excuses to be creative. While I love the holiday decorating, I tend to be rather skimpish when it comes to paying money for what I consider ‘disposable’ accents, and so I work to craft my own using what I own and the nature in my yard.

Last year for my birthday (it was a big one, saying goodbye to 5 decades, looking forward to more to come), my hubby showered me with flowers. They were breathtakingly beautiful, unique, and artistic, done by a local florist he knew he could trust to create arrangements outside the boundaries of 1800-florist. When their beauty had well past waned and out with the trash they went, I was left with unique and beautiful containers picked for specific areas, one of which being my parsons table. My parsons table sits behind my couch in-between the great room and the kitchen. It’s a big space and the vase is the perfect height , not too high, so I can see from the kitchen in to the family room, not too low as to be missed.

For the fall/Thanksgiving, I filled it with lemons and mini-pomegrantes. For christmas, I pulled out my vintage Christmas tree balls and headed out to my arbor vitae to clip some greens. A bit of decorative garnish and VOILA!

I am pleased with the result: simple, colorful and not too flashy. A bit of greenery in the house to contrast with the stark barren brown leafless trees, and wintery white snow outside, brings inside a cozy holiday feeling.

There is an abundance of nature out there, and any vase or cool container can be used to create a bit of festive holiday sparkle in any area of your own home. Just think out of the box and get snipping!

Domestic Goddess Tip : Cookware

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Domestic Goddess Tip : Cookware

Making my morning eggs (today I fried leftover arroz con gandules with an egg) reminded me to share a cookware tip I learned from one of my favorite cooking magazines.

When it comes to non-stick cookware, don’t invest a lot of money. The non-stick does not remain non-stick forever. In fact with regular use, it will only last about a year. Armed with that knowledge buy a pan that is heavier metal and hopefully cladded (metals pressed together into a disc that provides even heating). In current pricing, that price range should be under $40. Target and HomeGoods are favorite shops I find good quality, low priced non-stick in. HomeGoods typically has nice pans for $20 or under.

I use my 6 & 8 inch non-sticks daily, definitely on a regular basis, but I only use them for foods that are liable to stick, like eggs do. Many will use them for low-fat cooking, but I find them to not brown food as well as a traditional pan. So in my kitchen, they are limited to the sticky food cooking. For a pan sautéed chicken breast, I will use my traditional pan, because I want the flavor packed fond that is created by the Maillard Reaction. (click photo to have Maillard Reaction explained)

So my tip of the day is to check your pans. If they are older than a year, it’s time to pitch it and pick up a new one.

Note: If you have purchased a non-stick brand like All-Clad, they have a lifetime warranty. Contact the customer service to see if you qualify. Personally, I find that whole process a hassle, that is why I stick to inexpensive and disposable.

Domestic Goddess Tip : Turkey Brining

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Domestic Goddess Tip : Turkey Brining

I suggested in a previous post (click on the photo to take you to ‘Got Turkey? Brine it!‘), I brine my turkey in a construction cooler.
Some of the benefits of doing it this way are:
*Its insulated, so it frees up your refrigerator
*You only dirty one container (and a measuring container)
*it fits up to a 20 lb bird (although you may have to cram it in)
*draining is a snap!!!
When your brining time is up, simply heft it up to the sink, push in the spout and drain out liquid. Then its a breeze to pull out your turkey, rinse it off and prep it for the oven.

(For brining recipe please visit the link : Got Turkey? Brine it!