Where Does The Time Go?

Okay- -do ya  get a little nervous seeing that holiday pic?? Me, too. But I just wanted to say “take a deep breath and relax” because we still have Halloween and Thanksgiving to think about – er – enjoy- before we need to be be tunneling through our attic and basements for the Ho Ho Ho’s of decorations.

Actually, I love decorating for the holidays although, like most of us, I don’t have the  time to give it the all out effort I would like.  Still, what I do accomplish, is fun to do and looks  festive and pretty.  So, in this blog I am going to offer some suggestions that will help ease us into the holiday season without going overboard or getting overwhelmed.

First – at the risk of sounding too "Suzy Homemaker-ish" - one of the simplest ways to add a festive touch to your kitchen or dining room is by creating a table scape with sugar glazed fruit. It’s  quite attractive, adds a subtle touch and is edible Plus, it's so darn easy, what have ya got to lose?

Here is a link to J. Peter Allen’s  (copy and paste into your browser) How-to video….

http://www.5min.com/Video/How-to-Sugar-Glazed-Fresh-Fruit-11260481

or you could keep reading and I’ll tell ya how…

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For the glazing you will need egg whites and granulated sugar, each in their own bowl. The amount of  each depends on how much glazing you decide to put on however much fruit you want to use. So, just to get ya going, let’s start with 3 eggwhites and a cup of sugar and add more as needed. You will want to pick fruit that is somewhat, let’s say, durable. Ya know, fruit that won’t shrivel up and go bad after a day, such as strawberries.  Pears, apples, lemons, limes and grapes are good durable fruit If the fruit will eventually be used to accent a wreath, then secure floral wire or good ol’ green pipe cleaners onto each piece.  And you can buy the lesser grade fruits because not only are they cheaper but smaller in size. The smaller sized fruit are easier to manipulate for projects like wreaths.  You can also apply the sugar glaze to small tree branches and evergreen sprigs. So pretty!!!

Okay – now for the fun part. You can either paint the egg white right onto the fruit with a craft-style broad bristle brush, or you can simply dip the fruit into it. To apply the sugar, either roll the fruit right into the sugar or sprinkle it on a little at a time.  Allow the fruit to dry on paper towel for 2-3 hours before using it to make your displays and decorations.You can even pop it in the freezer to move the drying process along.

Now you’re ready to rock n’ roll.

Cheers!!! Until We Blog Again......