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Be Jolly By Golly Blogfest!

A big thanks to Jen and Melissa for hosting this wonderful blogfest. Can't wait to visit all the other blogs involved and add some great ideas to my holiday lineup. Hope you enjoy...


When the kids were born, we switched from an artificial tree to a real one. It's always a Douglas fir and always needs trimming to fit into the living room.

The ornaments are a mix of family heirlooms and ones given to me over the years.

The popcorn strings are new this year. The kids thought making them sounded like fun and it was until they realized how long it took, which is why we only ended up with three.

It wouldn't be Christmas at our house without my mom's Persimmon Pudding.

2 cups persimmon pulp
2 cups sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk with
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 stick butter
1 1/4 cups evaporated milk
9" x 13" baking dish

Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Melt 1/2 stick butter in the baking dish in the oven.
Mix sugar and persimmon pulp together, add beaten eggs and stir well.
Add soda to buttermilk and stir until foaming stops, then add to persimmon mixture and mix well.
Add sifted dry ingredients and beat well.
Add cream and pour butter out of 9 x 13 pan into the batter, leaving just enough butter in the pan to grease.
Beat mixture well to remove all lumps.
Bake at 300 degrees for one hour.

My favorite drink to make this time of year is Crockpot Wassail. It's easy, and after it simmers throughout the day, your house will smell heavenly.

2 quarts apple cider
1 cup pineapple juice
1/2 cup honey
3 sticks cinnamon
2 whole cloves
1 whole orange, cut in rings
brandy or rum, optional

Put all of the ingredients into the crockpot (except the alcohol). Wash your orange well and slice into rings. Float the rings on top of the juice.

Cook on high for two hours, or on low for four. You want the juice hot and the flavors of the cloves and cinnamon to permeate.

Ladle into mugs. If you want to add alcohol, put a shot into each mug, then top with the hot wassail.

Delicious and soothing. This is great for a cough or sore throat, so when you're on your third glass, you can tell everyone it's for medicinal purposes.

Thanks so much for taking the time to share some of our Christmas traditions. Wishing you and yours the happiest of holidays.

47 comments:

Mary Mary said...

What a lovely tree! It literally glows. Your recipes also sound really yummy!

Denise Covey said...

You've given me a new pud and a new drink to try! Thank you!

Mary@GigglesandGuns said...

Beautiful tree.
So that's Wassail. Now I know and I can handle a crock pot.
Be Jolly!
Mary

Melissa said...

This drink sounds absolutely phenomenal! My mouth was WATERING as I was reading the directions. YUMMY!

I love the popcorn strings. We used to do that at our grandparents house for their tree. It took so long though (especially cause I used to start eating the popcorn myself!)

Thank you so much for participating in our blog fest!

Christine Danek said...

What beautiful tree. I'm definitely trying the recipes. THanks.
Happy holidays!

PK HREZO said...

Popping by on my blogfest tromp... nice to meet you. Persimmon pudding?? Yum-o!

Have a fab Xmas!

Kimberly Franklin said...

YUM! That looks good. And your tree is beautiful. Merry Christmas!

Emily White said...

Ooh, what a nice tree! And you have treats I've never even heard of! I'm going to have to try them soon!

Have a Merry Christmas!

Lola Sharp said...

GORGEOUS tree!

And yummmmm. I can almost smell the cloves and cinnamon.

Merry Christmas, Lisa. :)
Love,
Lola

Summer Ross said...

I adore your tree the colors are just lovely!

Carol Riggs said...

Oooooo, first, as your blog was loading, I loved your blog background, and then when I saw your tree, it was even more amazing! The colors even match your blog background--did you do that on purpose?! LOL

That is the most gorgeous tree I've seen so far on this blogfest, IMO. Absolutely breathtaking. Your recipe sounds wonderful too. Merry Christmas!

Nicole Zoltack said...

Your tree is awesome, I love it. And your recipes sound awesome! I'm going to gain so much weight from this blogfest, I afraid.

Colene Murphy said...

What.a.beautiful.TREE! wow! Those recipes sound amazing too but I am really anxious to try out the drink the most! mmmm...wow.

Merry Christmas Lisa!

Chris Phillips said...

How can you say brandy and rum are optional?!? Merry Xmas!

RaShelle Workman said...

Lisa - That Crockpot Wassail does sound heavenly. Thanks and Merry Christmas. =D

Roxy said...

Your tree makes me happy just looking at it. I want a Douglas fir next year! Thanks also for the great recipes. Merry Christmas.

Lindsay said...

Your tree is so beautiful. I've always like the look of popcorn strings, but the time it takes would put me off like your kids. And I'd want to eat the popcorn.:)

Merry Christmas!

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

You have a gorgeous tree!

Wishing you a very merry Christmas,
Lyn
W.I.P. It: A Writer's Journey

Shannon said...

Stopping by for the blogfest!

Thank you so much for the Persimmon Pudding recipe! I had forgotten all about it until you posted. My grandma used to make this and I loved it. =) Thanks!!!

Happy Holidays,

Shannon

Renae said...

What a beautiful tree! The colors are just gorgeous!!

Jessica Lawlor said...

Love that tree!

Michelle Merrill said...

Mmmmm, your Wassail sounds delicious. That is one of my favorite smells around the Holiday's. And your tree is delightfully gorgeous! Thanks for sharing!

Merry Christmas.

Anonymous said...

Your tree is beautiful!

Jennie Bailey said...

Your tree looks amazing! I love the popcorn strings. Three is perfect! It does get very tedious making them. Have a Merry Christmas!

Ellie Garratt said...

Beautiful tree and yummy recipe. Thank you! Have a wonderful Christmas.

Be Jolly By Golly

Ann said...

Your tree is beautiful and that pudding has been added to my ever growing list of new recipes. Thank you Lisa's Mom! Merry Christmas.

Talli Roland said...

Beautiful tree and lovely recipe!

Tara said...

My kids wouldn't have even had the patience for 3 strands!

Happy Holidays.

DL Hammons said...

What a lovely tree! Douglas Fir's are the best!!

And the Crockpot Wassail sounds scrumgeous!! :)

Meredith said...

That tree is amazing! And I definitely have to try that wassail now--thanks for the recipe!

Talei said...

Beautiful tree! And great recipes too! I've not seen a recipe for Persimmon before - your Mums pudding looks awesome, I think I will have to try it! Merry Christmas!! ;)

Unknown said...

Yum Yum Yum!!! Not to mention the tree is down right gorgeous!

Thank you for participating Lisa! I'm so sorry I'm late! It's been crazy around here!

Jemi Fraser said...

I love your tree! The multi-coloured lights are beautiful! THanks for the recipes - they look great :)

Danette said...

Great recipes! Original and so seasonal. Sound wonderful! I'll have to jot them down so I get them in the books for future holiday parties. Thanks for dropping by!

Be Jolly by Golly

Donea Lee said...

Persimmon pudding - I'll have to try that! And I love your lights - so different with the purple and turquoise, lovely! Happy Holidays to you!

Kari Marie said...

Your tree is lovely! The wassail sounds great! Happy Holidays.

erica and christy said...

Whoa - that is one fat tree. Happy Holidays!
erica

Michael Di Gesu said...

Wonderful tree .... so full. My tree is similar only shorter. I really like the cool blues an purples mixed with the yellow lights.

That persimmon pudding looks amazing! I have never heard of it.

Happy Holidays to you and your family, Lisa.

Michael

Brenda Drake said...

Yum Wassail with rum sounds great! Love your colorful tree and I'll have to try that Persimmon Pudding. Thanks for sharing and have a Merry Christmas! :D

N. R. Williams said...

Your tree looks wonderful. I think I can smell it from here. LOL
The popcorn garlands are just right.
Merry Christmas,
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author

Anonymous said...

It all looks scrummy! MERRY CHRISTMAS :O)

Amie Kaufman said...

I love trees made up of heirlooms and memories of your own, yours is gorgeous! And your recipes... delicious! Hope you don't mind if I appropriate them!

Jolene Perry said...

Wow. Looks like a fun Christmas!

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

Oh my, your tree is lovely! I miss having a real tree. We used to string popcorn too. It does take a long time. I'm afraid our puppy would climb the tree and eat it...

Your wassail sounds wonderful too! You are full of super ideas, Lisa.

Have a wonderful New Year!

Shaheen said...

Persimmon is an fruit we don't see or eat often in the u.K, so what I am goign to do is bookmark this recipe and when I see some. I will surely be having a go at trying these. They look so tasty.

Happy New Year to you from snowy Scotland...well its melting now.

erica and christy said...

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! Happy New Year! Christy

Chris Phillips said...

I hope your holiday went well. Happy New years.

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