HI everyone,
Thanks everyone for your concern over my legs… I just got a call today and the consultation about what and when it will be done is in January, so nothing’s happening in the short term. That’s just fine with me! :o)
NO… I’m NOT getting another doll! Shucks, but no… it’s something else. Here are a few hints…
Those are your only hints until more is done! It does require my hubby’s help… but it was MY idea! He’s SUCH a keeper! :o)
Here is another thing that is happening here… My Amaryllis is almost ready to bloom. I’m hoping it will be blooming on Christmas!
Here is Cindy’s Amaryllis…in 2 different stages…
Here is Deb’s…
Cindy sent a picture of her beautiful live Christmas tree, so I wanted to show it…
Well, we’ve had a health update, a surprise coming for me, a few Christmas flowers, a decorated tree and now how about a new recipe.
Hi Jeanne,
The other day on Facebook I posted that I had made taco soup, and one of the sofa sisters (who is also a FB friend) saw it, and suggested I send the recipe to you so you could share it with everyone. It would work for a day when you are too busy to do any dolly sewing, or maybe a day when you aren’t feeling so great, or have to play nursemaid or something else prevents you from having a post. So here it is, and I even remembered to take a picture tonight before I finished what was left! This does make quite a bit, but I am great for freezing things, so I have two 30-ounce square rounds of taco soup in the freezer, in addition to having eaten several servings myself the last few days! Hope everyone enjoys it. Charlotte
Taco Soup from Charlotte Trayer
1 lb. ground beef or stew meat
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced, or 1/2 tsp. garlic Powder (not garlic salt)
2 cans crushed or stewed tomatoes
2 cans chili beans**
1 can creamed corn
1 package taco seasoning**
Brown ground beef or stew meat with onion and garlic. (If you use stew meat, you will also need to add some liquid and cook it until tender.) Stir in all the remaining ingredients and simmer for about a half hour. Serve with corn chips, grated cheese, sour cream and salsa to taste.
The cool thing about this recipe is that if you need to stretch it you can add another can of corn, beans or tomatoes.
You can also put it in a crock pot to cook once the meat is browned.
Very yummy!! Corn bread goes well with it, if you want more than just corn chips.
**I prefer less of a “chili” seasoning, so instead of two cans of chili beans, I use one can of chili beans and one can of regular pinto beans, and instead of regular taco seasoning, I get the “mild” taco seasoning. It’s good as written, but I prefer it this way.
Thanks Charlotte!!
I hope everyone has a nice weekend,
Monday I have some pictures to share from Linda, so please come back!
See you then,
Blessings, Jeanne
First of all, thank you to everyone for your kind comments to me, about being easy on myself, etc., and for the prayers. I really appreciate everyone’s concern. Ron has been gone 4 months now.
Dorothy, you made me laugh! I’m actually a fairly decent cook, but these days, I’d rather do other things, so I like to say I only have a kitchen because it came with the house!!
Joy, I am no stranger to getting cards out late. I figure, if I get it in the mail before New Year’s Eve, I’m doing well!
Paula, I cannot imagine losing your dad at such a young age. I am so sorry. My dad was 86 when he died (and I was 56), and I thought that was too soon.
Sissy, I will try to remember to take a picture of my matching fabric next time I wear my skirt, and send it to Jeanne. Then we’ll see if it really matches!
Rosemary, if you are having trouble finding fabrics that are thin enough to look proportional on dolls, you might check thrift shops–not only in their fabrics, but also ladies’ blouses and men’s dress shirts, which are often lighter-weight fabrics, that you can cut up and use in doll clothes. I would check the largest sizes first–the bigger the size, the more yardage! Also wash the garment first, so there are no “surprises” afterwards. One time I wanted checked wool for an American Girl coat and couldn’t find anything in the fabric stores–so I went to the thrift store and bought a wool skirt (checked it over carefully for possible moth holes first), then took it apart, hand washed the pieces, and pressed them. It was a small enough check, and light enough in weight to look good on a doll, and one skirt yielded enough fabric for two coats!
Jeanne, I can’t imagine what George is building for you for Christmas. A new bookshelf, perhaps? Some of those pieces of wood look like they could be shelves.
How fun to see the three different amaryllis plants at different stages of growth! I suppose it depends on when you “started” them, and the air temperature, amount of sunshine, and if they’re in a “good” window!!
Cindy’s tree is lovely and reminds me how much I like a real tree. It’s been quite a few years since we last did that. Maybe next year, a little one???
Thank you for sharing my recipe. I hope those who try it enjoy it. It’s relatively easy to put together, and is enough to serve several! (In case you’re wondering, a “square round” is a Tupperware container that goes way way back in history–probably to the 1960s, anyway, although none of mine is that old. They came in three sizes–16 oz. [perfect for 1 pound of ground beef!], 30 oz., and 64 oz. They were called square rounds because, although they’re basically square, the sides are slightly curved so the air in the freezer can flow around them. I believe they are called something else these days, but to us “oldies”, they will always be square rounds!)
Charlotte, I do not enjoy cooking much either. I used to when the girls were little. Now with just me and hubbs, I do make large portions and freeze stuff. .. This recipe is perfect and I will make it!
Glad to hear you are going to try it, Rosemary. I hope you enjoy it!
Dear Charlotte, prayers for you as I know this will be a difficult Christmas for you. I’m sorry I didn’t have time to read through all the comments when I posted yesterday (I did catch something about baking though) and then I thought I would just wait and respond to you today so you would be sure to see it.
Not the same, but I lost my maternal grandmother shortly after Christmas when I was 14. Luckily, I had been able to spend that Christmas break with my grandparents as I usually did.
Take care of yourself and don’t try to do too much. I’m sure your friends will completely understand if your Christmas letter is late.
Thank you so much, Laura!
Dear Charlotte, I love what you said. Hmmm, I only have a kitchen so I can boil water to make tea or to heat up the second scone I got from taking Afternoon Tea. Wishing you a nice weekend and sending hugs especially from Charlotte Noelle.
Thank you, Dorothy, and hugs back to Charlotte Noelle!
I’ve been so busy today with finishing up wrapping gifts, finally getting my cards done, etc., and almost forgot to check the blog. Thanks for the Taco Soup recipe. I’ve definitely going to make this. Really looks yummy.
What a fun and varied blog this morning, Jeanne!
First off, I’m glad you will be having your legs taken care of. I think we all can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing you will not be getting blood clots in your legs!
Now that “present”, with all the wood, whatever could that be? I can’t believe it would be a bookshelf, when do you ever have the time to sit and read? Maybe a display case type of shelf for your dolls, which you do have quite a few of! You have gotten more this year, and I doubt your space for displaying them has grown. So that’s my two cents of what it is!
I love the amaryllis’ that your family has! I remember the fun last year of watching g mine grow, but I did not get one this year, so yours will be my amaryllis fix for this year!
Charlotte, I think of you all the time, after losing Ron this year. My neighbor across the street lost her husband a year ago, plus my own sister, and it has been a difficult year for them.
Your soup recipe sounds so good, and that’s kind of what I do, make a big batch of soup and freeze it in single portions. I will try ours soon! Thank you for sending that to Jeanne!
Thank you so much for your concern, Linda.
I hope you will try the soup recipe. It should freeze very well for you (I don’t remember if I’ve frozen it before, but I suspect I have), and is a welcome meal on a chilly or dreary day!
Wowww I love this recipe, Thank you Charlotte for the recipe and also for the good advice on shirting fabrics. I made a mock up shirt from a shirt pattern I made for AG (years ago) and used some white fabric I found – it is cheap and scratchy, my guess it came from the portion of fabric used for the foundation of a lovely lace bed skirt. Maybe I removed the lace to make a wedding dress,.. just kidding.
The mock up shirt looks good on Lauren’s Glitter Girl. She is only 7. I have made so many skirts dresses and pants…. but I need to make a few blouses for each of those dolls. It is really fun, and the simpler the better for little girls. Sarah is 9. Hubbs got Youtube commercial free for two months and we have been enjoying Christmas music, so much beautiful choral music.
Okay Jeanne, here are my guesses: shelving for fabric storage. Shelving for dolly scenes, a she shed (lol just kidding, really! I would never want one)
As a quilter and sewist, I have made shelved some about 7 old large drawers that are in perfect shape, but the dresser was crashed into. My sister and I had matching dressers, not fancy, made in Denmark and I think my parents bought them before we moved to the US when I was 10. Anyway, one of those dressers I have in full, the other one was in mom and dad’s garage and …. it got crashed into. So, in unloading mom and dads house 12 years ago and moving them to Virginia, hubbs and I rented a big van, and I tried to salvage some of these memories and the drawers make adorable shelves for all of my fat quarters. I try to sort them by color. Today is Friday, it is so drab in Northern Virginia. I think it is going to be drab all day! I am going to be an un- drab person today
Thank you, Rosemary. I hope you enjoy the soup!
You are welcome for the tips about finding suitable fabrics for doll clothes. I’m glad to hear the mock-up of the blouse fit Lauren’s Glitter Girl well. Yes, simpler is better for younger children.
Wow, wood first. This project appears to be a shelving unit. But, where is it going? I honestly cannot see how anything that large might fit in Jeanne’s sewing room, so I’m guessing that it will go elsewhere. Are you removing the old fireplace in the living room? Maybe putting in shelves in there and an electric fireplace built in? Since plywood is usually 5X8, whatever you are making would need a lot of room. And, I’ll bet that wood was expensive. It sure is here now. Can’t wait to find out what’s happening with this project. 🙂
Loved seeing Charlotte’s “soup” recipe because here, I make it often, but call it chili. I don’t add garlic or the corn, and I use regular kidney beans not canned chili. But, I do use the mild taco seasoning. Otherwise everything is the same. We always have corn bread with it. Trader Joe’s mix is the best. 🙂 With the cold weather we have been having, it is probably time to mix up a batch again soon. Thanks Charlotte, for another version. I might have to try adding the creamed corn. 🙂
The amaryllis here looks about like Deb’s. Coming along, but not ready to bloom last time I checked. Loved seeing how both Jeanne and her sisters have them displayed. So pretty. The one here is plunked on the edge of the table and sits amongst some other stuff like newspapers and a pink tiny Christmas tree. Nothing nicely decorated at all. Cindy’s tree is lovely. The one here in the corner of the living room looks nice too, however, it has no decorations. Just like the last few years, but easy to take down and put back into the box after Christmas. Good thing it came with lights as it does add some sparkle in the evenings. 🙂
Glad to hear that in January, Jeanne will get some further information from the consulting doctors.
Have a calm weekend everyone. 🙂 Here, more rain expected.
Thanks Joy. One clarification: the taco soup doesn’t have chili in it, it has Chili BEANS, which are pinto beans in some kind of chili-flavored light sauce. I thought they were the same at first, too, and had to get an education, as mom never made anything like this when I was growing up. After all, we are Swedish, and Swedes don’t go for a lot of spices!! I don’t think she would have known what to do with a clove of garlic, either, if she had had one in front of her! Totally foreign to her! 😂
I think the creamed corn helps tame the spices a wee bit. I do hope you’ll try it!
I had to put groceries away first. That’s good that you are getting your legs taken care of, Jeanne.
I’m guessing the wood is for some shelves to store fabric, props, or the new dolls you’ve acquired. I think your doll cabinet might be out of space. I agree with Joy that wood of any kind is very expensive here as well.
The Amaryllises all of you have are very pretty. Cindy’s tree is lovely. I’m guessing it’s a Fraser Fir because that is what we used to buy when we did live trees a couple of decades ago.
Dear Jeanne, I am glad you are feeling alright.
I agree with the other Sofa Sisters. I think you are getting some shelves.
Happy Four Days before Christmas to all!
I can’t even hazard a guess as to what the building materials are for. Can’t wait to see. I’m finally getting my closet put in my new laundry room – tomorrow. David and Sean built it in David’s shop and had to cut some off the bottom twice to be able to get it through doorways. I equate it to building a boat in the basement sort of thing. But I guess they were working on it in their “spare” time (when it would rain and they couldn’t work outside) so I guess it was better to do it in the shop than disrupt my laundry room for weeks. I’ll be glad to have it because I have the things that came out of the old closet that they tore out in a box in a corner of my living room.
I love those Amaryllis but have never had one. They are so lovely when they bloom. Cindy’s tree is beautiful. When my mother was still alive and she and my sister Beth lived in Delaware they would go up to the Poconos and get their trees. It was hilarious because neither of them had large homes and the trees would end up taking up most of their living rooms. One year my sister got a gorgeous Blue Spruce and trimmed it in silver and my mother got a green Spruce and trimmed hers in gold. Both trees were beautiful. I haven’t had a real tree since the first year I lived in Texas. When I took down the tree all the needles fell off and that was with making sure it was watered. After that it was all artificial trees. We always had a live tree from the Poconos when I was growing up but we never put our tree up until Christmas Eve and took it down right after New Year’s, so it didn’t have much time to dry out.