Winter Wonderland Weekend

This weekend had so many fun Christmas-y moments to it!

It helps waking up to this outside today :)

This is pretty much one of the few times of the year I actually enjoy snow…the time leading up to Christmas.  Once mid January hits I’m usually done with it but for now we can just enjoy the beauty. 

Yesterday Brian and I went out and searched for the perfect first Christmas tree!

First I started with a warm bowl of steel cut oats!

For 2 servings

• 1/2 c. oats
• 3/4 c. milk
• 3/4 c. water
• pinch salt
  towards the end add
• approx. 1T apricot preserves
• sprinkle of walnuts
• golden raisins
• chopped dried cherries
• chopped dried apricots
• drizzle with a little maple syrup before eating

After heading out into the elements (unfortunately it was raining Saturday), we found it!

Here it is ready to be netted up to take home

We set it up in the stand to let it gradually open more during the day

Later that night I had to head into the city for my Dance Repertory show!  This is the same one I did last year which you can read about here and here.  Both Friday and Saturday shows went great!  We did an old Anita Baker song this year…hopefully someone will send me a picture :).  I am still so grateful I have this opportunity to perform still!

Today was more errands, including a search for a Christmas Tree star!!  Did not find one unfortunately :(  Anyone know where to find a nice star!?

I was excited to get home to make Chili with Thanksgiving leftover turkey that I had frozen!

Key ingredients:

      

First I sautéed some garlic and 1 jalapeño:

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then added onion, bell peppers and a poblano pepper

Then there was tomato paste, beans (dark kidney, black, and garbanzo), crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes,

and some of this:
 

While I was cooking, Brian was busy working on some outdoor lights!!!  SO EXCITED to have a house to decorate :)  we also bought a beautiful wreath with the tree which you can sort of see on the front door.  I’ll have to get a better pic of the wreath.

you can also sort of see our tree in the window on the left.

Back to the Chili

Lots of spices/seasoning…basically I just add them until I like how it tastes:  chili powder, cumin, chipotle chili powder, oregano, paprika, salt, pepper, some garlic powder, and little bit of cocoa powder.

 

Garnishes/toppings included fresh cilantro and scallions, along with cheese and sour cream.

of course corn bread…LOVE corn bread!  I made two mini loaves.  This is 1 mini cut up for us to share.  I had 2 slices, he had 3.

Table with soup tureen.  So if we were having any guests for said Chili I would had used my lovely soup tureen which matches my bowls but for tonight I just added it for looks haha!

The table decor is still in progress but here’s what I have going right now:

 

I still need a runner, and possibly this awesome little gold Christmas tree I saw at Crate and barrel :)

After dinner we decorated the tree and watched A Christmas Story!

Now it just needs the star…and presents ;)