Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Blog Friends Holiday Luncheon

Hello there, come on in, have a chair and join us, there's plenty to share!  Yesterday was our long anticipated blog girls luncheon here at the farm.  My guests were Gracie, Betsy & Taci.  


I prepared the salmon for lunch - it turned out perfect and moist and delicious!  Butter a pan, lay the salmon down, sprinkle it with salt and pepper, layer the top with sour cream, lay sliced lemons over it, and I have a rosemary bush out on the deck so I put three branches across.. bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, check the thickest part to see if it's done, if not put it back in for 5 or 10 more minutes.  We did ours for 40 min.  Yum!


The table is all set and ready for the hot salmon from the oven and for us to enjoy our lunch together.


Have a chair!


Taci and Gracie readying to pull the Cracker I got for us.  What fun that was, and Jane, thanks for the inspiration!  They indeed made a cracking sound when we pulled them, in each was a paper hat, a small item such as a bag of marbles, and a joke to read.  That was fun.. here is an example.. "What do you call someone who is afraid of Santa?" --  "A Claustrophobic".  :-)


Blog girls love to chat!


Taci brought fresh rolls from her friend's bakery, Betsy brought broccoli salad, I made the salmon and Gracie made us a chocolate cheesecake.  Yum!


Buddy kept hoping I'd drop something.  :-)


After lunch we retired to the living room by the fire and opened our fun little gifts for each other.  First up was something for each of us from Meredith in Florida - she made and sent us the cutest little ornaments of a ball of yarn with little knitting needles stuck in the ball.  *T*H*A*N*K* * *Y*O*U*!*!*!* 


We visited and enjoyed our time together.


A Christmas to remember, with friends.  A new tradition started.


Betsy visited her son in Japan recently and surprised us with a fan from Japan.  We wore our paper hats from our Crackers all afternoon.


The girls seemed pleased with the little snow jar I made them.  I put a small nativity scene in them.


Taci had to get going, so I asked Dayle to get a group photo of us by the tree.



Gracie's chocolate cheesecake.. she used my recipe and it was delicious!!  (recipe at the bottom)


The gifts of friendship - Taci made a little crocheted pillow in a jar kit for us! The red yarn ball ornament from Meredith.  The fan, some hand-made tea and the crocheted ornament from Betsy.  The colorful ball and crocheted wreath ornament from Gracie.  Taci also brought a hostess gift for me of a red and green hot pad for the table!  Isn't it nice to have creative friends?


My son and his family got dressed up a bit ago and they have all headed to Kristi's parents home for Christmas Eve celebrations and you can bet the boys will be bringing home lots of fun things!


My daughter Amy took her two daughters to see the Nutcracker - here they are all dressed up to go - I think they look beautiful!  My recipe is below so I will bid you adieu here and wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!  Thanks for coming to visit me here on this blog and when I count my blessings, your friendship is at the top of my list.  ((hugs)), Teresa :-) 


TERESA’S CHOCOLATE CHEESECAKE

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
Stir together and press on bottom and sides of 9 inch springform pan.

Filling:
2 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1 teasp vanilla
2 eggs

Topping:
1 cup sour cream
2 tablesp sugar
1 teasp vanilla
Combine ingredients.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat cream cheese in mixer, add sugar, cocoa and vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time, beat well after each.  Pour into unbaked crust.  Bake for 35 minutes.  Remove from oven, while still hot pour over topping and spread to the edges, it will "cook" on the cheesecake while it cools. NOTE:  This cheesecake is also best if not overbaked.  It needs to chill for several hours before serving. 

20 comments:

  1. Lovely, lovely Teresa. you made the luncheon so special for everyone, including all of us! I am so glad you all had a wonderful time. You looks so happy together. I'd say about everyone in the blogging world wishes they could have been sitting right at that table chatting and laughing with all of you. Lunch looked delicious, the gifts looked so thoughtful and the friendship that is growing between you is so precious. Merry Christmas to you and your family. I know several little grandchildren that are going to be very excited tonight. Maybe a special Grandma and Grandpa too.
    Merry Christmas,
    Meredith

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh bless Teresa, what a wonderful lunch you had and I am just beyond thrilled to see you loved your crackers and wore your hats all afternoon. How wonderful share such a special time with your blogging friends, the rest of us are there in sprit ;0) We will be pulling our crackers around the table tomorrow and will raise our glassses to you over the pond. My fondest best wishes for a magical Christmas, hugs, Jane x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh, how wonderful. You all look so happy. You obviously had a great time. The food looks delicious and you got such pretty gifts. Merry Christmas to you and your family, Teresa!

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a wonderful, wonderful time you must have had with the girls!

    Your house looks so lovely and cosy, and all ready for the big day tomorrow.

    A very Happy Christmas to you and your family, Im sure you will have a lot of fun!

    Helenxx

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your blogger party looks like a lot of fun and the food looks delicious! Merry Christmas! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  6. What a wonderful new tradition! Merry Christmas to you all.

    ReplyDelete
  7. How lovely Teresa! You are such a wonderful hostess for sure. Your home is decorated so beautifully and lunch always looks so delicious! I wish you and your family a wonderful day tomorrow.
    M E R R Y C H R I S T M A S!!!
    xoxo Shari

    ReplyDelete
  8. I am so glad you shared these moments with us. If anyone wants to know where all the fun is I would say it is up there in Oregon at the Kasner farm!
    Merry Christmas !!!!!!
    Susanne :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thanks again Teresa, and Dayle, for a lovely time! Merry Christmas :) xx

    ReplyDelete
  10. I had a lovely time yesterday. Thank you and thank Dayle for taking such good care of us ladies. See you Friday and Merry Christmas!
    Blessings,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
  11. Thank you for the fab salmon recipe! I printed a copy for me and placed another in my son-the -salmon-eater's Christmas stocking for tomorrow morning.

    Christmas blessings and Happy New Year!
    :)

    ReplyDelete
  12. What a delicious lunch you and your blogger friends had. Your house looks so festive. I must now go unearth my husband's gift from the closet and wrap it. Where do u hide a 22 inch toolbox? Under blankets in the closet with othee things already there. Good thing he doesn't use that side of closet. Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Thanks for sharing the recipes and the fun luncheon get together. Merry Christmas to you ladies!!! Everyone looks so nice in there Christmas outfits. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Well, you must be sick of hearing me say it by now......but oh how I would love to join you ladies sometime! I love all of the sweet gifts! I made those yarn ornaments that Meredith blogged about, for my Knitty Biddies, and they loved them. I have loved meeting other like minded people here in blogland. Merry Christmas to all of you Teresa!
    Love,
    Kris

    ReplyDelete
  15. Wonderfull table and recipes
    。❊ * 。❊ 。 ❊ _█_ ❊ 。 * ❊
    _Π_____ (•.•) * 5☆★☆★☆
    ❊ /______/~\ ( ♥ ) ❊ MERRY CHRISTMAS ❊
    |田 田 |門| ( ♥ ) HAPPY DAY❊
    •♫♥♫*♥*♪♥♫•♪*♥♫•♫♥♫*♥*♪♥♫•♪*♥•♫♥♫*♥*♪

    ReplyDelete
  16. Merry Christmas! It looks like you had a wonderful time with your blog buddies - what a great idea to get together! I smiled at the Buddy picture. Fergus, my Westie, does the same thing. He sits and watches for the smallest crumb to fall to the floor when I am cooking, or when we are eating. They are such sweet dogs!

    ReplyDelete
  17. What fun~~!!!!! Your tree is amazing

    ReplyDelete
  18. Such a fun looking party! Your home is just so festive! You have to share that pillow in a jar bottle with us and give us the details of what happens with it! Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I just stopped by Gracie's blog and saw her photos. You girls have so much fun together. I'm really glad you all live close enough to get together. Merry Christmas to you and your family.
    Hugs,
    Sharon

    ReplyDelete
  20. Great post! You are so lucky with your blog friends. I like that you put all this effort to make it happen. Many wishes for a happy 2014!

    ReplyDelete

I absolutely love comments and thank you so much for taking time to leave me a note. :-)