Sugar Plums and a powerful article

I had got this funny one from Martha's blog the other day:

Marie of The English Kitchen posted this Sugar Plum recipe.  Have you ever made them?  I have saved it to try at some point.  There is no baking it seems, just a food processor would be handy.

I was reading this powerful NY Times article featuring our new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.  Here is an excerpt from a debate he had with then prime minister Stephen Harper:

‘‘Why would we not revoke the citizenship of people convicted of terrorist offenses against this country?’’ Harper asked Trudeau incredulously.

‘‘A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian,’’ Trudeau replied defiantly. ‘‘And you devalue the citizenship of every Canadian in this place and in this country when you break down and make it conditional for anyone.’’

Oh wow,  is all I have to say. 

Sunday Sketches - Backyard Shadows

Welcome to Sunday Sketches! This piece is done in my sketchbook (8 1/2" x 11") in watercolour crayon. I called it 'Backyard Shadows'.  It's based on a photo I took in my backyard in the fall, I just changed it to snow on the ground.  We don't really have any snow right now, as it has been a mild December.

Cinnamon Roll Casserole

Daughter L was up north at her boyfriend's family's home last weekend and sent these photos. They did some phenomenal baking.  They made:

cinnamon roll casserole

sugar cookies

shortbread cookies

chocolate covered cookie caramel pops

Paint Party Friday - Topiary

Welcome to Paint Party Friday.  This piece is done in my sketchbook (8 1/2" x 11") in watercolour crayon.  It shows a view of seasonal topiary I have from behind a low wall.  I also tried to capture some morning shadows in the room at the time I took the reference photo.

Pork Tenderloin Roast

I made a pork tenderloin roast for the first time last week. I never had the right kind of pan that you could put in the oven and was recently given a nice one. So I did a jerk marinade for the pork, browned it in some olive oil on the stove top then put it in a 350F oven for twenty minutes (I have a hot oven). I let the meat rest for 10 minutes then sliced it as pictured and that was it! It was tender and delicious. It would be perfect for a festive meal. 

Ikea 2015 Winter Sale

This past weekend husband M and I went to Ikea to check out their 2015 winter sale. M likes their $1 breakfast as pictured below, the Ikea coffee is really good. The deal is if you arrive before 10 am on any day the $1 breakfast includes coffee, otherwise you will pay an extra dollar for the coffee. Well we got there after 10am, but we did enjoy our breakfast. M gets two pancakes for an additional dollar.

Ikea $1 Breakfast

Since M loves their coffee so much, we bought a couple of boxes to take home.

Ikea Coffee

I was surprised that Ikea was selling real Christmas trees for $20 each. They smelled really good. The stands were $22.50, more than the tree actually.

I enjoyed the wonderful Christmas music playing throughout the store as you shopped. It makes you feel like there is absolutely no hurry, as you are lulled into a wonderful Christmas spirit. It was a fun shopping day, of course I didn't need any furniture.

Seasonal Fun

One of my girlfriends is newly retired and went to work part-time at a thrift store this year. She invited me to their employee Christmas sale just over a week ago and gave me a special ticket for the after hours sale. Most of the stuff was 50% off that night. Husband M, son K and I went to have a look. I got this Lladro 1991 Christmas ornament for $1.50, it had never been used. Son K got an old Xbox game for about $2.

I should really go through our clutter and donate to this worthy store.

Lladro Ornament

X Box game