Our Grass Is Browner: Christmas

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas (now with strata!)

I wish this was our Christmas card. Next year?

Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you're all having as much fun as Johnny and I are; I'm at work and he's on a 3+ hour ModNation Racers bender. I also hope everyone got what they wanted. We received candy and toiletries overload from my mother! Best Christmas ever, amiright?

For those of you that received a free ham from your place of employment (like Johnny did), you're probably cooking it for a festive holiday meal this afternoon or evening. You might think that you love ham and will eat tons of it, but trust me, an eight-pound ham goes a long way between two people. Never fear; I have a solution: put together a delicious strata for breakfast tomorrow! It's assembled ahead of time, rests in the fridge overnight, and will make a tasty breakfast or brunch meal in the morning. (And if there are only two of you, you can eat it for days.)

Ham, Egg, and Cheese Strata

Prep Time: 20 mins; Cook Time: 1 hr; Total Time: 9.5 hrs (sits overnight); Serves: 6

12 slices white bread, cubed

1 c. cooked chopped ham (note: other meats can be used, like bacon or sausage)

2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

1.5 c. sliced mushrooms

12 eggs

2.5 c. half-and-half

1 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Toss together bread, ham, cheese, and mushrooms. Spread evenly in a 9x13 baking dish.
Whisk together eggs, half-and-half, and mustard until smooth. Pour over bread mixture.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to sit in refrigerator overnight.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove plastic wrap and bake strata for 1 hour or until top is golden. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Gift Guide, Stephanie Edition

Hello, hello, and season's greetings! I can't believe Christmas is nearly upon us; where has the year gone? If you're like me, you didn't head out for Black Friday and found the deals on Cyber Monday to be relatively lackluster. And your mother just informed you that you're responsible for getting your family gifts this year because you're an adult with a job. You're in a frenzy of gift-shopping and puzzling over what to get Cousin Jennifer or Uncle Tom. Never fear- yours truly is here with an avalanche of budget-friendly ideas!

For Obscure Aunts

These earrings from OBXJewels are an excellent choice for Obscure Aunts. Since you don't know this relative very well, you want to stick with something that's not too personal, like a sweater (what if you get the wrong size?), but still says that you care more than your other cousin who got her a $10 Target gift card. With prices starting at .10¢ (yes, cents!) and a variety of colors and styles, you can afford to splurge, get several pairs, and secure your spot as the favorite.

For Cool Uncles

Really, any sort of sauce set will do, whether it's hot sauce, barbecue sauce, or this Sierra Nevada Mustard set. They're hip, delicious, and won't break the bank at $11.99. Your cool uncle, who also loves sandwiches, grilling, and beer, will thank you.

For Distant Cousins

Ah, distant cousins. You have vague memories of playing together as children or attending their weddings (and perhaps spending more time at the open bar than you should have), but don't really know them well enough to get them something deeply personal. These recipe bookmarks from Anthropologie ($10) are perfect for your female cousin- she'll feel domestic and will make an effort to stick to her New Year's resolution of cooking more and will adore the cute designs. Your male cousin, assuming he is old enough to shave, will like the look and smell of this whiskey shave jelly from Portland General Store ($12). Hipster Male Cousin will love it because it's organic and vegan, while Outdoorsy Male Cousin will like it because it says "whiskey".

For Your Mom

Man, what to get your mom? She gave birth to you. She helped you with your science fair project. She calls you every Sunday and updates you on her cats. (Maybe that's just my mom?) And you still have no idea what to get her for Mother's Day, her birthday, or Christmas. Stick with an old standby: soap. This set from Paper Source is pretty deluxe: 8 large soaps in a variety of scents come wrapped in gorgeous paper. It's a bit on the high end for $18, but for the woman who spent hours of her life expelling you from her womb, it's totally worth it. Or you could just get her a book on cats.

For Your Dad

Dads are tricky to shop for. They seem to already have everything and always tell you they want something like "hugs" or "more visits" or "grandchildren". These personalized linen handkerchiefs from J&R Designs ($15) are good for dads and are practical and personal. Your dad can use them to dab his eyes at your wedding or blow his nose when he's ill or even use it to wipe the automotive grease from his forehead! (Again, this might just be a Stephanie's-parent thing.)

For Your Boyfriend

This is what I got Johnny! What? Everyone loves party hats. It automatically makes any time party time!!!

For Everyone/Everything Else

If you don't see anything you like or can afford here, don't fret. There are lots of sales happening all around teh intranets and lots of homemade options too! Bake some cookies, bread, or brownies for family/friends/your postman or freeze some of your famous chili and give it to your friend who can't seem to boil water. Hunt for gifts year-round at bargain sites like Groupon, Rue La La, and Gilt Groupe. Set up a coupon email address and subscribe to mailings lists from your/your friends & family's favorite stores. Most send an introductory coupon and will continue to send you exclusive coupons and specials. You can always find fabulous gifts and you don't have to break the bank to do it.

Sale Roundup

Need something? Here are links to a few sales happening around the web at some of my favorite places: