I feel like Buddy the Elf every December. I absolutely LOVE Christmas. Getting together with family, watching my kids get excited over their presents, drinking hot chocolate, watching Christmas movies – I love it all. But if you’re spending all your time getting your house decorated for the most wonderful time of the year, it’s hard to actually enjoy it. So I’ve put together five simple and quick ways to decorate for Christmas.

1. A tiered tray

Over the years I’ve accumulated several small Christmas decorations, many of them gifts from friends, and was running out of places to put them. I had this tiered tray on my kitchen counter holding fruit and random kitchen things, so I moved it to my entry table and used it to display all of my little holiday treasures.

2. Holiday pillows

One of the easiest things to do is just swap your regular throw pillows with Christmas pillows. These are made of a really soft sweater material, so they are perfect to snuggle up with while watching Christmas movies! (pillows from TJ Maxx)

3. Christmas card display

Card holders can get expensive, but you can get resourceful and use something you already have to display your Christmas cards. I used this old wooden shutter, which just happens to be a pretty Christmas green color.

4. Table centerpiece

Table centerpieces can also be expensive. And if you make one yourself, they can be very time-consuming. A few pine branches around a candle is perfect for a centerpiece, and there’s still plenty of room on the table for actual food!

5. Ornaments as filler

When it comes to ornaments, “think outside the tree.” I used some to fill this lantern, bringing Christmas colors to another part of the house.

I hope these ideas have given you some inspiration for your own house, and proven that Christmas decorations don’t have to be expensive or complicated.

Merry Christmas everyone! And happy birthday Jesus!

Thanks ya’ll!

   – Nikki

Everyone has a certain way to cook their peas. My grandmother cooked hers all day with a ham hock. I don’t even know what a ham hock is, or even if I’m spelling it right, let alone where to find one in the grocery store. I also have a full time job and two busy kids, so I don’t have all day to cook peas either.

Over the years, I’ve come up with a way to cook my peas that packs a lot of flavor but doesn’t take a lot of time. I’d love for you to share your pea recipes with me as well!

We have a friend who owns a pea farm, so we always have plenty of purple hull peas in our freezer. I’ve cooked black-eyed peas and butter beans this way as well, and they are just as good. (If you’re using fresh peas, soak them in water overnight before cooking.)

First, cut up a few slices of bacon into bite-sized pieces and throw into a pot.

Cook the bacon on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it is just starting to get crisp. Next, add in some onion and garlic, and cook with the bacon. No need to add butter or oil – the veggies will cook in the bacon grease.

Once you add in the veggies (I use about 1/3 of an onion chopped up and 2-3 cloves of garlic minced), you will wish someone would create a candle that smells like bacon, onion and garlic cooking. It smells amazing!

After the vegetables are tender, add in the peas. Season with whatever you like (I use Tony’s) and add enough chicken stock to just cover the peas.

The chicken stock will add lots of flavor, making the peas taste like you’ve been cooking them all day.

Now bring this to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. The peas will take about an hour or so to cook. They are done when they are tender and a little darker in color, but you can’t overcook them. The longer you cook them, the better they will taste.

These are a wonderful side dish (especially for fried deer steak!), but they can also be a main dish when paired with cornbread, especially in the fall and winter months.

I know these aren’t “your grandmother’s peas,” but they taste just as good and are much quicker to make.

I would love to hear how you all cook your peas! I’m always open to new ideas!

Thanks y’all!

  – Nikki