Christmas napkins

As you're reading this, we're probably already on our way to Indiana to enjoy Christmas with the hubby's family. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and are enjoying the company of loved ones!

Ta Da! The final crafty Christmas presents of 2010 (minus some last minute baking) -- napkins! These are four sets of 9 napkins made out of fabric Chris selected earlier in the year (scroll to the bottom of that post to read about it).

(From top left, clockwise) American flag and bird fabric for Chris' parents, vine-y fabric (which I think looks sort of Christmas-y) for Chris' aunt and uncle and butterflies for my parents. All this was bought at Mountain Plains Fabrics in Fancy Gap, Va.

I cut out 14-inch squares and rolled hemmed the edges with my serger. This is a quick and easy project if you're still looking for something to make as a last minute gift.

To make more fancy napkins, cut out squares that are at least 15 inches and create mitered corners (here's one way to do it, as seen on BurdaStyle). You can also make larger napkins, if you like.

Fold and tie them with extra yarn or ribbon and they're ready for gift giving!

Cranberry-Orange Relish and PawPaw Recipes

I made cranberry-orange relish yesterday as a Turkey Day side dish and I believe the orange in both the relish and my first attempt at pawpaw preserves is what I don't like.

My aunt, Shirley, did like the relish. I think she and I are the only ones that tried it. I used the recipe on the back of the cranberry bag:

Cranberry-Orange Relish

1 bag (12 oz.) cranberries, rinsed
1 medium orange, seeded and quartered
3/4 cup of sugar, more or less to taste

1. Chop the cranberries and orange in a food processor.
2. Add 3/4 cup of sugar to the dish. Add more or less to taste
3. Let set for several hours or overnight in refrigerator before serving.

I could have used more sugar to see if that would have balanced out the twang of the orange. I also probably didn't peel off enough of the pith (white part on the orange) and that's bitter.

For next year's batch of pawpaws, I plan to use a recipe a woman gave to Chris when she learned I was canning some of our fruit:

PawPaw Butter

1 1/2 quart pulp
1 quart sugar
1 package of Sure-Gel
1/4 lime or lemon juice.

Hopefully I'll like this recipe much better than our own.