Thank you everyone! Before finding this place, I never really decorated for any holiday except Christmas. Ya'll have inspired me! Now if I could just find some more hiding places for the new stuff that somehow finds it's way home with me. My husband says that UPS and Fed Ex have their GPS coordinates set by the location of my house. LOL! Jane, I've discovered the trick for the candy. I just tell my family that they can eat all of it that they want and they don't touch it! But if I tell them "hands off" until after the holiday, they're constantly sneaking behind my back taking candy. Luvs, have you looked on ebay for a matching sugar and creamer for your teapot? Robins, I'm hoping to one day get rid of the hoosier. I live in an older home and that side of the kitchen has no cabinets. The house originally belonged to my husband's grandmother and she had her dining table sitting where I have the island. On the wall where I have the hoosier is where she had her china cabinet so that's why no cabinets. I've been not so subtly hinting to my husband that it's way past time to remodel the kitchen and put cabinets all around the room. I think he's ignoring me.

Cheddar Pennies Delicious cheddar penny cookies!!! Makes 70 pennies. I think I found this recipe on Allrecipes.com 1 to 1½ cups sifted all-purpose flour 1 pinch salt 1 pinch cayenne pepper 6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese 1/2 cup butter, melted Mix together the flour, salt and cayenne pepper. Stir in the Cheddar cheese and melted butter to form a firm dough. Roll pieces of dough into ropes as big around as a penny. Slice into 1/4" slices. If dough is too soft, it can be chilled until firm. Place slices on a lightly greased cookie sheet so they are 1" apart. Bake at 325º 20-25 minutes, until the bottoms are lightly toasted and the tops are firm. Cool completely before serving. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Sesame Seed Whole-Wheat Crackers From a Womens Day or Family Circle back in the 1970's. My kids rolled out a lot of these on rainy Indiana afternoons. Wheat germ can be used instead of the sesame seed. 1 C flour 1 t. salt 1 C whole wheat flour 3 T. oil 1/2 C sesame seeds 2 T. molasses Combine ingredients with 1/2 C water until well mixed. Gather into a ball and knead several times. Divide in half. Roll each half out to fit a lightly buttered 18 x 1 4cookie sheet. Cut into 2" squares with a pastry wheel. Prick surface of each cracker with tines of fork. Bake at 350 for 10 mins or till lightly browned and crisp. Cool and store in airtight tin. Makes about 9 dozen. Oatmeal Crackers Another Womens Day or Family Circle recipe. I made a few variations, and prefer these over the Sesame Seed crackers, which came from the same magazine as above. Notice theres very little fat. 1 1/3 C flour 1/2 t. each baking soda and baking powder 1/3 C buttermilk 1/3 C soy flour (adds protein, but can leave out, just use more flour) 1 C rolled oats 3 T. olive oil 2 T. honey or molasses Combine ingredients with 1/2 C water until well mixed. Gather into a ball and knead several times. Divide in half. Roll each half out to fit a lightly buttered 18 x 14" cookie sheet. Cut into 2" squares with a pastry wheel. Prick surface of each cracker with tines of fork. Bake at 350 for 10 mins or till lightly browned and crisp. Cool and store in airtight tin. Makes about 9 dozen. Sesame Cheddar Sticks This recipe came from a Womens Day or Family Circle, but I found it kind of tasteless, so I changed a few things. The original recipe called for 1/2 C margarine, 3T Worcestershire sauce and 2 t. cold water instead of the buttermilk, brewers yeast, mustard & chili seasoning. Real good with salad. 1 1/2 C flour 1 t. brewers yeast 1/2 t. salt 1 C sharp cheddar 1 t. dry mustard 1 T. sesame seeds 1/3 C buttermilk 1 t. chili seasoning (opt.) Combine all ingredients except buttermilk with pastry blender till crumbly. Stir in buttermilk and shape into a ball. Handle lightly. Roll out on lightly floured board 1/ 4" thick. Cut into 3" x 1/2" strips. Place on ungreased baking sheets and back at 400 for 8-10 mins till golden. Whole Wheat Crackers This recipe came from Grit Magazine, 4/7 - 4/13/91. Makes about 60 crackers. 1 t. dry yeast 1/ 4t. sugar 1/ 4C whole wheat flour 1/3 C warm water 1/ 4t. salt 1/ 4t. baking soda 2 T. oil 1 C flour 1 slightly beaten egg white Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in oil, sugar & salt. In medium bowl mix flours & baking soda. Add yeast mix. Knead thoroughly. Chill in plastic bag for 1 hr. Roll out on flour into 12x10" rectangle. Fold in thirds & roll out again. Repeat twice more. Let rest 10 min. Cut in half & roll each into 1 4x 10" rectangle. Cut into 2" squares, prick well & brush with egg white mixed with 1 T. water. Sprinkle with coarse seasoned salt. Bake on greased baking sheet, 350, 10-12 min.

Quick update... I was in Kentucky earlier this month and visited a few antique stores. There was not a spoon to be found. Anywhere. I assumed perhaps people were keeping their silverware, or someone out there is buying it up. Last weekend, I walked into an antique store in Milwaukee to kill some time before meeting DS, and on display just past the entrance--tons of silverware! There were a few complete sets, but most were divided and grouped by pieces. I bought an 8-piece soup spoon set, and a 6-piece sundae spoon set. Once I returned home and unwrapped them, only 1 of the sundae spoons had an area of wear. The rest were in great condition. I'm especially thrilled with the soup spoons, as I don't have that style (mine are just big teaspoon style). And I'm already putting them to good use--making soup today with Jamaican jerk brats I found in the freezer that never made it to the grill this summer, Rancho Gordo runner beans, various vegetables, and fresh herbs still available from my outdoor planters. It's chilly here today, and I'm working from home. Perfect first soup of the season. You can see the detail on the soup spoon handle below. Thanks for indulging me, everyone. I may be developing a new obsession with antique flatware.

Thought maybe it was a trend within a company. No. Ritz are Nabisco brand and Cheez-Its are Kellogg brand. When we found the extra toasty Cheez-Its at the c-store, my DSIL initially laughed and said they were trying to unload an over-cooked batch, but then we found we really liked them. DBIL goes to a big food show every year where manufacturers bring out their new products. I’ll ask if he knows the Nabisco guys. Maybe he can get a lead on this for us. Did you say you had tried Ritz Whole Wheat and that wasn’t the flavor you are looking for? I have the whole wheat only because it was the only Ritz crackers I could find the last time I bought some. I find them to have the same texture as a regular Ritz, but a deeper flavor.