Christmas Memories, Tallow Up, Strength of a Cowgirl, & Pot Roast
Dear Friend,
It never fails….Christmas time seems to throw me into a nostalgic mood. Memories of Christmas’ past visit me at unexpected moments. While pulling down boxes of Christmas ornaments from the attic, I found the old two-foot-tall light-up Santa stashed away in a corner. It had hidden in the attic since my childhood, and because I hadn’t seen it, I’d forgotten all about it. But as I brought it down to the living room where the tree stood, I suddenly remembered how brightly it lit up my little childhood home.
I remembered the citrusy smell of oranges that filled the room. A bowl of oranges was always sitting on the table by the fireplace. Ornaments on the tree sparkled in silver, gold, and rainbow colors as they hung from the boughs. The smell of fir hovered over the gifts under the tree. My brothers and I couldn’t contain our excitement as we looked at all the presents. We were too excited to sleep
We love to have fun in our household and share those memories. But we’re making new ones in the process of finding joy, laughter, and comfort in another Christmas. So we’ve decided that this year, on Christmas Eve, putting together a hot chocolate charcuterie board is a sure thing, while the adults imbibe in a bit of eggnog with brandy. Then we’ll do some ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ with Brenda Lee as we prepare to go a’caroling to a few neighbors who, we hope, will appreciate our menagerie of voices.
Whatever you do for your Christmas, make it the very best you can. I’m keeping in mind that one day, I will remember this one, too, to add to my collection of nostalgic Christmas memories.
When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things, not the great occasions, give off the greatest glow of happiness. - Bob Hope
The smells of Christmas are the smells of childhood.
- Richard Paul Evans
Tallow Up, My Friends!
‘Tis the season for dehydration to invade our skin. Like a masked marauder, sneaking in while we sleep and blowing off what little hydration we have, our skin is under extreme duress during the winter months. Fortunately, we have an arsenal of products that deflect any ravages the season may bring.
This calls for strong measures. It’s time we, as they say, cowboy/cowgirl up and get the job done.
I looked up the meaning of cowgirl up and this is what I found: "Cowgirl up" means to be tough, resilient, and determined, overcoming challenges without complaining, much like historical cowgirls faced hardship; it's an exhortation to rise to the occasion, work hard, and handle difficulty with grit and grace. It's about facing tough situations head-on, whether fixing fences, pursuing dreams,” or ensuring your skin stays hydrated in the worst of weather.
I’m loving this, and I couldn’t agree more. Keep your tallow moisturizer as your best friend. Slather it on more than once a day if your skin is soaking it up. The wind can be furious, too, causing chapped lips and skin. Use your lip balm to keep them moist.
Possum Fox Snow face cream is one of your best lines of defense from harsh winter weather. With only three ingredients, including organic local raw honey, your skin will stay moist and hydrated. Honey locks in moisture and helps to keep the winter elements from robbing your skin of hydration.
Winter Balm hand and body cream ranks right up there for focused hydration. Check out our skincare products here and stock up. Stay ahead of old man winter and keep your skin fresh and resilient.
It’s not too late to get in on our holiday deals! Use code POSSUM25 to get 25% off on all of products, through December 31, 2025. Let’s start this new year off right, bu taking good care of our skin!
Perfect Pot Roast…
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 to 4 pounds chuck roast or rump roast
1 large yellow onion chopped, or two small onions
2 cups beef broth or as needed
1 cup red wine or beef broth
4 cloves garlic coarsely chopped
½ teaspoon dried rosemary
½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
1 pound baby potatoes or chopped red potatoes
4 carrots cut into 2-inch pieces
2 ribs celery cut into 1 ½-inch pieces
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 300°F.
Season roast with salt and pepper.
In a large Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the roast on each side until browned, about 4 minutes per side adding more oil if needed.
Arrange onions around the roast. Combine broth, wine, garlic, rosemary, and thyme. Pour over the roast. Add bay leaf.
Bring just to a simmer on the stovetop over medium-high heat. Once the broth is simmering, cover and place in the oven and cook 2 hours.
Add potatoes, carrots, and celery, and cook an additional 2 hours (for a 4 lb. roast) or until the roast and potatoes are fork-tender.
Discard bay leaf. Gently pull beef into large pieces with a fork or slice into thick pieces. Serve with juices or make gravy (below) if desired.
To Make Gravy:
Combine 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour with 2 tablespoons cold water until smooth.
Remove beef and vegetables from the pot. Use a gravy separator or a spoon to separate the fat from the drippings.
Bring the remaining broth/drippings to a boil and whisk in the slurry mixture a little bit at a time until thickened. Add extra broth if needed.
Season with salt & pepper to taste.
Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year! May your days be merry, and your spirit remain bright with joy and wonder.
Blessings,
Susan and the Possum Fox Family