After Christmas Notes for your Notebook-2010

[Ahorsesoul]

Now's the time to write up some notes for your notebook so you remember next year. I usually only do notes about the food but you could write down your thoughts about gifts and holiday prep. What worked and what did not.

Christmas Day is my first after day since we celebrate on Christmas Eve. I wrote up my notes from yesterday's meal. I kept a pad of paper on the counter so I could write down thoughts as they occurred instead of forgetting them.

2010 Christmas Menu Notes

Prime Rib
Baked Fingerling Potatoes
Caramelized Onions
Stuffed Mushrooms
Sugar Snap Peas
Sour Cream, seasoned and plain
Horseradish Sauce
Pecan Pie
Chocolate Salami
Banana Bread

Prime Rib: Had a 13.13 pound roast was 4 ribs. Could use a smaller one next year or could just plan for leftovers. Be sure to have French bread for sandwiches.
Dry aged the roast for one week in refrig. Did add to the tenderness. Do again.
Put into a 475 over for 45 minutes covered with Coffee Meat Rub with Worcestershire sauce. Used meat thermometer set to 125. Was too high, lower setting for next year.
Turned off oven after 45 minutes with sign on door not to open.
2:00 put in oven
2:30 temp was 45
3:00 temp was 56
3:30 temp was 73
4:00 temp was 101
4:45 temp was 105 turned on oven to 350
5:15 temp was 110
5:28 temp was 116
Let roast sit for 10 minutes. Was done just fine. Excellent pink color all the way from the edges to the middle. 2009-had smaller roast was done after 2 hours with oven off.

Potatoes: Baked these at 350 before putting in roast. Kept warm in crock-pot. Do again.

Caramelized Onions: Did these in cast iron skillet. Kept warm in crock-pot. Do again.

Stuffed Mushrooms: Used 1 large box. Need to use two since we used these as appetizers.

Sugar Snap Peas: Used three bags. Way too many. Two would be fine.

Had no complaints. Was easy to fix and very little rush except at the end when carving up the roast since I was cooking the Sugar Snap Peas also.

 

[Kim Loves Snow]

Great job with the notes!!!!! I'm impressed and motivated now!

 

[girlsinmo]

Have a headache tonight but I wanted to subscribe to this thread so I'd remember to do this tomorrow...

 

[missjane]

I'm about to go write in my notebook now. I made notes on a pad, but not in my notebook. Every year brings something different, but plan ahead, I will. One thing is...definitely make notes about what I hear people saying they want all year in general passing conversation. That way, I am no pestering them asking only to have them reply, "I don't know. I haven't really thought about it." And I am going to write down things I think about, too, so I don't reply the same way! (Insert me laughing at my own silly self.)

 

[Ahorsesoul]

I do keep a document on my desktop of items I would like to have for that same reason. It includes things like a case of printer paper, box of clear page protectors up to diamond drop earrings.

 

[Woman]

After Christmas Notes

For years I have been writing a letter to myself about whatever holiday it was-who was there-what foods we ate-how the children reacted to their gifts-funny things that happened-what I baked-what was liked and what was not liked-also made up my grocery list for the next year-cards I sent and cards I received-anything that I thought would help with the next year-plus what gifts I gave to everyone-has been a great help for me-


Woman

:snowman2:

 

[Merry Christmas]

I'm making note of some of the good ideas already listed.

I didn't do a notebook this year, and I've regretted it!!

 

[happy2bme]

I have been making notes for the last little while. I will sit down next week or the week after and rewrite then so that I can read them and put them in my notebook.

 

[DawnSu]

something I am def going to have to do... there r alot of things I have bene keeping down with my outside decore... and now that I have the xtra rooms, its much more of a spread out... lol

 

[Farmermom4]

Have my notebook but didn't use it much, which I really regret, for some reason Christmas really kicked my b*** this year, not sure what happened, but need to make notes for a more stress free 2011 Christmas!

 

[Lana]

I hope to work in mine in the next week or so. Find myself using it more and more.

 

[MinnieCo]

I didn't use my notebook much either. I pretty much just used it for my list. I was loosing things, procrastinating and here I have this great tool. Smack upside the head!! BUT as we can all dream, I will use my notebook. I think it's too big and I was too excited when I made it. I think I'll scale it down and then it might get used.

 

[beccaw]

We've got one more Christmas to celebrate this evening so I'll start my debrief tomorrow. I use the form CEO has on the Organized Christmas site and keep the previous years in my notebook... nice to be able to look back and see what ideas worked and what didn't.

 

[AnnieClaus]

Ahorsesoul-
Thank you for this thread! Yes- now is the time to put the notes down! Because life is so busy and before you know it, will be back to the holiday season and will have forgot anything we wanted to tweak or change all together.

I like your notes on how the cooking went!

Annie

 

[DebbiGall]

I didn't use my notebook much either. I pretty much just used it for my list. I was loosing things, procrastinating and here I have this great tool. Smack upside the head!! BUT as we can all dream, I will use my notebook. I think it's too big and I was too excited when I made it. I think I'll scale it down and then it might get used.

Minnie I use a 1/2 inch binder as my working note book and a 2 inch for storage. The 1/2 inch is a great size to keep with you around the house and in the car.
Then you can put this year in the storage binder to look at when you have time.

 

[Farmermom4]

Debbie, I think that is what I need to do, I have a large cumbersome binder with all the years, so it is difficult to use throughout the season, with a smaller binder I could carry it around more and use it, might work on that today!

 

[Saquilla]

Yes... must make those notes soon. I have mental notes, but of course if they're not on paper I won't remember them next year!!

I think my notebook worked well for me. I just need to pretty it up a bit - the information's there, but sections have been changed around and there's lots of scribbling and crossing out of things.

My gifts actually stayed within budget this year!! It was the food costs that went over haha!

 

[Ahorsesoul]

Just write those mental notes down here.

 

[MinnieCo]

Debbie, I like that idea. I think I'll try it. I'll let you know how it works out.

 

[HouseElf]

Really need to figure out how to make my notes electronic - cannot find an app yet that fits

Buggy my tech husband to try his hand at one!

Did not use my binder much this year - as I fell in love with my new iPhone early in December. Great when I am out and about - but still need the more flexible paper book.

I love updating and looking ahead to next year