Let me be really honest – this can be a kind of blah time of the year for me.  All the festivities are over and the celebrations are completed.  The decorations come down and the world is wintery and gray.  The house can look really plain after the undecorating is completed, can’t it?

So for me, when Christmas is done and I walk into my house – particularly my kitchen, I want to smile at what I see.  I like to refresh things in my menu and my decor so it won’t be bleak looking once all the tinsel and garlands have been removed from walls and windows.

Since food is essential, I’ll start with refreshng the menu.  All the rich foods and decadent desserts are great, but now we’re always ready for something a lot more simple. If fixing dinner this week is stumping you, why not just silmplify?  Need some suggestions?

• Baked potatoes with toppings –
  • Bacon bits
  • Chives
  • Sour Cream
  • Grated Cheddar Cheese
• Waffles or Pancakes for Dinner
• Quiche or Vegetable Fritatta & Tossed Salad
• Soup Beans and Corn Bread
• Homemade soup, made from the ham bone or chicken stock you enjoyed at Christmas.

After Christmas is over and the decorations come down is also a good time to freshen up the kitchen decor.  Your bowls and baking supplies have had lots of use and may have gotten displaced.  While putting things back into order, consider changing things around a bit.  Display pretty bowls or canisters on your counter, as seen in the pictures above (from Cottage Jounal Magazine).

Did you  get new dishes for Christmas?  Don’t hide them!  Find a pretty way to display them in your cabinets or a way to make them really shine when you set the table.  Placemats can be changed out for pretty chargers.  They’ll add texture and color to your table.

I love the plate display on the wall above, minus the wine bottle on the table .    Pretty platters and special dishes would be beautiful hung on plate hangers and displayed in the kitchen or dining area.

One other area of your kitchen that needs to be remembered in your attempt to refresh is your table.  With the Christmas candles gone, don’t just shirk your shoulders and sigh – find a winter candle arrangement like the one pictured above to warm up that space and invite your family and guests to gather ’round.

Another touch that I love in the above picture is the chandelier.  This is another picture from The Cottage Journal Magazine.  They added a string of beads to embellish the lighting with sparkle.  I love this touch and hope to copy it!  What the evergreen garland and white lights did at Christmas time,  the beads will do in January!

Keep your kitchen and your menu from getting the blah’s at this time of year by refreshing both with these simple ideas!

Refresh your kitchen and you’ll refresh your home!

Toodles Friends,