Done

Lovely, but glad it is over!  In 15 minutes it will be time to drag it all out again and start over.  Christmas comes faster every year and while I love it, I wish there were a few more months of not having to think about it at all. 

I am doing that rib roast right now.  The schedule that was planned did not work out for anyone, so there the rib roast was staring at me with chagrin.  I snarled back because the curse of the cough once again threw me against the wall during this very merry time of year. It has long worn out its welcome and I am debating what to do to avoid it again.  It is on me before I know what is happening.  One minute I am fine, the next five minutes tells the tale of the week to come.  Oh, well.  That's life. Hence a very fine rib roast with roasted potatoes and carrots awaits some lucky people, ready or not.  The house smells great but I bet the oven will need cleaning because I started it off at 500 degrees for 15 minutes and then changed temps. to 325 for an hour and a half. I never worried so much about a hunk of meat in my life.  I hated opening the fridge--well, I wasn't hungry for four days anyway, so I didn't look in there too often.  Beth, Carly and Brooks were here, and Andy too.  So they helped out.

Corned beef and cabbage

Not a fancy dish today, corned beef and cabbage with potatoes and carrots.  I saw this nice brisket at Sam's and thought of Matt, our grandson who loves the dish sans the cabbage.  What is it about the cabbage family that turns so many people off?  Maybe it is difficult to digest?  I don't know but it is nearly (not quite but nearly) worth it when it is prepared correctly.

The snow is sticking around even though the sun is out and doing its job.  I think we are having a heat wave tomorrow, it is to be 40 degrees.

Do you know we have added three new people to our family circle this year?  Mckenna, our second girl and great-granddaughter, Alyssa's husband, Josh, and Brooks' wife Carly. There is no end to where this can go size-wise.  We still have three unmarried grandsons.  Yiiikes.  Many Branches will have many more branches added to its tree of life.

I have the rib roast marinating in a wonderful concoction of herbs, salt pepper, garlic, and olive oil.  The cranberry sauce is finished and in the fridge.  The cheesecakes are done.  I decided to have those instead of tiramisu this year. Just three appetizers, the scallops with bacon and a cheese and fruit platter...oh and an antipasto plate. I can't stop myself.

Hope all is going well for you all.

Scallops wrapped in bacon. YES, please

Now I have to make another trip to Trader Joe's.  I wanted to try these treats to see if I liked them well enough to serve them to Christmas day guests and then I ate them all right out of the oven! Oink oink. They come a dozen to a box and then you pop them free and clear of all packaging in a 450-degree oven for 8-10 minutes on one side, flip them and a bit less than 8 minutes on the other side. (Bottom shelf of the hot oven.) When the bacon is crisp you know they are fit for a king, although my king did not get a taste.

I figure I will buy 3 boxes for Christmas Day.  That along with an antipasti platter should be enough before I introduce them to a beautiful prime rib boneless roast. Ahhh, the holidays.  I dread and love them at the same time.  Once I get into the mood, however, look out.

We've just been to Sam's and I must say it was delightfully empty of customers.  However, by check-out time people were pouring through the doors with holiday written all over them.

I have a lot going on in the kitchen and the cleaning crew is due at 2:00.  They will have plenty to do today. I'll take that time to go to Trader Joe's to see what kind of trouble I can get in over there with some of his new products.

Doris Lechler

We asked our three-year-old great-granddaughter where she would like to go and she said to Trader Joe's.  The apple does not fall far from the tree at Trader Joe's.

Soup girl

Yep, soup girl (girl is used loosely) is at it again. I am cleaning our the fridge and chopping and washing and simmering and sauteeing all in my nightdress.  Once the cooking bug hits me, I have to get at it.  I have a lovely base going for this unusual soup and although it won't be as good as the last batch of cauliflower soup that I raved about, it will be different and tasty.  Andy and I like a certain kind of brats, Johnsonville original recipe.  Andy discovered brats in miniature... like breakfast brats and brought home a package.  I decided today to put them into the base of this soup that is simmering away on the stove at the moment.  I still have some blanched brussel sprouts, so they are going in as I figure out what to add.  I am trying out a new pot that I got at Marshals yesterday while Beth and I were running around. It holds a lot of goodies and seems to be working well enough.

I am treating Beth and me to roasted fennel tonight. I adore it in any form, but roasted with olive oil and salt and pepper; it's the best way to serve it.

Let's see where this day takes us. Stir in some miniature pasta carried home from Italy...

Hash browns, a new use

I found a new use for shredded frozen hash browns.  I was making cauliflower soup today and needed diced potatoes to add to it, but, I was in a hurry and found the shredded hash browns in the freezer.  I added them to the pot and they not only thickened the soup but added a delicious touch to the broth.  On the porch was the stalk of brussel sprouts from Trader joe's so I blanched them and put the smallest ones into the soup mixture.  I was on fire today! People kept stopping by and having a cup or two of this brew and now there are less than two cups left of the enormous pot that came and left today. Note: To me, this was the best soup I have ever made and I am a soup-making nut.

My monthly maintenance program began today with a pedicure.  I swear the upkeep of my existence is unmanageable at times. Next is the hair and Heather is moving away to Arizona and I have to look for someone new.  All of you ladies know the angst of that procedure! Well, there are bigger problems to consider in this world and I am glad these menial matters are all I have to worry about at my age.  So, bring it on.

I am thankful for Nancy's cookies, all the people who stopped by ate cookies as well and now we are down to a manageable amount.  I have hidden the buckeyes, but I am certain they will be found.  Andy has a sweet tooth and it leads him to all the hiding places eventually.

Cookies galore

Luckily I have a niece who bakes.  Baking used to be a favorite past time of mine, but no more.  So, when Nancy, my niece, showed up yesterday with enough cookies to get us through the season without my help, both Andy and I were impressed and grateful. Dozens of snickerdoodles, lovely oatmeal and, of course, buckeyes.  Thank you, thank you.

Things are moving along lazily around here.  No rush or fuss, just a steady pace this year for some strange reason.  I suppose this contentment bubble will pop pretty soon but until then I am wallowing in it. Unlike the government, many of us are finding peace and thankfulness for what we have and the good health of our family members.

McDonald's has the best sausage muffin with hash browns and a good cup of black coffee, yum.  Andy is on his way home with that tidy little get-me-through the day bag of goodies.  I have dinner all planned and a good book search on the agenda.

Have a lovely week-end. Oh, I bought my new kitchen journal and plan to start it for the new year's goings-on at Many Branches and afar.  We have only one trip planned (so far) for the new year.  Andy and I want to go to Nashville for Brooks and Carly's marriage celebration.  They have been married a year now as of December 5th and in May we gather to celebrate this event, with pleasure.  

Trader Joe's on a Sunday evening...yiiikes

Have you ever had a craving for fish sticks?  If so, Trader Joe's is the place to get them.  Beth and I ran around this Sunday afternoon and evening and I filled the trunk of the car and she filled the backseat!  I unpacked the fish sticks very quickly and stuck them in the oven for 20 minutes and they came out perfectly. I have not served or eaten them since my children were young and they are not young anymore. For some strange reason, I think fish sticks would be delicious in a taco shell dressed with regular lettuce, tomatoes, etc. A fish taco of sorts.

Pier 1, we thought, is going out of business so we stopped in there.  They are actually not going out of business but going to be more of a warehouse distribution (sales) facility.  They did have sales and I bought some darling Christmas table items: jingle bells trimmed placemats, great heavy ,elegant glass candy boxes, a long cranberry centerpiece, to name but a few items.  I want to picture the candy boxes.  They are special.

Back at Trader Joe's, I got one of their chocolate Brooklyn babkas.  I will put it in the freezer and bring it out when Brooks and Carly (now Mr. and Mrs. Brooks Wagstaff) come to Christmas dinner. I am serving a big prime rib roast, Rosemary potatoes, brussel sprouts (I bought them still on the stock), Yorkshire pudding, a salad, and Tiramisu.

I restocked Trader Joe's basmati rice medley It is so flavorful. Well, back to redoing the Christmas table.  It was done and covered and now I have better things to accent it, so I am tearing it apart and starting again.  Oh well, the lighted trees give me the inspiration to move ahead.

Happy decorating.

Pier 1 had these wonderful heavy beautiful glass candy boxes. They are really special.

The rental car

Well, I found out about a car that I don't want...a hybrid Hyundai. (I hope I spelled that correctly.)  We were cruising along in New Orleans and stopped for a red light and the car switched off.  Then when gas was applied it restarted by its self.  So we spent four days hic-cupping down the streets of New Orleans.  The rental agent failed to mention this 'feature'.  Had I been alone and driving it would have scared me.  But Mike knew what was happening and didn't mind it.  I am all for conservation but, really? It's enough worrying about the car falling into a giant pothole and now it is the stop and start of the car.

I bet some of you have started baking Christmas cookies.  I kind of miss doing that with family, but everyone's so busy now it is another fading tradition. My nieces and I started the weekend after Thanksgiving and we baked until a couple of weeks before Christmas. It was a glorious array.  Martha Stewart, on public television, on Saturdays bakes cookies of every kind and ilk.  I have not even seen most of them but she certainly presents them with aplomb.

I have a lovely soup on the stove having made it from yesterday's left over beef stew.  So these are my soup making years instead of my cookie years.

Cranberry cornmeal toasties from my kitchen today

Four days of Happy Birthday

I am just coming down from a birthday high.  We got home after midnight last evening and what was waiting on the counter was a special birthday pie from my niece Nancy and her husband Danny. Nancy has blessed me with these pies before but this one is a knock out from Miles Farmers' market in Solon, Ohio.  This one is an apple pecan salted caramel delight.  Now Andy was happy to see me after four days of my partying in New Orleans, but he was especially happy to open the box of pie when I got home.  He had a slice before bed, but I was dog tired and hit the hay. I will enjoy a warm slice some time today with a fresh pot of coffee.

This celebration in New Orleans for Thanksgiving and, conveniently, my birthday is always special and this year was the very best.  Ann's crawfish dressing was a hit with my grandson, Adam, who flew in from the snowy west for the occasion. He and I could not get enough of this special concoction.  Alyssa, the new bride, made two more dressing treats and a sweet potato pecan side that was beautifully presented. Beth's sister made the scrumptious onion pies this year and they were tasty.

We never had a dull moment and an additional treat was staying with my friend at the lovely Claibourn Mansion in the French Quarter.

Of course the deal was sealed with a night at the Rock and Bowl with a live band and dancing.  So much fun~

Age 82 enjoying a birthday breakfast of grits and shrimp.

Oh, Boy, put me on that plane

I am so looking forward to the trip on Thursday with many members of the family getting together for Thanksgiving.  Now that I am over my spell of an allergy attack which I thought was a cold, but wasn't, I am in rare form for this trip. I keep a kitchen journal and looked back to note I get this every autumn in one form or another and I had exactly seven days to get over it. When I was teaching I blamed it on the new class and getting used to them while building up a resistance to whatever they brought to school in cold form.  Well, enough of that, it's solved for now.

I have a lovely pot of pasta with shrimp and cod.  I miss being able to step out the back door to cut fresh herbs to my heart's content. Some live in the conservatory, but they are not happy there. I think this dish needs a fresh cutting of herbs to liven it up.

Andy has chosen to skip New Orleans for Thanksgiving, so I am trying to come up with some dishes that he will like on Thursday while we are feasting in Nola.  Mac and cheese is a favorite, some deli turkey for sandwiches would satisfy him and when Mike gets home on Saturday I think they will find some favorites at a carry-out.

I am sure those of you that are hosting this year are hard at it by now.  So many things can be made ahead it has become easier as the years roll by.  Then it will be cookie baking time.  Cook's Corner had a nice cookie section (booklet) but there were fewer recipes and more stories than in the past.  People do not have time to send in their tried and true cookie recipes now days.  One way to get a fix is Martha Bakes on public television on Saturday.  She always makes the most unusual cookies and those that are favorites she gives them a nice tweak or twist, all without splattering her sweater. Sigh.

Happy holidays.  Will write again on Tuesday.

Dinner on a shingle

You will be surprised once you are served your entree on a piece of slate.  I was in Italy when this mistake was placed in front of me.  My strips of sauteed bell peppers slid over to join the diner next to me.  My mini pork chops skittered off this rimless plate so I was quite busy picking up my food and putting it back on the shingle.  Who on earth thought this was a good idea??? This offense was coupled by the fact that the stuff that remained on the 'plate' was not that good to begin with.  Finally, I gave up, left the table and went to bed.  The food in Italy did not find us and I only had one good dish all the time I was there. (Although I qualify that by saying the breakfasts were very good.) But, I am not hungry for breakfast and rarely have it, so that was wasted on me.  Nonetheless, our good times over shadowed the food.   The food, however, is the first thing people ask about when they learn I had a trip to Italy. We found the wine to be very good, so that made up for some of the messes that we were served. It's tour food that is the culprit.  The kitchen knows it will never see the likes of you again, so they get away with it. This is strange by contrast--cruises have great food and they could have the same attitude, so it is a mystery.

My mouth is set for good New Orleans cooking so come on Thursday, let's set it up. Beth's family is known for their good food and the restaurants are so good.  I don't think I have ever had a bad meal there, and, I have discovered things to eat that I would never have tried at home.

Now, all I have to do is get over this cold or whatever it is.  I still have four days of it left if I calculate it right, so I will be good to go come Thursday. I have enjoyed the cooking shows so much this month on the Food Network, maybe because I know I won't have to make this meal myself.