Random Christmasness...
1. I baked pumpkin pie last night. It's great stuff. I've been asked for the recipe before, but it's just the one on the can. Why mess with success? Libby's puts it there so you buy more next year, right? Don't get me wrong, you can have different pumpkin pie that's just as good, but Libby's is good, super easy, and nothing exotic to freak out the kids or the oldsters.
2. For my friend Tina, here's the Heat Miser. I know you loves him.
And thanks to Kirstin for posting up the vid on Facebook. Who doesn't like a little Heat Miser?
3. Finally, to all my friends, a Merry Christmas!
I'll be hoisting a few in your collective honor, later tonight!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Dibs on the Carcass!
I feel like I have so much to say, but my eyes just stare at the empty "page." Rather than be all smooth and put together, I'll go with some bullets and randomness. Stuff.
I've been working on my "tagged" blog post for a long time. Why is that so hard? I have six things, so far.
This weekend flew by. I had a great weekend of Christmas parties. Friday was a work party, but I love this group of people. I had a great time. I was the designated driver, so I was a good boy. Although, I did eat a lot of desserts.
Saturday, was my cousins' Christmas party. My Dad's Uncle's kids and their families. It's been a while since I spent a lot of time with them, but I grew up with these people, so it was great to see them again. A few individuals dominated my green beans, although collectively, it seems they don't like them. But they do like jello salad, and it turns out that I do, too. There was no ambrosia, but I have high hopes for Easter! My kids had a great time, too. It's nice to see Allie hang with the adults and carry on a conversation so easily. She's growing up.
Oh, there was a HUGE ham, but I was second to ask for the bone, so someone else had dibs on the carcass. Yeah, merry Christmas! ;)
Speaking of Allie growing up, she is 5' 6" now. When asked if she wished she wasn't so tall, she said "No, I just with my friends were a little taller already."
We were going to go to church this morning, but I thought it was Saturday and cleaned all the way through church time. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, right? Right? Crap.
I made split pea soup tonight. It was great, and the kids ate it.
It's the World's easist soup to make, so make some.
Here...
World's Easiest Soup (aka Split Pea)
8 cups water or broth (I used 4 cups homemade ham stock and 4 cups water)
1 lb split peas (one of those packages from the grocery store is one pound)
3 bay leaves
1/4 tsp mysteriously exotic Bulgarian herbs (which merely turned out to be summer savory...)
1 tsp salt (unless your broth is really salty, of course)
1 tsp vinegar (white, red wine, or cider, I suppose)
ground pepper (some)
ham (optional)
Sort through peas and discard anything not peas. Rinse and put in a pot with a lid. Add the liquid and herbs and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for an hour to an hour and half. Your goal is to get the peas to break down when stirred, so keep it bubbling until this happens.
If you want it thicker, uncover for the final 30 minutes or so. You can't really overcook them, as long as you don't burn the bottom, so simmer until it's just the right amount of thick. Too thick? Add more water.
Done? Add the vinegar and stir. Taste and salt until salty enough. Pepper it up and serve in bowls. I added ham.
I'm looking forward to Christmas. Christmas Eve at my ((ex)step) Mom's. That's right. Ex-Step-Mom.
"I'm the ex wife of your mother's first ex husband's best friend."
"What's that make us?"
"Absolutely nothing. Pass the ambrosia."
She's like my Mom, though. She's even remarried, and my kids call her husband "Grandpa Will."
I love Christmas Eve at Mom's, with the traditional Christmas gumbo, cheesecake, and sweet potato pie. These foods were the beginning for me. I knew how to cook, but learning these dishes took me to the next level in my love of cooking. ...plus, I've inherited my powers of cheesecake from this Mom.
Oh, I just thought of #7. Sweet.
Speaking of step-parents and Christmas, my genetic mother's second husband (of 3?) had an awesome family. They were Japanese by way of Hawaii, and the Christmas spread was the best thing, ever. I have fond memories of taking my shoes off at the door, and entering a world of bbq pork, wontons, skewered meats, teriyaki jerky, shrimp with the heads still there, and things wrapped in bacon. mmmm.... bacon.
Also, his family was wonderful, especially his little sister, who in retrospect, might have been an exotic dancer.
I still need to get a tree. A good Charlie Brown tree isn't searched out, it's the only one left. I can still see piles of trees at the lots, so I have a day or so more before I stop at a lot to pickup my loser tree. It better be bad!
Long, but I've got still more...
Thoughts and prayers go out to some friends having hard times. From minor colds, to broken bones and hospitals. Big bills to lost jobs. Broken garage door openers to leeking roofs, to totaled cars... I hope that things get better and you can feel the Christmas spirit by Wednesday and Thursday. You guys and girls are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Roland
little dog lost
I've been working on my "tagged" blog post for a long time. Why is that so hard? I have six things, so far.
This weekend flew by. I had a great weekend of Christmas parties. Friday was a work party, but I love this group of people. I had a great time. I was the designated driver, so I was a good boy. Although, I did eat a lot of desserts.
Saturday, was my cousins' Christmas party. My Dad's Uncle's kids and their families. It's been a while since I spent a lot of time with them, but I grew up with these people, so it was great to see them again. A few individuals dominated my green beans, although collectively, it seems they don't like them. But they do like jello salad, and it turns out that I do, too. There was no ambrosia, but I have high hopes for Easter! My kids had a great time, too. It's nice to see Allie hang with the adults and carry on a conversation so easily. She's growing up.
Oh, there was a HUGE ham, but I was second to ask for the bone, so someone else had dibs on the carcass. Yeah, merry Christmas! ;)
Speaking of Allie growing up, she is 5' 6" now. When asked if she wished she wasn't so tall, she said "No, I just with my friends were a little taller already."
We were going to go to church this morning, but I thought it was Saturday and cleaned all the way through church time. Cleanliness is next to Godliness, right? Right? Crap.
I made split pea soup tonight. It was great, and the kids ate it.
It's the World's easist soup to make, so make some.
Here...
World's Easiest Soup (aka Split Pea)
8 cups water or broth (I used 4 cups homemade ham stock and 4 cups water)
1 lb split peas (one of those packages from the grocery store is one pound)
3 bay leaves
1/4 tsp mysteriously exotic Bulgarian herbs (which merely turned out to be summer savory...)
1 tsp salt (unless your broth is really salty, of course)
1 tsp vinegar (white, red wine, or cider, I suppose)
ground pepper (some)
ham (optional)
Sort through peas and discard anything not peas. Rinse and put in a pot with a lid. Add the liquid and herbs and bring to a boil. Simmer, covered, for an hour to an hour and half. Your goal is to get the peas to break down when stirred, so keep it bubbling until this happens.
If you want it thicker, uncover for the final 30 minutes or so. You can't really overcook them, as long as you don't burn the bottom, so simmer until it's just the right amount of thick. Too thick? Add more water.
Done? Add the vinegar and stir. Taste and salt until salty enough. Pepper it up and serve in bowls. I added ham.
I'm looking forward to Christmas. Christmas Eve at my ((ex)step) Mom's. That's right. Ex-Step-Mom.
"I'm the ex wife of your mother's first ex husband's best friend."
"What's that make us?"
"Absolutely nothing. Pass the ambrosia."
She's like my Mom, though. She's even remarried, and my kids call her husband "Grandpa Will."
I love Christmas Eve at Mom's, with the traditional Christmas gumbo, cheesecake, and sweet potato pie. These foods were the beginning for me. I knew how to cook, but learning these dishes took me to the next level in my love of cooking. ...plus, I've inherited my powers of cheesecake from this Mom.
Oh, I just thought of #7. Sweet.
Speaking of step-parents and Christmas, my genetic mother's second husband (of 3?) had an awesome family. They were Japanese by way of Hawaii, and the Christmas spread was the best thing, ever. I have fond memories of taking my shoes off at the door, and entering a world of bbq pork, wontons, skewered meats, teriyaki jerky, shrimp with the heads still there, and things wrapped in bacon. mmmm.... bacon.
Also, his family was wonderful, especially his little sister, who in retrospect, might have been an exotic dancer.
I still need to get a tree. A good Charlie Brown tree isn't searched out, it's the only one left. I can still see piles of trees at the lots, so I have a day or so more before I stop at a lot to pickup my loser tree. It better be bad!
Long, but I've got still more...
Thoughts and prayers go out to some friends having hard times. From minor colds, to broken bones and hospitals. Big bills to lost jobs. Broken garage door openers to leeking roofs, to totaled cars... I hope that things get better and you can feel the Christmas spirit by Wednesday and Thursday. You guys and girls are all in my thoughts and prayers.
Roland
little dog lost
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Masala Tea (or that stuff your Grandma uses to make her house smell good on Christmas)
I've been hooked on this stuff for a few months now, courtesy of my Bulgarian girlfriend.
It's supposed to be soothing or relaxing, and compared to full caf coffee, it certainly is! Also, it tastes great, and although it has nothing to do with Christmas, it smells a lot like that stuff that your grandma used to simmer on the stove all day (no, not the gibblets!).
Grandma wanted to make the house smell good before the relatives showed up, so she simmered fragrant spices in a stovetop potpourri, filling the house with that comforting scent. So, you can totally freak her out by drinking your potpourri in front of her!
Masala Tea (or chai *)
6 cups water
1 cinnamon stick, broken up
5 thinly sliced circles of fresh ginger
5 cardamom pods
5 cloves
5 peppercorns
5 allspice seeds
1 cup milk
honey or stevia to taste
Heat the water to boiling in a saucepan, then reduce it to a high simmer.
Crack open all the spices with a mortar and pestle. No need to grind, just crack them. You can crack the cinnamon stick in there, too. Live it up.
Add the cinnamon through allspice to the simmering water, allowing it to simmer until the it's reduced by about half. Stir in the milk and sweetener, adjusting to desired sweetness. Heat through, strain into cups or a teapot and serve. There will be spices in the bottom, but that's part of the charm. Sip, don't gulp, and you'll be fine.
Experiment. Adjust certain spices up or down, more or less milk, add or remove things. You can google it and find a million recipes, so you can't be wrong.
Other good additions are:
nutmeg (grated or ground)
mace
coriander seed (cracked)
anise seed or star anise pods (cracked)
vanilla bean (it's actually a good use for that one bean that you thought was too dried up to use)
black or green tea (yes, you can actually put tea in the tea)
various sugars vs the honey
more milk (many do it 50/50 tea to milk) or maybe some half and half
Anyhow, make what you like, there's no wrong way.
* Chai means tea in places that aren't the US. Chai is not the confused with the crap at Starbucks or chia, which is that grass that's grown on little clay donkeys (as seen on TV).
It's supposed to be soothing or relaxing, and compared to full caf coffee, it certainly is! Also, it tastes great, and although it has nothing to do with Christmas, it smells a lot like that stuff that your grandma used to simmer on the stove all day (no, not the gibblets!).
Grandma wanted to make the house smell good before the relatives showed up, so she simmered fragrant spices in a stovetop potpourri, filling the house with that comforting scent. So, you can totally freak her out by drinking your potpourri in front of her!
Masala Tea (or chai *)
6 cups water
1 cinnamon stick, broken up
5 thinly sliced circles of fresh ginger
5 cardamom pods
5 cloves
5 peppercorns
5 allspice seeds
1 cup milk
honey or stevia to taste
Heat the water to boiling in a saucepan, then reduce it to a high simmer.
Crack open all the spices with a mortar and pestle. No need to grind, just crack them. You can crack the cinnamon stick in there, too. Live it up.
Add the cinnamon through allspice to the simmering water, allowing it to simmer until the it's reduced by about half. Stir in the milk and sweetener, adjusting to desired sweetness. Heat through, strain into cups or a teapot and serve. There will be spices in the bottom, but that's part of the charm. Sip, don't gulp, and you'll be fine.
Experiment. Adjust certain spices up or down, more or less milk, add or remove things. You can google it and find a million recipes, so you can't be wrong.
Other good additions are:
nutmeg (grated or ground)
mace
coriander seed (cracked)
anise seed or star anise pods (cracked)
vanilla bean (it's actually a good use for that one bean that you thought was too dried up to use)
black or green tea (yes, you can actually put tea in the tea)
various sugars vs the honey
more milk (many do it 50/50 tea to milk) or maybe some half and half
Anyhow, make what you like, there's no wrong way.
* Chai means tea in places that aren't the US. Chai is not the confused with the crap at Starbucks or chia, which is that grass that's grown on little clay donkeys (as seen on TV).
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
You and me, babe. How 'bout it?
I'm in love with love, my friend says. Worse, in love with the pain of the potential tragedy.
Of all the girls in all the world, couldn't Romeo have just picked another one?
No.
There was no choice. It's not that the girl was wrong -- the wrong place, the wrong time, the wrong lifetime, the wrong something. With all that, the girl was right. Where's the choice?
The potential for tragedy is there whenever you love. Most of us are in love with that feeling, too. Without that feeling, there would be no love stories, no tragedies, no romances, no tales of high adventure or war stories, no Disney cartoons, no tales of heroism and honor. For what else is the fight for, ultimately, if not for love?
The potential for tragedy is there whenever you love. You can have that love and then lose it. Lose her.
You can have that love, never try and always wonder; part of you pining forever.
For years, my friends said I aimed too high. I was unrealistic. But what's worse, to try for what you want and fail, or to never try and always wonder? Heartache can be big or small, so what's the bigger tragedy? I have my answer. There is no choice.
There's not one song, movie, poem, or story that's got every element that I need, some end right, some end wrong... This one leaves you hanging, and ends when it's still beginning.
From Dire Staits' "Romeo & Juliet," as sung by The Killers
You and me, babe. How 'bout it?
Of all the girls in all the world, couldn't Romeo have just picked another one?
No.
There was no choice. It's not that the girl was wrong -- the wrong place, the wrong time, the wrong lifetime, the wrong something. With all that, the girl was right. Where's the choice?
The potential for tragedy is there whenever you love. Most of us are in love with that feeling, too. Without that feeling, there would be no love stories, no tragedies, no romances, no tales of high adventure or war stories, no Disney cartoons, no tales of heroism and honor. For what else is the fight for, ultimately, if not for love?
The potential for tragedy is there whenever you love. You can have that love and then lose it. Lose her.
You can have that love, never try and always wonder; part of you pining forever.
For years, my friends said I aimed too high. I was unrealistic. But what's worse, to try for what you want and fail, or to never try and always wonder? Heartache can be big or small, so what's the bigger tragedy? I have my answer. There is no choice.
There's not one song, movie, poem, or story that's got every element that I need, some end right, some end wrong... This one leaves you hanging, and ends when it's still beginning.
From Dire Staits' "Romeo & Juliet," as sung by The Killers
A lovestruck Romeo, sings the streets a serenade
Laying everybody low with a love song that he made
Finds a streetlight, steps out of the shade
Says something like, "You and me, babe. How 'bout it?"
You and me, babe. How 'bout it?
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Brown Butter Cookie Company
Brown Butter Cookie Company
My friends Traci and Christa make wonderful cookies. Browned butter and topped with sea salt? Amazing.
These would be perfect as a little gift for the host and hostess of the next Christmas party. Your hosts already have plenty of wine...
And if you're rich and having a party, go for a big box. Serve these at the end of the night instead of searching my blog for a good cheesecake recipe. My cheesecake's are for two. ...and they're too much work for such a big event.
Allie's been up there to bake with them (they are Auntie Traci and Christa to her), even making some of these actual brown butter cookies.Allie can't say enough about how great these cookies are; how much love and effort goes into each step and into each cookie. Her eyes glazed when she talked about the smell of browning the butter, and when I asked about the salt on top, she sighed. My daughter is wise with food...
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
