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We had a really pretty snow today. Big fat flakes drifting gently down. I had to work and could not capture the peaceful, quiet beauty of the snow so I alerted Chris to the need to step up and fill in as the back up photographer for Tall Tales. Here are the results.
He captured the mood of the day perfectly. I am thinking about giving him a raise AND making him waffles for breakfast tomorrow morning.
Photo credit: Chris Mulvenon
Just in time for your New Years celebrations I introduce you to the Snickerdoodle Martini.
I just met him on Christmas (thanks Ann!) so I am wasting no time in getting you two acquainted. Preparing the rim is half the fun on this drink.
You can't put too much cinammon/sugar on. Trust me.
I've got two drinks made so you better get over here quick before I finish mine and start on yours.
Recipe is right here. Who knew Betty Crocker gave out drink recipes? That Betty, no wonder she came up with such good stuff.
I went and looked at color today. I looked and I looked and I looked, and then I looked some more. And then I had to go and sit and have a gingerbread latte in a white cup and think about what I had seen. It was a very spiritual morning.
Tonight while looking for something else, I came across this.
A photo of the first 2 squares of my lizard ridge afghan. The first time I saw this afghan hanging up in a shop I knew I would have to make it one day. I am now up to about 6 squares. It is made with Noro Kureyon yarn. As soon as I finish my current afghan (which I AM making progress on) I must get back to this one. It's a very portable project and the color changes are so beautiful. In the link above you can go to ravelry for a free pattern download. I am going to challenge myself to do a square a month in 2013 so this time next year I can show you the whole thing.
Sometimes on a Thursday night, if you want to pretend like it's Friday already, stop at the store on the way home and grab a couple of avocados.
That's what I did tonight. When combined with a couple of left-over chicken enchilladas I swear I can taste the weekend coming just around the corner.
I never make the guacamole the exact same way twice. As long as you got the lime, the cilantro, some salsa, and the avocados it all works out. Oh and a healthy dose of freshly ground sea salt and black pepper on top.
I was flipping through the paper a few weeks ago and stumbled across this.
Say it isn't so. They can't stop making Steens cane syrup. It is the taste of the backroads of Louisiana where my dad grew up. When we were kids and went to visit Aunt Ola would always make biscuits for breakfast and Steens is what you put on them.
I will admit that I have not bought a can in 30 years. It has a very strong flavor that must be acquired. I never had it often enough to acquire it. But there is something about knowing that it won't be on the shelves anymore that has me thinking about going out and buying a case. Just so I can open a can every once in a while and be taken back to Provencal and hear Aunt Lois laughing as she tells a story while she makes biscuits for her baby brother, my dad, Wilburn Ray.
At 6:45 this morning, when it was still dark and 16 degrees outside, I got up to make cinnamon rolls for breakfast. My first serious attempt at cinnamon rolls. Armed with the Kitchen Aid and Dan Mulvenon's recipe I felt fortified. Certain of success.
The dough came together perfectly, doubled in 2 hours, and was easily rolled out and then rolled up, sliced and placed in the pan. All the hardest parts done perfectly. Do you feel the but coming on? I think I put too many rolls in one pan. The middle ones were on the doughy side.
I am choosing to look upon this as a blessing. Chris and I had plenty for breakfast, there were two for Angie and there will not be a big pan of them sitting around all week to tempt me. Win-Win. Next time I will use 2 pans or cut the recipe in half.
As your Christmas day unfolds, wherever you are across the globe, we at Tall Tales Headquarters wish you good cheer and cinnamon rolls that are done all the way through.
I did not buy any ribbon this year for wrapping.
Instead I used leftovers from a pair of socks, a vest, a scarf, and a felted purse. I feel so virtuous, is there a knitter among us who does not delight in using up stash?
In the meantime, Chris is preparing our traditional Chrismas Eve dinner (shrimp pasta), Lewis is taking a pre-dinner nap, and I am about to open a bottle of red and cut the baguette. The fire is going and the lights from the tree are making the ornaments sparkle. I am listening to Amy Grant sing about a tender Tennessee Christmas and remembering many Christmas Eves gone by. My idea of the perfect way to spend the 24th of December.
This thoughtful gift from a friend last week turned out to be just what I needed today.
Just what I needed to take the kitchen aid out on its' maiden voyage I mean.
All systems are GO!
These turned out pretty good. I added some raisins and walnuts just because any cookie that has oatmeal in it should have raisins and walnuts too. It's like a mirepoix or a soffritto or a holy trinity.
Next up? Cinnamon rolls for christmas morning. After that I will be ready to try home-made marshmallows, which is what caused me to NEED this in the first place.
Today under bright blue skies we teamed up to clear the remainder of the snow before it drops into the 20's overnight and we are left with what my friend Suzie used to call "pure glare ice" on the driveway and sidewalk.
Chris methodically removed the snow on the areas that had gotten sun today.
He wore his special extra traction contraptions so he wouldn't fall on his kiester, and get a concussion.
I worked the ice scraping tool on those areas that have already iced. I did not need special traction contraptions. I do however need to get rid of these extremely short jeans.
Lewis was inside making hot chocolate while we worked. This is him letting us know it's ready and that it's time to come in and sit by the fire and pet him.
I am having one of those nights where I should be doing something but I'm not. I mean I am doing something but it's not what I should be doing. If you are feeling the same way grab some proseco and the peach schnapps and a champagne glass and join me.
Tomorrow is another day. For now I am just going to pretend that I am in Venice with my sister and we are going on a Gondola ride tomorrow and neither one of us is going to fall in the canal.
It's good to get the first snow of the season over with. Now that our cars have had their first taste they will get back into the groove of winter driving. We didn't even get that much snow but the wind was blowing it all around creating treacherous driving conditions. That's what caused all the chaos. That and all that slip sliding off the road. Not me of course. I took an advanced drivers ed course way back in 1976. I am an expert at winter driving.
I will admit to being just a wee bit stressed when I finally slid into the icy parking lot. But after I made it into the building and got a cup of coffee I saw this in my in box. The antidote to any stressful condition you might be experiencing.
Yep, Prancer and Dancer were experimenting in the sink. Thanks Krissy for making my day!
If you have gifts to mail to friends and family far and near, and if you are planning to use yarn to tie up your packages, and if you are shipping through the post office, you better be sure you tape every single strand of yarn down.
I didn't know that yarn could "mess up the works" at the post office. Now I do. Not to worry. I had most of it taped down already. A little snip here and a little snip there and they were approved by Mr. Postman. My family will think I planned it that way. As you can see above I am a very very careful wrapper.
No, this is not a full time cooking blog. But my heart is telling me to cook right now. Plus my old trusty hand mixer has heard the talk of a fancy, red, Kitchen Aid moving into it's kitchen. It is feeling under-appreciated. In order to reassure old trusty that it would still be used I had to get it out and make something with it. Actually not just something. I would not classify this as "just something".
These are more in line with "other-worldly". The shortbread bottom is perfectly buttery crisp. But not so crisp that it just disintegrated when bitten into and no raw dough taste in the middle. The creamy, cool filling with the buttery crust = Christmas baked goods love.
The link to the recipe is above. If you have an old hand mixer feeling left out this holiday season maybe you ought to get it out and make a batch. The only change I made to this recipe was I added vanilla to the filling. AND I didn't really know what "soft mint candies" were so I used some candy canes and some pink and yellow butter mints like they have at weddings as a substitute. Turned out mighty fine. I like mine with a cup of hot tea on the side.
I crossed another thing off my "52 by 53" list this week. Make Curry. Check. I composed the list not long after returning from Turkey where I at some of the best food of my life. Including great curry. I realize that this soup merely uses curry powder and some might not think it counts as "making" curry. Since I am the boss of the list, my vote is the only one that counts. Plus this soup has BIG flavor. Big enough that tomorrow when I am eating it for lunch at my desk, I will be transported back to Istanbul and the rooftop restaurant where we sat and watched the lights of the boats as they made their way through the Bosphorus.
Curried Cauliflower Cream Soup
extra virgin olive oil
1 medium to large onion, chopped
5 large garlic cloves, chopped
3 Tablespoons curry powder
1 large head cauliflower, washed, cored, chunked
3 medium yukon gold potatoes washed, peeled, cubed
32 ounces chicken or vegetable broth
water
salt
lemon wedges
plain whole milk yogurt
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil for 3-5 minutes along with curry powder, do not brown, just let the curry aroma "bloom". Add cauliflower, potatoes, broth, and enough water to cover vegetables. Bring to a boil then partially cover the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Vegetables should be fork tender. Cool for 15 minutes then blend with immersion blender or blend in small batches in regular blender. Add salt and pepper to taste. Put a generous dollop of yogurt and a squeeze of lemon on each bowl as you serve it. YUM.
P.S. This recipe is from a great cookbook that would make a nice Christmas present for anyone you know who loves to cook.
I had a visitor today.
He brought a friend.
They were very polite and posed nicely as their way of thanking me for re-filling the feeder.
We've had these christmas bells for as long as I can remember. Angie thinks she bought them when we lived in Hawaii. They are getting worn but I won't ever throw them away. They have been beloved by every cat we have ever had. I always hang them down very low on the tree. Cats like to walk by them pretending not to be interested and at the last minute turn and swipe them off the tree. If that doesn't work they bite them.
These are known as the "disco christmas balls". Angie bought them when we lived in Panama. I have one green, one gold, and one red one left. All the rest have been destroyed over the years.
You can see why cats would be fascinated by them. They go near the bottom of the tree too. No sense in putting them up so high that the whole tree gets knocked over when Lewis tries to bite those irresistable fluttering green thingies.
Oh, and one more thing - not ornament related, but somehow it fits tonight. I finally found a way to like spicettes.
Think of it as sangria with a twist.
If you are looking for the perfect addition to your christmas dinner...
...might I suggest blau kraut?
...that's red cabbage if you don't speak German.
It looks really pretty on a plate with something creamy white and something crunchy green. Any other colors you want to add are optional.
I made my annual pilgrimage to Sunrise Garden Center to get a couple of poinsettias the other day. The sea of red is truly a site to see.
I carefully inspected every single solitary variety of poinsettia they had in the place. I looked from many angles to be sure I was going to get just the right ones. They were all so beautiful.
Then after all that looking I picked out 2 traditional red ones like I do every year and brought them home and gave them some skirts and bows and called it good.
Lately Angie has been going through her cottage bit by bit. Trying to get rid of those things that she no longer uses, stuff she won't want to take with her when she eventually moves into an apartment in the main high rise in the community she lives in. She is always after me to take her bags of things "to the poor". Angie does not believe in throwing away anything that might have an ounce of use left in it.
Luckily I know the importance of going through every bag she gives me before I dispose of it. Today I found her old recipe box in a bag. Complete with recipes. From the German Sweet Chocolate cake written in my best grade school penmanship, to our favorite brownie recipe cut off the box of bakers chocolate.
Angie believes in writing on any scrap of paper she can find. Old checks are a perfect place for the snickerdoodle recipe. I found the original ice box cheese cake recipe AND the recipe she used for pineapple upside down cake. Better than any video or scrapbook... this recipe box is a gold mine of memories. Polly's substitute for sweetened condensed milk alone is worth a million.
I am still deep into my new love affair with soup making. Last week I whipped up a batch of Creamy Rosemary Wild Rice Soup. I wanted to use some of the rosemary from my garden before it freezes, plus I have never made anything with parsnips before. I actually thought they were some kin to the potato, though it's clear to see by looking at them the are in the carrot family.
Angie has called to tell me 3 times to tell me how much she likes this soup.
She wanted to know how I got the pieces of chicken cut so perfectly :-) I told her if she came over and did the dishes I would demonstrate my superior skills with the chef's knife.
Here is the recipe I followed, with a few minor exceptions: I used 3 carrots and 3 parsnips, I added an extra cup of chicken broth, I used 1 cup of regular half and half instead of 2, and I did not use any instant flour.
Ever so slowly, inch by inch, one small step at a time....
The Christmas decorating has begun.
P.S. Chris is researching stand mixers. The 3 contenders are Kitchen Aid, Cuisinart, and Brevel. Do you have any input for him?
My sister in law, Cheryl Jean, is one of the few women I know who really doesn't care about sweets. If offered dessert she would decline and opt for a piece of bread with butter. Oh, and nothing sweet for breakfast either please. She'll have the left-over roast beef with some horseradish on a slice of bread.
So it was, with her in mind, that I made the bacon cheese quick bread for breakfast this morning. Brother you are going to have to make a loaf of this for her. She is going to die when she tastes it. Savory, with little nuggets of bacon and carmelized onion throughout, and a crunchy crust.
I put grape jelly on mine as was suggested by the recipe creator. This IS the purpose for which grape jelly was made. Cheese and grapes = good match. Cheese bread and grape jelly = better match.
Cheryl Jean will like hers without the jelly, but you and I brother... we are jelly people. Recipe from O magazine included below. All your savory friends will appreciate you for making this for them.
I wish I would have gotten this woman's name.
I spotted her this morning at the Holiday Farmers Market. The combination of the vest and the boots caught my eyes the minute I walked in. I swear she told me she had made 40 of these vests. FORTY. I didn't want to say "huh" one more time lest she think I was a non-believer. She also reported that she had not bought a lot of yarn to make them. Used up all her stash. Hmm. Creative and stylish. A good combination.
My eye also landed on this peanut brittle at the market so I picked up a few packs for Angie. She is always telling me to get her some "if you see any that looks home-made".
I bought this directly from Muriel's daughter. She assured me that her mom makes the best peanut brittle this side of the Mississippi. I tasted it when I go home and must agree. Muriel has officially joined Florene Girton and LeathAnn Hagy in the peanut brittle hall of fame.
My friend Cindy brought "party favors" to the brunch last Saturday. Look. It was a festive little bag, with a cheery striped bow.
Hang on, let me unpack it so you can carefully examine the contents.
Hot cocoa mix, home-made marshmallows, a candy cane, and a lovely Dr. Seuss quote to read.
Home-made marshmallows! Have you had them? If so, you know why I am so excited. If you haven't ... find some, is all I can say.
I might have added some Creme de Cacao to the mug to bump up the chocolate flavor just a hint, but those marshmallows were the stars of the show. Seriously divine. They got all melty as I stirred them around with my candy cane. They gave the cocoa a glossy, creamy, texture and I tried to go slow. Tried to make myself take little sips so it would last maybe 30 minutes. I am ashamed to say I was done in 15. But oh, such a 15 minutes.
In my next life I want to be an extremely thoughtful person who brings home-made marshmallow party favors to a brunch. I've already asked Santa for a Kitchen Aid for Christmas. So I can practice in this life, to be ready for the next.
This past Wednesday morning at 9am I was flipping through "O" magazine while I got a pedicure and sipped on a pumpkin latte. Let it be said that I do know how to relax on a day off. Here are the things I circled for further contemplation.
You will notice the bed, the books and the bread all seem to go together. Then I stumbled upon the pesky elliptical trainer. I have thought forever about getting some kind of equipment to exercise on at home. The problem is, I know myself too well. I would use it faithfully for a short time and then slack off. They way I have it figured if I used it regularly (say every other day) for a month each session would cost me $185.93 and that's with the Oprah discount.
I better think on it some more. As for the bacon and cheese quick bread, with grape jelly? That one is a no-brainer. I'll be making it this weekend.
I don't know if this ever happens to you, but someone has been coming into our house and either throwing things away or stealing them. This particular pair of kitchen scissors has had to be replaced 3 times.
Chris is on the job. Searching for clues to solve the mystery.
This afternoon he told me that "perpetrators will be hunted down and dealt with under the full context of the habitual violater statutes in the state of Kansas". He's not kidding about this whole scissor disappearance thing.
In December of 1989 I was working in my first job as a nurse manager. The transition from taking care of patients to managing a goup of people was challenging. I was dealing with a budget, scheduling, strategic planning, performance appraisals, and of course... conflict resolution.
Being a manager was the hardest job I have ever done. But it was not without it's rewards. I love seeing people accomplish things they never thought they would be able to do... and then teaching someone else how to do it. One of the first groups I supervised bought me these mugs for Christmas in 1989. Every December since then when I unpack the mugs, I re-read the card, and think back to those times with great fondness.
Ring... Ring....
Me: Hello
Mom: Do I have type 1 or type 2 diabetes?
Me: Type 2. Why?
Mom: I am going to stop eating anything sweet.
Me: Don't be silly, you are 84 years old. If you want to enjoy something sweet you should enjoy it.
Mom: Really? OK, but I am going to stop drinking this diet pepsi for sure.
Me: Mom, it's DIET. It doesn't have any sugar in it.
Mom: Oh thank goodness.
Photo credit: Dottie Moss
I was frying bacon, finishing off the spinach strata, baking pumpkin oatmeal, and chopping fruit yesterday while Chris was taking pictures at the parade. All my knitting friends came over to celebrate one of our group members getting married.
These are women that I don't think I would have had the opportunity to meet and become friends with, if not for our shared love of knitting. You never know where the conversation is going to lead on a Monday night at the Yarn Barn. Books, politics, recipes, pest control, movies, local happenings, international travel and intrigue... suffice it to say it's never boring and no topic is off limits.
I have decided that one of us should have a momentous event in our life every 3-4 months so we can get together on the weekend and celebrate. Speaking of celebrating... if you are planning a brunch over the holidays, get some champagne and make Mimosa's. I haven't served them before which is completely ridiculous. They were delicious, and 9:30 in the morning is NOT to early to serve them.
This morning I sent Chris, special correspondent on assignment, to cover the Lawrence Old Fashioned Christmas parade. It is one of the few horse parades in the US and the only one in the Midwest. There were participants from as far away as Texas and South Dakota.
Staging for the parade begins at the fairgrounds where the horses and their riders all get lined up and then head downtown. Chris says he's pretty sure the real reason they meet there is so the horses can have time to catch up with each other on what's been going on since they last saw each other.
Once they were downtown, the Grand Marshall got things started. He takes his job seriously.
This guy is hoping to be the parade leader next year.
There were so many beautiful horses. And skilled riders.
This horse looked straight at Chris and said he'd pay $5 if Chris would take all the pink stuff off of him.
Spectators got there early for the prime front row seats.
All in all, Chris reported things went well and everyone had a good time.
Well okay, maybe these folks didn't have a good time. But someone had to do it.
All photos courtesy of Chris Mulvenon.
