So...whats for dinner?
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Awww, great family picture Eric!
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My mother did make it out of the North Country on Christmas Eve day, but it wasn't easy. She claims that the ice was at least a 1/2" thick, and since she had forgotten to stock up on sand, it was really hard to get to the car. She headed right to my house, instead of my sister's, and arrived 7 hours before our start time. Perhaps all of you have perfect mothers, but mine doesn't fit that description! She sent meal prep schedules into the winds, but you know what? Who cares? She made it. She was happy to be here. And then she went to take a nap and the kid and I caught up.
My sister arrived around 8pm, after her church Christmas pageant was over and all the costumes had been put away. The festivities began. The snacks were well-received [though sadly I was in the kitchen during snack time.] We set a fire. The cats discovered that there were ribbons under a tree, IN THE HOUSE!!! One lay across a big box in the corner; another sat in his new cat bed. The King's Choir of Cambridge played Lessons and Carols. Laughter filled the house.
Wave 2 of food was the soup, terrine, and stuffed mushrooms. We opened a few presents. Wave 3 was the salmon, grilled lamb chops, lentils, and scalloped potatoes. A few more presents. And then Wave 4-- mini fruit tarts and tiny espresso cups filled with chocolate mousse.
Around 11:00 pm, people slipped off while Mr. 02143 did all the dishes and I finished my Santa duties.
The next morning, the kid got up at 5:30 to roll out the cinnamon buns leaving me a proof start time. I was up at 7 to finish them. When my sister arrived at 9:30 we did the stockings. LOVE LOVE LOVE stockings. Silly hats, and glasses, and windup toys. Breakfast was the rolls, bacon, sausage, and scrambled eggs. Scrambled eggs for 6 had me a bit nervous, but I just did a low-slow thing and they were perfect! One less thing to be anxious about in the future.
We missed my Dad, but the house really was full of warmth. We laughed, told stories.... it was a great holiday.
I hope that each of you found as much joy this year as I did. Merry Christmas! And Happy Boxing Day!
*susan*
ps. Will post a few pics later.
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Found my phone.... the first photo is Christmas Eve when the cat discovered his new bed. He loves that magic warm box [i.e. fireplace.] The next photo is Christmas morning with the stockings under the tree. I have just never been willing to put holes into the old wood on the fireplace, so we just lay the filled stockings around the room.
*susan*
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Susan, sounds (and looks) like a perfectly lovely holiday.
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Eric - I love the family picture. DD looks beautiful.
Susan - when my mother was still living that's what she did with the stockings since there were so many of us. You would see a room filled with stockings in chairs, sofas, corners covered with towels until everyone arrived. Don't remember how we explained to DD that Santa came to our house and then to grandma's but she seems not to be scarred from it lol. Love your pictures and the fireplace is lovely. I remember I think seeing pics out your front porch last year. I love old homes and the details. Wonder what DH would say if I wanted to cut a hole in the brick for a round window??
Our food turned out perfect for the 3 of us. The tetrazzini was good certainly not made by any strict recipe standard. Leftovers for us and some for DD frozen. The overnight eggnog French toast was different; they liked it. Thank goodness I saw a couple of changes rather than 2 cups of eggnog I used 1 cup and 1 cup 1/2 &1/2. I had the makings of an apple compote for the top but it never got made. I just didn't douse mine with much syrup. It had a brown sugar layer under the bottom.
The Butterball turkey breast was perfect, the best turkey I've ever made. 8 pounds and done in about 2 1/2 hours - no stuffing. DD took plenty of leftovers home to tide her over a bit. All in all it was a great day and 1/2.
She's actually not done anything about moving. Thinks her co. may be on the verge of creating some new positions which if it does happen should be in the spring. She'll have her car paid off in the fall 2.5 years ahead of the loan. So maybe a move next spring if no advancement where she is. I think she would like to stay where she is because she could certainly shop her degree/exp. around the metroplex without any difficulty. Says her savings are not what she would like and needs to build that up. I think she needs to balance car payment/savings but can't advise much because she IS so responsible financially. Says she has no been so diligent the last couple of months (? not sure what she spent on) but needs to get back to it.
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I like the kitty picture. When I go out into the shed and fire up the kerosene heater, Jessie (the cat) curls up next to it and watches me work on the old radios. The dogs keep wanting to go in and out, so they stay in the house with the dog door.
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Eric great pics. And it sounds like a lovely time.
Susan, aw, everything looks so Christmassy! Love the fireplace. I wouldn't hammer in that wood either. We have a fireplace insert in our brick fireplace so stockings never got hung there either. We hang them by the front door going up the stair railing.
Luvmygoats, sounds like a beautiful fun day. And this time your DD got the turkey? LOL
My DD2 came home Christmas Eve at 10 in the morning and then went straight to bed. (3rd shifter) he got up for dinner at 6:30. We ate visited and then he had to go in to work he starts at 12:30 am. But we had a nice time. I didn't make a real big dinner just stuff he likes mashed potatoes rolls, corn, etc. He doesn't care much for meat. My DH and I had the pulled pork I made for Saturdays gathering. But a nice visit. My DD 1&2 called DD2 was working Christmas day. DD was with her husband who was on call. (He's a resident pathologist at the University Hospital) I was disappointed not yo get a call from DS1 and his wife. He lives IN TOWN. LOL. I know they were at her family get together but still..... so except for the calls our Christmas day was just DH and myself. He made me breakfast. Nothing fancy just eggs and toast. Then he spent out of the day snowblowing us out again. His timing on coming home this year ROCKS!! LOL I made dinner, turkey sandwiches and tomato soup that I made a while back, cause I wasn't going to cook a whole ham just for the 2 of us! LOL. Then he had to go back cause he works in the morning out of town. So a very quite night. We are getting together with ALL the kids and spouses on Jan . 4th. That's the first time all the Schedules aligned! So that's when the ham will get done!
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see if you can find Mr. Santapillar! LOL
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Monica - Yay for alignment of the stars and schedules on Jan 4. No, I can't find Mr. Santapillar. And yes DD did get her share of turkey. She told the story of opening the packet and finding only green beans which she didn't even want. We made up for it. Sent her home with one of the deep dish Chicago pizzas DB sent us (that's the source of the styrofoam cooler) as well as bunches of leftovers. She can cook at least as much to cook the pizza. She lives between FW and Dallas of the interstate so except for mone to pay for it food of any sort is readily available. In a pinch she could even walk to Krogers.
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The kids made him way back for Christmas 1989! He will be 25 years next year! LOL He makes me smile every time I walk past.
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Very Cute Moonflower!
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Eric,
So glad to put a face to the name! Beautiful family and great to see the 4-legged family members! We may, after 3 years w/o a furry friend, be finally ready emotionally to bring one into our home!
Susan,
OMG,
The food sounds fabulous and the tree is gorgeous but, the woodwork in your home... Including the window behind the tree! Beautiful! And so hard to come by where someone has not felt the need to paint over it!
Monica,
Now that I know what to look for, I see santapillar on your tree! I have a few ornaments that my kids made and some that I have collected throughout the years that have special meaning... If nothing else made it onto the tree except for those few, I would still be very happy! Hope your January get-together is perfect! Sometimes the best things in life are worth the wait!
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Moon, I see why! He makes me smile too. Your tree is just lovely.
Eric, your family photo is wonderful.
*susan*
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I love all the pictures! Susan, you make me miss my cats and fireplace at home.
I had scalloped potatoes, halibut casserole, roasted brussel sprouts with turnips, salad, rolls, red velvet cake, pumpkin pie and one glass of chardonnay, I had to work today. Some kind meat maybe roast beef something in a big piece which I didn't eat but did pour the red wine sauce all over everything.
I didn't cook anything, but when I helped clean up, I did make a swan out of the aluminum foil when I wrapped up the rolls. Me so clever.
Santa was good to my bro and DD. He sent them 1/2 of one month's paycheck.
Oh, I met the funniest man, but I'll tell you about that later.
I am so glad to hear all the stories.
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Bedo the aluminum artist! LOL.
Thanks everyone. I love to put many different ornaments on the tree. About half of them are handmade. But Santapillar is my favorite. He was a snowy day project they just put pompoms together and there he was. LOL.
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Thanks to everyone for sharing their pictures. No trees for me this year. When I asked my DS to send a shot of his tree, he forwarded a picture of their dining room table w/the presents I'd mailed piled in the middle. Hmmm. So I was especially glad to share your trees.
Bedo - that sounds almost like a 'real' meal. I cooked a pork loin w/rosemary and a baked potato. Food for the rest of the week! Also peeled & cut up a "personal" watermelon & a cantaloupe, but my taste buds couldn't do those so my neighbors benefited. I'm told they were wonderful. All your food sound delicious.
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Minus I remember that was the worst thing. The fruit smelled delicious but tasted awful to me. It was at easter so it was fresh strawberries. Sigh. But at least it does come back. Much love.
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Eric, your family pic is beautiful.....thank you!
Also loving the warm Christmas theme photos... lovely trees, Susan and Monica.
Very busy week here. DS1 and crew arrived last Friday staying thru Monday. Actually pulled off a party for 25 to celebrate DS1's recent board certification....final hurdle of a long process to become an upper extremity orthopod. Hosting a gathering with the grand-babies here was quite the challenge.....but it happened.
I thought I raised two very active boys....they were slugs in comparison to these little grand whirlygigs! For some reason, limit setting is not in the parenting repetoire of DDIL's parents who care for the kids while they work. WOW! So things were pretty wild here. A wonderful characteristic of these children is that they eat adult food....so they enjoyed things like seafood linguini, hummus and veggies, vegetable quiche, and even kale soup, as much as we all did! We first celebrated DGS's third birthday, then early Christmas, then more Christmas exchanges when DS2 returned from his mancation and stopped in....all before Christmas! So I was in post- Christmas mode by Christmas Eve.
Enjoyed a lovely Christmas Eve dinner hosted by our next door neighbors...a young family, and a few of their friends. She roasted a huge prime rib roast (served with horseradish sauce). Thanks for your help, Susan! I brought a few cheese plates for appetizers (they were fun to create), and made a spinach arugula salad and cookie tray for dessert. She made beet salad (delicious!), potatoes I forget the name of, and haricot verts with almonds. Dessert was the cookie tray and a wonderful gingerbread/blueberry trifle. It was all great! We had a town Santa visit for the kids (memory lane for DH and me), and had a whole group yankee swap, which was great fun!
Christmas Day we spent with other close friends. That hostess, who is a great cook, always has a wonderful buffet for 18 or so people. Guests brought lots of appetizers, then she made salmon with a citrus sauce, tuscan chicken breasts, lemon asparagus, something called Minnesota River Rice (I think), with pecans and grapes, my spinach arugula salad with blue cheese, pecans, mushrooms and cranberries.......and a sinfully delicious chocolate cake for dessert.
DS2 was with us for both of these events, and he seemed to enjoy himself as much as we did. Tho he did spend time texting with the new girlfriend who is in Chicago. We finally did our last Christmas gift exchanges once home from that dinner.Then DS2 gathered his loot, and headed home. The night was still young, so, as is our ritual, we headed to our other next door neighbors' who had even more food....wonderful middle eastern selections. It was a busy, fun holiday week for us!
Suffice it to say, I headed to the gym yesterday for a couple hours after spending a lot of organizing time in our house. I still can't find many of the things that were unearthed by the grands......
Today we are taking our friend from Paris out to lunch. He loves Rosa Mexicana for some reason, so that's where we will go.
Hope you haven't fallen asleep trying to get through this!
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Oh Minus, I hope your taste buds hurry back soon. Vicarious food appreciation can only go so far. ((((HUGS))))
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Wow Lacey! What a busy couple of days. I wIsh I lived in your neighborhood. You have some awesome culinary outings!
Dh and I were so overfed that Christmas night we had a chef's salad with strips of leftover tenderloin. Yesterday we took my dad out to lunch for Chinese so for dinner we had breakfast. Today we're heading to my BIL and SIL's for a few days so I won't be doing cooking, but she will. I'm looking forward to someone feeding me for a change. We have a deal, when they're with us she doesn't have to do any cooking and vice versa. She is a good and adventurous cook, so it will be fun. I know that mushroom crepes are on the menu somewhere.
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Enjoyed catching up on everybody's holiday activities. Enjoyed the pictures. Love the window behind Susan's Christmas tree. Gained another 5 1/2 lbs just reading about all the food!
That's right. The scales show me up 5 1/2 lbs, and I'm taking my mother out to lunch today for her 91st birthday. After today, I'll get back to healthier eating with no refined sugar. And off to the gym tomorrow morning!
Yesterday I made a big pot of beef noodle soup. It tasted (and will taste) good and felt good on my raw throat. I think Laurie must have sent me a sinus drip. Just kidding, Laurie!
Christmas Day was nice. All six of my mother's kids were present with spouses. There were 16 adults and 4 children. I will post a group picture later. The buffet dinner was ample and several people took some leftovers home for future meals. My sides were pretty much wiped out but I did have some roast pork left.
For some reason(s), I'm not a holiday person so am happy that Thanksgiving and Christmas are over and it's back to everyday life! DH and I just received our travel packets for a big trip to Australia and New Zealand in Jan. and I am getting excited about the trip. No cooking for a month! It will be interesting to see what the food is like in those two countries.
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Carole, I think there must be a national scale virus that bumps that weight indicator up 5 lbs....mine did the same!! ;/ LOL
Nance, how nice that you get to be the one to be fed while visiting your sister.....and how great that she is a good/interesting cook!
Just home from Rosa Mexicana, where I had some of their tasty guacomole, a mahi mahi with citrus, and all the mexican accompaniments. I think dinner should be optional at this point. It was really freezing and windy down in Seaport, so I am sitting with my coat on getting warmed up. Contempating a long walk.....but maybe too cold.
Tomorrow we have a brunch to attend at the Seaport Hotel given by one of my former colleagues to celebrate the wedding of her daughter who got married in California recently. More food......better get that virused scale fixed!
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I loved all the stories and pictures of Christmas! Lacey- I am exhausted reading your post, you were super busy but it sounded like so much fun!
Nancy- Everyone has loved the window, as do I, but your fireplace is BEAUTIFUL!
Carol- Sorry that I gave you my germs.... I tried not to breathe on the keyboard.
We had a busy and fun holiday. I am tired and heading to bed.I will write more later but wanted to check in.
Bedo- thanks for checking in with us, sounds like you are having a blast! Love the posts. Please keep in touch.
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laurie, is it you i have to blame my runny nose on? Ugh. I am sitting here Sucking on zinc and vitamin C drops. I have the hosting of the Round Robin entrée tomorrow. I have to do it. I have had to cancel 3 times in past years due to a pacemaker and two other unexpected surgeries. I am going to DO this one!
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Moon- Did I breathe on your keyboard too? I am so sorry! Good luck with it. I have coughing fits from the drip but Robitussin clears it right up. Hope your ok!
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I seem to have hit "the wall" or whatever it is that runners do
Was so tired today and worked 12 hours.
And still have New Years and my birthday on the29th
I think that I will lay low
I was to meet my daughter in Vancouver ,BC in late Feb or early March as she travels for her job too but I need a passport!
Who wouldn't have known that but me?
Maybe she can come here.
Time for zzzzzzs
Orange juice and cheese and split pea soup for dinner.
Happy weekend to all. May sleep for 12 hours or so or much more I am so tired that my eyes feel full of salt and I have a headache
Telephone tower or whatever it is has been out on the island for a day so no phone service and patchy internet. finally got this through so will sign off
Those of you who will be snoozing with me, sweet dreams.
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Bedo - I would think you could still try to get the passport if you have your documentation with you. If not it will be all ready for Ecuador next year.
I don't have the cold nose drip just feels like something is living in there. I think maybe I need some saline spray maybe to loosen up the dry stuff.
Monica - hope with enough drugs on board you will be successful in the hosting which I guess must be today.
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Sounds like everyone had a wonderful Christmas with all kinds of special meals! It's a little quiet around here now with all of the festivities over.
I had that awful sore throat and cold between Thanksgiving and Christmas and although I dosed with loads of vit C and other antioxidants, it hung on longer than usual. Finally ditched it!
Looking forward to the New Year! Wishing everyone a healthy and happy one!
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Happy birthday Bedo.
It sounds like the colds are spreading...I wonder if I should be wearing gloves while typing. :-) Seriously, get well soon everyone.
Eric
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Eric, Maybe, you know how notorious computer viruses are and none of us want one of those.
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