… just a little side note to my earlier post …
My night is complete. Hot chocolate {real marshmallows}, a book, and John Mayer playing in the background. I’m a happy woman right now. Funny how something like hot chocolate {which reminds me of childhood and Christmas} can make you feel so warm and relaxed … mmmm, heaven. Goodnight Ya’ll!
I love to travel. However, interstate and country roads are not my idea of fun. Not being able to drive over 60 mph is grueling punishment for a lead foot like me. Today, I went home. I haven’t seen my family since October – so, two holidays later, there was a lot of catching up to do.
Santa came and brought me a new mixer. I literally opened the box, put it together, made a grocery list, and was at the grocery store within about an hour! I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited to buy vanilla, flour, and baking powder! Oh… and the best part… my mom also gave me a copy of my grandmothers collection of recipes. Back when my parents got married, my grandmother gave my mom a collection of all her recipes. {maybe she was trying to say something} It’s been in our house ever since. I can remember as a little kid, going through the ‘blue binder’ looking for cookie recipes, etc. And, now I have my own copy!
Tonight we decided to bake a Apple Queen Cake out of the recipe book. {who cares if it is 11:30, I need to use my mixer}From the sounds of it, its kinda like a pineapple upside-down cake – only with apples and cherries instead of pineapple. We’ve got it in the oven right now {and took plenty of pictures to blog about it later} … although these are all hand written/photo copied recipes…. and we are thinking that “4 tsp” of baking powder may actually be “1/4 tsp of baking powder” … but we’ll see! Can’t taste that different can it?! I’ll update you soon! Night Ya’ll!
My “Second Christmas” dinner with my family is fast approaching & I can’t wait. Since I didn’t get to go home for Christmas, when I finally get there I will be cooking dinner for my family. This will prove to be amusing to some, because they have not been seeing my Emerging Domesticity. I’ve been working on a menu, and this is what I have so far:
Now I’ve got to sit down and work out a shopping list & send out cute invitations … my siblings will laugh at me, but I’m gonna have a blast planning this ‘dinner party!’ Now, back to my blanket {Which by the way I will run out of yarn in the next hour or so … and I’m annoyed I didn’t think about that while the craft store was actually OPEN! Ugh!}
Merry Christmas! I hope you all {whomever you are out there} had a wonderful day and took some time to celebrate and enjoy your family. Our house was nice a quiet for most of the day. We all slept in, then mid-afternoon sat down to watch Julie & Julia. What a great movie! It really was inspiring. I loved the idea of cooking and blogging your way through a whole cookbook. {Mind you, I’m not sure Julia Child would be the first thing I attempted to tackle} In a way, it reminded me of my own blogging, and how good it feels to share recipes and things I enjoy with others. Even though I don’t know all the people who read me, I feel like they’re out there. Even if it is just a figment of my imagination, {and there is really no one reading me} how good it feels to be able to ‘share.’
Christmas dinner was wonderful. Not the traditional Turkey like I am use to though, tonight it was Prime Rib Roast. It turned out quite well paired with some garlic mashed potatoes {I’ll share a secret for these one day} and some corn shaved from the cob with butter and salt. And don’t forget the vino and bread! I was so consumed with cooking and eating that I didn’t even take any pictures of the meal like I had been meaning to do. So {readers} there is no visual stimulation for you tonight. A shame I know.
Brownies are in the oven. Vanilla Bean ice cream in the freezer. Blueberry streusel muffins for breakfast tomorrow.
I LOVE HOLIDAY FOOD!
Night ya’ll!
Many years ago my grandmother taught me how to crochet. I can remember being really young and sitting around my grannies house watching her crochet blankets and scarves, especially during holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas where there really wasn’t much to do except sit around and ‘just be’ with everyone. I remember her only knowing one stitch {maybe it was that she only taught ME one stitch} but that one stitch made the most beautiful and cozy scarves and blankets. It also was a great way to pass the time.
Since I’m not home with my family for Christmas yet, I thought a great way to “feel at home” would be to make a blanket. Why a blanket? Because, I’ve always said I was making a blanket and then stopped short at a scarf!! So, last night at nearly 8:00 pm, I decided I needed to run out to the craft store and get some yarn immediately. And, thats just what I did. One day down, and I’m about 20 rows into my blanket. Looking good if I do say so myself!
I got a comment yesterday that I was the “Stiletto Queen,” and that picturing me sitting down making a blanket was like a paradox. Personally, I think it’s great to surprise people. There are lots of things I can do that may be surprising. Perhaps a tutorial on how to change your cars oil is in order, cause you know I can do that too!!! Merry Christmas Eve, Ya’ll!
Don’t get me wrong, I am really looking forward Christmas. I’ve said it a hundred times, I can’t wait to get home to see my family… but I have so much to do between now and then. I’m starting to feel like that lady at the circus who balances plates on her head. I’ve always said that when I get stressed out like this, I can’t seem to pick one plate to take down and tackle for fear that the whole lot of them will come crashing down on my head. Thats how I feel right now. Too much to do, and not enough time to do it. Unfortunately, this may mean Christmas will come a week late for me. But … if I remind myself, Christmas isn’t about the actual DAY (religiously, yes – but in terms of celebration with family, no) it’s about celebrating the holiday with loved ones. So, if mine is a week late – it’s a week late.
On a brighter note, it’s amazing how much I enjoyed a simple sandwich today. You know, like a brown-bag sandwich. White sandwich bread, mayo, turkey, cheese and lettuce. So simple, yet so good when you haven’t had one in a long time. Paired with the Oatmeal Raisin cookies I baked the other day… and I was a happy camper.
And, no … I did not eat ALL these cookies {tempting though}
Well, nothing else highly entertaining to talk about. While all of you are out picking up last-minute presents, wrapping, baking, and singing Christmas songs by the fire … I’ll be sitting here, staring at the computer, expanding my brain and hoping it all comes to an end in time to spend some quality time with my family.
Christmas is fast approaching, and I have not a single thing done. I feel like I need to be whipping out a sewing machine or baking up a storm. The baking part may be exactly what I do to make up for the fact that we are in “the greatest economic crisis since the great depression” {snooze} and I have little to no money to spend on lavish presents for my big and ever-growing circle of family and friends. Besides, Christmas really isn’t about the presents. I’m learning in my old age that Christmas really is about being with the people you love and sharing in the spirit of the holiday. And, the ones who understand that will certainly admire my creative gifting!
{ok, enough of the Christmas high horse} … Let’s talk about how much pain I’m in today. This morning, while playing with the dog, I seem to have done something to my neck. Can’t bend it backwards or to the left. Sharp shooting pain. Oh, the joy. I took a few Motrin and got a warm compress and laid down on the bed and fell asleep. The heat felt so nice and in combination with the Motrin – I was out. I really didn’t think the compress was that hot. It’s one of those clay ones that you put in the microwave for a minute and a half, and then put inside a fabric sleeve. apparently, it was too hot though, because I woke up with what looks like a trail of hickeys running down the side of my neck. I guess I burned myself – or came close to it … {yes, stamp stupid on my forehead} … No, it doesn’t hurt. I didn’t even know it was there until I went to take a shower later on. And, no it didn’t hurt or burn when the hot shower water was on it in the shower – so I guess it can’t be that bad – just looks a little rough! {only me} It did get me out of cooking dinner though! The boyfriend felt so sorry for my poor pathetic self that he went and picked up some dinner. {Brunswick Stew and French Bread followed by Cranberry Apple Pie} What a nice evening!
This was the culprit:
It’s great – don’t get me wrong – but I wouldn’t recommend heating it up and falling asleep with hot clay wrapped around your neck! See the insides:
Anyhow – those are my ramblings for the night! Hope ya’ll got a good laugh out of my misfortune!
{Be on the look out for a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cheese Balls in the next few days. Had these at a holiday party a few years ago and can’t wait to make them this year!}
Ok, more on the Poach Pods. I got a pair of Pods about two years ago now, and they are simply wonderful. They are very simple to use – just a dribble of evoo smeared around the inside of the pod, put your egg in, and then place in a sauce pan with about 2 inches of boiling water. Let them cook at a slow boil for a few minutes, and then cover with a lid to let the top of the eggs steam cook. Depending on how runny you want your egg, they usually cook for 5-6 minutes or so {probably less}. They are made of silicone, so with that dribble of evoo, the eggs come right out when you are ready to serve by sliding a spoon around the edges. I do some salt and pepper after they come out & put them on a toasted English Muffin. Yummy!
There is a website here that has a cute video about the Pods, and you can order 2 for $10.00 from this site. You can also get them at some grocery stores {Earth Fare} and I’ve seen them at Bed Bath and Beyond. Wouldn’t they make great stocking stuffers for the “cook” in your house?! The only downfall, they only come in green.
I also found a really great recipe for some Cinnamon Honey Butter on another bloggers site: {Fly Through Our Window}. I haven’t tried it yet – but it looks like such a cute idea for an inexpensive Christmas present. Perhaps for clients or neighbors, or family who would understand being broke and needing to be creative with gifts {hint} … Perhaps that will be my next project. I thought the little jars and tags were just adorable and so creative. Reminds me of when I was little, my mom would bake miniature cakes for my teachers and we would wrap them up in cellophane with ribbons and bows. We always got rave reviews! {perhaps it was the whiskey}
Alright, Ya’ll. Enough blogging for tonight. I’m quickly becoming addicted, and feel it is just wrong to go to bed without putting some kind of thought out into the blogosphere! Night ya’ll!
Since I don’t get to take part in the “Great Blizzard of 2009,” I spent the day stretching my brain to its capacity and doing laundry. Joy. Why don’t I get any snow? Come to think of it, I can’t remember the last time I saw snow. {I take that back, I think it was a trip to Boston circa 2005 ‘ish} … How nice would it be to have a white Christmas? I don’t think that will be happening anytime soon for this Southern girl. Ugh. But, I am very anxious to travel home and see my mom’s house beautifully decorated and full of love and cheer. She does such a good job making the house feel so inviting and full of Christmas spirit without a single cheesy Christmas embellishment. I guess you could call her style: Classic Christmas Cottage. And, I’m looking forward to it.
Well, nothing else too interesting to tell you. Dinner was french bread pizza and big glasses of milk. Speaking of which – I used to HATE {loathe} milk, until I found Stonyfield Milk. I don’t know what it is about it … to me, it tastes less milky – try explaining THAT! Also, it lasts forever! I picked some up the other day, and it doesn’t expire until mid to late January! I found this great article that explains why this is: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=experts-organic-milk-lasts-longer. Turns out it has nothing to do with the fact that it is organic! Ah’mazing Anyhow, perhaps you have a milk-hater who would like to try this kind out… let me know if you do, and how it goes!
Emerging Domesticity 