a little treat
As I may have mentioned a time or two before, I love mushrooms.
Love them.
When stuffed mushrooms are on a menu, I am compelled, as though by an otherworldly force, to order them.
Sometimes, they are divine. And sometimes, they are not.
When I first met the man, he said that he had the best recipe ever for Stuffed Mushrooms. I was skeptical. But it turns out, he was pretty spot on in his assessment.
Here, for your enjoyment:
Santa’s Stuffed Mushrooms
(Don’t let the name fool you ~ they are an all-year treat!)
What you Need:
2 packages button mushrooms
1 pint sour cream
2 Tbsp butter
1 pkg Onion Dip
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan
2 Tbsp Dry Cooking Sherry
What to Do:
1. Make your bread crumbs by putting 1 and 1/2 pieces of plain, soft bread in a food processor. Pulse until evenly chopped.
2. Preheat oven to 350.
3. Clean mushrooms. Remove stems and set aside.
4. Make onion dip by combining onion package and sour cream. You will only need 3/4 cup for the recipe, so you can also enjoy some veggies or chips and dip. 😉
5. Coarsely chop mushroom stems. In a small saucepan, combine chopped stems with butter, and cook until soft.
6. Combine 3/4 cup onion dip, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, sherry and drained mushroom stems. Mix well. Fill mushroom caps with mixture. Sprinkle with a little more parmesan (if you’re a cheese person, which I am!)
7. Cook for approximately 20 minutes.
8. Serve!
rainy days
This morning, Miss Lucy stood at the front door, and peered hesitantly outside. She raised her eyes to her dad, trying to let him know that she wasn’t inclined to step out into the rain. She didn’t bark. And she didn’t whine. Her dad, his heart a big pile of mush when it came to anything having to do with her, closed the door, and ruffled her ears.
I overheard him say, “If you don’t want to go outside, we won’t go outside.”
Grrr.
Doggy Mommy-dom has been quite the learning experience so far. It wasn’t that I didn’t know work was involved. I wasn’t naive enough to think she would arrive house-broken, healthy, completely socialized and obedient (although she’s close!). I knew that I would be cleaning up poop. And throw-up. I accepted that some of my things might get chewed. I knew I would have to be tough.
I did not think it would take such an emotional toll.
I have learned that being the mommy also means occasionally, being the meanie. As I coaxed Lucy out the door into the hazy drizzle, her ears flattened, and she stopped, bracing herself with her back legs to prevent me from moving her further into the wetness. I felt like the worst person in the whole world. No amount of “C’mon Lucy! It’s not that bad! Let’s go potty and then we can go back inside! Hurry up Peanut! Gotta do it! C’mon Lucy!” seemed to convince my distrusting pup that the rain was not going to melt her immediately. She looked around frantically for daddy to save her. But he had already left for work. Poor Lucy.
We did manage to get in a walk. Once she was wet, and away from traffic, she seemed oblivious to the rain. Go figures. One second, I’m mommy the meanie, the next second, Lucy is happily trotting away, eyes full of wonder at everything along the roadway, tail wagging enthusiastically.
Within a few minutes, my emotions went from unbelievable guilt and utter frustration verging on tears to an overwhelming love that bubbled up and made me want to laugh. Motherhood, I am learning, is no joke.
ah – ha moments, and hmmm moments
I decided ~ and I’m not sure exactly when ~ that 2012 was going to be my year.
First, and most obviously, my birthday is 12.12, so clearly, 2012 lends itself to the task.
Second, I’ve now spent two full years in the same place, at the same job, with the same man, living the same routine. To some people that might sound pedantic, but to me, it’s hugely significant. I’m a creature of habit. I, along with the man, have created a life, a home. We have built a family. Through that, I have gained stability, and confidence. Slowly, I’ve come to learn that everything doesn’t have to feel as though I’m being tossed around in a stormy sea.
Things I’ve learned in the past few years ~
1. Friends come in all shapes and sizes. They do not always have your best interests at heart. They are not always honest. They do judge ~ everyone does. It’s okay to disagree with a friend. It’s okay to stand your ground. It’s okay to say, “Hey, y’know what? You bring nothing positive to my life. I don’t want to be friends anymore.” And guess what? You won’t be lonely without friends for the rest of your life. Even if you walk away from everyone. There are people out there who are true friends. And you’ll find them. Sometimes, that’s what you have to do.
2. Family is important. All families are flawed, all families have drama, and all families fight. But in the end, blood is thicker than water.
3. Being at the top can really suck sometimes. You don’t always have the right answer. You don’t always say the right thing. You can’t always be nice.
4. Life is a balancing act. It’s about trusting yourself, trusting what is inherently important to you, and holding onto that, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
5. Life shouldn’t be a competition. But remembering that is harder than being competitive. Every once in awhile, it’s a good idea to take a step back and get perspective.
6. Cooking should be fun. It should be about making something you want to eat. It should be about breaking bread with friends and family. But take-out is important, too. Sometimes, it’s necessary.
7. You should try all the things you said you would never do. Life is too short, and things are too much fun. So is camping.
8. Save money. Every day. Don’t touch it.
9. Remember that everyone in your life only knows parts of who you are. They may pigeon-hole you in a way you find both insulting and uncomfortable. Try to remember that you probably pigeon-hole them, too. Even if you don’t mean to. And they might not mean to, either.
10. Stand up for yourself. No one else will. People don’t automatically give everyone the benefit of the doubt.
11. Take care of your friendships the same way you take care of your relationship. Be in touch. Listen. Be supportive. Real friends are few and far between. Real friends are as precious as your perfect partner.
12. Live in your choices. Love unconditionally. Maybe people don’t love you back as much; maybe people don’t support your choices. Holding other people accountable for unvoiced expectations is a really bad habit.
13. Acknowledge your flaws. Other people will point them out. As long as you know what they are, it’s a lot easier hearing someone else tell you about them. But don’t allow them to handicap you.
14. No one makes the rules for your life except for you. Make them carefully, make them spontaneously, make them with a twinkle in your eye. Make them so you are happy.
This blog was something I started with a somewhat hazy idea of what it would be. What is has become is a little bit of that, a little bit of something else, and a lot of my soul, typed in black letters across a white screen. It’s helped me get to know myself ~ which is a humbling thing. I think that’s also why 2012 is going to be my year.
That, and John and I expanded our family recently. We adopted the most precious, beautiful, even-tempered, silly, snuggly brindle boxer in the whole world.
And we called her Lucy. 🙂
in my head
Last summer ~ meaning 2010, which is crazy, because it feels like yesterday ~ the man and I ventured to try listening to ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ on audio book. It was part of my birthday present to him, because I was stubbornly insisting that he read the final chapter of HP before the film came out. (He subsequently claimed, mostly in jest, that I “ruined” the last two movies for him … but I think what I really did was introduce him to how utterly wonderful the books are).
A few weeks ago, I stumbled across an advertisement in Entertainment Weekly magazine (my favorite periodical that I read cover to cover in one sitting … because I can’t put it down once I’ve opened it!) for something called audible.com.
As I’ve mentioned a few times, Stieg Larssen’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” was proving to be utterly elusive to me and said advertisement said that one could get an unabridged audio version of the book with a trial membership. I figured maybe if I couldn’t get into it by reading it, I could get into it by listening to it.
Obviously, I checked it out.
Only, I couldn’t find a free version of “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” Instead, I found a free audio version of “The Game of Thrones.” Which I thought was utterly marvelous. I imagined the man and I listening intently while driving to work in the bitter, endless cold of January.
And then I got impatient. And began listening on my iPhone instead.
What a great book! I mean, seriously, it’s so much easier to follow than “Lord of the Rings.” And I made several valiant efforts to read the trilogy cover to cover. Several. I got through “The Fellowship of the Ring,” (over a 12+ month period) and began “The Two Towers,” but when I realized that the stories were not intertwined with each other, but rather told as two separate adventures, my attention waned. I have yet to finish “The Two Towers” or even crack the binding of “The Return of the King.” And I began reading them in the snowy January of 2002. I know, I know. So many people think they are amazing books. I feel as though I let the story down by not plugging on through. But “Harry Potter” they are not. I did not find, not at any time, that the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy was eminently readable. I just think that certain people were able to get past the pretentious prose and pages of exposition to enjoy the heart of the story, while I could not.
I have enjoyed the audio version of “The Game of Thrones” so much, that I’m going to start at the beginning with the man, so he can listen, too. Just as all great authors do, George R.R. Martin has created his own world, with his own language, geography, animals and titles (just to name a few things). There is a mythology that expands with each chapter, and Martin tells the story from multiple points of view. I’m sure that watching the HBO series has helped me keep characters organized in my head, but reading it is just really fun.
Today is one of the coldest days we’ve had so far this year, and I’m feeling a little under the weather (which is such a drag), so I’m looking forward to a night cuddled under blankets reading. Happy Reading to everyone out there, as well!
new year’s resolutions and the best mac & cheese ever
Last night, as the man and I sat in the Indianapolis airport and the daylight waned and the snow swirled, I realized that I was not one, but two days into the New Year, and it didn’t really feel any different.
I know that nothing really changes when the calendar flips from one year to the next. But for most of my life, the new year felt like a clean slate; a chance to start over and really get it right.
Recently, I’ve just felt tired ~ a little overwhelmed and worn out; as though exhaustion has set up residence in my very being. Sitting and waiting and trying to get home yesterday was a moment of calm in the otherwise hectic existence my life has somehow become. Maybe it’s just me, but snow storms allow you to just be; in one place, at one time. Yes, I was mildly worried about getting home, but mostly I was enjoying the peace that the snow provided ~ the quiet that it seemed to imply.
For one small moment, I wasn’t rushing to get anywhere, and there was nothing I could do to change my situation. It was such a relief.
We spent four days in Indy with one of my close friends, her hubby, and their absolutely precious little man of eighteen months. It was great to see them, and it also allowed the man to get to know them a little better ~ they’ve been in Indy a little longer than I’ve been with the man, so he’s only met them briefly a few times. We made, and ate, far too much food. I mean, far too much food. It’s completely possible that I gained ten pounds. Seriously.
We had jalepeno poppers, cheesecake stuffed strawberries, fondu, stuffed mushrooms, jumbo shrimp cocktail, baked brie, filet mignon, brussel sprout hash, and homemade baked mac & cheese. And that list doesn’t include breakfast! Luckily, my clothing still fit for the ride back!
I have also been working my way through “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.” I’m still getting used to reading on the nook ~ one weird, quirky frustration of mine is that I can’t page back and refresh my memory about something I read earlier without it being somewhat of a pain in the behind. I know there are controls to do it, but it’s a little harder doing it electronically than physically ~ usually I can remember where on a page something was, or if it was the left or right side ~ that doesn’t really exist on a nook. However, I will say that I love having different reading options at the touch a finger, so I will get over my obsession with flipping through a book and reading out of sequence. It’s really only a problem because I have been reading “Dragon Tattoo” in bits and pieces over such a long period of time … I’m sure with something that I read consistently, I won’t feel the urge to flip back and refresh my memory as often.
We made it home safely, albeit after several re-bookings of flights, and we even got in over an hour earlier than we’d originally been scheduled. In addition to all that, we flew on quite a little plane from DC to Philadelphia, which was a pretty neat experience. This girl broke down and borrowed some dramamine from the man though ~ the flights were a little bumpy the whole trip, and I was nervous that such a small plane would be too much for my tummy. Turns out ~ it was the smoothest take-off and landing of the whole trip! Just goes to show me ~ don’t judge a book by its cover!
I don’t have a lot of resolutions for 2012, but I have a few goals, including saving a certain amount of money over the next twelve months, getting myself into a routine that allows me to de-stress, stay focused and cut out some of this intense fatigue, and run the Broad Street in May (10 miles through Philadelphia).
My resolution? Get up earlier to get ready for work. Hopefully that will eliminate the stress that begins every morning as we rush to the city to get the man to work on time.
And … for those cold winter nights when all you want is some good, comfort food, here’s my Mama Bear’s Baked Macaroni & Cheese. You can tell me you’ve had great mac & cheese, but there’s nothing better than this recipe!
What you Need:
1 package thick cut bacon
approx 1 lb sharp cheddar, coarsely grated
grated Swiss cheese, to taste
Cooper Sharp cheese, to taste (it’s a deli cheese and as I add it during the recipe, I just rip pieces apart, so there’s no grating necessary for this one!)
Milk
1 – 2 medium, yellow onions
Flour
Mustard** (optional)
White Wine (technically optional, but I’d advise against skipping it)
Tomatoes**(optional)
Bread Crumbs
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Hickory Smoked Salt** (optional)
Large saucepan
Large casserole dish
Prep Work:
1. Grate your cheese, and mix together.
2. Coarsely chop your onions ~ as my Mama says, you want the pieces ‘not to big, and not too small.’
3. I make my own bread crumbs by putting 1 and 1.2 slices of bread in my Mini-Quisinart and chopping it up. Then I mix in about 1/4 cup to 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, about a teaspoon of Hickory Smoked Salt and that’s the topping.
4. If you’re using tomatoes, slice them on the medium-thickness side.
Now, you’re ready to start!
What to do:
Preheat oven to 350. Cook macaroni according to box directions, and drain well.
***Some little side-notes ***Pour yourself a nice beverage, because this is a long process, and you have to have a little patience and intuition along the way. Don’t wear a sweatshirt while making this, because you stand over a hot stove for quite awhile, and it can get uncomfortably warm if you’re overdressed!
1. Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces (I’d say about an inch across, give or take). Using a large saucepan, cook the bacon over medium heat until it’s crispy on the edges, and chewy in the middle (or, however you like bacon!). When it’s cooked to your liking, scoop out the bacon and put on a few layers of paper towel to drain.
2. Leave at least three tablespoons of bacon fat in the pan ~ if you have an abundance, drain some of it. (It’s hit or miss for me ~ but I would say I more often than not don’t drain any bacon fat, but my Mama Bear does, so it’s really up to personal choice and intuition).
3. Add onions to bacon fat, and cook until they clarify. Lower the heat.
4. Sprinkle in flour by the tablespoon, making a roux. The roux should be fairly stiff. I would say ~ depending on how much bacon fat you leave in the pan, you can estimate using between 3 and 5 tablespoons of flour. But add one at at time, and mix thoroughly before adding in more. The texture, when it’s ‘done,’ will remind you a little of that white paste that used to be used in grade school … is that stuff still around?
*** Mum’s Greatest Piece of Cooking Advice: You can always add, but you can never take away ***
5. Once the roux is good and stiff, begin adding milk bit by bit, to create a sauce. I probably went through about a pint of milk, but I just had the container sitting stove side, and added a little at a time. The consistency you’re going for is on the thin side, but with some substance. It should definitely be liquidy, rather than creamy, if that makes sense.
6. Once you achieve the desired consistency, take a big dollop of mustard, and mix it right in. You can, in fact, add two, if mustard is something you love. OR, you can skip adding mustard at all, because you loathe it, or have a deep aversion.
7. Now! It’s cheese time! Stir in cheese by the handful, making sure it’s melting fully. Use about three or four slices of Cooper Sharp, added bit by bit. Once you have created a superbly cheesy sauce, add a little white wine (to taste) to thin out the cheese a bit. *** Once you add the pasta, it will thicken the sauce, so you want a really cheesy, but not.too.thick sauce, or it will be hard to mix in the pasta completely. I would say that I douse my sauce with a few heavy pours of whatever white wine I have in the fridge.
8. When you’re satisfied with your cheesy, oniony mix, stir in the bacon pieces.
9. Then, add in the pasta. Mix fully.
10. Transfer the whole shebang into the casserole dish. Lay slices of tomato across the top, and finish by covering the entire top with your breadcrumb/Parmesan mixture.
11. Bake in the oven for approximately 20 -25 minutes, or until it’s bubbling.
*** Some advice *** Bake it on top of a cookie tray lined with aluminium foil, so that if it bubbles over, you have an easy clean up.
Try and tell me it’s not the best Mac & Cheese you’ve ever made. 🙂
a nook, a book and keyboard
For my birthday (which occurred earlier this month) the man got me a Barnes & Noble Nook.
I know, I know. I wax lyrical about books sometimes (you should hear me in real life … or just see the bookshelves that exist in our home that are packed full, plus the tupperware containers in storage filled with other books that didn’t fit on the shelves …. Two conclusions following that statement ~ a) I sound a little like a hoarder, which makes me want to go clear off my bookshelves immediately, and b) I love love love to read).
And yes, fundamentally, I was initally hesitant about the whole e-reader trend. Books are more than just the words, they are the pages, the font, the feel, the weight … You get my point.
And then I got one. And my world changed.
Let me rewind a bit.
When I was younger, I was a bookworm. The library was one of my favorite places to be, paging through books, making stacks of things I wanted to check out. I read everything ~ I mean everything. Sometimes I wish I’d written things down, because so many of the stories still fill my mind and imagination, and I wish I could go back and re-read them.
Yes, I’m also a re-reader. I have read Rosamunde Pilcher’s “Coming Home” more times than I can count and I also own far too many copies. For some reason, I compulsively buy it at airports and read it while waiting for a plane. (I can add this to my list of Really Quirky Things I Do). I have also read (and listened to) most of the Harry Potter books more times than I’d like to admit.
But every once in awhile, a person hits a stagnant phase. And the last few years of my life have been … well, they’ve been a myriad of things, at both ends of the spectrum of happiness and sadness and everything in between. And sometimes, and this is just me hypothesizing on a dark winter day, when a person is struggling to put their life in order, some of life’s pleasurable pastimes end up on the sidelines, collecting dust. Writing and reading were two of those things for me.
I was lucky enough to meet a man who saw through all the angst and confusion and rawness of me ‘figuring things out’ ~ and he both gave me the idea for this blog, which has helped me write again after far too long, and he gave me a Nook, which has re-ignited my excitement about reading. I have a list of books to read that will last me quite some time … and I’m okay with adding to it.
Right now, after really struggling to stick with it, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” is finally showing me why it became an international best-seller. I put it down this year to read (amongst other things) Daniel Silva’s newest release, “Portrait of a Spy,” all three Hunger Games books, the beginnings of Diana Gabaldon’s #5 Outlander book, “The Fiery Cross” and Haruki Murakami’s “1Q84” (which I cannot wait to read, but I kept feeling distracted by the unfinished copy of “Dragon Tattoo” that has been sitting next to my bed for months).
Also on my list, George R.R. Martin’s Fire & Ice series. I have a sample of “Game of Thrones” on my Nook, as well as an audio version (because I’d sorta like to listen to it driving to work with the man).
The thing about the Nook is this … you can carry multiple books with you, and read any time you want. (This is also a little dangerous). I have a Nook app on my iPhone and have found myself sneaking a few pages in every now and then throughout the day. It’s such a sweet indulgence.
And when I get on the plane to Indiana on Friday, I will have every single book that I’m in the middle of reading with me … and I’ll still be able to carry all my luggage on board with me. It’s completely crazy (my child-like enthusiasm might also clue you into how old-fashioned I am … it’s not like Nooks and Kindles are new technology).
I imagine that my Nook will be my best friend during Lent … the man and I are contemplating giving up TV. But … Lent is still aways away, so I’ll check back closer to the time in question! For now, I’m heading back to Sweden, Mikael Blomkvist & his investigation into the Vanger family. To everyone who is in the middle of a book (or contemplating starting one!), happy reading!
happy solstice, other mid-winter thoughts & a christmas movie countdown
December 21, 2011
This morning, as my alarm rang and I bemoaned the start of another day in the pitch black, I informed the man (in a monotonous tone) that today is the shortest day of the year. In considering this, one can only look to the positive that slowly but surely, the sun will remain in the sky a little bit more each day until June 21st, when the cycle will begin it’s decline again to December. Ah, the cycle of life.
December 23, 2011
As I hot-footed it around Center City earlier this morning on a mission to put together my boss’s Christmas (and Hanukkah) presents, I was a little depressed at the fact that I had to take my coat off because I was too hot.
In December.
Two days before Christmas.
Seriously, not to be crude, but WTF?
I struggled at Thanksgiving when the weather was spring-like; sunny, balmy breezes, chirping birds (well, that might be a small exaggeration). But to have Christmas during a 60 degree warm stretch? Ugh. If it were intentional, it would be different ~ say, Australia and Christmas on the beach. But I live in Philadelphia, for pity’s sake. It’s just wrong.
I really need some snow. And it was looking so promising when we got a mini-blizzard at the end of October. Now? Not so much.
So, to get in the holiday spirit, my top favorite holiday films.
Honorable Mentions:
Most Nostalgic Memories ~ Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas (but I haven’t seen it in years) and Mickey’s Christmas Carol (the first video I remember my dad playing in our new VCR when I was about 5).
Best Christmas Chick Flick ~ While You Were Sleeping (I could watch this on repeat … I deeply love Sandra Bullock) and also worth mentioning: Four Christmases, The Family Stone and The Holiday
It wouldn’t be Christmas without watching ~ The Santa Claus, The Christmas Story
The Top Ten
1o. Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn makes this movie great, but the whole cast is pretty rockstar … Paul Giamatti, Rachel Weisz, Kathy Bates, Kevin Spacey … the list goes on, it’s crazy!)
9. Scrooged (It’s just so bad, it’s good!)
8. Home Alone (The original is still, in my opinion, the best).
7. Christmas in Connecticut: 1945 ~ (I am a sucker for old black & white Christmas movies, and this one is a doozy. I wish I had it on DVD, but I try to find it on TV every year).
6. Love, Actually (So heartwarming, and so British … love it).
5. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (If you don’t love this movie, something is wrong. Seriously.)
4. George C. Scott’s “A Christmas Carol.” (It’s hands down my favorite version, and I only watch it on Christmas Eve … everything else is fair game for watching ad nauseum, but there’s something special about curling up on Christmas Eve and settling in to watch Charles Dickens’ masterpiece).
3. Holiday Inn ~ (Bing Crosby is Christmas incarnate to me. I love this whole, sweet story of a little country Inn and a couple performers falling in and out of love …. it’s also the origin of Irving Berlin’s Christmas standard, “White Christmas”).
2. It’s a Wonderful Life ~ (Truth be told, it’s a toss up for spots #1 and #2 … this movie makes me cry every time, but I also love Clarence’s message … “No Man is a Failure Who has Friends.” This isn’t just a great Christmas movie, it’s an all-out great film).
1. White Christmas (I love pretty much everything about this movie … Bing Crosby singing, Vera Ellen dancing, Rosemary Clooney sulking and Danny Kaye clowning … I love the songs and the dance numbers, and the Christmas-y spirit of everything. But mostly I love that I remember first watching this movie with Jennie J … and every year, when I watch it, she’s with me, and I’m little again, in my pajamas and snuggled up next to her listening to Bing and Rosemary sing their worries away).
in the spirit
On the man and my first date, we discovered our mutual love for Christmas. I spent many of my previous relationships with men who, in the mildest case, were disdainful of the holiday. It was one of those (plentiful) moments at the beginning of things with John that made me feel as though we were right together in ways I had never felt before. Less than a year into our relationship, he drove to my parents house on Christmas morning, and arrived on their front porch decked in a full Santa suit. Maybe not romantic for some, but it made my heart burst with love for a man so secure in the things he loved.
For me, Christmas had always been a truly magical time. We honored traditions from both sides of the family ~ seven fish on Christmas Eve with the Italian side … smelts, calamari, shrimp cocktail, baccala … aglio olio pasta with raisins and pine nuts, thin strips of fried eggplant, stuffed peppers … (my memory is slightly faded, as the large family Christmas Eve celebrations began to peter out when I was still young, but boy oh boy, the abundance was staggering), and turkey with all the trimmings on Christmas Day, with chipolata sausages, bread sauce, stuffing, brussel sprouts and gravy.
In our house, we hung stockings for Santa to fill, and left out an assortment of Italian Christmas cookies, milk and hot cocoa (in a Santa Claus mug, of course!). When we got a little older, my brother and I also felt it was necessary to leave food for the reindeer, so there were carrots and apples as well. (These are the things young minds think of when their mother rides horses … which seemed, at the time, remarkably similar to reindeer). As little tykes, we would bunk in the same room on Christmas Eve (Dave had twin beds). I’m not sure if this was because we were so excited, or filled with nervous anticipation about a complete stranger sliding down our chimney in the middle of the night, or because it was a clever ploy by mum & dad to try to keep us in our beds as long as possible in the morning.
Irregardless, morning inevitably came, and while our parents employed some fairly effective delaying tactics, we usually ended up downstairs and around the tree before the sun was up. Dave and I would wait at the top of the stairs, and when my dad had had a chance to turn the tree lights on, and my mum had put a pot on to boil for coffee and tea, they would summon us, and we would shuffle into the living room with our eyes closed. My dad would tell us when we could open them (possibly so that both he and my mum could see our joyous expressions at the sight of the booty under the tree). As would be expected of most children, we dove right in, and ended with our stockings (the toe of which was always stuffed with a tangerine, a tradition and huge treat in my mum’s stocking as a child). Usually, there was a sooty boot print on the rug, and multiple footprints in the fireplace. Sometimes, Santa would leave us messages, written in green calligraphy on crinkly, weathered paper. He always ate the cookies and drank the milk and cocoa.
As grown people, we now arrive to view Santa’s delivery with the sun in the sky, and take turns opening presents (either Dave, my dad or the man serve as ‘Santa’ and hand out boxes to the family). We still end with stockings, but we’re usually all sipping steaming mugs of hot chocolate and enjoying the tradition of it more than the magic, which can only really exist in it’s purest form when small people are present, and full of wonder.
Since setting up a home with the man, we have begun establishing our own traditions. (It has necessitated some negotiation, as we both feel strongly about how we celebrate). Tonight, we’re venturing into the city for the man’s work holiday party. And tomorrow we start a new tradition … with our first Annual Holiday Party! Let the magic of Christmas begin!
the kindness of strangers
Yesterday, by the end of the day, I was a touch tetchy.
First of all, I loathe dress shopping. This is for many reasons (including that I don’t especially love shopping at all) but the bottom line is, I dread it deeply.
Second, the man is sick. And he’s never sick, so although he soldiers on, it’s a little inconvenient for him to be sick when we have not one, but two holiday shindigs this weekend.
Third, I’d had an absolutely terrible dinner. I mean, catastrophically bad. But … that’s a story for another day.
Needless to say, I was grumpy as I made my way through the racks of clothing at Kohls on my endless (and still unfulfilled) mission to find a dress for the man’s office festivities tomorrow night. I was trying (not very hard) to NOT look like I wanted to kill everyone in my path. Out of seemingly nowhere, a Kohls worker appeared, laden with mismatched clothing. She smiled and made a nonchalant comment. I half heard her, and half-heartedly smiled/nodded. She seemed to be in far too good a mood for the stormy tempest that my world had shaped into (admittedly at my own doing).
And then I noticed that she had the.most.fabulous.earrings.
And since I felt that I was in desperate need of some good karma my way, I flung it out into the atmosphere, with the idea that it might loop back to me eventually, like a boomerang.
“I completely love your earrings. They are fabulous.”
She turned to me, and her whole face was lit up by her smile. It was sort of amazing, how much happiness she radiated, in contrast to my dark cloud of grumpiness.
“Thanks!” There was just no way that her good mood wouldn’t have been contagious. I genuinely returned her smile. The earrings, long and dangly and looping through themselves, were the epitome of th kind of earrings that I love. I repeated my compliment, staring almost lovingly at the wood and silver jewelry. She laughed at my expression, saying as she worked, “I have a bunch of pairs like this ~ I love them, too. Just so much fun, y’know?”
I nodded. “They are truly gorgeous.” Somehow, my spirits, so heavy just moments ago, felt lighter. Here was a person, putting chaos back in order at a department store during the holidays, who seemed so utterly sincere in her positivity.
She put down her pile of clothing, and reached up to her ears. I thought she was going to let me look at them, and I hesitated. I was distracting her from work and I should graciously excuse myself.
“Here,” she said, pulling not one, but both earrings from her ears. “You can have them.”
I was caught completely off guard. And no amount of saying no could persuade her to keep her earrings. She put them firmly into my hand. “Now,” she said, that smile wide and bright, “every time you wear these earrings, you think of me, okay?”
“I … Of course! I won’t just think of you! I’m going to tell people all about you! That’s the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me …” I trailed off, because I could literally feel my eyes getting misty. (I’m a sap, okay?). I beamed at her, and she chuckled to herself.
“You’re welcome! Enjoy them, okay?” And I nodded, because I couldn’t think of a single adequate thing to say.
And this morning, when I picked out my outfit to go with my new earrings, I smiled and thought that the world works in mysterious ways.
disappearing acts
I have been woefully negligent in the upkeep of this space since before Thanksgiving, and there are no true explanations.
Well ….
I got a little sick over Thanksgiving break. It made me fully appreciate what it means to be hydrated. (My newest love = Zico Coconut Water … yum yum delish).
And work has been a little bit of a time-suck. That’s about all I have to say about that!
I promised myself that when December 1st rolled around, I would start on a fresh page and blog all my Christmas favorites.
But …. I dropped the ball again. December, I have found, is a little hectic when one has a few balls in the air. Additionally, and this most profoundly affects the man, December happens to be the birth month of most of the significant females in our joint family. His mama, me, my mama and my mama’s twin. (I can almost hear the collective & sympathetic ‘oy vey!‘).
The truth is, what with work, and feeling slightly under the weather (and therefore infinitely less on the ball) plus having a To-Do list a mile long that includes Christmas cards (I’m boycotting the politically correct “Holiday” substitution), birthday pressies, Christmas pressies, holiday decorations, travel plans for NYE and … the man and my first Annual Christmas Party … things have just sort of spun out of control.
So, here I am, halfway through my second favorite month (weirdly, October out-ranks December for me by a nose!), finally taking a minute to update my sad, cobweb-laden blog with a few fun, holiday things.
But to start, a new recipe that the man and I have enjoyed a few times recently … most importantly on my birthday (which was Monday).
Everyday Colorful Gnocchi
What You Need:
1 bundle fresh asparagus
1 small zucchini
1 small yellow squash
1 pkg button mushrooms, sliced
1 bag large pre-cooked shrimp
2 pkg Gnocchi (I buy mine from Trader Joe’s and I use one regular, and one whole-wheat)
1/3 cup grated Parmesan (+ a little extra)
3 Tbsp Butter (separated into individual tbsp portions)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil (+ some extra)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Salt & Pepper to taste
What to Do:
1. Preheat oven to 375. Defrost shrimp and drain. Put water on stove to boil for gnocchi.
2. Cover a cooking tray (you can use a cookie sheet or anything flat) with aluminum foil, and spray with non-stick spray.
3. Chop asparagus into bite-size pieces, disgarding the bottom of the stalks (which are inevitably stringy and have zero flavor). ***I usually use just the tips.
4. Cube zucchini and yellow squash.
5. Place asparagus and squash on cooking tray, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with some olive oil. Set aside until mushrooms have softened (below step). Place in oven on top rack for approximately five minutes (or until you hear sizzling).
6. In a medium sauce pan, place sliced mushrooms and season with salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder. Drizzle some olive oil. Cook until mushrooms are softened over medium heat. Fold in shrimp to season and warm up.
7. Cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain.
8. In large bowl, combine gnocchi, veggies, mushrooms and shrimp with 1/3 cup Parmesan, 3 tbsp butter (which should be separated) and 1 tbsp olive oil. Add additional Parmesan and butter until the sauce reaches your desired cheesiness. Season with salt & pepper if you’d like. Mix carefully … the gnocchi is delicate!
Other Optional Ingredients:
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Roasted Red Peppers (a favorite of mine, but the man doesn’t really love roasted red peppers)
Fresh English Peas (I loathe peas, but I know lots of people who don’t)
**My main guide is to add color to the dish. A lot of nutrition guides offer the advice that you should be eating the whole rainbow color spectrum. While the butter and parm sauce sort of negate the healthiness of this meal, I still like thinking I’m getting my veggies. And as I’ve mentioned before, mushrooms make everything better for me! Also, the man and I use shrimp, because he’s not a fan of cubed chicken -he thinks it’s almost always dry- and I can’t say I totally disagree. BUT, if you want to make it healthier, you could make this dish with chicken, and a tomato sauce made by reducing fresh tomatoes in a saucepan, adding olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano and/or basil.
We enjoyed the birthday dinner in our living room, with the tree lit, “Holiday Inn” on the boob tube, and some truly fantastic wine in our ‘good’ goblets. Any eastern Pennsylvanians, take note of Va La Vineyards. The man and I have been a few times, but this bottle came courtesy of my Mother’s Day tasting excursion with Zia Leni, and was a present for the man. He very generously agreed that it was an excellent choice ~ Cinderbox 2008 (a now defunct vintage). Delish. Finishing it was bittersweet … but will now necessitate another trip to Va La to find something new to enjoy.
Coming Soon …
Top Ten Classic Christmas Movies (according to the man and I)
Jennie J’s Christmas Cookies (I hope … still haven’t found recipes yet)
John & Gwyn’s First Annual Holiday Party
Holiday Traditions
And … SimplyGwyn in Indiana!
Happy December Everyone! ‘Til next time … xoxo.
D5 Creation