That then this

The day after Christmas and all through the house. It was quiet again the way it was before but not in between. Family, food, and festivities were in no short order in that time when the house was full and so were our stomachs.

Christmas meals have come and gone and this one was one for the history books. Our history books, maybe, but the books just the same. Artichoke dip with homemade chips was beyond the beyond and you can't eat just one. Nothing could have surpassed the crab cakes. Nothing at all in any time or space. It was like being in crab cake heaven it was so very good. Can you imagine a place of heavenly crab cakes? This was it. The main dish left no one unsatisfied. The spinach/arugula salad with goat cheese, bacon, and walnuts. Add the lemon vinaigrette and call it a day except, wait, there is more. Roasted new potatoes, prime rib, and gravy was perfection. And how about the crab stuffed shrimp? Why do you even ask when it was so good. All together on one plate was the best meal we could have had on such a day. We didn't end it there but took it to the next level with the chocolate swirl cheesecake with fresh raspberry red wine reduction sauce. What a way to end a meal, a day, a celebration.
       

So what do you do the day after the best day? You take that quiet day and spend a portion in another quiet area. You go to enjoy the outside, the breeze, and stretch the legs on a hike.
What could be better than that and then this?
TT

Tamales for Eve

It's Christmas morning but all quiet in the house. For now. It will be filled soon and I couldn't ask for more.

Christmas Eve went off beautifully. Tamales were on the menu because, well, you do those things. It wasn't a huge amount and it didn't take long. Most of the prep was done beforehand so it was a matter of spreading, stuffing, and steaming. It wasn't a lot of work but it was tradition.
Now onward to the main feast. The menu day should include:

Spinach/Arugula Salad with Goat Cheese and Walnuts

Lemon Vinaigrette

Artichoke Dip with Chips

Crab Cakes

Mini-Tarts with Brie and Bacon

Prime Rib Roast

Crab Stuffed Shrimp

Roasted New Potatoes and Carrots

Chocolate Swirled Cheesecake with

Fresh Raspberry Reduced Wine Sauce

I'm taking a short break now but will be getting to work in a moment. 

TT

'Tis the season

Christmas Eve - December 24th, 2015.

Here it is. This is when it all starts to come together. I work a half day today and when I leave here I will make one last stop to the grocery store. I have a list of all the things that need to be picked up to complete and round out our menu from Christmas dinner. That will be it.

This afternoon, depending on the time I have prior to attending the children's mass at 5:00pm, I might bake the cheesecake. If I don't do that today, it will be baked first thing tomorrow morning. Tonight after mass I will tackle homemade tamales. The pork roast is cooked and the chile sauce is ready. It will be a simple task of putting the masa and filling together and steaming them to perfection. I'm only making 5 lbs of masa so it won't be a long, drawn out process. We don't need mountains of tamales, just enough - like 5 lbs worth.

It's Christmas Eve. Let's track Santa. Let's get together and fill each other with the joy and happiness of the season. It's here.
TT

Naked no more

There have been a few things that have been lingering for a while without being completed. One of those things was getting the tree decorated. It might be considered one of the top things that usually is first to get done, yet this year it's been one of the last. The poor tree has been sitting there stark naked for over a week. If it didn't already come with sparking white lights it would be a total green branch. Not so anymore. I managed to get the tree decorated and all the gifts wrapped. It looks more like a holiday. It feels more like a holiday. Who can deny a little thing like this tradition would make a difference and make the biggest impact. It really is the small things at times.


TT

And Batman cake

I didn't get a chance to say what a great success Mr. L's fourth birthday turned out to be. We thought we might struggle over a batman cake but with a little thought and some food coloring it worked out. It wasn't too hard to turn the simply delicious chocolate cake into a the icon it represented. Look here and see for yourself.
  You take a little blue, yellow, black and mix it into white frosting and voila! Batman. Selma did the entire cake. I watched. And the day of the party is was a really moist and delicious cake. The birthday boy was very excited.

I have to also mention that Selma can also make some mean-good pizza dough. Since Mr. L requested pizza for his birthday dinner, it was pizza and Selma seems to have a great knack for baking. Man, of man, her crust held up better than some I've eaten anywhere else. Better. Yes. And all that homemade goodness made a great party.
Happy Birthday, Mister four year old.
TT

Coming soon

Who do I think I'm fooling with this shut down, be quiet nonsense? Who has time for that. I certainly don't seem to be doing well in the sit still category. It's time to get up, put up, get it done, now! This is the final week. It's the final countdown to all the explosive time when it is all said and done. Then everyone will be smiling, and relaxing, and very happy. It will be seamless and no one will know there is a lick of planning or thinking or moving to get it all in place at the right time.

It might not sound that great with all the work, but that's the way I like it. I don't mind the planning, the getting it done and all that comes with it if the end result is that relaxed feeling of comfort. It's all worth it in the end. And I have to admit, I like all the preparations to get there.

A few more things to straighten out and plan but it's all coming soon.
TT

Do nothing

I am taking a space of time to be quiet. Don't move. Don't get up. Stop thinking you can be doing this thing or that thing. The thing that needs to be done right now is nothing.

It's hard to think there should be time for quiet. I like to move, to get things done, to not leave things unfinished. It's all about getting it done and done well. That can lead to some hectic times and this has been one (more more than one). It's been going on a while.

So right now it's time to shut down and be still. Quietly.
TT