I took no pictures while we were opening gifts, but I did take this shot of Julia’s hermit crab (I don’t know it’s name – sometime’s it’s Hermie, sometime’s it’s Shelly…sometimes it has other names, depending on Julia’s whims) playing with one of the new sponges Santa left in his/her stocking.
Yes, that’s right. Seafood! In sausage form! Is there no end to the sausage madness?
Not yet.
We decided to make a batch of Lobster, Shrimp and Leek Sausage (from Charcuterie) to serve as part of the appetizer segments of both Christmas Eve and Christmas. Not a ton of it, because we didn’t know how it would be. But enough for everyone to taste.
And so everyone could say “Wow! I’ve never had lobster sausage before!”
We live for praise. We live to inspire.
(A glimpse at the Christmas morning chaos.)
This is really the first day I’ve had time to sit and type since before Christmas. All that other time was spent either in preparation for the holiday (and holiday eve) or cleaning up after it, or working.
And my camera hasn’t been working, either, so that’s been frustrating. Bear with the cell phone pictures a bit longer, please.
I’m skipping ahead to our dinner on Christmas Day. Roast Beef and Yorkshire Pudding. I believe I’ve said it before, but this meal alone is probably responsible for me never lasting as a vegetarian years ago. I think I could survive for five days on the aroma alone.
And the best part, especially on a busy holiday, is how easy it is to make.
Next life, I want to come back as a pampered, much-loved, well-fed neutered male cat. (I included the neutered part in there because he has no stress, no strong passions that drive him crazy, no need to pee on walls. I don’t want to come back as an ANNOYING pampered, much-loved, well-fed male cat, after all. And why male? Because males generally get to lounge around like this (see above) while females, even pampered, much-loved, well-fed, INDOOR females, are nearly always on alert, ready to hunt or pounce. I just want to lounge around next time out.
I know – but what about the “O Christmas Tree” post title? What’s that got to do with the cats?
At 6:06 this morning Alex and Julia opened our bedroom door. “Merry Christmas! Wake up!” Julia sang out. Bill sort of grunted a greeting and I tried to sound a bit more enthusiastic. “Time to get up! I think Santa came!” she urged. “Go wake your brother up,” I said. “I’m right here!” Alex announced.… Continue reading 6:06
Just wanted to share this with you all because I love the gorgeous springerle molds at House on the Hill. I got a notice the other day that they’re having an end-of-the-year sale on Nativity molds, and I thought some of you might be interested. One of the molds on sale is their Complete 1654… Continue reading House on the Hill Nativity Sale
Ho ho ho.
They’ve been shipped!
With the cookie baking.
I just got home from running a couple of errands, and I’d left cookies cooling on the racks in the dining room.
There was one that had broken while I was rolling it in confectioners’ sugar, so I figured I should sample it, you know, to make sure it was okay.
And so I did.
And it’s a really, really good thing, too, because it was the most awful bite of a cookie I’ve ever had.
It’s Friday, and I’m finally posting another French Fridays with Dorie recipe again. I think it’s been a month since the last one, and I’ve got a few of November’s recipes – the images, anyway – hanging around, wanting to be loved by a little girl or boy…no, wait, that’s the misfit toys.
Anyway – I was totally happy to see that one of December’s recipes was a cookie recipe. I bake a lot of cookies in December, and it’s nice to have a new recipe or two to play with.
Enter the Speculoos!
I was baking all the lebkuchen yesterday and thought this one looked kind of cool with the light residue of flour across the crackled surface.
So, as I am wont to do, I took a picture.
