Merry Christmas!

I finally feel human again after fighting this bug for weeks.  Managed to get everything done for Christmas, even a little extra project for my SIL.  Tomorrow, we're off to Ventura County for the long holiday weekend.  Thankfully, our wild Southern California weather has returned to normal after six extremely wet days.  I can't remember ever having rain this intense for such a long period.

We'll have our traditional spaghetti dinner Christmas Eve at our daughter's house with most of the family.  I imagine the two oldest grandchildren will be beside themselves with anticipation and excitement!

Christmas morning, we'll again be at DD's house to exchange gifts and enjoy Flo's Serbian Eggs.  My favorite boss, Sylvia, shared this recipe with me years ago and it has become a family favorite.  We usually serve it with sausage, croissants, and fresh fruit.  For Christmas, there will also be mimosas!

FLO'S SERBIAN EGGS
6 eggs -- beaten
1 pound Jack cheese -- shredded
1 pound cottage cheese
1 cup Biscuit mix
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine -- melted
1 teaspoon dried onions
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix together.  Pour into a buttered 9 x 13 pyrex dish.  Bake 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
My sister is hosting Christmas dinner - roast beef, mashed potatoes, green beans - yummy!  There will, of course, be cookies everywhere we go!

Does it sound as though Christmas in our family is all about the food?  Well, food plays a big role but it is really about being together and celebrating this most festive time of year.

My very best wishes to all of you for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Thanksgiving Leftovers

Someone brought the flu bug to Thanksgiving dinner!  DH and I have been sick on and off since Turkey Day.  Our son, Matt, also caught the bug as did all five members of our daughter's family.  Now, several in the family have either had relapses or succumbed to another bug.  Fortunately, everyone is muddling through and getting on with Christmas preparations.


Little Helper - Jackson



I had a blast the week before Thanksgiving looking for appropriate designs to put on aprons for the kidlets.  The pictures aren't the greatest, but you can get an idea how they turned out.  Unfortunately, only Talia was interested in donning her apron and actually helping in the kitchen!



Tasha still naps in the afternoon, so a full day of family and festivities without a nap just about did her in.  So much fun, however, watching her explore the house and play with the toys that we keep here - all new to her!  Jackson rushes into the house and immediately heads to the toy box and demands that we empty the entire box so he can dig right in.  Tasha's apron says "More sprinkles, please!"  Couldn't resist this design since our daughter loves to bake, and she often sends me phone pics of the kidlets mixing the dough at the kitchen counter.

More sprinkles, please!



Sugar & Spice - Talia



Thanksgiving is all about traditions, of course, and one of ours is that the kidlets go on a walk with Grandpa collecting colorful fall leaves to adorn the table.  We started this tradition at Talia's first Thanksgiving.  She was all of 9 months old!  Miss T., the elder, is now closing in on 5 and has graduated to working with Grandma to decorate Oma's Thanksgiving table.  Note how seriously she takes her decorating!

Miss T.., the elder, aka Martha Jr.

I'm just about ready to take the turkey carcass out of the freezer and make soup.  Although it's unseasonably warm in Southern California today (supposed to hit 80 degrees), the weather will turn cool and rainy towards the end of the week.  Soup weather .... here's a very good recipe for Turkey Rice Soup.  Enjoy!

TURKEY SOUP WITH RICE

1 turkey carcass
2 stalks celery with leaves -- coarsely chopped
2 carrots -- coarsely chopped
1 onion -- peeled and quartered
1 bay leaf
8 cups water
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup uncooked rice
2 cups chopped leftover turkey
1 cup frozen or leftover corn
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, combine carcass, celery, carrots, onion, bay leaf and water and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 2 to 3 hours over medium low heat.  Strain and discard vegetables and bones.  Reserve turkey stock.  In a large pot, melt butter and cook onions until tender. Stir in celery and thyme. Stir in carrots and rice and toss to coat. Stir in turkey stock and bring to a simmer. Cook until vegetables and rice are tender, approximately 30 minutes.  Stir in turkey, corn, and parsley. Return to simmer and season to taste.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am thankful for:

• my good health and the good health of my husband and family.
• my wonderful children who still want to spend Thanksgiving Day with me inspite of my reluctance to leave the kitchen, sit down and actually visit with them.
• my wonderful grandchildren who, hopefully, will force me out of the kitchen for a walk down to the park to play.
• my country.  Inspite of our problems, I would not want to live anywhere else.  We have the freedom to change or not to change.
• my home.  I have a roof over my head, a warm bed to sleep in, a refrigerator full of food.  Most of the world lacks one or more of these simple things.
• my parents.  Although they are long gone, they gave me the foundation on which to build a happy, successful life.  They made me responsible, they educated me, they taught me right from wrong, and most importantly, they taught me the power of love.
• my marriage.  How many are still in love after 40+ years?  I am one lucky gal.
• my friends.  What can I say?  You are my joy when things go right, my salvation when things go wrong.
• learning and exploring.  Reading, travelling, trying new things out, being challenged -- this is what makes life so rich.

May you have a wonderful holiday with friends and family.  Turn the computer off, stay away from the tv for a bit, get out of the kitchen, and just enjoy being with the people who are important in your life.

A day of firsts

Amsterdam does not wake up early it seems.  Even the cafe below our apartment, which only serves breakfast and lunch, opens at 8:30 a.m.  Imagine if Starbucks opened that late?  We slept so late in part because we did not hear traffic noise or bicyclists until after 7:30.  What a treat!

I cooked my first meal in Europe!  Fried eggs, bacon (which is round cut), toast, yogurt, juice, and coffee.  Actually, Doug made the coffee in the Philips Senseo.  We watched the canal come to life as we ate.

We planned for the day, which means that DH poured over the maps and highlighted a suggested route while I took pictures of our bedroom.  Isn't it cute?

Off we went on a convoluted route through a maze of interesting streets towards the famous Red Light District of Amsterdam.

Without warning, we sighted a scantily clad female standing provocatively in a window.  No doubt, we were there.  The Red Light District actually does have red lights which for some reason surprised me.  I was warned by a friend not to try to take pictures.  Rumor has it that you might have your camera taken and thrown into the canal.  I doubt if snipes.com covers this sort of thing, so we decided not to take a chance.  I have no pictures to share with you.  Considering that we were walking through the area about 11 a.m., there were quite a few girls already at work - young to middle aged, ivory to ebony, slim to stout.  In the middle of this unique district sits the oldest building in Amsterdam, the 14th century Oude Kerk (Old Church).  You can literally stand at the entrance to the church and see the red lights and occupied windows.

Along the streets of the city

We settled in a cafe right outside the Red Light District for a cup of coffee before heading off to the bustling train station.  Doug researched the tram system while I watched for pickpockets.  We tried to find a tour to the windmills and dykes at the visitor's center, but the tour we wanted does not run on Saturday, our only day to explore somewhere outside the city.  The visitor center guide suggested that we just take a local bus to the Zaanse Schans, a nearby town with working windmills.

Letting our adventurous spirits guide us, we tackled the tram system and headed off towards the museum district.  It was raining softly as we exited the tram at The Van Gogh Museum.  Fortunately, the museum has a lovely cafeteria where we ate a "club sandwich" Dutch style - salmon, butter, capers, and thinly sliced cucumber.  Yummy!

The Van Gogh Museum has a security system that could rival any airport.  The museum has over 200 Van Goghs in its collection as well as works from other masters such as Monet, Renoir, Picasso.  We watched an informative short video on the life of Van Gogh then explored the four floors of the museum leisurely for several hours.  I had seen some of the paintings at the Los Angeles Museum of Art when they were on special exhibit, but seeing so many of his works in one collection was quite a thrill.  Occasionally, I would enter a gallery and gasp -- there's a Monet! there's a Pissarro!  a Renoir!

We walked "home" among Amsterdammers finishing up the work day and heading to their own homes.  The grocery store was mobbed with shoppers.  As we got closer to the apartment, we noticed the cafes and bars full of young people sipping after-work beers and visiting with friends.  At our favorite little cafe a block from the apartment (Cafe Wheels), we sipped our own cocktails (Bombay Sapphire on the rocks with a lemon) and asked the bartender about smoking laws.  The Netherlands adopted a no-smoking law in pubs and restaurants only two years ago - the 14th nation in Europe to do so.  If you sit at one of the outside tables, smoking is permitted.  Interestingly, he mentioned that Ireland was the first in Europe to adopt a no-smoking law!

View from our dining table

There are water taxis on the canals.  It is fun to watch people in business attire on their way home from work laughing and talking with others on these taxis.  Reminded me of taking the bus or the train home everyday with the same people and developing friendships.

Tomorrow, the Anne Frank House then more adventures on the streets of Amsterdam!

Thanksgiving Traditions - The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!

My family loves the traditions surrounding our annual holidays.  My mom really was the impetus behind most of these traditions because she loved holidays, parties, fun and merriment.  Thanksgiving is certainly one of the most traditional holidays in the U.S.  Turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie - what would the 4th Thursday in November be without them?

In our household, there are other traditions surrounding Thanksgiving that aren't quite as yummy as homemade turkey stuffing!  It's a pretty sure bet that my brother-in-law will arrive late in the morning and immediately make himself a pastis!  Over the freeways and through L.A. to Oma's house we go -- well, it certainly makes a man ready for a cocktail.  My 89-year-old father-in-law, John, will corner our son and son-in-law to preach the "Business Gospel According to John" - i.e., invest for the future in small companies that haven't a chance to make a profit for 20 or 30 years!

Our grandchildren will go on a walk with Grandpa to find "pretty leaves" to decorate the table.  Talia will insist that the leaf highest in the tree is the prettiest one and the one she just has to have for the table!

My husband will tell me to relax, take a break and stop stressing.  Sure.  With the people I love most in the world waiting for me to put Thanksgiving dinner on the table.  Sure.

My son-in-law will roust his family as early as possible in order to be at our house in front of the tv for the kickoff of the Lions football game.  The Lions will, of course, lose the game.

I will fail, once again, to make good, thick, turkey gravy.  My sister will tease me, once again, about my crappy gravy.  This year, I swear, I'm going to have her make the gravy.

My sister, once again, will tell me that she and her husband do not drink water with dinner so do not need water goblets.  I will bite my tongue, once again, and refrain from yelling, "It's my house, dammit, and I will set the table the way I want to!"  Did I mention that she's my younger sister?  Why is it that my sister, whom I absolutely adore and could not live without, drives me insane??

Everyone will say they don't want to ruin their appetites for dinner, but we will still eat too many appetizers.  We will promise not to have appetizers next year.

My sister will say grace and remind us of those who are no longer with us.  She and I will glance at one another and know that we are both thinking of Mom and Dad.

Our daughter will sit down to eat Thanksgiving dinner but actually will not eat any food because she'll be trying to keep her 3 babies happy and cheerful so the rest of us can enjoy our dinner.  That's okay - our son-in-law will go back for thirds!

Everyone will offer to clean up the kitchen and do the dishes so that I can relax.  Collapse is more like it!  We'll all be comatose and overstuffed until the first person says, "Who's ready for pie?"  Miraculously, we'll all want "just a sliver" of each kind of pie!

My husband will open all the windows in the house and turn the fire on even though it will still be in the 70s outside.  The whole gang will relax in front of the tv with the fire blazing until someone, probably my sister, says "Let's talk about Christmas."

Aren't families wonderful?

I will not panic, I will not panic .....

Things are going pretty well as we prepare for the Thanksgiving Day feast.  Because of my as-yet-undiagnosed pain, I can't really stand for long periods of time without discomfort.  So, I moved up the timetable for turkey day prep and asked Doug to do more kitchen work than he usually does.  He's always willing to help, but he spends lots of time getting the backyard in shape for visitors.  We're lucky in Southern California that we can count on the weather in late November being nice enough to enjoy the great outdoors.  (It's due to be 77 here on Thanksgiving!)

Doug picked up the rental tables this morning and set the table.  Looks nice!  Talia, Jackson, and Tasha will go out with Grandpa on Thursday and find some colorful leaves to add a bit of color.  The mashed yams are done; all the veggies are washed and chopped for the dressing.  Things seem to be under control.  Hmmmm .... that's a bit scary, don't you think?

I even had time today to start a new sewing project, a Christmas table runner.  The pattern  is the Flip 'n Strip Table Runner from The Quilt Company.  This is another new process for me.  You layer the batting and backing fabric then place 2" strips down the center of the layer, right sides together, and stitch 1/4" seam, adding strips one after the other.  Basically, quilting and piecing at the same time.  Am I explaining this right?  Should be fun and another stretch for me - keep that gray matter from going limp!

I'm not too happy with the fabric that I bought for this project.  By the time I decided to make it, the quilt shops were getting thin on Christmas fabric.  I was hoping to do it all in ivories with gold trim but settled for the traditional green and red.  If it comes out at all decent, I'll make another one for next year - and start earlier!

A promise is a promise

Here's the final product - the pumpkin pot holder!  I'm glad I did this project because I learned a lot about paper piecing, but I don't think I would do a large project with this process.  My brain just does not work this way.

Today was our quilt club meeting, and it was really fun to see everyone's finished pot holders with the variety of fabrics.  Isn't this part of what makes quilting and sewing so enjoyable?  One project, one layout, one pattern can have multiple results depending on individual choices.   A little like life itself, I suppose!

I hoped to have time to start on my next project (isn't there always a next project in the sewing/quilting world?) today, but Thanksgiving prep got in the way.  I managed to get the turkey washed, dried and coated with a glorious mixture of salt, fresh ground pepper, and sage, and the stock for the gravy made and Swiss cheese shredded for the corn casserole.  Also washed (and hand dried - am I nuts?) all of my crystal (service for 8 - white wine, red wine, water goblets, and champagne).  Tomorrow, Doug picks up the rental tables; then we iron the tablecloths and set the tables.  Also on the agenda is making the yam casserole.  I know all of the food should be freshly prepared, but I have to give in to age at some point, right?

A few years ago, I thought that the Thanksgiving menu was getting a little stale so I added a new vegetable recipe - Swiss Corn Bake.  My son-in-law went crazy over this recipe!  If you're looking for something new and different (and pretty easy) to add to your Thanksgiving table, give this a try:

Swiss Corn Bake (serves 8)

16 ounces frozen corn, cooked and drained

2 eggs, beaten

1 1/2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded

2 5-oz cans evaporated milk

1/4 cup finely chopped onion

1/4 teaspoon salt

dash pepper

3/4 cup soft whole-wheat bread crumbs

2 tablespoons margarine, melted

Cook corn according to package directions; drain.  In a medium mixing bowl, combine eggs, 1 cup of the cheese, evaporated milk, onion salt, and papper.  Stir in cooked corn.  Turn mixture into an 8-inch round baking dish or a 9-inch quiche dish.  Place dish on a baking sheet.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes. Toss bread crumbs with remaining cheese and margarine; sprinkle over the corn mixture.  Bake 5 to 10 minutes more until golden and bubbly.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

If you decide to make this, let me know if your family likes it!

Men Watch Football and Women Cook - Not Necessarily!!!

I am a huge NFL football fan.  My friends and family do not call the house on Sundays or on Monday nights.  Some weeks, Thursday nights are off limits.  I allow myself this obsession because I:

• do not watch soap operas
• do not watch afternoon talk shows
• do not watch reality tv shows

If you calculate all the hours that I've spent watching grown men run around grassy fields, I should be a football expert.  Sadly, I am not.  My son-in-law tried several years ago to teach me how to play John Madden's video game.  I was a complete dunce!  It's the excitement that I crave and the chance that the next play will be one for the highlight reel like Dallas Clark catching Peyton Manning's throw today in the end zone - with one hand!  Now that's fun.

Doug is not a sports fan at all.  He'll watch the World Series or the NBA championships - maybe.  He watches the Super Bowl only because it's a party!  Years ago Doug offered to make dinner on Sundays during the NFL season.  Works for me!  Not only is he a good cook, but I get to spend my favorite day of the week doing one of the things I like best - watching grown men run around grassy fields!

Now that's love for 'ya.

Hot, Hot, Hot

We're in the middle of an extended heat wave. Yuck! At 2:45 p.m. it is about 103 degrees - definitely stay-in-the-house weather. We had a nice visit with our friends George & Merle and their two dogs. They left about an hour ago to drive back to Thousand Oaks. It was fun to have dogs in the house again.

Dinner turned out well last night. Here's a super easy dessert recipe for a hot summer night:

Creamy Coconut Pie
3 ounces cream cheese
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups coconut
3 ounces Cool Whip
1/2 teaspoon almond extract

Beat cream cheese until softened. Beat in sugar. Gradually add milk and beat until smooth. Fold in coconut, whipped topping and extract. Spoon into crust. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before cutting.

Off to vacuum the floors a bit since the dogs dragged in stuff from the backyard. Then, back to sewing! I'm going to make napkins to match the placemats that I embroidered a month ago. Hopefully, I can find the embroidery design that I used. I need to get better organized with my designs.

Happy 4th of July!

I love the 4th of July. It always seems to be a lazy holiday, but one that can make me very nostalgic. By this time in the summer, the heat was really on in New Jersey where I grew up. There was usually a picnic somewhere in the neighborhood - the usual hot dogs, hamburgers, and various homemade salads. I can still see my mom in her apron making something wonderful and putting it into a pyrex bowl to take down the street to someone's backyard. Yummmm ....

I wish every American would reread the Declaration of Independence today. It's a pretty amazing document. If you do nothing else today, consider yourself very lucky to be an American. This is about the only day that I permit myself to be a flag waver! On most other days, my 60s liberalism takes over.

Doug is washing the car. My morning task is to make Merle's fabulous bean dip for our barbecue this afternoon. Then it's back to working on Tasha's little red romper. I'm at the point where I have to gather the bottom and sew to the bodice. I hate gathering! I'm going to publish a picture of it when finished. At least, I'm going to try to put a picture on this blog.

Merle's Black Bean Dip

2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
3/4 cup tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 teaspoon jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1/3 cup red wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients and chill. Drain before serving. Serve with tortilla chips; also good as a side dish for grilled meats.