New Year's Eve Reflection

At our family dinner table, we always ask each other, "What was the best thing that happened to you today?" Since it's New Year's Eve, I asked, "What's the best thing that happened to you this year?"
Drew said it was hitting his first home run in t-ball and catching his first homerun ball at a Major League game.
We all knew Erin would say it was being dolphin trainer for a day and she didn't disappoint.
Baird said losing 40 pounds his best thing.
Mine was eating my way thru New Orleans.
Kelsey was out with her friends, so we took turns guessing about what her favorite thing was.
Was it starting high school?
Was it working on crew?
Was it getting her first piercing?
Was it learning Japanese?
We'll ask her tomorrow and let you know!

Epicurean Reading

Every year for Christmas, Baird puts a novel in my stocking. He accidentally forgot to bring my stocking stuffers to Iowa this year, leaving me short on reading material for our trip home today. Then I remembered a Christmas present Mom gave me, a cookbook called A Patchwork of Family Favorites. It's Jesup's new cookbook in honor of its sesquicentennial, so I started with that.

In my opinion, if you want insight into a town or organization, you can learn a lot by reading its cookbook. Jesup's cookbook features classic Midwestern Americana cooking, with several nods to its Western European pioneer roots. In a cookbook that celebrates a rural Midwestern town's 150th birthday, you'd expect to find recipes like Old Settlers' Beans and Old Time Sugar Cream Pie, and this book doesn't disappoint. There's also recipes for venison meatloaf and squirrel pot pie, but my favorite "game" section covers pheasant. Shirley Burns wrote, "The most important thing you will do is check to see all the shot is gone. People have a tendency to whine when they break a tooth."

I also found a collection of The Cat Who books in Mom's personal library, and I borrowed this one.

Lilian Jackson Braun is a smart, witty author who spins a great tale about a food writer who lives in an old pottery and ends up solving a murder mystery. Those three threads may not seem like they go together but she makes it all work. The book is great, but the pages that describe the culinary experiences of the food writer are hilarious.

Once we get home I'll start on the third title of this little epicurean book trilogy: Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl.

Merry Christmas

Some of the last words Kelsey uttered before going to bed on Christmas Eve were, "If anyone wakes me up before 9am I will personally drag them outside and lock them out!"

So, silly me, I thought I'd be able to sleep comfortably until 8:30 or so.

Really, not so much.

By 7:55 this morning, all 3 kids were in our room, begging me to get up. By 8:00 they'd lost all patience and started stripping the covers off the bed. Ok, I can take a hint.

With one eye open I shuffled upstairs to watch the kids tear into their gifts. We got them a Wii gaming system plus all the accessories. As I've mentioned before, we're big Beatles fans, so of course there was Beatles Rock Band.

Everyone quickly found their niche playing Beatles Rock Band. Drew's best on vocals; Erin prefers the drums; Kelsey plays a mean lead guitar, and Baird rocks on bass. Just wait til we get this party home and start including a subwoofer!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is all about hanging out with my family. All of my siblings and their familes gather at my parents' place for dinner that's served at 5:30 sharp. I love that the food is the same every year - ham, potato casserole, cranberries and cinnamon roles are the staples. It's a great time for my generation to reconnect, and for the next generation to make memories.

Drew and his newest cousin, Lydia, hang out waiting for the rest of the cousins to arrive.

It's a Cousins Camp reunion, the way they all hang together.

I've always loved Libby's bright, blueish eyes and beautiful smile.

The men in my life make sure everything's chronicled for posterity.

Being at Mom's over Christmas is like living in a candy factory. She spends hours making everything from cashew brittle to divinity to chocolate covered cherries.

After presents are opened we devour homemade ice cream, caramel pudding, and all the chocolate and candy our stomachs can hold.

Ellen's always marched to the beat of her own drum.
She has an eclectic way of showing off her artsy side.
She was sporting her henna skills...

...and shared them with Erin.

Over the River and Through the Woods...

...to Grandmother's house we go!

Today was our travel day. Almost 15 years ago my mom declared, "I don't care if you never come back for Thanksgiving if it means you'll be here every Christmas." After that was settled, I got serious about cooking Thanksgiving dinner, and we go to Iowa every Christmas. We quite literally go over the river (Mississippi) and through the woods to get to my parents' house. We travel on 4 highways (290, 88, 80, 380) and 2 county roads (V65 and V62) to get there. In good weather, no traffic and just one stop we can make it in just over 4 1/2 hours. Today was not one of those days.

We made pretty good time, right up to the point we took the exit ramp off of 380. While the ramp looked damp, it was actually a sheet of ice, and as we tried to navigate the slippery slope, we found ourselves sliding backward and veering left. Our car slid off the road onto the shoulder, just missing a semi who had experienced the same fate earlier. Our driver's side wheels sank into the snow on the shoulder, keeping us from heading into the ditch. The trucker helped push us out, and on a second attempt we successfully made it up the ramp. The county roads were also slick as can be, and we took those last miles very, very slowly.

With the weather forecasts calling for 8-12 inches of snow over the next couple of days, I was so very thankful when we pulled into the driveway at Mom & Dad's. Once we arrived, it was a great feeling to know we're staying put for the next few days!

The Walnut Room Tradition

After Thanksgiving, 1995 (the year Kelsey was born), my friend EG called and said, "I'm taking S to The Walnut Room at Marshall Field's. Can you and Kelsey join us?" Since I didn't grow up in Chicagoland, I didn't realize there was this whole tradition about taking your children to see the windows at Marshall Field's, eating in The Walnut Room, and visiting the Field's Santa. That first year, Kelsey and S weren't even one yet. EG and I carefully planned the trip around the girls' nap schedules and she showed me the ropes. It was truly a special time, and I understood right away why this was such a big deal for families.

Fourteen years later, I'm still taking my kids to The Walnut Room. While it's no longer Marshall Field's and the traditional roasted potatoes with rosemary are long gone, this is still a tradition our family observes every Christmas. Each of the kids has a collection of mugs and buttons for every year that they've experienced this tradition, except for years when Macy's, not understanding the importance of these things, either didn't offer them or ran out.

Let me be clear here. The food is mediocre at best, with a menu that promises far more than it delivers. The lines are dreadfully long, at a time of year when there's not a moment to spare. And that's just The Walnut Room piece. Waiting in line to see Santa with thousands of other families is a whole crazy adventure in and of itself. But there's still magic.

There's magic in getting a coveted table right by the big tree. There's magic in seeing the kids anticipate the next window outside, even when it's freezing cold. And there's magic in the smiles of the kids when they finally see Santa.

Have I mentioned how much I love this time of year?

Killing Time at Old Navy

Today was the big push to get the last of the last of the Christmas shopping done. I try hard to finish up as early in December as possible, but it always seems like there's those last few items that must be tended to at the 11th hour.

This morning I dragged Drew with me on my shopping expedition. The lines were long everywhere we went. He held up best at Old Navy, where they had Beatles Rock Band set up for just such an occasion. As I've mentioned before, Drew will talk to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Today he made friends with three siblings from the western suburbs, and while I waited in line, the new quartet played and sang their favorite Beatles songs.

5 Golden Rings

When I was in high school Home Ec class back in the day, I was introduced to a recipe for poppyseed cake that was unlike anything I'd ever had before. Instead of lemon flavored, it was almond flavored, and it had an orange glaze. It was incredible. We started making it at home and it quickly became my favorite cake. I've been making it ever since. I took dozens and dozens of batches to the law firm where I worked for 13 years. Baird has taken dozens more into his office around Christmas time as a little something special for those in his department. And many more batches have found their way into Irving School over the past nine years.

When I make a batch for just my family, I usually bake it in a loaf pan. At Christmas time I turn batches of poppyseed cake into mini bundt cakes, glaze them, wrap them in colored Seran Wrap, tie a ribbon around them, and add a cute little Christmas tag. This project tends to take over my entire kitchen. By the time the kids come home from school there are little poppyseed cakes everywhere, in various stages of development.

This year I needed to make at least six batches of poppyseed cake in order to get everyone (work, school, friends, family) covered. I made three batches today. As I was glazing the cakes, setting them into pans to dry a bit before wrapping them, it occurred to me that these little cakes look like five golden rings. And it's the fifth day of Christmas. How cute is that?!

Holiday Sing

Each year, Irving Elementary School produces a concert the week before winter break. Our two music teachers spend hours teaching the students songs from around the world and rehearsing for the big day. This year's third graders sang In the Window, a Hebrew folk song, and Drew got to play a special instrument. They also sang The Twelve Days of Christmas, acting out each item that was given in the song. All the parents cracked up at the kids squatting on Six Geese A-Laying.

The highlight of the 2nd/3rd grade concert has always been the combined song performed with sign language, led by Mrs. Lococo. This year the students sang and signed The Hope of the Future, and it was just beautiful. At the end of the song, Mrs. Lococo was presented with a special quilt honoring her 31 years of teaching at Irving.

It's Christmastime in the City

This year, my Pampered Chef upline directors decided to host the annual Christmas luncheon at The Walnut Room in the former Marshall Field's on State Street. When you dine at The Walnut Room this time of year, it's all about the tradition of eating a festive meal by the enormous tree and much less about the food consumed. Today was no exception - the atmosphere was pure Christmas. There was a pianist playing Christmas carols and taking requests. In fact, she sent a message to our table and asked what we'd like to hear. Without a moment's hesitation, I requested my dad's favorite Christmas carol - Silver Bells. As she played the carol, I realized that the words "It's Christmastime in the city" seemed just perfect for the moment.

Have I mentioned recently how much I love this time of year?

Christmas Bells are Ringing

Drew is part of the children's Bell Choir at our church. Today the kids sang songs, played bells, and joined the adult choir in singing songs on this week's Advent theme: Joy. Have I mentioned recently how much I love this time of year?

Christmas Around the World

Our church's women's group hosts an annual Christmas tea. This year's theme was Christmas Around the World. I think it was far and away the best tea we've ever had.

Each table was decorated by a volunteer to celebrate a country near and dear to her heart. The displays were stunning and as unique as the countries they represented. I sat at Mexico's table, decorated by Bree and her friend KyFitz.


Drew and Baird were servers for the tea. Drew still fit in his tux with tails that he wore as ring bearer for Miss Megan's wedding earlier this year. He did a great job serving the tables he was assigned, and he never once dropped a platter or spilled tea.

While the whole evening was beautiful and memorable, there were two parts that particularly moved me. One was when a quartet sang a South African lullaby in Zulu. It reminded me that a mother's love and wishes for her baby are the same the world over.
The other was when we sang Silent Night. Our song leader encouraged those who knew the carol in another lanaguage to sing those lyrics. It was so beautiful, at one point I stopped singing, closed my eyes, and just listened to the different languages floating on a sea of common melody.

Talk to the Hand

Kelsey's been reading A Tale of Two Cities, and she's struggling a bit. She loves the dialogue, but the long, detailed descriptions of places and events are not her favorite parts. So, rather than buckle down and read, she decided to express herself creatively. I get that English Lit Teacher is probably not where she's headed.

Gingerbread Houses

Years ago when Kelsey was just a baby, I went to a Pampered Chef party and picked up a mold for a gingerbread house. I totally bought into the vision of making my own gingerbread for my kids. I had fantasies of gorgeous works of gingerbread art gracing our home. I thought each piece would be lovingly decorated, transforming ordinary gingerbread into gorgeous works of art.

The reality is that my girls would rather eat the gingerbread than decorate it, and Drew would prefer to eat the decorations rather than "waste" them on the house. So, Drew decided to go for the minimalist look this year. Believe it or not, this is his finished product.

Big Party

This afternoon I joined several other Pampered Chef Sales Directors at Francesca's to celebrate PatPamChef for her special birthday celebration. There's nothing better than gathering with a group of colleagues to celebrate a very special woman who's an inspiration to us all. This summer, PatPamChef was promoted to to the highest level that Pampered Chef offers its sales force. She wanted to reach that level before this milestone birthday. She's a goal setter and a goal achiever. She's one of the few people within the Pampered Chef organization to reach the top without ever losing a title along the way. She's funny, energetic, and inspirational, and I'm honored to call her my friend.

First Sunday of Advent

I didn't grow up with the tradition of Advent. The church where Baird and I met introduced me to this centuries-old tradition. Over the years, I would sit in church the four Sundays before Christmas, watch the lighting of the candles, and listen to the meditation. I began to anticipate this special ritual.

For those who may not know, Advent is marked by a spirit of anticipation, of longing. The focus of the entire season is the celebration of the birth of Jesus the Christ in His First Advent, and the anticipation of the return of Christ the King in His Second Advent.

The first week of Advent focuses on expectation or hope. This expectation goes beyond counting down the days until the presents are opened. We look forward to the time when the Prince of Peace will bring true peace, justice and righteousness to this world.

Every night during Advent, our family lights candles, gathers around our manger scene, and recites the Christmas story from Luke 2:1-20 and Matthew 2:1-12. Then we read from The Advent Book. It's a time to reflect on what's truly important this time of year.

Giving Back at the ECC

I'm a firm believer in "to whom much has been given, much will be required." Our family has been so blessed, and we're always looking for ways to give back. Kelsey and I decided this fall that we'd start volunteering at The Emergency Clothes Closet, which is part of Oak Park's Walk-In Ministries. The Oak Park Community of Congregations was looking for a place to move the ECC, since it had outgrown its former home. I was so excited when our church took on this project.
Today was our first time volunteering with this organization. Kelsey and I were personal shoppers, which means we met with people to see what items they needed. After chatting for a few minutes, we'd head down to the basement, grab what was needed, and ask our guest to choose from the options we'd picked. If an item didn't work out, Kelsey would run back down to the basement to look for another option while I continued chatting.
It was a great way to spend the morning, and it opened my eyes to the sheer enormity of this project. It was heartbreaking to have to tell someone toward the end, "I'm sorry, we're out of your size. But please, try again next week, and we'll do everything we can to accommodate you."
If you happen to have adult size boots, gloves or winter coats (esp. in sizes XL-XXXXL) in your house that you'd like to get rid of, please let me know and I'd be happy to get them over to the ECC. And I know that whoever ends up with your generous donation will be eternally grateful for your generosity.

Black Friday

For years, Baird has been up before dawn the day after Thanksgiving, standing in line to get the best deals on all the hot Christmas gifts. This year, stores started opening at midnight, so I joined him. I can't give any details or pictures here, since my kids read my blog, and most of the shopping was for them. We hit 8 stores in 7 hours and we got everything we set out for (and then some).

I wrote a little song about the Black Friday experience. This is what happens when you're up all night shopping after cooking all day. With apologizes to The Little River Band, I give you Night Owl - Black Friday:

There's a sale right across the street
They got a deal you just can't beat
The entrance line is two blocks deep
Black Friday!

They're out of this and what the heck

They're out of that - there's no rain check
Take the last one she'll break your neck
Black Friday!

The last Wii band goes on her wrist
Those behind her are shaking their fists
Waitin' so long for a near miss
Black Friday!

Must be the cheapskate in her soul
Next on the list a stop at Kohl's
It's such a thrill
Just sign the bill

She's a shopper
on Black Friday
She's shopping in the night
Stay up til dawn
The money's gone she's done

Happy Thanksgiving

I have so much to be thankful for, and I don't stop often enough to acknowledge it. Today was an amazing, perfect day.

The menu:

3 Cheeses served with Assorted Crackers, Grapes, and Fresh Figs
Grilled, Brined Fresh Turkey with Citrus and Herbs
Grandma's Stuffing
Sweet Potatoes with Bananas and Cream
Mashed Yukon Gold Potatoes & Gravy
Scalloped Corn
Chilled Asparagus Spears
Arugula Salad with Figs, Prosciutto, Almonds and Parmesan
Aasha's Apple and Cranberry Chutney
Relish Tray
Grandma's Rolls
Apple Crisp
Pumpkin Pie

Preparations

The days leading up to Thanksgiving are always a flurry of activity. Carpets have been steam cleaned. New rugs have been thrown down in the kitchen and bathroom. Rooms have been 27 fling boogied. The Hummell plates on the wall have been washed and rehung. The silver's been polished.

In addition to the cleaning there's food prep to be done. For the first time ever this year, we bought a fresh turkey. This morning we brined it John Kass style.

And of course, it's not really Thanksgiving until Grandma and Grandpa show up. My mom made rolls and chocolate chip cookies. According to my kids, Grandma's chocolate chip cookies are the best EVER, and she always brings a batch when she comes for a visit.

I've got 7 pounds of butter, 2 quarts of cream and lots of fresh herbs. My fridge is full of fresh produce. The menu is set. The timetable has been posted. Bring it!