The Ghost of Christmas Present

Dear Son,

I am not a stop over, quick stop, lay over, pit stop, inconvenience or detour. I am your mother, mom, the person who gave you life. All I wanted was an hour or so of your oh so precious time on Christmas eve. I didn't think I was asking to much. You decided that I was, told me that you had to work, and would be to tired...Hey kid your not the only person who had to work Christmas Eve, battle traffic to get home, get the dogs walked and deal. 

What I got was a 6:30 a.m. txt Christmas Day asking me if I wanted to do coffee. I was out walking my dogs, didn't see that txt until an hour later when I got home, I did see it coming, just wasn't there to get it. I also had plans, not to stress myself out with your grumpy attitude on Christmas day.  I declined your generous offer and wished you well, and Merry Christmas, asked if you liked your gifts...deafening silence. 

Silence speaks volumes. 

I still hope you had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year, didn't hear from you on New Years either. 

Love
Mom

It's Official

Halloween was Friday night marking the official start of the Holiday season. From here on out there will be dinner parties and cocktail parties to attend and all things wintery will be done. I know the store got a jump on things by quickly marking down and taking down Halloween decorations (on Halloween) and putting up Christmas display. In my own simple way I have gotten a jump on some things, other things can just wait. The pumpkin wasn't carved until Halloween for example but...two weeks ago I made a batch of biscotti to see if I liked it enough to make it and give it this Christmas. I love using the people at work and at the BF's work for the purpose of trying out my new recipes, and honestly they don't seem to mind all that much either.

Chocolate Anise Biscotti

In a large bowl cream together 1 stick of unsalted (you could use salted) butter and 3/4 cu. of white sugar.

Add 1 tsp. of ground anise to the butter and sugar.

Add two large eggs one at a time combining after each egg is added.

Then in a separate bowl combine 2 cups of flour, 1 1/2 tsp. of baking powder and 1/4 tsp. of salt (some people like more).

Combine flour with the butter mixture in batches.

Then mix in by hand somewhere between a 1/2 cup and 1 cup of mini semi sweet chocolate chips. I think I added about 2/3 cup.

Flour your counter and make a slightly flattened log 16 in. long and 3 in. wide. Transfer to a parchment lined cookie sheet. This is not easy but it can be done. Keep the faith.

Bake log in a 350 degree (preheated) oven for somewhere between 20-30 min. I baked mine for exactly 26 min. and I wish I would have cooked it a little bit less. Cool log for 30 minutes before cutting.

Cut the biscotti diagonally with a sharp serrated knife somewhere between a 1/2 in. and 3/4 in. thick. Place cut side down on a baking sheet.

Back in the oven they go until lightly toasted. Should take about 15 min. but it really depends on your oven and how toasted you want your biscotti. I also turned mine over about halfway through the baking time.

Gently place cookies on wire rack and let cool completely. Everyone really liked these, but next time I need to adjust the time for what I am looking for, and I think I will swap out the Anise for lemon zest and the chocolate chips for dried blueberries.

I would like to thank everyone who helped with donations to Katsu's gofundme page. Katsu is home and doing great. The procedure he had turned up an issue that can not be fixed surgically, so we are left with trying to keep him healthy, happy and infection free. It is going to be a project, but he is worth it right down to the last tiger stripped hair on his bushy tail. He loved being a part of Halloween this year buy gently barking at the few trick or treaters we had.

Had K.B. and Mr. B over for dinner last night good food, good fun, and loads of conversation...perfect evening. I made my Brisket, buttermilk mashed potatoes, my biscuits and spicy, garlicy sauteed green beans. Yup it was delicious. For dessert I made Cannoli Cheesecake the day before. If you try this recipe keep an eye on your baking time. I actually had to bake this 15 min. longer that the recipe calls for...and I may move that up to add ten more min. the next time. Super yummy cheesecake.

Have a great rest of the weekend. I am off for a second cup of coffee and to work on my Thanksgiving greeting cards.

Crostata & Coffee

Sometime last winter I spied this lonely only slightly dented can of Apricot pastry and pie filling in the dent bin at my local grocery store. I bought it not knowing what I would use it for, but I cannot pass up a good deal or the opportunity to try something new. Therefore, that lonely can of pastry filling went from the dent bin to a distant corner on my pantry shelf that is until last Saturday.

The bf and I had plans to go over to a friend’s house for coffee late Saturday morning and I thought it would be great if I took something that would go great with coffee. Of course, I could have stopped off and bought something from my local patisserie shop, but you know me ever the baking fool I thought it would be best if I baked something.

I had decided that making something using that lonely can of Apricot pastry filling would be the best, so I decided on a crostata. I had made one a few years ago for Christmas Day dessert and for whatever reason my children were less than thrilled. I honestly do not think their taste buds have completely matured yet. Anyway, the crostata turned out to be just the thing our Saturday morning coffee needed.

In the bowl of your food processor with the dough blade already in, pulse together 1 ½ cups flour, 2 Tlb. sugar, grated zest from one lemon, ¼ tsp salt, 10 Tlb. butter chilled ( half salted, half unsalted) until small crumbs form. Then pulse in 3 Tlb. ice water ( I think I used 1 additional Tlb. of ice water). Pulse until you get the dough to come together in moist clumps.

Shape dough into a flat round disk and wrap in plastic and put in the fridge for 1 hour.

Place dough onto a large piece of parchment paper and sprinkle lightly with flour. Roll out dough to a 11 or 12 in circle.

Transfer to a baking sheet.

Spread the entire can of Apricot Pastry filling over the surface of the dough coming within 2 in. of the edge.

Next you fold over the edges of the crust forming an eight in. round pleating and pinching and getting rid of any cracks in the crust.

Bake in a preheated oven (400 degrees) for 40 min. Give or take a few min.

When it comes out of the oven dust it with some powdered sugar and sprinkle on some toasted almond slivers. Let it cool on a wire rack until it is just warmish.

This was the perfect treat to go with coffee. The crust was buttery and crisp and it had just the right amount of sweet and tart from the Apricot preserve. The best part is I had one slice and left the rest behind when I went home.

Breakfast

I have always been a firm believer that what you have for breakfast is not nearly as important as having breakfast. I do not care if you sit down to a two egg, two link and hash browns and toast or a bowl of granola and yogurt as long as you eat something. I distinctly remember feeding my kids tortilla chips one morning (o.k. it happened probably six times) for breakfast because I had forgotten to pick up cereal at the store the day before...no I did not pour milk over them...thought about it but decided against it. Seriously, what is the difference between a bowl of corn flakes and a handful of corn chips? I don't know any red blooded American who hasn't stood over a kitchen sink cramming in a slice of last nights pizza as they head out the door to work...not exactly breakfast fare (but sooo delicious). Now with all that being said I have a hard time forcing myself to eat food before the sun is fully up, coffee yes bring the pot and do not forget the creamer food however I just can’t seem to get around that in my head or in my stomach first thing in the morning.

I have had to make some changes to help improve my overall health and productivity and one of those changes was to start eating something in the morning, but I do it after I get to work during the week. I usually eat a bowl of instant oatmeal or maybe a container of yogurt and some fruit (keep in mind I have been up for three hours at this point). Where most kids hated oatmeal in the morning as children, I loved it. My mother made the creamiest oatmeal and would top it with a dab of butter and a little brown sugar or she would cook up Malt O Meal, which I liked, and have a box on my panty shelf as I type. F.Y.I make the muffin recipe on the box of Malt O Meal and your kids will love you forever. Those muffins warm from the oven with a little butter on them taste just like pancakes. I was never a cold cereal kind of girl, but today my favorite is Honey Nut Cheerios. Sure, I love pancakes, French toast, waffles and all of that but who in the real world has time for that during the week? Not to mention how bad that would be for you.

I was reminded this week of how yummy oatmeal can be because while sitting home sick I watch a lot of Food Network (and re-runs of Law and Order) and I saw Ina make super creamy oatmeal with dried fruit in it, and it looked almost as delicious as my moms did. I do not have time during the week to spend making creamy oatmeal or rib sticking food as I said it usually consists of instant oatmeal or yogurt, which I keep at work, but on the weekends, I do like to eat something a little more appetizing.

Homemade granola is always a hit. I posted the recipe in an earlier posting.

Quick and delicious weekday morning meal. Toast an English muffin topped with a little cream cheese, pistachios and a little drizzle of honey.

Weekend french toast made from a loaf of French bread is amazing.

Serve that French toast with some bacon.

I guess what I am getting at is eat something, anything and do your body some good...Now would somebody pass me the cold pizza from last night and get me another cup of coffee?