(no subject)
Despite Liam's thing rather throwing off the last week and a half, Christmas at our house ended up going quite well. Mom and Dad had expressed... well, not quite reservations, let's call it helpful concern about us hosting. "It's an awful lot of work," and "You don't have to make everything by hand. Get as much store-bought as you can and save yourself the trouble." Poo, that's half the point! I like cooking. I'm no chef and I wouldn't even really call myself a foodie, but I like actually _making_ things. Not just throwing something pre-cooked into the oven to warm up. Someone in the family, I forget who, at one point tried to vaguely ask me if I was interested in getting a bread machine. Heck no. A) If I had warm, fresh-baked bread readily at my disposal I would be at least twice as overweight as I am now. B) I like making bread with my hands, getting dough under my fingernails and sneaking "quality control" taste tests, braiding it into a pretty loaf or rolling it into buns. I enjoy the process, even if it is a damn lot of work. Okay, bread was a bad example because I did, in fact, let Dad bring store-bought rolls tonight. Because bread is, as I said, a damn lot of work, and there was an entire meal to also prepare and I didn't want to sink that much time and effort into just one part of it.
Alan and I banged out our menu _weeks_ ago. We collected all the recipes and I went through them and made a master grocery list, and also a list of what all was needed to prepare each dish: what sizes of pots and pans, baking dishes, serving paraphernalia, etc. I borrowed Grandma's Lenox Christmas china (which needs to be washed by hand. Boo). I was just sitting on "Go" and then everything got thrown out of sync. For a good part of yesterday I thought it was Friday, and so much that I had meant to prepare ahead of time consequently didn't happen. Steaming and pureeing pumpkin for the pie, boiling eggs to be deviled, laying out the china and silver on the sideboard. Man, I had it so beautifully plotted out.
So, instead of the rather leisurely gift-opening morning I had thought we'd have, pretty much right after stocking presents Alan and I disappeared into the kitchen. We had to cut out one of the hors d'ouvres because the deviled eggs were delayed, and were _very_ unhappy to find that the can of sweet potatoes we'd bought for our family's favorite sweet potato/pineapple/marshmallow dish were spoiled. (Will in the future buy two cans just to be safe). By the time everyone actually sat down we were about an hour late. But only an hour! And the dishes we did have came out well. And we don't have a ton of leftovers. Except for that pumpkin pie, which only had _one_ piece eaten! (There were eight of us) I think it may be time to retire it for a while. It's tasty and a classic but the downside of a classic is that it can be overused. Alan made trifle and we were all much more interested in trying out this tasty new thing.
Speaking of new things, I experimented on the family by making a carrot ginger soup I'd never tried before (to make, I mean; I'd had it in a restaurant), and it turned out to be a big hit! Even Morgan liked it and some of the grownups had seconds. Score! And wassail. I'd never made wassail before but it's soooo good and I think I'll brew up a batch for game night next week. Oh, and speaking of carrots, Liam _loves_ them, which is good because Popa got us a Baby Bullet and lots of accoutrements so we can make food for him. The farmers market is going to be getting a lot more of our money now. ;)
So, yes, all in all a really good day, even with an "oh god what did I get myself into?" freakout in the middle of food prep. I have a husband who gives awesome hugs so all is right with the world.
I am so blessed with him, and with all of my family who filled my house (house!!!) with love and laughter today, and even my family in other houses. I'm blessed that even though things are tight, we had food on our table and presents under the tree. Oh, presents, that reminds me: Morgan's grandmother and aunt (my former in-laws) even sent Liam some presents in their shipment to Morgan this year. Isn't that sweet and awesome?
Alan and I banged out our menu _weeks_ ago. We collected all the recipes and I went through them and made a master grocery list, and also a list of what all was needed to prepare each dish: what sizes of pots and pans, baking dishes, serving paraphernalia, etc. I borrowed Grandma's Lenox Christmas china (which needs to be washed by hand. Boo). I was just sitting on "Go" and then everything got thrown out of sync. For a good part of yesterday I thought it was Friday, and so much that I had meant to prepare ahead of time consequently didn't happen. Steaming and pureeing pumpkin for the pie, boiling eggs to be deviled, laying out the china and silver on the sideboard. Man, I had it so beautifully plotted out.
So, instead of the rather leisurely gift-opening morning I had thought we'd have, pretty much right after stocking presents Alan and I disappeared into the kitchen. We had to cut out one of the hors d'ouvres because the deviled eggs were delayed, and were _very_ unhappy to find that the can of sweet potatoes we'd bought for our family's favorite sweet potato/pineapple/marshmallow dish were spoiled. (Will in the future buy two cans just to be safe). By the time everyone actually sat down we were about an hour late. But only an hour! And the dishes we did have came out well. And we don't have a ton of leftovers. Except for that pumpkin pie, which only had _one_ piece eaten! (There were eight of us) I think it may be time to retire it for a while. It's tasty and a classic but the downside of a classic is that it can be overused. Alan made trifle and we were all much more interested in trying out this tasty new thing.
Speaking of new things, I experimented on the family by making a carrot ginger soup I'd never tried before (to make, I mean; I'd had it in a restaurant), and it turned out to be a big hit! Even Morgan liked it and some of the grownups had seconds. Score! And wassail. I'd never made wassail before but it's soooo good and I think I'll brew up a batch for game night next week. Oh, and speaking of carrots, Liam _loves_ them, which is good because Popa got us a Baby Bullet and lots of accoutrements so we can make food for him. The farmers market is going to be getting a lot more of our money now. ;)
So, yes, all in all a really good day, even with an "oh god what did I get myself into?" freakout in the middle of food prep. I have a husband who gives awesome hugs so all is right with the world.
I am so blessed with him, and with all of my family who filled my house (house!!!) with love and laughter today, and even my family in other houses. I'm blessed that even though things are tight, we had food on our table and presents under the tree. Oh, presents, that reminds me: Morgan's grandmother and aunt (my former in-laws) even sent Liam some presents in their shipment to Morgan this year. Isn't that sweet and awesome?