Decision

Christmas has come and gone and the new year isn't so new any more and still not a peep from any of the three bloggers who are contributing here. Is it time to shut down the blog ? What do you say, ladies ?

Who did you say is coming to town ?

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/12/20/fashion/20081220-street-feature/index.html

Waiting

for Santa and a bit of snow ...

An evening with R & W

We have been very busy here at Christmas Central, crafting apple Santa Clauses . Here's how : first you must polish a round, red apple until it is shiny. Next, a walnut head is attached to this apple body with a toothpick and then a pointy hat is created from golden wrapping paper and much glue ( cut a half circle out of the paper and glue long sides together. Make sure it fits your walnut head.) Attach hat with glue and give your Santa two round little eyes and a sweet red nose. Last, glue on a cotton wool beard, but we used fleece from a white sheep instead. R opted for two fir branch arms and proceeded to trim each needle off very carefully.

Then she had a great idea - let's give Santa a cloak. " I know just what to do, Oma ! " and she did. She cut out and attached the cloak by herself and decorated it with a big golden star - very Santa Clausish, I think.

Two year-old brother made a Santa too, with a little help.

Then we got totally carried away and made a house for Santa, complete with Christmas tree and ornaments.

Where there is glue and cotton wool, there has to be some silliness, too, of course !

And where there's an Oma babysitting, there has to be some good-night story reading, as well. What a fine evening the three of us had !

Thanksgiving '08

After the big turkey dinner and the laughter and fun of a big family, it's good to get outdoors and have a quiet moment and be thankful for some very special friends.

I think the expression on her face says it all . We hope you had a very happy Thanksgiving too !

Beef Beer Bread Bonanza

So, as I posted earlier, Kahlua Pig and I went to Oktoberfest cooking class last month. Tonight I was lonely cause Piggie has to work until 10, poor guy! I went nuts and made -- Beer Braised Beef Short Ribs. The photo does not come with smell-o-vision but it should. It is off the hook (as we say in the hood.) Then I made roasted winter root veggies to assuage the guilt of having zero nutritional goodness. The veggies are sweet potatoes, turnips, squash and onion coated in olive oil, s&p and roasted to perfection. Then I made the absolute coolest recipe of all BEER BREAD. That's right folks. Bread. With Beer. The recipe is so awesome I provide it below. It comes out gooey on the inside, yeasty and beery with a crispy outside. I am bringing my crazy beer bread to Thanksgiving. Try and stop me.

Beer bread (makes one loaf)

3 cups white flour

3 T brown sugar

1 t salt

1T baking soda

Combine the dry ingredients. Grease up a loaf pan with butter. Now, the fun part, take a 12 oz. bottle of some flavorful beer like a Sam Adams or a Guinness - a good ale or a stout - and pour it directly into the dry ingredients. Holy #$%$! It's foaming like a 6th grade science experiment! That, my friend, would be the yeasty goodness getting to work. Stir only enough to wet the dry ingredients leaving in plenty of lumps. Pour batter into the pan, break off a few chunks of butter to put on top so that the crust is nice and browned, then pop the loaf pan into a preheated 375 degree oven for 35 -40 mins. And....voila.

Hungry?

Interlude

We were looking forward this weekend to a long visit from our adorable grandchildren and had planned lots of fun and exciting adventures - hiking in the woods , playing in the creek, riding ponies, playing in the attic - but instead we spent most of the weekend tending to a very sick little boy.

Thank goodness he got better eventually and this morning we were greeting the dawn ( note condition of the sky through window ) by playing with every toy in the house. What a relief !

And just look at the fine crown which was made for Pete, prince of cats.