There's Erika...and we thought she was lost in a snowdrift.

Sandi, Tamela: For that one, you have to buy the cookbook...lol

In Texas we HAD to have black-eyed peas for New Year. I still make some, just in case there is something to the superstition--it was for good luck in the New Year. We would eat black-eyed peas and toast with champagne at midnight. Personally, I prefer a stroke-of-midnight New Year kiss to black-eyed peas. (shrugs)

In New Mexico we have pasole for New Year. Actually, in New Mexico we have pasole for all holidays, but I just do it for New Year. Pasole AND black-eyed peas is not a great gourmet combination, but some superstitions and traditions rule over taste, often; take for instance--latkes.

Oh, I changed my mind that cranberry cheesecake is too weird. The idea is growing on me.

Happy Holidays!!! Everyone is making my mouth water mmmm. I haven't been cooking much, but I'm starting on Christmas cookies tomorrow... my favorites, the almond cookies with jam in the middle. I hope this finds all of you well - I do miss chatting with you all and hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season!

Will!!! The recipe Tam and I are nudging you about (if I'm not mistaken, Tam) is the one you posted that you made for Thanksgiving!!

The piece de resistance was a pecan crust, fudge brownie/peanut butter/cheesecake with pecan and cheesecake topping.

This one!!

Loved reading the 'must haves' and 'blended' Holiday dinners y'all are having...The latkes are a must at Channukah, always..I will end up making some for myself..but can't get carried away..tho I could, easily...can never make up my mind...applesauce or sour cream..so both is the way to go...And for New Year's Day...there wil be tastes from the places I have lived...creamed herring w/onions (Milwaukee) and black eyed peas and rice- wonderful Hoppin' John from all my years down here..Likely will get some pinto beans and cornbread in with that too!
And Vietnames dinner with friends, likely on NY's day...
But, the brisket is the one, right this minute, that sounds the very best to me.
We're into countdown right now...I really need to go the the store...and can't bear the thought of another mall parking lot!!
Think I'll go to the park and go for a walk instead. Temp is way up there...hoping it lasts through next week!
Hang in there!!

Good Monday Morning, Everyone!

Yes, I love Chinese food, Sandi and it always is listed on my December Calendar. Brown Gravy, BTW, a must for meatloaf.
Jenny, our holidays are the same! Christmas eve is tamales, chinese during that particular week, latkes are a must with a good brisket, New Year's Eve is the spareribs and sauerkraut spiel for good luck. Christmas day has the food I grew up with (as well as beet pickled eggs from the Amish area where my parents grew up) and food with Hispanic influences.

Will, we missed you. Yes, I was looking for something new and different. I did find a wonderful recipe for chocolate cheesecake that looked wickedly delicious! Cranberries...mmmm...makes great muffins!
More cookies today--the elves in this house are threatening to go on strike unless I do more baking!
Have a great day, everyone!

uh, did someone say cheesecake? Will pick something really lish and post soon, Tam. You know how to make cheesecake, right? You just want something new and different?

I made a cranberry cobbler lst night just to try something new...awesome...much like cherry cobbler but more tart. Maybe a cranberry cheesecake? Nah...too wierd, even for me.

We made it through one cold front and another one on the way now. It must be winter. brrrr....

I have started baking Christmas cookies and made two kinds of gingerbread and some rich chocolate cookies. I have dough for in the fridge for some sugar cookies. I will make more through the week and weekend. Sunday, 12/20 I have to make my deliveries to the people who bought my Christmas cookies in the church auction.

We celebrate a lot of holidays (when you mix Southern, Southwestern, and Jewish traditions with Polish Catholic) and so eat a lot of holiday foods. Some time during, or near, Hannukkah we will have my father's latkes. Christmas Eve we will be with my husbands family having some kind of baked pasta. Christmas Day will be at home with ham, sweet potatoes, a green vegetable, corn bread, and maybe mashed potatoes. Desert might be cookies or apple pie with ice cream. Some time during the week after Christmas we will have tamales, which were my family's Christmas Eve dinner. New Year's Eve is ruebens and New Year's Day is black eyed pea soup with the last of the Christmas ham left overs.

Jenny

I'll second that request, Tam....The whole idea just sounded so wonderful....that I couldn't stop thinkink about it!!! I'd like to try a trial run and then do a 'for real' one!! So glad to hear that Chinese food is on the menu for a bunch of other folks too. I love good Chinese food and have found a few places in town that fit the bill!

Meat loaf and mashed potatoes w/gravy...one of my most favorite meals..with a plan for leftovers,,,nothing quite like a meat loaf sandwich the next day,,,brown gravy or tomato based gravy????

Scrambled eggs tonight...oh well......:-(

It was cold here top, but it has finally warmed back up. Christmas dinner...I'm still playing with the recipes and the ideas. I keep getting new suggestions thrown at me for a little of this and a little of that.

Sandi, so sorry to hear the tummy is off. :( Ginger snaps and peppermint tea...

Meatloaf for dinner with mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn. Comfort food for winter and great sandwiches for tomorrow. Cold Meatloaf sandwiches bring back so many memories of my youth.

Will, CHEESECAKE RECIPE for this little ol' lady that wants to bake something rich and decadent for the holidays, PLEASE!

Sandi wrote: "I can answer that immediaeely! Chinese food! Sort of a East Coast corridor thing....Growing up in a neighborhood where the largest percentage of our friends were of the Jewish faith....I never tho..."

You made me smile, Sandi! Chinese food is a must the week before Christmas. It became a tradition because of a Christmas Story, all those years ago. Just as we can watch an old movie, over and over, and still laugh at it, Chinese is always on the menu for December.

Hi Will...

I'm here....hanging around waiting for the person to come and wash the windows, inside and out...No rain is forecast and the temp has gone up to 75 degrees....
Made a crock potted a piece of pork last night...so pulled pork is on the menu for tonight...Need to pick up some cole slaw..have everything else I need for dinner..cept that my tummy is a bit 'off' today...and I'm thinking it may just be...scrambled eggs tonight! Why does that ALWAYS happen?? Tool 3 different trips to the store before I settled on something that felt like just the right thing....and now...this :-(
Could be just some scrambled eggs.... or ??????

Hope you're finishing up with your plans and shopping, etc.. Thinking about all of you..wondering what kind of weather you all are having to deal with...hoping that things go really well for everyone!!!

hello.......? anyone home?

"Did I hear someone say, 'Cookies and milk?'," asked the cookie monster.

I don't really plan Christmas dinner; my kids do. they insist on their favorites and I comply...pretty normal stuff, ham, turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberries, sort of Thanksgiving type foods. With lots of desserts. I wil be in Seattle area with daughter and son-in-law and their friends.

Will spend the week following Christmas taking out their old doors and replacing them with new doors. Then to the TCU v. Boise State football Fiesta Bowl game near Phoenix---Glendale, I think. Home on the 5th of January.

I'm making banana nut bread for friends now. Really ripe bananas and lots of pecans.

Winds weren't quite that bad here, Tam, but cold, snow and brutal winds. It did break one of my windows.

Busy, busy this time of year. Have fun all.

I can answer that immediaeely! Chinese food! Sort of a East Coast corridor thing....Growing up in a neighborhood where the largest percentage of our friends were of the Jewish faith....I never thought it was at all unusual that Christmas Day we went out for Chinese food! That evolved over time to include a movie and then dinner...Have done back to back movies w/the boys when we lived closer together..
I do often spend the day, present day, with very close friends (who are like family, doing Christmas dinner. I will show up with one or more of their favorite dishes of mine...corn casserole...or noodle kugel or even a cheese cake.
It's easy for me....and I enjoy celebrating their traditions with them.
I do believe that the cookies are all gone, Tam. Would be nice to have just a few tho...My friend makes a wonderful shortbread cookie and I know that there will be a small box for me to bring home.Happy girl!!
Elves are supposed to be rewarded, Tam...cookies are a good reward...along with either hot chocolate or a glass of milk!

Good Morning, All!

Oooh, Sandi, I wish we would have had the rain. We had winds up to nearly 95 mph yesterday. A lot of people lost the roofs to their houses,powerlines were blown down, and everything was sandblasted. Today is calm and our temps are supposed to be close to 60. A massive change from the 23 of a few days ago.
Would you believe the cookies are all gone? My little elves, after they finished boxing up what had to go, sat and ate until the Tums came out of the cabinet. LOL

Is anyone planning the holiday menu yet?

I will only say that, weatherwise, we did have 4-5 days of straight on rain..(Unusual here)....then temps went into the low 40's at night...60's during the day for several days...and I've had the A/C on for the last day or so....
I do know what "black ice' is, Tam...it's horrible and really dangerous..enough to panic anyone having to drive in/on it.
I sure would love to be your house, helping you bake cookies! One of my favorite things to do...haven't done in years tho...these little apt. ovens are good for little of anything...I am going to a Christmas tea tomorrow so looking forward to having some goodies there.
I will send the kugel recipe in the next day or so...it's one I know you'll enjoy..
Yup...Wil...cheesecake recipe would be a good one to try!

Afternoon, All!

So nice to see words from each of you. The week has been tough out in our neck of the woods--we had snow for 3 days out of last week--it sent the city into a near panic. Black ice was the newest of our troubles, with so many people not quite knowing how to handle the stuff.
Yes, Will, sigh....mole goes right in there with watermelons. Please, cheesecake recipe?
Spent yesterday making cookies--rumballs, gingersnaps (my weakness) kitchen sinks, chocolate chips and peppermint brownies. This coming weekend will be the divinity I posted on my wordpress site and maybe some whoopie pies. Fat season--I LOVE IT.
Take care to all of you and may your weather be treating you well!
**grin**

It was long ago, but the Methodist Church of my youth used to have a fund raiser every year, in which they served turkey tetrazinni made from everyones' leftover turkey. It was gross. I still can't stand the thought of tetrazinni...so I just eat it and don't think about it now.

I like mole (all kinds, not just chocolate), I just didn't want it for my turkey enchiladas. I put in sour cream, cheese, green chiles instead, with chopped red onions.

So you like live (and healthy, well treated) turtles in your pumpkin pie but don't like moles in your enchiladas, Tamela? You're wierd. lol

Have great, safe, and happy holidays, everyone filled with food, love, friends and family.

We finished off our turkey tonight -- I made turkey tetrazinni with the last of it. It was good to have a hot casserole after our first snow of the season.

Leshawn --I didn't make turkey and mostly everyone just had white meat so I ate what I liked and left it alone. However, I reallly wanted turkey this week - I don't know why!!! So..I baked 2 turkey thighs..made a pan of dressing and some mashed potatoes..opened a jar of gravy and had so leftover cranberry-pear dish that I made..Guess what? It was delicious..I didn't have to fight with anyone for anything...and..I have..leftovers!!
Jenny...I have never had mole..so I will give the LaVictoria a shot with some of my leftovers and see what happens! Another idea I never would have tried before..Thanks..
Tam and LeShawn...thanks so much...It means a lot to know that it's heard and understood.

Thanks Jenny, I will give that a shot this weekend.

Everyone's turkey leftover recipes sound great! I wish I had made a turkey this year, so I could have the leftovers now. Oh well, there is always next year!
Sandi, I agree with Tamela, you are a sweetheart and what you said was beautiful!
I'm adding my good wishes to all of my goodreads cooking friends!

Jim -- you can go simple or complex on the turkey enchiladas. I bought mole sauce in a can at the grocery store but I have made my own. I don't like the jarred mole sauce in the grocery store but LaVictoria's canned mole was pretty good.

I chopped an onion and sautéed it in a small amount of oil, added chopped turkey (you could use chicken or beef or pork or leave out the meat and just fill the enchiladas with onion and cheese). When the filling was warm, I put it in corn tortillas for me and flour for my husband, put them in a casserole dish and covered it with the mole sauce, grated cheese on top and baked in a 350 degree over for about 20 minutes until hot. I served them with sour cream.

If you are really lazy you can microwave the enchiladas instead of cooking them in the oven. If you are really ambitious, you can make your own mole sauce. Rick Bayless has some of the best recipes I have found for salsa and sauces in his cookbooks.

Jenny

Sandi wrote: "I don't think it's strange at all, Will. I actually prefer the time right after the official 'holidays' to visit w/my favorite people, reach out to all of my friends, near and far and pay attention..."

Oh, Sandi, you're such a sweetheart that always says such wonderful things from the heart. You've captured the entire meaning of the holiday season in your note. The same to everyone here from me during this time of the year.

Yes, Will, please pass the cheesecake!

Jim...good one, you made me choke on my soup. :D

Will wrote: "I'm not sure I'm interested in mole, but turkey enchiladas does sound good, with leftover turkey.

This is a strange and wonderful time of the year. I was pondering how we cram so much into such..."

Turkey enchiladas sound great---leftover turkey pot pie with homemade crust was a must here. Love the stuff, creamy goodness of the sauce and the pie crust.
Your Christmas plans sound intriguing, Will, and there is nothing wrong with delivering gifts on the Epiphany. I'm nearly finished with my shopping and baking begins this week, cookies galore to send to my parents and brothers. Now, if I can keep the kids and myself out of the raw cookie dough, all will be fine.

Jenny wrote: "I made a pumpkin pie, starting with the pumpkin, for Thanksgiving and two kinds of cranberry sauce (Mama Stamberg's cranberry relish and a ginger/orange whole berry sauce) and then went to my siste..."
Good Morning, Everyone.

I thought I would jump in real fast because I read about Jenny's wonderful pumpkin pie. I'm doing something a bit different this year, a turtle pumpkin pie. (No, Will, no animals will be harmed in the making LOL) The recipe has been posted at most Walmarts (as one of those pull-offs by the canned pumpkin) and it looks delicious.
OK, at the risk of being boo'd off the forum--mole...yuck!!!

I don't think it's strange at all, Will. I actually prefer the time right after the official 'holidays' to visit w/my favorite people, reach out to all of my friends, near and far and pay attention to all of the things that are real and important to me, for them.
Everyone tends to gets so wrapped up (no pun intended) in the crazy rush for just the 'right' gift, etc. that sometimes they tend to overlook the really simple and important message of giving a little bit of oneself back where it really counts. That's become most important for me...in my own way, in my own time and it works so well for me. It's so good to have complete peace and inner quiet and to be able to focus my energy and how and where I want to focus this next year. Not for everyone...that's what makes it special. It's what works best for me..
So...for all of you who have become friends in this past year..I hope this coming season and the year to come brings you all things bright and beautiful, in their own time and in the right way for you.
Have a wonderful holiday season...and keep on cooking!!!

And, Will....can you pass on any part of that wonderful cheesecake delight that you did for Thanksgiving???

As long as you can embrace being strange Will it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.

I'm not sure I'm interested in mole, but turkey enchiladas does sound good, with leftover turkey.

This is a strange and wonderful time of the year. I was pondering how we cram so much into such a short period, recently. It is the beginning of the ballet season, social party season, shopping season, and time of good will and peace to all (sort of). I wish we could spread it all out a bit better.

I don't do cards or gifts much, especially ahead of time. I do 12 days of Christmas beginning Dec. 25 and write letters instead of cards, take baked goods, home made wine, fresh baked bread and herbal cheeses to friends and neighbors over those 12 days. People think me strange, often, delivering Christmas goodies on the 3rd of January, but what the heck; I am strange.

Oh Jenny, can you please share that recipe for the turkey mole enchiladas? they sound delicious.

http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/2726... Join the best group ever please!

I made a pumpkin pie, starting with the pumpkin, for Thanksgiving and two kinds of cranberry sauce (Mama Stamberg's cranberry relish and a ginger/orange whole berry sauce) and then went to my sister-in-law's. She did not run out of food and one of my husband's older sisters brought a very good wine.

I roasted a turkey for us on Friday and made turkey mole enchiladas for dinner tonight. The most popular side dish at our house this weekend was pureed sweet potatoes with mini marshmallows on top. The teenagers inhaled them along with a pound and a half of ham on Sunday night.

Will...those pies sounds profoundly wonderful!! just reading the list of ingredientshad my mouth watering!! Trying to figure out putting it together and would need some help...that sounds like about the most perfect combo of ingredients this side of heaven..and dutch apple is one of my very favorite apple pies..About the best one I had was a tirmisue cake...I went so far as to get a piece of it BEFORE I headed to the main biffet table! There wasn't any left by the time I got back around so it was a good thing I did that...and it was good.
No leftovers so I've been cooking in bits and pieces..On my 2nd pot of mushroom barley soup..
Been under the weather since just before the holiday..and am perfectly happy with a big bowl of hot soup. I did make a carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting..was just in the mood for it and it hit the spot..
Love reading all of the wonderful cooking ideas..since I'm doing next to nothing this year..so glad to have yours to read and enjoy!!!

Well, here I am again, absent due to not receiving any messages. :( I hope everyone had a great holiday, if you celebrated. I avoided Black Friday like the plague--I do my holiday shopping in bits and spurts throughout the year.
Yes, this is the fat part of the year, my favorite!
Southern Fried chicken, collard greens, biscuits and home fries tonight for dinner. Just the thing to go with the two inches of snow that we've had since last night.

We had a similar deep dish apple pie, it is delicious.

That cheesecake sounds great Will.

I like thanksgiving leftovers even better than the dinner, and I love the dinner.

Hope everyne survived and enjoyed the holiday. I'm home. Cooked and ate a LOT of food.

The piece de resistance was a pecan crust, fudge brownie/peanut butter/cheesecake with pecan and cheesecake topping.

Another was deep dish, dutch apple pie with pecan, butter and brown sugar topping served with ice cream.

The usual brined and slow-cooked turkey; smoked ham with pineapple, honey and brown sugar glaze; glazed baby carrots; sauteed, savory sweet potatoes, caramalized with onioons and garlic; green bean casserole with wine poached fresh green beans, etc, etc.

Have fun, all, and welcome to the fat part of the year. I love it.

Now comes the fun time, leftovers for supper this week.

Turkey pot pie

Turkey Noodle Soup

Potato Soup

All easy to make, and all very tasty.

I love Thanksgiving leftovers.

Happy Day after Thanksgiving Everyone! I had a very good dinner with my extended family! I worked until 10 PM the night before Thanksgiving, so my contribution to the feast was Sour Apple Martinis with lots of Granny Apple Slices. I mixed them to order and delivered them icy cold in pretty martini glasses. The martinis were a hit!
I was pretty happy until an hour ago when I begin to feel slightly under the weather. I think one of my cousins (I found out today that there were a few illnesses among the young ones) may have given me the present that is never desired. My throat and head has begun to ache and I feel a cold or the flu lurking in the wings. Keep your fingers crossed, friends, that nothing shows up on stage!
Have a great weekend!

Happy Black Friday to all. I'm going to do my part for shopping on the traditional day of decking the halls with boughs of money and go shopping, too. We're going down to the docks and stock up an shrimp and stop at the store for more beer.

Happy Holidays.

Hi Jenny - Lovely, quiet day. We had a great Thanksgiving /Seder at my church on Sunday...and it was just wonderful! Food was great..no complaints about any of it...just that I couldn't eat more of everything! And we had tons of mashed potatoes and they were so good..I usually make the sweet potato dish, but eat sweet potatoes quite often during the year...so I was much into the white ones! It was (almost) better than family!! - if you know what I mean..

Yesterday, the bldg I live in did a dinner...they did the turkey, we all brought dishes. Like you..it was catch as catch can. Different tastes..some things were salted or spiced very heavily...there were 6 0r 7 punkin pies and NO whipped cream...but I did get to bring left overs up for later on..and I did eat them!
For your dinner today...you can make things your way and it'll be much better! I love any kind of squash..I have 1/2 of a spaghetti squash that just may be my dinner tonight..white potatoes, brussel sprouts..sounds like you've got it going on.

Hope you enjoy your second dinner and the rest of your weekend. I'm staying away from the madness at the stores..It may be after Xmas before I venture into a store again!!! It usually is..

Have a great day....and anyone else peeking in..hope your Thanksgiving went well...that you have sufficient leftovers for today (and more) and will see you back here soon!

I hope everyone had a very happy thanksgiving. We had a fairly good time and there was plenty of food at my sister in laws but nothing very exchiting. I have a turkey to cook for us tomorrow and I am trying to decide what to make to go with it. I have some acorn squash, two butternut squash and a pie pumpkin so I am sure that one of them will be serviced with the turkey. My husband will want mashed potatoes since there were none today. I think I still have some brussels sprouts too. That should make a good meal.


Jenny

Leshawn,,,The artichoke dip sounds wonderful *tho I would have to forego the jalapenos..but could find something else to mix it with!
Jim . I do love lasagna too...Last time I had it...it was made with meatballs! Extra good...
Missing everybody too...but hoping that your homes are just filled with the smells of wonderful things cooking and that you and yours have an absolutely wonderful Thankskgiving!

Good Morning EVERYONE and a Happy Holiday to each and everyone of you!

I've been busy, busy, busy with paperwork/blogs/books and kids on Thanksgiving Vacation. My productivity decreases massively when the kids are home and I have such an entertaining night lined up--watching the new Ben 10 movie on TV. But I wouldn't change it for anything.
Lasagna, artichoke jalepeno dip--mmmm. It's dangerous to read this forum so early in the morning, I run around, remembering all the lovely food we talked about and my stomach isn't happy with the normal fare. Sandi--YES! Please send me the kugel recipe and thank you so much!

Please be safe, everyone, and tons of hugs and holiday wishes to each of you!

LeShawn that sounds delicious!

Jim, I always love lasagna.

I miss you all very much as well - I hope you and your families all have a wonderful blessed Thanksgving!

I made a lasagna using penne noodles instead of lasagna noodles. It was adequate.

I haven't cooked anything in ages but I miss you all immensely! I just had some amazing artichoke jalapeno dip and I thought of you as my throat tingled and my energy level received a boost! There are whole artichoke hearts in this dip and it is so delicious that I want to just spoon in directly in to my mouth without the assistance of edible dipping implements.
I'm hoping that all of you have a delicious Thanksgiving!

Morning All!
Jenny - sounds as if you've more than got your hands full, what with the all the sports events, practices, travel, etc. Boy - I was a Band mom and a swim team mom..and it's a lot of work, but a whole lot of fun..I think there were a zillion seasons of Little League ball too..with 3 on at least 2 different teams. It was so much fun, but, right now..I'm way glad it's over! Lots of work for the crock pot!
We just finished one fundraiser for church...have a Christmas Boutique coming up and a tea to go to..glad to just be able to go and enjoy myself these days, Have to keep from volunteering too much..Mind is willing...body asks me if I've lost my mind!!
Will - amazing what one finds in the fridge whilst cleaning it out! Don't cook as much so don't have a whole lot of leftovers unless planned :-)
Tam: oh my- Did you make my mouth water! I have to go north to DC or south to Miami to get the real goods of the thngs you mentioned. Now..the noodle kugel is easy, easy..will be happy to send the family recipe...no measurements, tho..just by taste. But...blintzes and reallly good cheesecake (mine is pretty okay, but not the real thing!) Can see you in your dirndel skirt and little white blouse...twirling through the store. There may be something like that here, but I haven't found it yet.
Shopping today stuff for Thanksgiving..cooking as little as possible..frittata for dinner...something with chicken tenders for tonight..
Gorgeous weather...low 80's..but lovely breezes..this is when I love FL.!

Hi. I bought some of what the guy called "rellenos" yesterday, but it was smaller pieces of chiles, not whole pods. In it was shredded beef. It was then battered and fried like rellenos, though. Good stuff. I heated them in the oven for dinner. I'm sure there is a name for them, but not "rellenos."

I'm kind of cleaning out the fridge now. Going into the holidays I need all the refrigerator space I can get. Strange, some of the ways I find to use things I have...scary even, sometimes.

I love homemade cinnamon rolls, My dinner was not so exciting -- I had toad in the hole and then had to make some for my son who thinks they are delicious.

It is basketball season -- 8th grade game yesterday, 8th grade game today, travel practice today, tomorrow and Thursday. I am team mom for the travel team so I am getting the schedules and other information sent out. My husband is planning a church fundraiser -- he has the art fair part down and the auction catalogue is gorgeous but this is the first time he has put on a dinner.

I think dinner tomorrow is going to be italian beef cooked in the crock pot.

Good Morning to all of you!

Cold here today, 29 during the night and to think, it was 80 during the day last week! Sandi, everything sounded so good! I'm in line for the noodle kugel---goodness, I haven't had that in years! Can we throw in a good NY style cheescake while we're at it, or some blueberry blintzes? It's winter, time for me to pack on the winter weight **grin** recently, I found a wonderful store called the International Market out here and felt like a kid in a candy store. In the past few years, nearly all of our German bakeries and delis have closed and I've been heartbroken. I buzzed in, before everyone became sick, and wanted to twirl around like the scene from The Sound of Music. Christmas spiced wine, truffles, European Christmas Chocolates in papercones to hang from the trees, advent calendars, spices (and I mean the good ones) for 99 cents, not $5 like at most stores.
OK, enough carrying on...
Will, nice to see you are back at work. Made brisket flautas last night with ham infused refried beans and saffron rice. Baking bread today and making homemade cinnamon rolls. Perhaps some arroz con leche for dessert...

I finally drug out the manuscript for the cookbook to start working on it -- editing and proofing. It must be winter.