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| From Christmas |
Category: Christmas
The Great Kitchen Calamity of 2010 is coming!
Gearing up for the another year of Kristmas kookieness in the Kitchen.
As I sat back and reviewed my options for the year, we’ve decided to change things up in 2010.
Long time readers know I like to take this time of year to expand my horizons and try out new recipes. Especially those my grandmother tried to throw away…
We tinker with these old, difficult recipes, figure them out, and have some fun and failures.
And, after 2 years of successfully making the Peanut Brittle, it’s time to move on, so it will be skipped this season.
In it’s place comes a marvelous little cookie that caught me by surprise. (we’ve already made a batch of these…)
See, Alec absolutely LOVED the giant pretzels at Lagoon this year.
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| From 2010 Fun |
I figured “how hard can THEY be?”
And, with a recipe from grandma’s discard pile labeled “pretzels”, I figured I had struck gold.
Alarms flared making it however. This was no bread recipe.
Butter, flour, egg and sugar. “flavor of choice”. THIS was some bizarro kind of cookie…
More commonly known as butter cookies or sables, or as you may know them in the little tins…Danish butter cookies. And, pretty darn good ones.
So, expect to see that full recipe in here, once I settle on a final form of it. (toying with attempting a little lemon and/or orange flavoring in a few batches)
The Sugar cookies have to be made, of course. As does the mix.
And, I still want to try my hand at actual Pretzels. So, I’m going to have to find something for those…
Maybe another year attempting the English toffee as it’s been hit and miss.
And, the boss wants to do Yule logs.
I need a second oven.
Journey to Bethlehem
Last year, we attempted to get out to Journey to Bethlehem put on by a local Baptist church. They improved the logistics this year, advertising groups leaving ever 5 minutes instead of every 15.
So, when it returned this year, we decided to make one more attempt. After all, how often do you get to see a Christmas themed haunted house? (yes, that is the best way I can describe it)
I was under the impression it started at 5PM. And, I was not alone in that impression. There was a small line that arrived at 5, or shortly after, surprised the doors were still closed.
Talia describes our feeling when we found out opening was 6.
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| From JTB |
Unfortunately, this pic also illustrates my issues with the camera, as somehow, somewhere, it had gotten set to ISO 1000, and everything was going to be grainy. I didn’t notice until after, and am still wondering how the setting got changed as I never go over 400…
Anyhow.
We went in, got our passports, and new names, and were to be in the first group. I was pleased to see the groups also increased in size this year. This should allow them to pump roughly 5x the numbers this year.
Journey to Bethlehem uses a guided tour format. This is a lesser used format during the October season due to lower numbers, but allows much better story telling and interaction with patrons.
Our guides did a marvelous job.
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| From JTB |
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| From JTB |
Soon enough the ‘evil romans’ come in hootin’ and hollerin’ about your taxes.
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| From JTB |
“The scary’s” as Talia calls them. She was impressed by the one on a horse, however.
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| From JTB |
Along your route, you meat your normal cast of characters from the Nativity.
The Wise men (sorry only one turned out):
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| From JTB |
The shepherds:
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| From JTB |
Some fellow countrymen
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| From JTB |
The Inn…
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| From JTB |
The highlight, however, is of course the angel that appears.
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| From JTB |
Each have a story to tell as you pass.
(Alec’s reaction at the moment the Angel appears)
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| From JTB |
Kyle listening to the Shepherds.
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| From JTB |
Of course it all culminates at the stable.
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| From JTB |
All in all, it was a very fun activity I would encourage anyone capable of to attend. The production is enjoyable in and of itself. Churches around the country put on this same show. So, go get out to your local Christmas themed haunted house.
Christmas makeover time again
You may have noticed it’s time for the Christmas makeover again.
I’m not entirely sure just how much we’re going to be doing at the house this year, however.
No Jack to put up this year, not sure I want to go about sculpting a 4th one, either. And, if I DO decide to make one, we’re going to be smart about it this year and get a mold, so I can just cast a new one as needed.
The original plan was for us to be going Gremlins this year…but, as with the plans for Spider Woman at Halloween, those plans have been washed away with the events overtaking us this year.
Much as The Harvest was a venture into introspection and a return to the natural, perhaps it’s time to explore those possibilities this Christmas as well. Just what that means right now, I’m not entirely sure…never been much of a Christmas fan.
For now, it’s time to reflect on the year, and decide what direction we’ll be going in the kitchen this Yule…
Santa has been butchered.
It’s been a day.
A very rough day.
From no one coming to assist in the morning duties to people who showed up for other reasons being down right rude. On through saying good bye to the old stand-bye that was destroyed with the recent winds, to finding the kids have broken the basement shower. Well…it would have helped if whoever installed it did it correctly to begin with.
Long…bad…day.
However, I was baffled by a side trip to the grocer for dinner.
There was Santa.
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| From 2010 Buildup |
Never heard of such a thing.
“This variety is similar to the canary melon except the rind of the Santa Claus variety is a mottled green and yellow.
The attractive green and gold-to-bright yellow striped Santa Claus melon somewhat resembles a small watermelon. Inside is a mellow and mildly flavored pale greenish flesh very similar to that of a honeydew but much sweeter. The color of the characteristic stripes on its hard shell is a sign of this melon’s ripeness. The brighter the yellow, the riper and sweeter it is. The ripest Santa Claus melon will have soft blossom ends that yield to gentle pressure and a vibrant yellow hue. Because of its thick skin, this melon doesn’t release a telltale aroma when ripe.
This melon was named in recognition of its long keeping qualities…until Christmas.”
According to Wikipedia anyway.
Well, Santa….This is for all that Christmas in July crap….
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| From 2010 Buildup |
(yes, I’m easily amused)