Claudine, Oui c'est Francais

Thanksgiving wrap-up

No need to adjust your screen... that is the real color of my beautiful turkey. The Martha Cranberry Glazed Turkey that I also Brined in a mixture of Bourbon, water, salt and sugar for 36 hours. It was so gooooood! Tom was in charge of carving and every time we turned around he was chewing on Turkey. We joked that he had been carving for 20 minutes and he only has a little pile of meat, we thought he was eating it all. Oh and the skin on it, mmmmnmmmnmmmn. Because of the Glaze that you brush on 10 times it tasted so good, almost like candy. That may be a slight exaggeration but it was good!

And here is little glimpse of the table, we didn't get a picture of it before everybody sat down but I love my pumpkins. I wish that I can keep them forever but since they are real it might not be so good to find them next year in the box of Fall decorations.

Hope you all had a nice Thanksgiving. Next up is the Christmas decorations. John has to scout out tree lots when he is off on Friday. I have to have the perfect "Spacey" Tree, the Grand Nobles. We are so lucky to live in the NW where trees aren't $200

November 22nd

November 22, 1963

43 years ago today a day that I think changed this country happened. On a Friday morning in Dallas Texas, John F Kennedy was killed. It is a day that people remember exactly where they were when the heard the news. Since I wasn't born then and wouldn't be for 8 more years, I can't count myself as one that had that moment.

But I do remember sitting in my 8th grade history class and watching the mini-series Kennedy staring Martin Sheen as JFK and Blair Brown. I remember being so sad at the assassination portion of the movie. But before that the movie focused on the life of Kennedy, and his family and even what was going on in the country in the 60's. I remember vividly watching the scenes of the African American men and women being beaten by horrible white men because they wanted to ride on a bus. It sickened me to see this and I remember it to this day.

I remember watching this movie and I think that it really shaped the way I think and believe. I am a one of those bleeding heart liberals that believes that we need to help our fellow man, that social injustice is wrong and when things like Hurricane Katrina happen and our government reacts the way that they did it is  horrific.  What JFK and his brother Robert Kennedy and also during that time Martin Luther King stood for and what they tried to change in this country should be remembered and should be something we still strive for 43 years later.

I  believe that if JFK had not been shot, this country would be a very different place today.

So I now have that miniseries on DVD and I think I will watch it today while baking and getting ready for tomorrow and I am sure all sorts of memories will come back and like normal I will cry.

Thanksgiving prep

I am working on my grocery list for Thanksgiving dinner so that I can hopefully beat the nut jobs to the store and not have to deal with 20 people trying to reach for the fresh sage.  Last year was the first Thanksgiving that we did at our house so at least I know what I am getting into to. But since I am a Martha wanna be I am creating a gigantic undertaking for my menu. And of course I don't really let anybody bring anything, well a few things. John has to have the Green Bean casserole, I never had or even heard about that before I met him. His sister makes it and it is really good but my mom made it a few years ago all from fresh stuff and John wasn't to into that. He likes things out of a can and I won't cook from a can, such a match made in heaven :)  And then Stan, the brother in-law, makes the best cheesecake so he promised to make that. Oh and then I am having grandma make her super nummy hot artichoke dip..... so see I am not a TOTAL control freak.....

Ok so here is the menu.....

Appetizers: Mango Crab Stacks

                  the secret family Clam Dip (I am not allowed to peoples houses without bringing it)

                  Roquefort and Watercress stuffed cherry tomatoes

                  Artichoke dip

the Main event

                  Cranberry Glazed Turkey with Cranberry cornbread stuffing

                   Party Potatoes (another family recipe)

                   Pan Roasted Balsamic Onions

                   Cauliflower Gratin with Endive

                   Green Bean Casserole

                   Blue Cheese Potato Gratin

                   Turkey Tail rolls

and for dessert

                    Stan's cheesecake

                     Pumpkin pie

                     Lemon Tart

                     Creme Fraiche Ice Cream

So my grocery list is 3 sheets of notebook size paper and can't wait to see what this will all cost. But at least I love to cook, so it will be fun. Driving to 4 or 5 stores to find juniper berries may not be.

And I still have to make the Chocolate brown taffeta table cloth, glitter the pumpkins and get out the Thanksgiving plates and goblets and wash them. Ok I just tired myself out writing this..... wish me luck with the nuts at the stores.......

More to come tomorrow.....

love getting packages

So a few weeks back I purchased the new Around the Block paper tagger (which looks just like a ticket gun from my retail days) I was playing around with it punching into paper and noticed a weird dark brown stain and dust every time I tried it. I noticed that the needle was super rusty and kinda yucky... 

So I eamiled the company and told them hoping to get a replacement needle. They emailed me back within hours and told me they would send me some new needles. So a few weeks go by and I arrive home to a big package from them. When I opened the box I was speechless at all the stuff they sent me. 78 sheets of brand new released paper, fabric tags, extra bones, letters and then 5 replacement needles.  It was very exciting!

  Have you seen the Starbuck's Christmas stuff? Besides the sheer happiness that I recieve when you see the first "red cup" of the season and all of the new Christmas ornaments this year the bags and the sleeves are very inspiring. This year they look like they are all stamped and it looks just like a Fontwerk stamp that I have. I have been saving my sleeves and may have to make a "Ode to Starbucks" journal....

a little secret

I'm going to let you in on a little secret, it is known as beef stroganoff.....

this has been my very favorite dinner since I was little, in fact it is still my birthday dinner if we have a family get together. It is soooo good, just as good the next day and even good cold. And with 2 cups of Sour Creme, what could go wrong.... and I am eating this very minute while I post...

2 1/2 POUNDS TOP SIRLOIN

1/4 CUP BUTTER

1-16OZ CAN OF MUSHROOMS

2- 10 1/2OZ CANS OF BEEF BROTH BOUILLON

1/3 CUP MINCED ONIONS

1/4 CUP KETCHUP

1 1/2 TSP. GARLIC SALT

1/3 CUP FLOUR

2 CUPS SOUR CREAM

8-10 OZ EGG NOODLES

CUT MEAT, MELT BUTTER AND STIR IN MUSHROOMS ADD 2 1/3

REMOVE MUSHROOMS, IN SAME SKILLET BROWN MEAT. RESERVING 2/3 CUP OF THE BROTH, STIR IN REMAINING BROTH, THE ONION, KETCHUP AND GARLIC SALT. COVER AND SIMMER 15 MINUTES. BLEND RESERVE BROTH AND THE FLOUR; STIR INTO MEAT. ADD MUSHROOMS; HEAT TO BOILING, STIRRING CONSTANTLY. BOIL AND STIR 1 MINUTE. STIR IN SOUR CREAM,. HEAT THROUGH

Thanksgiving side

this looks so good, I may need to give it a test run this weekend. It is one of the items on Martha's personal Thanksgiving 2006 menu that she will be serving.

Pan Roasted Balsamic Onions

Serves 8 to 10

We mixed leeks with equal amounts of red and white pearl onions and cipollini (flat little Italian onions), but you can use any combination of small, sweet onions.

10 ounces white pearl onions 10 ounces red pearl onions 10 ounces cipollini onions 2 1/4 pounds leeks 5 tablespoons olive oil 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar 1 cup Homemade Chicken Stock , or low-sodium canned chicken broth, skimmed of fat 2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves 1.  Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add white and red pearl and cipollini onions, and boil for 1 minute. Drain. Let stand until cool enough to handle, then carefully peel, leaving root and stem ends intact. Transfer to a large bowl, and add 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss to combine. 2.  Meanwhile, remove any damaged outer leaves from leeks, then trim and discard dark-green tops. Trim roots of leeks without cutting off the base. Cut them in half lengthwise, and let soak in a large bowl of cold water for 5 to 10 minutes to rid them of dirt and sand. Lift leeks from water, pat dry, and place in a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt; toss to combine. 3.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil and leeks. Sauté leeks until slightly tender and lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove leeks from skillet, and set aside. 4.  Add remaining tablespoon oil and white, red, and cipollini onions to skillet, and sauté, turning occasionally, until browned all over, about 5 to 7 minutes. 5.  Reduce heat to medium low, and add balsamic vinegar and stock; cover skillet, and cook until onions are tender, 20 to 30 minutes, adding the leeks to pan after 10 to 15 minutes. Uncover, and add butter; increase heat to high, and cook, shaking pan occasionally, until liquid reduces to a glaze and coats the onions, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, and garnish with thyme leaves. Season with salt and pepper if desired, and serve immediately.

Tuesday is tool day

Here is one thing that you should not live without. The Le Creuset French Oven, these can be used for so many things. They are oven safe and can also be used on your stove top as well, and since they are made of cast iron they really hold the heat. I used mine last night to make Martha's French Onion soup...mmmmm. They are a little on the spendy side but they will last forever and in France families pass them down through the generations. All my pieces are red of course and Martha has the cream/drabware color.  But be warned once you have one piece it is hard to stop, they really are wonderful!

And in case you missed it my darling Kenny won the Entertainer of the Year award....again....

 

My favorite things

Wow, this is post number 100,,,,

With that I thought I would list some of my favorite things on this Sunday morning

lets start with the obvious.........Martha! in the top of all time

my super fluffy peanut and are you ready for her whole real name.....here it is, let the ridicule begin...

Marilyn Olivia Diana Stewart Diamond Kennedy.... She got Marilyn because of her beauty mark and then the rest just fell into place. Olivia Newton John: my love for Xanadu and memories of wanting to be a professional roller skater, Diana: Princess Diana, Stewart: Martha duh! Diamond: not just my love for Diamonds but mostly Neil Diamond, and then Kennedy: because I admire JFK but maybe it was a secret desire to marry John John Kennedy.....  and after all that I call her Peanut.... probably because EVERYBODY makes fun of me.

Watching Lance Armstrong run the NYC Marathon today, I love that guy. But I love anybody that can take a stand and support something that they believe in 150% His fight for a cure for cancer should be a bigger focus in the US, not because it is Lance but because it is the #1 killer in America. Cancer is the real terrorist and at least we know that is a weapon of mass destruction.

It is raining today and has been for days and won't be letting up for days I hear, but I love staying home all day when it is like this.

My grandma or Mauna as we call her, (why is beyond me but we just always have) she will be 84 this year, but she is still doing great. I was the first grandchild and spent a lot of time with my grandparents when I was a baby because my mom had to have surgery after I was born. We have always been close since (luckily) I am the one that loves jewelry as much as she does, decoration for Christmas and she is probably to blame for my love of collecting otherwise know as a pack rat, I can't imagine the day that she isn't a phone call or visit away

the family beach house in Gearhart is my favorite place to be, that is until I go to France and Switzerland but I think it will still stay at the top. I love going down in the winter when it is stormy and you can watch the clouds roll in over the ocean and nobody else is there. We have had this house since I was a year old and I spent alot of time down there with my grandparents. My grandpa put in a sandbox even though we are so close to a giant sandbox called the beach. After spending every waking hour on the beach he decided it was a better idea to have one by the house. It even had my name on it, which I still have since we have had to replace the wood a few times over the last 34 years. We still have the sandbox and I still open it up from time to time.

Scrapbook; thanks to Andrea she got me into this gigantic hobby. I got into so that I could do something with the room full of family history items. Now it has taken over a entire room and has brought hours of fun. When I am super busy at work it is a good break to get my mind off of things. I can't do it as much as I would like to this time of the year but I am going to try to carve out a little bit of time. And since I have thousands of pictures from the last 140 years I need to get busy. And because of scrapbooking I have met all sorts of wonderful people online.

last but not least is my super crazy husband, from waking up in the middle of the night thinking somebody but donuts on his car to his weird dances that begin with "I bet you haven't seen this before" the answer usually is "Yes, I have"  He keeps me laughing and brings me bags of ice when I have a migraine and just for that he is a keeper. But I really wish I could figure out why he uses 10 different glasses every night and all he drinks in them is milk or water?

Happy Sunday...

Mc Martha

"You mean to tell me McDreamy was doing the McNasty with McHottie?! What a McBastard!" 

Boy,  I love that show, not sure why it took me two years to find it...... {Grey's Anatomy}

and now for a little pre-Christmas tidings. My grandma loves this stuff and it is really easy!

Peppermint Bark

Makes 2 1/4 pounds or one 11-by-17-inch sheet

If you don’t have a double boiler, use a metal bowl set over a pot of simmering water.

2 pounds white chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces 12 large candy canes 1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil 1.  Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet with parchment, and set aside. 2.  In the top of a double boiler, melt white chocolate, stirring constantly. 3.  With a chef’s knife or meat tenderizer, cut or pound candy canes into 1/4-inch pieces. 4.  Stir pieces of candy canes and peppermint oil into the melted chocolate. Remove from heat, and pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet; spread evenly. Chill until firm, 25 to 30 minutes. Break into pieces, and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

eggs anyone?

Here is a nummy little item to make for breakfast this weekend.

I am not much of a breakfast person, unless it is Eggs Benedict, mmmmm. I am not a fan of egg yolks unless I can hide it in the hollandaise sauce. So here is a nice alternative for me that Martha made today on her show, it is part of her 20 more things you should know and I agree....

Egg White Omelet

Serves 1

1 teaspoon butter or olive oil 4 large egg whites 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt Chopped herbs, such as parsley, chives, and chervil (optional) Cooked spinach, chopped (optional) Freshly grated cheese, such as Parmesan, ricotta salata, or manchego (optional) 1.  Heat butter or oil in a small nonstick skillet over low heat. Meanwhile, whisk together egg whites and salt, incorporating a lot of air, which will ensure that the omelet is light and fluffy. Be sure not to do this in advance or the egg whites will deflate. 2.  Place your hand directly above the skillet. When your palm feels warm, the skillet is ready to start cooking. Working quickly, pour whisked eggs into the heated skillet. While shaking skillet back and forth over heat, stir with a heatproof rubber spatula for less than 1 minute. You want to keep eggs moving, incorporating any runny parts and some curds begin to form. 3.  Continue cooking, making sure eggs cover the entire surface of the skillet and using a spatula to push together any holes that may have formed. Top with one or more desired fillings. 4.  Run the spatula along right side of omelet to loosen eggs from skillet. Place spatula under right side of eggs, making sure that the spatula is well underneath the eggs to offer maximum support, and lift right side over left in one fluid motion. Folded omelet should look like a half-moon. 5.  Lightly press down on omelet with the spatula to seal omelet together. Do not press hard; you do not want to flatten the curds. Check to make sure the handle of the skillet is still facing directly out toward you. 6.  Lift up skillet with one hand, and hold a plate with your other hand. Tilt skillet, and let the curved edge of the omelet slide onto the plate.