Christmas is coming! The goose is getting fat...

My daughter, Madeleine, when she was a wee tot

It's definitely coming, 

barreling forward with speed.  

The holidays are here and the planning, cooking, cleaning, and a teensy weensy bit of stressing is here.  

That last sentence was a serious understatement.  

We've been busy each weekend doing small projects here and there on the house.  

Patrick put glass panels on the kitchen cabinet doors.  

Very pretty.  

We hung some curtains that I bought at an estate sale in our bedroom.  

Not terribly pretty 

but will work for the time being.  

I made 2 batches of cinnamon rolls this weekend and put them in the freezer.  

Hopefully, if they turn out o.k., we'll have these for breakfast on Christmas morning.  

I have a large Panettone as well in case they don't cook right.   

If everyone has only one that will work but since "seconds" 

are probably probable,  

I think I  better find time to make 2 more batches.  

Attempted a new biscuit recipe on Sunday given to me by my Brother-in-law, Tim.  These were quite good and rose higher than any other recipe that I have tried.  

Cream of tartar might be the different ingredient...

Basically, life was busy.  

Madeleine attended the Youth and Government "district" court trials this weekend.  Being a lawyer probably isn't in her future but the experience was wonderful for her.  

Each team is composed of 6-7 members.  They are given a case that is going to be tried.  Each member assumes a person in the trial and has to role play what took place in the court room.  Some of the strong speakers are attorneys.  

The teams practice asking questions as if they were in the court room weeks before District.  At District, many teams from across Houston meet and they compete against each other. It was a wonderful way to learn how the judicial system operates.  

It gave Madeleine a chance to assert her quiet personality a bit and learn the important art of persuasive speaking.

Riley needs more to fill his life right now.  He did his usual computer playing 

for hours on end.  

We are tossing around enrolling him in a game design course online in January.  We just want to be sure he is ready for the work level so he doesn't get discouraged by it.  

Riley enjoys math very much so over the weekend we do quite a bit of work from his curriculum.  He doesn't mind at all 

and treats the work as if he is playing a strategy game.  He continues to absorb historical information, constantly telling us about facts that he has learned.  He truly reads history as if it is 

a fabulous bedtime story.  

We're also tossing around trying out an AP history course with him next fall.  

O.K., this post is actually 

a truly great attempt to 

procrastinate 

from writing out the last batch of my Christmas cards.  

Apologies here for rambling on with nothing very interesting to reveal or describe.  Time to check out and get scribbling away...

DATE & NUT ROLL

Ingredients:
Dates ........ 200 gms.
Walnuts .... 1/4 cup
Almonds ... 1/4 cup
Pistachios.. 1/4 cup
Cashewnuts... 1/4 cup
Poppy seeds ... 2 tbsps.
Ghee (clarified butter) ... 1 tbsp.
Method:

1. Cut the nuts into pieces and dry roast them for 1-2 minutes on medium flame.

2. Dry roast the poppy seeds for half a minute.

3. Take a level spoonful of ghee in a non-sticky pan and add the chopped dates. Stir fry the dates crushing them with a wooden spatula on medium flame for 5-7 minutes until they become soft and pulpy.(if the dates are not fresh it may take a little more time)

4. Reduce the flame and add the nuts and mix them well.

5. Remove this into a plate and allow this mixture to cool a bit. Rub a little ghee to your palms and make a cylindrical shape.

6. Spread the poppy seeds on a flat surface and roll it in this.
7. Refrigerate it for one hour. Cut into round slices.
This is a very healthy and sugar-free sweet

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The Inner Sanctum of the Catican

My wife, a devoted follower of our Maximum Leader, recently bought this charming one bedroom apartment for her which we have installed in the Catican.


It's been pretty cold in the Catican lately, so this snug little abode, with an additional plush blanket, keeps our Maximum Leader quite toasty. Lately she's been sleeping inside with us until about 1 AM when she wakes up and wants to go outside. That means she's outside during the coldest part of the night, so we sleep sounder knowing she's got a warm, soft place to snooze once her night time explorations are over.

Recipe of the Week - Roasted Cod

I normally eat a vegetarian diet, however fish is my weakness. :) I found this recipe from Giada De Larentiis from the FoodNetwork and I really like it! I have made it two times and everyone else that has tried it has liked it as well!

Roasted Cod with Lima Beans

• 1 (10-ounce) bag frozen lima beans
• 4 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 4 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves, divided
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 4 (6-ounce) pieces cod
• The recipe calls for white wine, but I leave this out. 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place 4 (15-inch) long sheets of aluminum foil on a work surface. Divide the frozen lima beans among the foil sheets (about 3/4 cup per sheet). Place 1 teaspoon of olive oil 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley, and a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper on each pile of beans and gently toss to combine. Place 1 piece of fish over each pile of beans. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Seal up the foil packets.

Place the foil packets on a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes depending on the thickness of the fish. Gently transfer the beans and fish to a serving plate and serve immediately.

Enjoy!


Be sure to link up with your Recipe of the Week Below! Recipes can be posted any day of the week. The link up starts on Sunday and ends the next Sunday from when it was started.

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