Merry Christmas

Christmas seems to be all about excess these days. Over eating, over drinking, over gifting... And as much as I'd love to say that we managed to keep things simple this year, alas I cannot. With it being Addison's first Christmas, and her cousin Mia turning 5 on Christmas Eve, there were way too many presents. And Derek has discovered the hard way that it seems every toy lights up and makes noise nowadays. Addison is now the proud owner of several whirly-bop toys; some of which move, others that just play music and flash lights. She is so excited! We are a bit shell-shocked and find ourselves waking up with Raffi in our heads.

Despite all of this, Christmas was rather relaxed... Well, considering the crowd anyways. This year the entire family decided to congregate in Portland. With 22 people all attempting to eat around the same table for Christmas dinner, you can be sure that there was a little bit of chaos going on. Luckily Addison is the most mild mannered baby and seemed to rather enjoy all the attention and activity. She happily walked around chasing the cats (who were surprisingly happy to see her), or playing with her toys, and occasionally finding a willing adult to pick her up. At one point she even convinced my 85yr old grandmother to carry her around.

If you're having trouble picturing it, just think of the start of Home Alone and you'll have a pretty good approximation. Of course with lots of people, you get lots of good food and wine; especially since my cousin's husband is a certified sommelier. So while everyone ooh'd and aah'd over Addison, Derek and I took the opportunity to indulge in food and drink. And one of my favorite Christmas cookies was in abundance, so needless to say I ate way too many of them. I've provided the recipe below, which is attributed to my Great Great Great Aunt Dora (too bad I'm not sure who she is). And yes, Addison loves Christmas cookies, too.

So now we are back home, and hope to enjoy a more peaceful New Year's Eve before ramping up again for Addison's first birthday. I can't believe it's only a week away!

Butterball Cookies
1/2 cup butter (soft)
4 Tbsp sugar
1 cup flour
2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup chopped nuts
Powdered sugar

Cream the butter and sugar. Mix in the flour and vanilla. Finally mix in the nuts.
Roll the dough into small bite-sized balls. Place evenly spaced on a cookie sheet and bake for approx 8 - 10 minutes at 350.
While still hot, roll cookies in powdered sugar. Once cool, roll again in powdered sugar.

A Walk in the Neighborhood

It seems that everyone is getting busier and busier as Christmas approaches, even Addison. Now that she has learned to walk, crawling is a thing of the past. Unfortunately, along with the mastery of walking comes many bumps and bruises. Thankfully none have been too severe yet, and a kiss and smile seem to be all it takes to get her on her way once more. Let's hope this stage lasts for a while yet.

So in the spirit of walking, and because the weather has been unseasonably warm and sunny, we decided to go on a walk this weekend in search of the neighborhood coffee shop. Now that may not sound like much considering in Santa Barbara we were only 300 yards from a favorite restaurant, but here in Huntsville the situation is a bit different. Our house is situated in a very nice established neighborhood, and we are at the very back of it. In fact, we are across the street from a park and a land trust. So, it takes about 4 minutes to drive out of the neighborhood, let alone walk.

Despite all of this, we wanted to see if it could be done. So, after bundling Addison in the stroller, we set off. W headed to Olde Towne Coffee Shoppe, which is in the Five Points area nearby. Five Points is what I describe as the hippie / young and kidless area of town. Probably the area that is closest to Santa Barbara in feeling (if there is such a thing). There is a Thai restaurant, local grocer, acupuncturist, some artsy shops, and Olde Towne Coffee. It took us about 45 minutes to walk there from our house, so it's what I would consider to be close.

Olde Towne Coffee was great. There were a couple of people outside playing chess, inside others were carrying on various philosophical and intellectual conversations, and it was obvious that most of these folks were regulars. There was no option for grande on the menu, but the coffee was good and the selection of specialty coffee drinks was plentiful. I enjoyed it very much and hope to come back soon. I'm not sure I know of another non-chain coffee shop in Huntsville (actually I think I've only seen Starbucks around), so that definitely added to it's charm.

We took a different route on our walk back, and although it still took 45 minutes, we had the fun of going straight through the big old cemetery. Maple Hill cemetery has been around for a very long time. Just glancing at some of the headstones we passed, I saw a few where the person buried had died in the 1800s; and I could see other headstones that looked to be even older. Now this cemetery is huge, and every year they have an event - a stroll - where actors dress up in period clothing and tell the stories of various people who are buried there; after our short walk through, I'd really like to go next year. I'm not sure why, but old cemeteries really fascinate me. And this one is so big, it's really impressive, too.

Anyways, that's enough for now. I'll give my recipe for scones in honor of the coffee shop, and save more ramblings about our neighborhood for another post.

Blueberry Scones

3 1/2 cups flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup cold butter
1 cup blueberries
4 eggs
2/3 cup heavy cream

Mix all dry ingredients together. Then cut butter in with pastry blender (or 2 knives if you're like me and don't own a pastry blender). Once butter is cut into pea sized pieces or smaller, mix in blueberries.

Next beat the eggs and set 4 Tbsp aside to brush on the scones before baking. The rest mix with the cream. Then mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with as few strokes as possible. You want the batter to just barely stick together, but not be fully meshed. The more hidden small chunks of butter there are, the better.

Then form the dough into wedge shaped scones (or whatever shape you want) and lay on a greased cookie sheet. Brush with the egg previously set aside, and dust with sugar.

Bake at 450 degrees for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Thanksgiving in Cali

So this year the little family of 3 made Thanksgiving into a big adventure by traveling all the way out to California for the week. Unfortunately, gone are the days of Addison sleeping peacefully in my lap on the airplane - on the flight out she fought sleep like you wouldn't believe. But then we were there! In a whirlwind, we made it up to our old haunts in Santa Barbara for one very rainy day, and spent the remainder of the trip surrounded by family. Lucky for us, between a friend filled potluck turkey day, the big event itself, and a more intimate family affair over the weekend, we managed to repeat Thanksgiving dinner three times! Lucky us! Especially lucky for me who wasn't feeling entirely healthy on Thursday.

And amidst all of this, Addison traipsed along, smiling the whole time. She really is getting to be quite the ham. And we have now discovered that she loves dogs. I'm not sure where it comes from, since she doesn't spend much time around dogs at home, but surrounded by 5 golden retrievers down in Fallbrook, she did nothing but giggle. Well, sometimes she did point at them and squeal. Perhaps someday we'll have to get a dog.


And if all of that wasn't enough, Addison wowed everyone by taking her first steps on Saturday. I can't think of anything cuter than watching her squeal as she proudly walked across the room from one person to another. She is growing up so fast, and just when we think she can't get any more adorable, she seems to surprise us.




So in my new attempt for this blog, every entry will include at least one recipe that I'll share. This week, in honor of thanksgiving, I'll give you my favorite carrot souffle recipe. I love it, and Addison gobbles it up, but I have met some people who aren't sure about a dish that tastes a little like carrots and a lot like dessert. I recommend you try it and let me know what you think. I have to credit that this originally comes from Paula Deen on the Food Network, and knowing that it's a Paula Deen recipe means you shouldn't be surprised by the fact that it is loaded with butter.

Carrot Souffle
3 lbs carrots, cooked until soft
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup flour
3 sticks (1 1/2 cups) butter

Before you begin, chop and cook 3 lbs of carrots until soft.

In a blender or food processor, combine eggs and sugar. Once mixed, add flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Mix. Next, add the butter (if you break it into chunks before adding it, it'll be easier). And finally add in the 3 lbs of carrots you previously cooked. Blend until mixture is smooth and even.

Pour into a large corning ware dish or split into smaller dishes for faster cooking time. Cook for approximately 1 hour at 350.
You will know it is done when it begins to crack on the sides and looks slightly cooked in the middle (no longer liquidy).

Galaxy of Mac 'n Cheese

What a great weekend! The weather was mild and wonderful, and we took a bit of a break from unpacking to just enjoy ourselves. One of the biggest seasonal attractions in Huntsville is the Galaxy of Lights show at the Botanical Gardens. It is an amazing display of Christmas and holiday lights that you can walk or drive through at night in November and December. Having never been, we wrapped Addison up in blankets and loaded her into the backpack and went to check it out. Thankfully it wasn't that cold, but even at 50 it was chilly enough to warrant sweaters and hats.

And what goes well with a festively cold night walk? Steaming hot Mac 'n Cheese of course. This recipe was given to me as part of an email recipe exchange, and I have to agree that it is easy and delicious. It makes a lot though - we are still enjoying it several days later.

Mac 'n Cheese
1 Lb box elbow macaroni (16oz)
1/2 Lb ground sausage
4 Cups milk
1 stick butter (1/2 Cup)
1/2 Cup flour
4 Cups grated Swiss cheese (can also use Gruyere)
2 Cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 1/2 Cups Panko bread crumbs

Cook macaroni according to the box, to al dente or just under done. Drain and set aside
Brown the ground sausage in a pan, drain off excess fat and set aside.
Heat the milk, but do not boil.
In a Dutch oven, or large pan if you don't have a Dutch oven, melt 6 tablespoons of butter. Once butter is melted, add flour and whisk to remove clumps. Cook over low heat for 2 minutes, whisking constantly. Add the hot milk and cook for a minute or two more, until thickened and smooth (still whisking continuously). Turn off the heat. Add the cheese, pepper, and nutmeg. Mix. Add the cooked macaroni and stir well. Mix in sausage.
If you're not using a Dutch oven, pour into a 3-quart baking dish.
Meanwhile, melt butter and mix with Panko bread crumbs. Spread over the top of the macaroni mixture and put in the oven at 375 degrees until the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the cheese is bubbling.

The Fun of Fall

Ahhh Fall. It is one of the best things about living in Alabama for sure. Of course, being in a place where people truly enjoy eating food (and don't feel so guilty afterwards) is a bonus, too. But watching the leaves change and having to change out all of my shorts for sweaters is a treat - it's like getting a new wardrobe every 6 months!

Anyways, I digress... The weather has been wonderful around here lately. the trees are dropping their incredibly colorful leaves and everything is awash in reds and siennas and ochres. Even Addison is loving the weather. She was having so much fun with the leaves in the front yard yesterday, that she entertained herself for long enough for me to do some raking - which she thought was quite comical (the neighbors probably did too). Here's a cute picture of her amidst the foliage.



All the raking and the crisp breeze put me in the mood for a good hearty dinner, so I decided to try my hand at pork chops. Now people around here eat a lot of pork - I'd say it's more popular than beef or even chicken perhaps. So attempting to assimilate, I've been tempted to try cooking pork more, but it is still a bit of a mystery meat to me. But thanks to the trusty Internet, I found a tasty marinade (which I've listed below). I let the chops marinate for about 3 hours, which was all the time I had before dinner, even though the recommendation was to let them sit overnight. Maybe next time.

To cook the chops I browned them in my cast iron skillet on med-high heat. This didn't take very long - maybe a couple of minutes on each side. I then turned the burner on low and covered the skillet to let them finish cooking through.

Meanwhile I cooked up some mashed potatoes and broccoli. Once those were done, I removed the chops and plated everything. Since there were some delicious looking drippings still in the pan, I decided to make a quick gravy. I grabbed a handful of flour (probably a tablespoon or two), and used a whisk to mix it into the drippings. I let the mixture cook for a few minutes, whisking the whole time (burner on low). Then when it was smooth and had bubbled a bit, I added milk and continued to whisk until I had the consistency I wanted. I added a little pepper to taste, and poured it over the plated potatoes and pork chop. Delicious!


Happy Fall everyone!


Pork Chop Marinade
3/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1/4 Cup Vinegar
2 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
1 Tbsp orange juice (or other citrus juice)
1 Tbsp Mustard (out of your fridge, not dried)
A couple of cloves of garlic (depending on your proclivity to garlic)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp parsley

Mix, put in a ziplock bag or sealable container with pork chops and marinate as long as possible (ideally overnight). This should make enough for up to 6 chops.

Manhattans and Mayem

And we're back! Sorry for the temporary hiatus - it turns out that Huntsville is actually "South Lite" and we haven't encountered nearly enough oddities to blog about. So, now we're just going to talk about two things we really like: food and our new house!

We recently bought a house, and are currently in the process of unpacking and moving in. Although we managed to purge (see: toss or donate) many things that had come across from California, we still have way more stuff than we thought. So the unpacking is a slower process than expected. Yet amidst the boxes we are discovering all the joys of home ownership already (see: cockroaches), and Addison is working on mastering this walking business.

Seeing as how all of this walking and unpacking is a lot of work, we decided to sit back and relax the other night. As Addison slumbered, Derek and I sat in our new living room sipping on Manhattans and surveyed our boxes. We noticed that the living room has giant windows on the front, athough they have been partially abscured by wooden plantation shutters. I made the off-handed comment that we could enjoy their size better if the shutters weren't there - and off we went! Out came screw drivers, and in no time we had removed most of the shutters from the windows. It has opened up the windows a lot (I'm sitting here watching a cardinal in the bushes at the moment), but now with added light we can see how they are badly in need of a new paint job. I guess each project begets another.... Something I'm sure we'll have to get used to.

Manhattan Cocktail (Courtney style):

1 part Makers Mark (or Basil Hayden)
1 part Sweet Vermouth
2 Maraschino cherries, plus a splash of juice

Mix in a glass with ice... Enjoy!

Red-eye gravy anyone?

   As many of you know, we have a new addition to our little family, which has caused a bit of a delay in getting things posted to our blog. With getting used to new routines and schedules as well as having family visitors, the past month has flown by.

   One great thing about having so many visitors is that it's given us an excuse (like we really needed one) to try out more restaurants around town. Now, because none of our family has spent much time in the South, we tried to find them some real Southern food to have while they were here. In this vein, I found myself at Edith Ann's Taste of Home.

Edith Ann's is what my father fondly refers to as a "greasy spoon" which really means a traditional breakfast diner. They have a menu that covers the basics - omelets, scrambles, pancakes, etc; however, because we're in the South, the basics also include grits, biscuits and gravy, and meat n' eggs (pork chop with 2 eggs over easy anyone?). It seems that most people have at least heard of grits and biscuits and gravy, but there was at least one item on the menu that none of us had heard of before... red-eye gravy.

   When I think of biscuits and gravy, I think of the white and creamy sausage gravy that gets slathered all over fluffy buttermilk biscuits and will fill you up for a week. Red-eye gravy is something completely different. Usually served with meat and egg plates rather than biscuits, red-eye gravy is pretty simple: take the pan drippings from the pork (can be any meat you made for your meal, but often it's pork chop drippings from what we were told), and add coffee to it. Let that simmer and mix and there you have your red-eye gravy. Cringe.

   Granted, I did not try it so I can't say for sure that it isn't appetizing, but I have to admit that it just doesn't sound like something I'd want to eat. I might have to work my way up to it - after all, I do love pretty much all other southern food I've had so far (see: fried food, made with butter). If I do ever try it, I'll be sure to let everyone know how it is. As for our breakfast at Edith Ann's, my sister was adventurous and tried the grits (I already know I like grits), where the rest of the family stayed mostly to the stuff they already know.

 

CBG--The Return

Early on in this I commented that I was going to make myself a cigar box guitar at some point. Well, given some time off from work and an unbelievably sweet little girl (read: sleeps alot), I have made good on that threat. Being a first attempt there were of course several things I immediately would have liked to improve upon, but since the goal was to use as much material from around the house as possible, I am fairly pleased with it.

The neck inside the box itself was only glued to the lid, and the tension of the strings has caused it to bow (although not horribly) so next time I might nail the neck to the lid as well. Also, I neglected to make the headstock (where the tuning hardware is) lower than the fretboard, so the bolts acting as nut and bridge had to be way too big and made for a ridiculously high action--only good for slide guitar. Eh, that's the traditional way to play anyhow. Overall the sound is not too bad, some string buzz but nothing we wouldn't expect from someone's first homemade instrument.

To be extra-special traditional I also made a bottle-neck slide from a wine bottle. As it turned out I happened to have a glass cutter from a stained glass course in college, but I think you could use any pointed metal tool to score a line, then boil, then chill. Voila!

It is definitely an addicting hobby and I am already planning the next one. But of course in the mean time I need to figure out how to play the thing. Here is an early attempt at playing with the bottle-neck slide (Microwave Dave would be ashamed, but hey, we all gotta start somewhere):

It's a Happy Moonpie New Year!

   This year New Year's Eve was quite a bit different than the past few years. First, we're in a place that gets significantly more weather than Santa Barbara - the thunder and lightning kept me awake well into the night with its show. I think some places nearby had tornadoes and flooding; and to think I thought thunderstorms were a summer event! Now despite the weather, we still decided to stay in due to the fact that this holiday seems primarily centered around drinking (which I am currently not partaking in for obvious reasons), not to mention that my usual bedtime is somewhat earlier than it used to be. So, end result was a pleasant night in.

   In keeping with tradition, Derek made homemade cioppino (which was delicious by the way), and we enjoyed playing card games and watching various TV coverage of New Year's Eve celebrations around the country. Now for those of you who have never lived in the Central Time Zone, here's an interesting trivia point - have you ever noticed that TV programs always state the viewing time as something like "10/9c"? I bet you never paid attention, but you'll notice it now. What does this mean? It means that rather than airing programs at the typical time (say midnight for this example), they merely broadcast the program at the same time that they are airing it on the East Coast (aka 11pm Central Time). At first this is really really confusing and frustrating, because it means that everytime you see an advertizement for a tv show, you must remember that it will be aired one hour earlier than what they say. After a few weeks, however, you get used to it and thank your husband for springing for the DVR we have.

   Of course, this also means that on New Year's Eve the ball drop in Times Square is aired at 11pm, and that Jay Leno is on TV at midnight - a bit anti-climactic. Thankfully, local broadcasting came to the rescue and we were able to see a real-time celebration at midnight. What was it? The Mobile Moonpie Drop!

   As I had never heard of a moonpie before, I had to look it up to find out what it was. Answer - a cookie comprised of 2 graham crackers stuck together with marshmallow and then dipped in chocolate. Apparently it is a typical "southern" dessert and has been around for about 200 years. And on New Year's Eve, the city of Mobile, Alabama has begun their own tradition of dropping a large disc representing a giant moonpie at the stroke of midnight. Not quite as flashy as the ball in Times Square, it was entertaining to watch and made us feel a bit more like locals.

   Now I just need to find out where I can get one of these and try it out. Happy Moonpie New Year's everyone!