On this very last day of 2009.......

what are you doing?


It's been quite a year, hasn't it? So much so that I was thinking of doing a Stories from the road year-in-review for today's post. But, when I woke up to a pounding headache from this damn head cold I've been messing with for ions, I decided I might have to tweak my plan. So, I scampered into the bathroom, took my trusty Theraflu, came downstairs to put the kettle on for tea and figured I'd ponder the idea for my year-in-review post. As I flicked on the Christmas tree lights, I caught a glimpse of what was happening outside---a winter wonderland had appeared overnight. Softly fallen snow draped our neighborhood. Untouched. Glistening in the darkness. And, as I gazed out the window, I realized that this was the perfect morning to sit and watch the morning unfold, sipping my tea and silently reflecting on a year that's been....well....quite a year. So, that's just what I did.

May you find a special way to celebrate this last day of 2009......

Winding down.......

on another year and a historic decade.......

When you really think about it......it's really been something......huh?

Tastey Tuesday.....Happy Birthday Carmen Edition!

and, a special plea for some menu/recipe suggestions to ring in the New Year!

Every year, at this point of the season, we have consumed every holiday food imaginable--cooked every which way. Thankfully, Carmen's birthday always comes along and we get the chance to go out and eat something different....something I don't have to cook or clean up after. And, everyone can get exactly what they want. But, before we do that, we're piling in the car for a little family day trip....yes, more family togetherness....ahhhh! Then, after we've sufficiently bonded, we're headed to one of our favorite neighborhood spots....a little place I've told you about many times....where they have the most amazing crab bisque on the planet.
And, their martinis aren't so bad either......

So, I will not be planning a menu or cooking anything for today. Sure, I might be referreeing some spats and coaxing some smiles but I will not be cooking or doing dishes. But, have no fear...food and recipes will still be a big part of my day! As we drive and bond and celebrate and sing Happy Birthday, I will be mulling over my New Year's Day menu--when Carmen's whole family comes over to celebrate his birthday and the holiday. It's a tough menu for me to come up with---I labor over it so much so that I think I drive my family completely insane with my angst.

In my mind--the rules are simple for my New Year's Day dinner--I need to serve some kind of pork and not serve anything super-holiday-related....so, I stay clear of ham and sausage. Some years I try to make it somewhat formal, other years I strive for a laid back and casual vibe while other years I go all out and really do it up fancy-schmancy. No matter what, I try to make it special....because, let's face it-- it is special--it's Carmen's birthday dinner and it's the first day of a brand new year.

I need your help.....

To recap--I am looking to have a special dinner menu that is focused on pork but not anything too traditional and it has to appeal to a wide rage of taste buds and it has to meet my standards by being memorable. Oh, and one more thing.....I have promised to make baked potato soup. So, that's definitely on the menu.

Any ideas yet?

The thing about New Year's Day is that everyone has had quite enough of the holidays by that point. They are just a wee bit ragged, a wee bit sick of ham and a wee bit tired of eating and drinking. By the time my guests arrive on my door step--they are holidayed-out. 100% on holiday overload. Which means that my dinner is one. more. thing. they have to do. It's really not the way I aim to entertain! Which I suppose adds to my menu wrestling a bit.

I know, I know....I'm making this into such a big deal.....

But, really.....it is a holiday meal and I am having guests in my home. And, in my mind, that makes it important. I'm a firm believer that when you invite guests--they are exactly that--guests. They need to feel special and they need to feel as though everything is effortless--all the result of magic and fairy dust--not a result of hours pouring over menus or slaving in the kitchen or hiding dirty pots and pans in the basement. It's about creating an atmosphere. And, a part of that atmosphere is what is on the menu. In some ways, the food sets the tone for all of it. In my heart and mind, having guests for dinner is not about anything other than making them feel welcomed, entertained, relaxed and appreciated. And, fed with love. It's not about clearing the table or doing the dishes or leaving my kitchen spic and span when they leave. Honestly, honestly--it's not. It's about the experience of sharing a meal together to celebrate that moment in time. It's as simple as that.

It's. as. simple.as.that?

Why, yes it is.

Especially if you plan ahead and beg blog readers for help.....

With that in mind.....in honor of the last Tastey Tuesday of the 2009 Holiday Season as well as Carmen's birthday and my sanity and the fact that I lost over 100 pounds.....how about sharing a few your tried and true recipes that I might be able to use on New Year's Day?????

And, as a thank you to you for your help......here's a recipe I used on New Year's Day 2009......

Guy Fieri's Pork Piccata

• 3 or 4 pork shoulder blade steaks, cut 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick (3 1/2 to 4 pounds total) (I pounded them to get then thinner)
  
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup peeled garlic cloves, smashed and slightly chopped
• 5 teaspoons lemon peel, grated
• 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 4 tablespoons bottled capers, drained
• 5 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
• 2 1/4 teaspoons cracked black pepper
• 1 1/4 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped

Preparation:

Combine wine, garlic, lemon peel and 3 tablespoons juice, 3 tablespoons capers, mustard, 2 teaspoons cracked pepper and 1 teaspoon salt in small bowl.

Place pork in single layer in 2 1/2 gallon resealable plastic bag or large glass baking dish. Pour wine mixture over pork. If using bag, close bag to seal. Turn bag or pork over in dish to coat with wine marinade. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature or in refrigerator for up to 1 hour,

Preheat gas grill to medium-high heat for direct grilling. Remove steaks from marinade, brushing off any large pieces and reserving marinade. Transfer marinade to small sauce pan. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 1 minute; remove from heat.

Grill steaks, uncovered, for 6 to 10 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F, turning steaks over halfway during grilling and brushing occasionally with reserved marinade. Transfer steaks to carving board. Loosely cover with foil; let rest for 5 minutes.

Remove foil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Top with remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice, parsley and remaining 1 tablespoon capers. Cut into serving pieces before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Happy Birthday Carmen!
And, thanks to everyone who joined in on this year's Tastey Tuesday Recipe Exchange!
Bon Apetit!

Taking a little break in the holiday action.....

to go to work.........


Whoa. I'm dragging just a little bit and my body feels like it's been used and abused. My entire digestive system is crying out for a bit of normalcy. And, my band is begging for some rest from the constant testing.....yes, that luscious eggnog cheesecake can get through there just fine, thank you.
So, for today....it's goodbye to the wine-infused lunches, the mid-day cookie breaks and the pre-dinner martinis and evening cordials. But, I won't, I repeat--I won't--give up my chai lattes. That's my final answer.

'Twas 2 days after Christmas.....

and all through the house, everyone is smarter than Judi the louse.....

Yes, friends, I live with
The Three Wise Men....
(well, in my case...2 wise men
and 1 wise woman)

Did you know that I am living with three of the smartest people on the planet?
Yes, it's true.... three of the smartest people on this planet live right here.....in my house.
Lucky, lucky me.


I don't know about your house, but here in Judiland, everyone has an opinion about everything!
From what I cook to what I say to what I do and everything else in between.
Everything....and I mean everything....is up for debate.
And, it's making me crazy.
Very crazy.
It's hard to imagine that I'm actually looking forward to going to work tomorrow.
I'm going to leave Mr. PhD and Miss College Co-ed home to battle out their smarts on their very own.
And the man of the house can go wow the engineering world with his vast knowledge and supreme intelligence on everything from the proper way to load the dishwasher to the best way to use a remote control while sitting in a recliner.
But, for now....I need to caffeinate myself for another day of fighting the forces of blinding brilliance.....

I've been naughty......

No sooner did Santa's sleigh touch down in the North Pole after his yearly world-wide trip, my naughtiness began. I blame it all on the mini chocolate eclairs. And the wine cheese fondue. And the triple layer almond cream cake. Oh and the smashed new potatoes with roasted garlic smothered in velveteen gravy. It could have been the gooey sweet potato casserole or the hot supressata or the sharp provolone or the heavenly Seyval Blanc that we toted back from a little winery nestled in the mountains near Toni's college or maybe it was the pesto-buttered shrimp or my amazing crab cakes. Who knows. It might have all started with my two martini lunch on Christmas Eve. I'm not so sure.
But, I confess it all---right here, right now....to you, my faithful blog readers. And, I ask for your mercy. And, I beg for you to put in a good word for me with the man in the red suit. I don't want to go on the naughty list so soon...
Today is another day.
And, I promise to do much better today.
Much much better.

A Christmas Greeting......

from my heart to yours.......

May you always find a reason to believe.....in each and every journey.
Thank you for being a special part of mine.

My Christmas wish......

are for your prayers for a man I love so dearly......my Uncle Patsy.
Last night, as we stood by his bedside as he struggled to take each breath, the carolers sang in the hallway. In his gentlemanly way, he tried to sing along. It came from his heart...as it always does. Remember this story from last year....?

Please pray that God, in his mercy, gives my dear, sweet Uncle Pat the peace and comfort that he so deserves.
This moment has come too quickly. Too much by surprise.
Funny thing....when the call came....it didn't matter that I hadn't finished shopping or wrapping or cooking.
Nothing mattered. Nothing at all.

My uncle's merry, Irish blue eyes are fading.
His sense of humor--despite his situation--is still in tact.
He still responds in jest...his off-color sayings, his wickedly loving jabs-- despite his illness and his dire circumstances--remain.
Perhaps it's his reward for a life lived in the fast lane but never missing Mass--no matter how many shots of good Irish whiskey he consumed the night before.
I'd like to think God is saying "Patsy, you weren't a bad boy afterall" and my uncle is trying to hold on to his image and prove God wrong.


Over the past 2 years, I've told you so much about him......here's a few reminders....
When Irish Eyes are Smiling
Where the Boys Are

Telling you all about Uncle Patsy was the easy part.
Now, we just have to tell my father.....
I'll be leaving here shortly to take my father to Mass....a place where I know he can hear what I have to say.

I just can't stop thinking about the Christmas Eve when Uncle Patsy drove across town--in a snow storm--with the top of his fancy convertible down--so that my sisters and I could have our new organ to play Christmas carols for him.....
It brings me a smile.

Memories....that's what Christmas is all about.
After you say your prayers for my uncle, please go out and make some memories.
Everything matters. Except for the wrapping and shopping and cooking I didn't get done.

It's time to......

I'll let you decide how you will get your own merry on......

As for me.....it's starts right here, right now! And, that's a promise.
I shall have zero tolerance for any damn thing that gets in my way of getting my merry on.
So, unless you want me to hit you over the head with a yule log, I suggest you put your santa hat on, stick a candy cane in your mouth and sing Jingle Bells.
Oh, and please call me Your Majesty, Queen of Christmas.
No. No.
Call me Your Majesty, Queen of Christmas, Royal Highness of Size 10 Petite, Duchess of Thinness, High Priestess of Lapbandom and Empress of Judiland.

So merry.....

Is it Tastey Tuesday....... again?

Don't you think the weeks fly by quicker in December?




We've been nursing some lousy head colds and sore throats and body aches and overall tiredness here in Judiland. Definitely not a good way to usher in the holidays. But, it is what it is. So, in honor of feeling lousy and exhausted and quite unmerry......I decided to start off with a spicey comfort food recipe with a few of my fav ingredients that will chase germs away and bring a little merry back.....

Jalapeno Crab Dip

• 1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapenos
• 1/4 pound shredded Monterey Jack cheese
  
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (or more if you are so inclined!)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the crabmeat, garlic, jalapenos, Monterey Jack, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, and mayonnaise in a medium-size mixing bowl. Toss gently to mix. Spoon the mixture into a medium-size mixing bowl. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly on the top of the crabmeat mixture. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving with your choice of veggies, crackers or tortilla chips!

And, just for medicinal purposes......you might want to wash it all down with:

Pomegranate Margarita

• 1/4 cup pomegranate juice, ( store bought is fine)
  
• 1/3 cup Tequila Blanco (about 4 ounces)
• 1/8 cup Triple Sec (about 1-ounce)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 ounces)
• 12 ounces ice cubes
• Margarita salt, optional

Directions

Combine all ingredients, except salt, in a blender and pulse until frothy and well combined. Rim glasses with lime juice using a lime wedge then dip in margarita salt, pour margarita in your glass and wa-la....you will be cured!!!

Okay, if none of that works......

Try this.....

Cranberry-Apple Dump Cake

• 
  
1 (16 ounce) can whole berry cranberry sauce
1 (21 ounce) can apple pie filling
1 (18 1/4 ounce) box yellow cake mix
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped
• 
  

Directions
Heat oven to 325 degrees. Dump cranberries into an ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking pan. Dump apple pie filling into pan. Spread mixture evenly and spread dry cake mix on top. Cut up butter and dot top of cake. Sprinkle walnuts or pecans over the cake batter. Bake at 325° for 65 to 75 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Serve with whipped cream!

And, just in case you need to kick a few extra germs out....follow it up with:

Nuts and berries cocktail

1/2 oz Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
1/2 oz Chambord raspberry liqueur
2 oz cream

Pour ingredients into a stainless steel shaker over ice, and shake until completely cold. Strain into a chilled, stemmed or rocks glass filled with ice.

But, if for some reason you need a little extra comforting.....

May I suggest an old fashioned remedy......

Hot Toddy

1 tbsp honey
3/4 cup of hot tea
2 shots brandy
1 slice lemon

Put on your Christmas jammies.
Brew tea, add to mug. Mix in honey and brandy shots. Add lemon slice. Sip slowly then go to bed and dream of sugar plums.

Perhaps little elves will come and finish up your Christmas list.
Followed by George Clooney crawling in beside you......wearing nothing but his Santa belt.....

Feel the merry return.

Merry Monday........

there's only 4 shopping days left until Christmas......
which means there's only 4 more days until Christmas......
which means that I don't have time for a Monday meltdown or a whining session or to bitch and moan or to shake my fist in the air or stomp my feet or set my hair on fire.
All I have time for right now is to remind everyone that there's only 4 more shopping days left until Christmas....

Catching up on Christmas......

That is what today is all about.


Yesterday was sinful.....I stayed in my robe and slippers all day long.
I tried...yes, all day, I tried.....
But....my nose and my throat and my head and all those body aches just over took me.
And, then there were the movies and the magazines.
Sometimes a girl just has to give in to feeling like shit and being a complete waste.
Yeah, well...that was yesterday.....

TODAY....I'm going to keep the drugs going and the let's-ignore-feeling-like-shit vibes going. And, I'm going to visit Starbucks for my Chai Latte (f*ck, why did they do away with those energy shots?) and do what I need to do.
TODAY is all about baking cookies, wrapping gifts, making f*cking memories and re-making those goddamn lists.....
In between it all, my full nest will want to eat and will make messes that they won't clean up and there's a Steelers game that will require football food and I'll need to visit with my father and attend to his needs and do laundry and shovel snow and figure out menus and shave my legs and my Lapband is tight and I need my eyebrows waxed and I'm pretty sure I forgot some pretty major Christmas gift....
And, to top it off.....tomorrow is Monday!
That's if I make it until tomorrow.....

Yes, I need to take a deep breath.....

Because, yes, this is the most beautiful time of the year.....

SNOWED IN!

that's one way to cut down my to-do list.....

Snow, a touch of the flu and a full house....perfect reasons to light my smell-like-Christmas candles, make our fav hot chocolate, pull out the board games and piles of magazines, decorate the tree, watch some sappy holiday movies, whip up some comfort food and forget about the mall, the grocery store and all those other places I need to get to
Snow gods, if you can hear me......keep the white stuff coming! block all the roads! close down the town! blanket my world in snow with no chance of escape.....

If only.....

Taking a little blogging break this morning

so I can get ready for my night job......

yes, I am a Rockette......

Oh what a beautiful morning......!

On this cold and dark December morning, I shuffled across the hall to witness a beautiful site--my little girl slumbering under a pile of pink and ruffles. Her angelic face, silky locks and delicate little hand peeking out from a sea of pastel froth with the smell of her perfume filling the air, mingling with the scents of Christmas candles and pine. Ahhhhh......
Now, I just have to fill the bedroom next to hers and my world will once again feel right.
As I descended the steps and spied the Christmas tree--twinkling in the darkness of the living room--just waiting for my two children to cover it in their special ornaments--all of the stresses that filled my heart and mind these past few weeks suddenly felt lighter. And, I am once again.....completely and utterly overwhelmed by the joy and peace that mother love can bring.

Thanks to the kindness of my incredibly sweet and extremely adorable niece (who happens to go to graduate school in Collegeland with Toni), my little girl came home two days earlier than expected. What a lovely Christmas surprise. Hard to believe she's finished her first semester as a college girl. Even harder to believe is that her mother made it through.
Now, my holidays can truly begin.....
Oh yes, I am merry.

Got hustle in your bustle?

Got jingle in your jangle?

Got ho in your ho ho?

Got silver in your bells?

Got deck in your halls?

Got nog in your egg?

Got joy in your world?

If not....I suggest you glide on some shiney cherry-hued lip gloss, put on your funky holiday sweater and your red go-go boots and start Christmastizing.
It's the only way to make it through the final stretch.....
Well, I might also suggest a little holiday spirit..........

3/4 oz. dark rum
3/4 oz. dry red wine
3/4 oz. gin
1 oz. orange juice
Lime slice
Mix all ingredients, except lime slice, with cracked ice in a shaker or blender, pour into a chilled Old Fashioned glass, and garnish with lime slice.

It's Tastey Tuesday again!

.....these weeks sure do go by fast!

Now that we're heading into the final stretch of pre-Christmas parties and whipping up all those scrumptious foods we signed up for as well as putting the finishing touches on our decorating and shopping and wrapping, we're running out of steam and possibly even money!!! 'Tis the season....right?
In honor of this time of the year...when our pocketbooks are getting lighter and we are worried about packing on the pounds and we can't think of one more thing to make.....I wanted to share a recipe that you can use to take to a big pot luck (as I am doing today) or as a nice starter for your holiday meal. And, with the addition of a few extras--it can also be a wonderful meal in itself! It makes a nice presentation, is extremely yummy and can be made less expensively by using store or off-label brands. Plus....it's a salad! And, we life-long dieters know---salads are always a welcome addition to any holiday spread. Although, don't let the word "salad" fool you.....it' s not exactly diet-conscious. But, it can fool you into thinking that it is.....with all that lettuce!!!
Sometimes it's okay to be fooled....

Judi's Big Holiday Salad

(you can put it in a pretty holiday bowl or one of those big foil roasters)

Dressing:

(I use Aldi's brand or the house brand of the grocery store...buy what is least expensive)
(MIX together at least 2 hours ahead to let the flavors mingle...put in fridge)
1/2 bottle of Balsamic Vinegarette Dressing
1/2 bottle of Creamy Ceasar (or Creamy Garlic Ceasar) Dressing

Salad

(I go to Aldi's...their prices are the best. But, Sam's & Trader Joe's also has economical prices on these)

2 bags Butter Lettuces

2 bags Spring Mix

Mix Ins

(I use Aldi's brands or house brands or Sam's

or Trader Joe's for these items also)

1 bag dried cranberries

1 container or bag of glazed pecans or walnuts

1 box of boursin cheese---(this is like a cream cheese....

I smash it up with a fork and make it into crumbles....

it mixes with the dressing for a yummy consistency)

1 container crumbled feta cheese

1 bag of shredded Italian cheeses (mixture)

1/2 small container of fried onions

Before ready to serve.....sprinkle lettuce mixture liberally with black pepper

Add all the mix-ins and dressing and fold everything together....toss it very well....coating everything with the dressing and

getting the boursin cheese throughout.

NOTE:

To make it into a main course salad--you can pick up a roaster chicken to shred and add in or cook up a few frozen salmon pieces (seasoned to your liking) to cut up and add in.

Delish!!!!

Now, come on.....share some of you fav recipes.....

we can all use a little bit of help!!!

Jingle all the way.......

into Monday.....

I'm not sure what possessed me to eat those potato chips yesterday. Maybe it was the pre-lit Christmas tree that is no longer lit. Or, maybe it was the ice storm that delayed my early morning plans to grocery shop. Or, could it have been the fact that it was Sunday and today is Monday? Or, maybe, just maybe it was as simple as--they sounded so awfully good when I spotted them on the shelf of the snack cupboard---gourmet peppercon ranch kettle chips. Perhaps there was nothing complicated about my reasoning for eating those chips. It is just what I did. There doesn't have to be some grand plan or underlying issue that made me eat those chips. As a matter of fact--I' m going to quit trying to analyze it all and focus on Monday. Because getting through Monday takes every ounce of energy and focus that I have.
Here we go.
Jingle, jingle.....

Hello next-to-the-last Sunday before Christmas.....

so much to do, so little time......



Alright, so, yeah....I did take the day off yesterday and headed to the Christmas tree capital of the world, the birthplace of Jimmy Dean--to hang out with my fav girl. But, it was worth it. We shopped a little, talked a little, had a lovely lunch, went to Starbucks, and just enjoyed the scenery. Sometimes you just need a good dose of forgetting about everything.....
But, now it's time to get back to real life and tangled Christmas lights....

Over the river and through the woods-ing......

to give a good dose of mother-love and get a good dose of daughter-love.....



You know those packages that parents send their children during finals? They are filled with treats and nourishment to help them get through their tests and projects and papers and late nights. Well, with everything that's been going on in Judiland, I never got around to ordering one for Toni. Although, to be honest, I'm sure she would have called home immediately upon receiving it to reprimand me for sending such unhealthy food. She's very careful like that.

So, yesterday morning, amid all the chaos and craziness, when I found the order form for the "Finals Support Basket" in my purse, I felt just awful. All day long, it bothered me--especially the part of the brochure that said "don't let your child be left out". That just nagged at me all day long. I couldn't shake the visual of every other student on campus receiving their package and my poor daughter standing there dejected and empty handed---feeling unloved and unsupported.
That's when I decided that there is no support basket in the world that could take the place of a mother's love and care.
So, in a few hours, I'm hopping in the car to go to the Christmas tree capital of the world (where she happens to go to school) to wisk my favorite college girl off to lunch at Benjamin's---a lovely little place in her quaint college town that we just love.


The shopping and the decorating can wait.....