A Pocket Full Of Christmas Memories

Sitting here on the couch with the laptop looking at a small pile of scribbled notes, menus, dog eared recipes, holiday to do lists, some items I intend to glue into my pen and ink journal and wondering how on Earth I could ever capture the flurry of our end of December activity in words. At this point, I have to admit that even the “glitteriest” memories seem jumbled and even a bit hazy. Recalling them almost makes me feel as if I am looking at them through a thick morning fog...

Rather than capture it all, I think I will simply dump out my pocket full of treasures and allow them to tell their own story.

Polish Christmas Eve Dinner Menu 2006

Cucumber Salad
Imported Marinated Mushrooms (Super Slimy) YUCK!
Mushroom and Sauerkraut Pierogis
Creamed Herring
Borscht
Hot Buttered Rye Bread
Jam Kolaches
Imported Chocolate
Krupnik (Hot Spiced Vodka with Honey)

Except for the imported items, the pierogis, and the rye bread, Blue and I prepared everything from scratch all day Christmas Eve. In this process, we discovered that “Pickled Herring is just one of those things best enjoyed in a restaurant. We never did feel brave enough to try our own version. Something about it just looked all wrong…

The Borchst was a vague recreation of my Great Grandma Julia’s recipe. No one learned how to make it, wrote down the recipe, or even remembers what was in it. But the tales I have been told of it, have sent me on a quest to recreate this old family favorite. No one was here to tell me if I got it right, but somehow, I have a feeling that Great Grandma Julia was looking down on me smiling the whole time.

True to Cultural traditions, Blue broke the Oplatek and we shared it with all the love it is meant to inspire. I was not feeling very well, but still Blue and I dined by the tree under the glow of the tree lights, the Yule log on TV, and the candles on our table.

Maybe next time we will be able to enjoy some other Polish Traditions as well…

*White table cloth on the table
*Hay under the table cloth
*Small Crèche on the table
*Extra place setting for those who are not present
*Placing the remaining Oplatek in the garden to inspire its fertility
*12 Dishes for the 12 Apostles or an uneven # of dishes
*Polish Christmas Carols
*Dinner starts when the first star is spotted in the sky

After Dinner, Blue and I opened exchanged our gifts to each other… We started this Christmas Eve tradition years ago, when we saw the need to carve out our own special time away from the typical chaos that Christmas morning always seems to bring.

So many cool gifts this year!!! I'll share a few of the highlights... I got Blue a Binary watch, a “good” Poker Set, and a microscope that attaches to his computer... I will be able to share pics of our findings. Blue got me an Ipod, and an old Holga Lomography Camera! It takes the coolest pics, and I just can't wait to develop my first roll of film and journal... There was more, but these are the “big toys.” Santa was good this year!

Christmas Day 2006

Appetizers:
Shrimp Cocktail, Polish Crock Pot Kielbasa, Deviled Eggs, Beer Cheese with crackers, celery sticks, and radishes

Dinner: Coca Cola Ham, Kentucky Bourbon Sweet Potatoes, Green Beans Casserole, Apple Sauce, Cabernet Cranberries, and Dinner Rolls with Pumpkin Pecan Butter.

Dessert:
Pineapple Upside Down Cake, Spanish Cream, Meringues, and an assortment of Christmas Cookies

Not my most favorite Christmas Dinner, but considering, that I was the only girl at our dinner table, I was the only one with that thought… The guys loved everything!
We exchanged gifts with the family and caught up with loved ones over the phone. And as usual, the day flew by much faster then we all would have liked… But not with out one stolen moment with Blue…

Before dinner, before his family came over, before the phone calls, progressed, we both snuggled on the couch and watched of all things… an old Christmas episode of Threes Company. We laughed and reminisced over one of our favorite childhood Tv shows and for a just moment, the usual “Christmas Day Chaos” was controlled and we were re-energized to make it through the rest...

Cola Basted Ham

Cola Basted Ham

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

1 (18-pound) cured ham
2 (12-ounce) cans cola
Canned pineapple rings
Brown sugar
Maraschino cherries
Cloves

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place ham in a shallow roasting pan. Baste the ham with cola. With toothpicks, stick some pineapple rings on the ham, about 4 or 5 rings. Sprinkle some brown sugar on the rings. With toothpicks, place a cherry in each pineapple ring hole and then stick some cloves in the rings. Cover it with foil. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes per pound of ham, or until the ham reaches an internal temperature of 140 degrees F. Baste with cola about every 30 minutes during cooking.

Polish Jam Kolaches

I found this recipe on www.recipezaar.com during the holidays when I was researching recipes for our Polish Christmas Eve. These Kolaches were very light, flaky, and very simple to make.


Polish Jam Kolaches

2

dozen

35 min 20 min prep

1/2	cup butter, softened
3	ounces cream cheese, softened
1 1/4	cups all-purpose flour
1/4	cup strawberry jam
1/4	cup sifted confectioners' sugar

1. 1. Beat butter or margarine and cream cheese in mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Add flour gradually, beating well after each addition.
2. 2. Roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into 2-inch circles. Spoon 1/4 teaspoon jam into center of each circle. Fold opposite edges together, slightly overlapping edges.
3. 3. Place 2 inches apart on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 15 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Polish Kielbasa Bites

Polish Kielbasa Bites

2 lbs Kielbasa ~ Cut into bit size pieces
2 C Apricot Preserves
4 TBS Lemon Juice
4 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 Tsp Ginger Powder


Combine all of the above in a Crockpot and cook on low heat till bubbly and sauce is slightly reduced. Apx. 1 hour

Be sure to stir occasionally!


Enjoy!

Red's Kentucky Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

I am most known for my Kentucky Bourbon Sweet Potatoes! I make them for the holidays especially when I am serving Turkey or Ham. They have always been a hit with my family and friends since I started making them in my early 20's. I would no doubt have to face an angry mob if I, for any reason ever decided to quit making these. Also, I realize some maybe horrified by the thought of canned over real sweet potatoes. I try to avoid preservatives and canned food as much as I can, but in this recipe everyone has fallen in love with the canned version and feuds start when I switch over to something fresher or healthier. I suppose on the grand scale of Holiday Feasting, this recipe is far from committing the most cardinal of unhealthy sins.

Red's Kentucky Bourbon Sweet Potatoes

3 (1-lb) Cans of Sweet Potatoes
1 Cup Sugar
1/3 Cup Bourbon (sometimes I add more) :angelgrin
1/2 Cup Butter, (room temperature)
1/2 Tsp Vanilla
Salt, to taste
2 Cups Mini Marshmallows

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees Fahrenheit
Drain the potatoes and mash with the sugar, bourbon, butter, vanilla, and salt.
Place mixture in a buttered casserole dish and bake uncovered for 20 minutes.
Top with the Marshmallows and bake till they are melted and browned.

This recipe is very forgiving and is a perfect do ahead dish. Prep everything up to adding the marshmallows. Cover and refrigerate up to 2 days in advance.
Adjust baking time when ready to serve. I almost double the baking time, but if you do this, be sure to keep a close eye on it. You would not want to bake out all of the bourbon, as it is one of the things that makes these sweet potatoes a legend.

And the snow turned into rain...

Same Auld Lang Syne


Met my old lover in the grocery store
The snow was falling Christmas Eve
I stole behind her in the frozen foods
And I touched her on the sleeve

She didn't recognize the face at first
But then her eyes flew open wide
She went to hug me and she spilled her purse
And we laughed until we cried

We took her groceries to the checkout stand
The food was totaled up and bagged
We stood there lost in our embarrassment
As the conversation dragged

We went to have ourselves a drink or two
But couldn't find an open bar
We bought a six pack at the liquor store
And we drank it in her car

CHORUS:
We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to now
We tried to reach beyond the emptiness
But neither one knew how

She said she'd married her an architect
Who kept her warm and safe and dry
She would've liked to said she loved the man
But she didn't like to lie

I said the years had been a friend to her
And that her eyes were still as blue
But in those eyes I wasn't sure if I
Saw doubt or gratitude

She said she saw me in the record store
And that I must be doing well
I said the audience was heavenly
But the traveling was hell

CHORUS

We drank a toast to innocence
We drank a toast to time
Living in our eloquence
Another auld lang syne

The beer was empty and our tongues were tired
And running out of things to say
She gave a kiss to me as I got out
And I watched her drive away

Just for a moment I was back at school
And felt that old familiar pain
And as I turned to make my way back home
The snow turned into rain

Dan Fogelberg


Feels as if I have heard this song over the radio every Christmas of my life… Never really was one of my favorite songs, never seemed catchy or Christmassy, no upbeat catchy little tune to sing along to… Just the most melancholy sound played diligently on every holiday station year after year…

But, this year this song just crept up behind me right along with the holidays and surprisingly found a way to take center stage right in the epicenter of the rest of the madness… Somehow, this year, at least to me, this quiet, gentle song has become the most entrancing act on that stage… The one that stops me in my tracks as I pause to reflect, admire, and ponder its depth… The very last one in the world I thought I would or ever could possibly connect to…

After all, I have Blue, I have our love, I have all that we share together, the rich history that we have shared and I have hope. Hope that I cup in my small hands like the most fragile baby animal you know needs your help… will not make it solely on its own left to its own devices and the sometimes cruel world around it.

Yet there is something in this song that haunts me… something I can not seem to find peace with until I know that I have looked it in the eye, faced it for all it is/was, and acknowledge the fact that it could have so easily just have taken center stage long ago…

Long ago, when Blue and I were young, poor, newly married, and literally scavenging to make our way together in this world… many times with no more to our names then our own love to hold it all together…

And as in all of life’s twists, turns, and tests, I just so happened to be working as an up and coming nanny to the elite in our local society and economy…

During the day while at work, my life was literally draped in silk, caviar, “good” wine, diamonds, old mahogany, days at the country club and a world that could not be further removed from my own… And after hours, it was an entirely different place… Forget the silk; we could barely afford the cotton…

Sometimes, I still scratch my head wondering how I ever found my way into that other world… Was it my ideals, my love for children that I could work my way seamlessly into a family’s life and pick up the slack they never knew was there, or was it completely for a different reason, one closely intertwined with fate…? I suppose I never will know, but I do know that those experiences helped make Blue and I much of who we are today…

I shudder to think of all the times that I considered tossing it all away… trading love with Blue for the money… for that other life filled with more glitter and glam, for the other man… The one that the families I nannied for would often present to me on a silver platter… The one they insisted rode that white horse, and could more then afford to ride me off into the sunset… The one they “knew” I should choose over Blue… And I will admit, there were times I was tempted, times that I was made to feel bad over my choice, times I was tossed back to the curb in my rags as the carriage rode off with out me… and this happened… this happened more times then I care to even count… and each time I walked away in shame wondering what I had done wrong, what was so wrong with Blue that everyone tried so hard to pull me away from him…

Well, looking back, I can honestly say that there was nothing wrong with him or me for that matter. We were in many ways the same people we are today… just with a lot less of everything, experience being on the top of the list. Blue was and still is the guy that will cut intricate shapes in paper to use to make a powdered sugar design on the pancakes he makes me for breakfast, he is the one that I turn to first with all my thoughts, the one that still after all this time knows how to kiss away the pain, the one that makes life fun, the one that holds the key to my heart, and the codes to it’s many combinations… and he is still the one that I still love with all of my heart…

Life has changed so much for us, and although we still see the long curvy road ahead of us, we smile inside knowing that it is together that we will be going for the ride… And as that song plays on the radio this year, I take stock of my/our life and I realize just how easily it could have all been different… With my heart full of love, my eyes with tears, and hope that could conquer all, I know that I am right where I need to be… right where I am meant to be… And although in that other life, my Christmas “may” have been warmed by cashmere, brilliant fires at the hottest ski resorts, and perhaps an endless string of lavish parties and charity events… I know that as in the song, one look, one stolen moment shared with Blue/remembering the life I (almost) left… and all that snow would have turned in to rain…

Beef Bourguignon

Not to dumb this recipe down, but for years I couldn't pronounce it, so I kind of shied away from making it. But that was before I knew about pronunciation tools available of the internet. Now we eat all kinds of multi-syllable dishes filled with global ingredients ordered online. This is one of them, but by far the best. I made this for Blue's Birthday and my only complaint is that I didn't just go ahead and try this sooner.

Basically, this is the French version of pot roast. In my opinion, I think kicks our humble American Pot Roast's Butt. There is a lot of chopping involved, but this is one of those recipes that makes it worth it.

Can you say...

BEEF BOURGUIGNON

8 ounces bacon, coarsely chopped
3 pounds well-trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes (from 7-bone chuck roast)
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 1/4 pounds boiling onions, peeled
3/4 pound large carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
12 large garlic cloves, peeled (left whole)

3 cups canned beef broth
1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
2 750-ml bottles red Burgundy wine
1 1/4 pounds mushrooms
1/3 cup chopped fresh thyme or 2 tablespoons dried
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon tomato paste

Preheat oven to 325°F. Sauté bacon in heavy large Dutch oven over high heat until brown and crisp, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels. Season beef generously with salt and pepper; coat with 1/3 cup flour, using all of flour. Working in 3 batches, brown beef in same pot over high heat, about 5 minutes per batch. Transfer meat to large bowl. Add onions and carrots to same pot and sauté until light brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Transfer vegetables to bowl with beef.

Add 1 cup broth and Cognac to pot; boil until reduced to glaze, scraping up browned bits, about 8 minutes. Return meat and vegetables and their juices to pot. Add wine, mushrooms, thyme, sugar, tomato paste and 2 cups broth. Bring to boil, stirring occasionally. Cover pot and place in oven. Cook until beef is tender, about 1 hour 20 minutes.

Ladle liquid from stew into large saucepan. Spoon off fat. Boil liquid until reduced to 2 3/4 cups, about 40 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid back over beef and vegetables. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Rewarm over low heat before serving.

Serves 8.

Bon Appétit
May 1994

Mint or Vanilla Meringues

I made these over the holidays this year and they were incredible! They are so much better then the ones you buy in the store. Just do not attempt to make them on a humid day.

Mint or Vanilla Meringues
by VIKKI BARKER

4 dozen
time to make 2½ hours 20 min prep
2 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
3-6 drops green food coloring
green colored sprinkles (optional)

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees.
2. Grease 2 large cookie sheets, set aside.
3. Combine egg whites, cream of tarter, and salt in medium bowl.
4. Beat until foamy.
5. Add sugar 1 tbs at a time, beating until egg whites are very stiff and glossy and sugar is dissolved.
6. beat in mint extract and food color.
7. Fit a decorator bag with a large star tip.
8. spoon meringue into bag.
9. Pipe meringue in 1 inch puffs on prepared cookie sheets.
10. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.
11. Place cookie sheets on center rack of preheated oven.
12. Bake for 2 hours.
13. Remove from cookie sheet immediately, cool completely on wire racks.

Christmas Candlelighting in Roscoe Village

Some nights are so magical, that even at the time, you know in your heart that the memories you capture will live in your heart for the rest of your life. So, last night in Roscoe Village for the Christmas Candlelighting Ceremony , as the gleaming star on the 35 foot tree was lit, I took a deep breath, closed my eyes for a moment and took it all in...

The warmth, love, and tenderness of Blue's hand holding mine, the feeling of the cold candle wax of the candle in my other hand, the awe, silence, and stillness of the crowd, even the children... as the first candles were lit as the first lines of "Silent night" were sung by the first to share their light with the crowd, the crowd joining in to sing and the song getting louder as perfect strangers came together to celebrate the season and to share their light, the veil of tears in my eyes that I could not seem to blink back as I opened them slowly...

Looking down, my eyes now open, I was surprised to see some small children staring at me and Blue and especially the white knee high "super girly" fuzzy boots Blue and I could not resist buying in Philadelphia fairly recently... Super trendy on the East Coast and well here in the Midwest... judging by the looks they seem to get, and the little old Blue haired ladies enchantment with them everywhere I seem to go...
I think it might be a while before this style makes it here... if ever... I look at Blue and he is grinning for the same reason…

Soaking in some more now with my eyes open, we see the children's attention diverted as the song gets louder and the small flickering flames dance closer and closer to our part of the crowd...

Blue's candle was lit first, and with me he shared his light, then both of us to a young family behind us, we passed it along, slowly watching it's glowing light illuminate their faces...

The small children delighted with the opportunity to play with fire and utterly enchanted with the fun they could have with the dripping wax.

Glancing around it was impossible to miss the brilliance of the tree as it was lit, each thick white bulb shining like stars of hope in the darkest of skies... the older couples huddled close together, years of togetherness and memories visibly wrapped around them like a time worn quilted heirloom...

I could smell the scent of hot cider filling the air as it was stirred in large copper kettles over an open fire, the smokiness of the wood fire, and a slight hint of Blue's Ralph Lauren Polo cologne, as I held my candle and snuggled closer into him and his wool pea coat, the subtle scent of my candle wax as it melted, combined with the kettle corn that was popping only a short walk away created a blend of fragrances that I know I will search my whole life for every time I pick up a candle or a bag of potpourri…

And, as Blue held me close and we began to sing with the crowd... "We wish you a Merry Christmas... We wish you a Merry Christmas... We wish you a Merry Christmas," I truly thought my heart would burst because it was completely saturated in that moment with all that makes us hold the holidays dear... all that makes work at a frantic pace this time of year to keep them alive for both us and those we hold dear...

Retro Pineapple Upsidedown Cake

This is another recipe that I have made and rated as princess.and.the.pea on Recipezaar's website. I made it for the first time this past Christmas and it was so incredible that we will be making it religiously from now on whenever we will be serving a simple ham. Such a classic and absolutely incredible!



Pineapple Upside Down Cake Recipe
This recipe is by far the best Pineapple Upside Down cake that I've ever made. It is also quick and easy. The cake is very moist and rises much higher than the average recipe. The combination of pineapple cake mix and pineapple juice isn't overwhelming either.
by ElaineM
12
servings
time to make 1¼ hours 10 min prep
1/2 cup butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 (20 ounce) can sliced pineapples
6 maraschino cherries, cut in half lengthwise
1 (18 ounce) package duncan hines supreme pineapple cake mix
1 (4 ounce) box vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup pineapple juice, from canned pineapple with a bit of water added
1/2 cup canola oil
4 eggs

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Melt butter in a 9x13 pan in oven.
3. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over butter in pan.
4. Drain canned pineapple into a measuring cup.
5. Place pineapple slices evenly in pan, cutting the last two in half to cover pan.
6. Place the maraschino cherry halves in the center of the pineapple slices, cut side up.
7. Combine the rest of ingredients in a large mixing bowl on slow speed for 30 seconds.
8. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes.
9. Pour batter into pan.
10. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Cool 5 minutes and turn cake out onto a serving platter, pineapple side up.


You may find the link to the original recipe here:
http://www.recipezaar.com/70646

Winter Solstice 2006

Celebrating Winter Solstice is fairly new for us, but we have come to love the romanticism behind this ancient ritual and have found ways to make it ours.

As with all things, it can be so much fun planning something special when you have a clear vision in your head for it. But, when you don't...

This is what I have come up with so far:

I am going to make...
Crostini with Caramelized Onions and Brie garnished with a bit of Thyme(I love making homemade baguettes!)
A simple salad... Maybe just some mixed Baby Greens with a simple Dijon Dressing and...
Beef Bourguignon
and for dessert... Balsamic Glazed Oranges

Winter Solstice is the longest night of the year, so as usual, instead of using "traditional lighting" we we light candles through our home and turn on all those twinkly Christmas lights.

I will bring in some greenery from outdoors as a reminder that the return of the sun and the longer days will bring new life to the world around us. The greenery and an assortment of candles will go on our dinner table... some holly, some ivy, some evergreen... what ever I can scavenge on a morning hike earlier that day.

Dinner will begin at sun down and we will toast the return of the sun, the longer days, and the promise of Summer... when we can once again sink our toes in the warm sand at the beach.

If we had a fire place we would burn a Yule Log, but since we are also going to be celebrating Blue's Birthday, I imagine that with all the candles lit, that his cake may actually burn brighter.

At the end of the evening we will return the "greenery" to nature (our garden) as a reminder that the Winters in life do not last forever...

I am still thinking, but this is all I have for now...

Christmas on Caffeine

Yes, the chaos has officially started...
It began when Blue, my brother Rob and I spent an entire day searching 6 Christmas tree farms for that perfect tree. It is usually not quite so much work, but this is our 1 st Christmas in Ohio and to be honest, there just might have been to many options. We were successful with our last stop and found the most beautiful Fir tree. It didn't seem very big on the lot, but once those guys lifted it on to our little SUV, we knew it was going to be an adventure. Personally I loved it, but Blue pruned it and you can no longer reach out and touch it from the other side of our town house. But as I told Blue, there is now plenty of room for presents... He is seriously contemplating gluing those branches back on.

Currently, my Christmas is on caffeine as I tie up the loose ends on some projects and attempt to undertake a million more. Last night Blue came in to the kitchen as I was taking pictures of the cookies for an online cookbook, that I have been meaning to do... asked me if I was attempting to create cookie porn...

Nothing naughty about the pics except for maybe the calories, carbs, and fat...

Jolly Jam Bars

This Recipe comes from a Lake Highland Preparatory School Fundraising Cookbook. I love these for Christmas, but make them year round and find that these cookies are a perfect way to use up a bumper crop of summer preserves. They are quick, easy, and perfect with a cup of tea.

*For best results, measure dry ingredients with a liquid measuring cup. It makes the bars more like shortbread cookies.

Jolly Jam Bars

1 c. butter
1 c. sugar
2 egg yolks
2 c. flour
1 c. chopped nuts (If desired)

1/2 c. of your favorite jelly or jam

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add egg yolks and blend well.

Gradually add flour and mix thoroughly.

Fold in nuts and divide the dough in half.

Pat 1 half of dough evenly into a greased 9" Square pan.

Top with Jam and cover with remaining dough.

Bake at 325 Degrees Fahrenheit for 50 minutes or until lightly browned.

Cool and Cut into Bars.

Cookie Crisis in my kitchen

Yesterday, I spent the day cleaning, wrapping gifts, ordering more online gifts, researched Polish Christmas traditions and made a list of all I wish to do for my family to make their holiday season special. Oh, and I buried that "Simple Living" sign deep in the darkest corner of my basement... It is not coming back out until I say so.

Last night as I was wrapping presents, my little brother (who is living with us), looks at me and asks if we are having a "Cookie Crisis" this year... I look at him eyebrow raised as he continues to explain, how I have somehow, not lived up to his expectations of "Christmas Cookie Bliss" and is wondering when and if I am going to have a bake off like our mom...

If he only knew... lol

So, today I am officially up to my elbows in cookie dough. There is a batch of Jolly Jam Bars in my oven right now and the next runner up will be some Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip cookies. I found some mini Peanut butter cups in Trader Joe's and I am going to use those instead of Chocolate Chips. Not sure where I will go from here, but I suppose you could say the cookie crisis is over and my home smells like Christmas Cookie Bliss!

Thanksgiving Weekend NYC/Bethlehem 2006

I will admit it, I sulk when the fun is over, when life slows down, and life goes back to normal. If it were up to me, we would all ride the waves of those highs and never ever see those lows. I know we need the lows to balance us, help us focus, help us appreciate the good times that much more, but in all honesty, I kind of think they suck.

Blue and I had an awesome 3 weeks away and our finale in NYC for Thanksgiving was just the icing on the cake. Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, Blue and I checked into The Holland Motor Lodge in Jersey City right outside the Holland Tunnel. This humble little family owned motel is a gem and we will not hesitate to stay there time and time again. A friend told us about it and we are glad that she did, the rates were unbeatable (under $100 a night), the wood paneled walls looked a little long in the tooth, but it was as clean as the Marriot rooms we usually stay in when we are traveling for business. The staff was incredible, the continental breakfast was impressive, and the hotel was a short 5 minute walk to the Path train into the city, which was only $1.50 each way. I have to admit, this place is one of the best travel bargains we have ever snagged and it freed up our wallet for all the fun we had once in the city.

Wednesday night we checked into the lodge, raced to the Path train and took it to the subway, and off to the city we went. I did not bring my camera because a huge storm was expected, so I have no photos, but I will never forget how magical this night was.

Everyone says that when you ride mass transit for the first time, be sure to buy extra tickets. Everyone gets on a wrong train or two their first time. We were no exception and our first mistake landed us in the heart of the World Trade Center site. This was our second time there since, 9-11 and it seemed just as eerie as the first time. The impact of all that happened there will always haunt me as I feared for those in our family that were with FDNY or NYPD that day. Thankfully, we lost no one, but my heart still hurts for those that that did. Maybe it is just us, but the mosaics of all of the eyes watching from the walls made us want to hurry out of there just as quick as we could.

Our next train took us uptown to 81 st and West Central Park to catch the Macy’s Day Parade Balloons being blown up. From what I hear, this is a tradition every bit as important as the parade. http://manhattan.about.com/od/event...cysballoons.htm
The area was packed and we just bumped along with the crowd as we walked along starring with awe and the size and magnificence of the balloons. It is so hard to pick a favorite when each one is every bit as amazing as the rest, but I really loved the snowmen. Blue had never seen the balloons in person before and like all grownups that see them for the first time, he was captivated with childlike wonder and awe. .

Hand in hand, we walked down 8 th to Columbus Circle, down Broadway and on to Times Square stopping for a slice on NYC style Pizza along the way. My family was always too paranoid to walk through the city at night, so this was my first time getting to enjoy the city at night. Words just can not capture how dazzling it all is or the energy that is so intense that even a city like NY can not contain it. We explored, shopped, and my first purchase is something I picked out especially for my Secret Santa Person. I can not wait till they get it!

Blue and I wandered the city for hours… Rockefeller center was not lit up yet, but the angels brilliantly lit the way all the way to Saks on 5 th Avenue which was lit up with a Swarovski inspired snowflake light and music display. The experience was downright intoxicating and we soaked it all in till we were practically ready to burst with the spirit of Christmas and the glittery type of sparkly feelings that only the magic of the holidays can bring. That was until the winds of the storm swept in like wild fire sending us and much of NY running for cover. We made it to the Subway just in time to miss the torrential rain that washed the city clean as it pounded down on all that was below.

The Subway at 1 am was an experience all of its own. We were alone in the subway car… I thinking of the risqué scene in the movie Risky Business and Blue wondering when the bad guy was going to come through with a knife. Blue’s paranoia won out and I laughed to myself as he stood up on watch ready to barricade the doors incase anyone illegally hopped train cars hunting for a victim. Like always, we balance each other… my sense of adventure and Blue sense of safety. Still wishing my sense of adventure had won out. ;-)

Of course we got off the subway, quickly headed out of the station and into the bone chilling winds and driving rain that seemed to engulf us as if it were coming up from the ground. Laughing, splashing, and soaked, we blew into a little diner for a cup of hot coffee, while the waitress called us a cab. Sitting in that diner listening to the friendly chatter of the locals warmed me in a way no heat source ever could. I was a bit sad when our cab showed up and it was time to go.

Exhausted we crashed for the night at 2 am wondering if the Parade was going too be cancelled for only the 2 nd time in 80 years…

At 5 am when I woke up feeling achy from the last traces of the cold we had caught, the rain still pounding, and our disappointment as heavy as the thickest rain clouds in the sky, I knew there was nothing more we could do then hunker down under the blankets and dream of the next time…

At 7 am, I felt better, the weather calmed, the parade was preparing to start, and we hustled to bundle up to head to the city and catch what we could. I was ready first and was thrilled to find the doughnuts and pastries of my childhood down on the breakfast table in the lobby. Abandoning all reserve I decadently devoured a strawberry filled powdered doughnut that was so full that it nearly weighed a pound. It took all my reserve to leave the others on the tray…

In the rain, umbrellas in hand Blue and I made our way to the path train admiring all of the Christmas decorations along the way. By now we had figured out that the Subway was unnecessary, so we took the Path train directly to 33 Rd Street to catch what we could of the parade. Most of the route was roped off, but we did catch a few of the balloons as they drifted by us 2 blocks away. A little bit of a let down, but we have our whole lives ahead of us and will most definitely try again.

Our day was spent walking the city much as we had the night before. Macys and all of the department stores, and most of the attractions were closed, but we had the most amazing time viewing it all as we walked by. Lunch was in a deli, a bagel with cream cheese, lox and extremely hot coffee…

The winds were still bitter and fierce. Broken umbrellas lined the trashcans on almost every corner like abandoned headstones in a graveyard. FAO Schwartz was the embodiment of childhood desire and enchantment. The Apple Store a grown up’s electronic fantasyland. Exhausted and cold at this point we meandered our way through.

So many places to choose from for Thanksgiving dinner, but all we could think about was the warmth of that tiny little diner in Jersey City where we decided to head… The chef was working alone when we got there. A blur of 67 year old grey hair racing through the kitchen as small parties of people gathered around the tables prepared for a feast. The food was humble, but the chef (a newly emigrated little old man from Greece) remembered us from the night before and welcomed us like royalty. It is from him and that night that I learned that the most humble food becomes a feast when it is served with much love. “Mr. Steve” the chef made our Thanksgiving dinner a memorable affair and we were very glad we had chosen to go back. We left the diner that night with full tummies, completely awed and inspired by the ideals of a man more that twice our age.

Black Friday we woke up at the crack of dawn for our first experience of facing the early morning door buster shoppers. There was nothing we really wanted, but to see the knock down drag out fights over discounted frying pans and Pyrex sets at Macy’s. Blue and I were not disappointed and the people watching was far better then the best of reality TV. Not sure we will do it again, but it was entertaining in a sense. We shopped our favorite stores, which were much quieter in comparison and we filled shopping bags with troves of treasures to wrap up and set under our tree till Christmas.

With the day moving fast, we finished our shopping, loaded the car, dined on some more doughnuts, checked out and made our way on the highways back to our home in Ohio. On a whim we stopped in a town called Bethlehem in PA. There was a Christmas festival in full swing and Blue grudgingly left his ambitions to get home in the car for a while as I begged for a 2 hour break. Spoiled and convincing, I won and Blue begrudgingly set out to have a good time. The sky was bright blue, the air crisp, and at the end of the 2 hours even Blue had to admit he was glad that we stopped.

Holiday tunes on the radio, we wound our way through the holiday traffic and were home tucked in bed before midnight. Still dizzy from the frantic pace of our latest adventure, we laid our heads to rest on the smooth silkiness of our very own cotton sateen encased down pillows and hunkered down for what could only be called a long winter’s rest. No visions of sugar plums this time, our dreams were laden with the scents of street vendors selling pretzels, shiny cases full of imitation Rolex watches, colorful knock off designer purses, and all of the sights and sounds of our trip. The sights and sounds that will have to carry us through till the next time, whatever and whenever that may be.

Hot Butter Your Buns With Buttered Rum in a Crock Pot Recipe

Some recipes were just made for winter. This is one of them!


Hot Butter Your Buns With Buttered Rum in a Crock Pot Recipe

A nice way to scent to home and warm the spirit!
by Rita L

8 servings
time to make 10 min 5 min prep
2 cups firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 pinch salt
3 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
3 cardamom pods
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground nutmeg
2 cups dark rum or spiced rum
Garnish
heavy cream, whipped
ground nutmeg, for topping
cinnamon sticks

1. Put first 7 ingredients into crock pot.
2. Add 2 quarts hot water.
3. Stir well.
4. Cover pot and cook on low for 5 hours.
5. Add rum and stir to blend.
6. Serve from pot in warm mugs with a scoop of whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg and cinnamon stick as stirrer.

The Link to the original recipe maybe found here:
http://www.recipezaar.com/77800