Mountains have a way of putting mankind and our trivial pursuits for success and power into proper perspective. I always feel like a small child when we travel through the Appalachian region of the world. The jutted up masses of land form the landscape and puts a face on the earth for me. It's this time like no other, that I can acknowledge to be only a speck on a dust spot traveling through the stars.
The holidays were joyous and exhausting. My camera lens captured my history and future, leaving me with images to edit and send for developing. I found myself peering at photos from this time last year. Among the photos were a few shots taken from a moving car. The mountains of Virginia. Although it be a simple (amateur, I might remind you) photograph, it transported my stresses and worries that lingered from Christmas. Being reminded of the simple needs in life.
As I listened to stories of mountains of wrapping paper and piles of presents, my thoughts travel to the future celebrations. I am reminded of new plans and simpler ways of celebrating this time of year. Even with a scaled back version, the past few weeks have left behind an exhausted body. And an ever recurring after taste in my mind of..."What the hell was that all about?"
I have no photographs of food to share with you. Only links to former posts of mine featuring items which were served once again this year. My baking this holiday was kept simple. I made fudge, including a little a tinkering with this recipe, using all chocolate chips in one batch and all peanut butter chips in the other. This was a great success. The only cookies I baked were the Eggnog Cookies, my son's favorite bar cookies Chocolate Scotcheroos, and Soft Lemonade Cookies (that are still moist and great with my coffee this morning.)
The 17th of December, Mister and I hosted breakfast, for 20some people. The men cooked, and all in all the food was what one might expect. Nothing earth shattering or blog worthy. For that day, I baked my Lemon Blueberry Coffeecake and made a contraption called a Reese Trifle. My only other contribution was a quick appetizer.
The 18th of December brought a small gathering into the rooms of our home again. Mister's family on the 17th and mine on the 18th. After this weekend of folly, the actual Christmas weekend almost seemed anticlimactic.
Christmas breakfast was my old stand-by Sausage Egg Casserole. Everyone has come to expect this once a year and I oblige. Mister and I will be having breakfast for dinner tonight and among the leftover folly will be this casserole. (Time to rid the refrigerator of lingering holiday cheer)
All four of my children and their friends came for the actual day. I cooked a rather ho-hum everyday type late lunch meal. Yukon Gold potatoes are a must for me on a holiday table. I suppose that was the highlight of the meal for me. Fluffy golden mashed potatoes. I dare say without a doubt that this years celebrations left me exhausted, more than ever before.
We have yet to be blessed with a wonderful snowstorm. I'm ready. Nature influences my moods dramatically. I find the stillness of winter and snow to be of comfort. Mister and I are not traveling to the mountains at this years end. Instead, the new year will arrive right on schedule, as we watch old episodes of Northern Exposure and I long for a snow drift a few feet high.
The mountains will surely wait for me.
Not actual recipes here. These are more of the throw together variety, Inspiration nonetheless maybe?
Christmas Appetizers
The holidays were joyous and exhausting. My camera lens captured my history and future, leaving me with images to edit and send for developing. I found myself peering at photos from this time last year. Among the photos were a few shots taken from a moving car. The mountains of Virginia. Although it be a simple (amateur, I might remind you) photograph, it transported my stresses and worries that lingered from Christmas. Being reminded of the simple needs in life.
As I listened to stories of mountains of wrapping paper and piles of presents, my thoughts travel to the future celebrations. I am reminded of new plans and simpler ways of celebrating this time of year. Even with a scaled back version, the past few weeks have left behind an exhausted body. And an ever recurring after taste in my mind of..."What the hell was that all about?"
I have no photographs of food to share with you. Only links to former posts of mine featuring items which were served once again this year. My baking this holiday was kept simple. I made fudge, including a little a tinkering with this recipe, using all chocolate chips in one batch and all peanut butter chips in the other. This was a great success. The only cookies I baked were the Eggnog Cookies, my son's favorite bar cookies Chocolate Scotcheroos, and Soft Lemonade Cookies (that are still moist and great with my coffee this morning.)
The 17th of December, Mister and I hosted breakfast, for 20some people. The men cooked, and all in all the food was what one might expect. Nothing earth shattering or blog worthy. For that day, I baked my Lemon Blueberry Coffeecake and made a contraption called a Reese Trifle. My only other contribution was a quick appetizer.
The 18th of December brought a small gathering into the rooms of our home again. Mister's family on the 17th and mine on the 18th. After this weekend of folly, the actual Christmas weekend almost seemed anticlimactic.
Christmas breakfast was my old stand-by Sausage Egg Casserole. Everyone has come to expect this once a year and I oblige. Mister and I will be having breakfast for dinner tonight and among the leftover folly will be this casserole. (Time to rid the refrigerator of lingering holiday cheer)
All four of my children and their friends came for the actual day. I cooked a rather ho-hum everyday type late lunch meal. Yukon Gold potatoes are a must for me on a holiday table. I suppose that was the highlight of the meal for me. Fluffy golden mashed potatoes. I dare say without a doubt that this years celebrations left me exhausted, more than ever before.
We have yet to be blessed with a wonderful snowstorm. I'm ready. Nature influences my moods dramatically. I find the stillness of winter and snow to be of comfort. Mister and I are not traveling to the mountains at this years end. Instead, the new year will arrive right on schedule, as we watch old episodes of Northern Exposure and I long for a snow drift a few feet high.
The mountains will surely wait for me.
Not actual recipes here. These are more of the throw together variety, Inspiration nonetheless maybe?
Christmas Appetizers
- Cherry tomatoes cored and slightly hollowed ( 30 or so)
- Mix together 1 cup of prepared guacamole with
- 8 ounces of softened cream cheese.
- Stir in finely chopped cilantro to taste.
- Pipe this mixture into the cherry tomatoes.
- Top with fresh cilantro and cracked black pepper.
- Serve at once
This is a colorful much needed vegetable concoction on a holiday buffet.
P.S. Mister and I took the youngest to the movies on Christmas Eve (a time honored tradition) to see
Tin Tin. The animation is mind blowing and the swash buckling action made the movie pretty entertaining.
No comments:
Post a Comment