November 24, 2007
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Beef Stew, Winter Greenery and Fuel Line
Well, I have a beef stew in the Crockpot. Does that give a hint about how much turkey we’ve consumed in the past 2 days?!! We have enough shreds and chunks of dark & white meat left to make a nice turkey vegetable soup and then one half of the breast is still untouched . . . perfect for sandwiches. I like to slightly heat the slices of white meat, put them on bread with mayonnaise, black pepper, and some thinly sliced cranberry sauce. I made those sandwiches for lunch, yesterday, with the leftover dinner rolls. Mini-sandwiches! Annamarie & Rissy thought they were “wonderful” and “delicious” – those were the exact comments, I believe! The stew for tonight is a recipe I grew up eating since I was itsy bitsy. So NOT turkey and good on a VERY cold day! This is the kind of stuff I’ve been waiting for the cold weather to arrive so I could cook and savor my hearty winter recipes!
Today, I’m contemplating putting garlands and lights up over the archways. We are no longer doing a tree (kind of phasing those things out, as we study the Bible more) and will just be putting red berries, cardinals, pine cones, etc. into garlands of greenery with mini lights. I’m putting that over the four largest doorways and our fireplace mantle. I have something similar to the mantle greenery, which is a little different from the rest (pine cones & berries frosted with “snow”), for the formal dining room table centerpiece and will use crystal candlesticks and white candles. I bought white wrapping paper and white wedding paper (white on white stripes and white roses on a white background) to use and will tie berries and pine cones into different ribbons. No Santa stuff, no elves, no typical “Hallmark” Christmas looking stuff. We’ll use the holiday as a time to exchange “some” gifts and to have a nice family meal and get together. It seems to be the most convenient time to gather, since the world (except for 7-11′s!!!!!!) shuts down and everyone is off work on that one day.
I LOVE pine and I guess it is a carryover from my life in California. Things were lush and GREEN in the winter and in Oklahoma things are beige and gray (and, VERY barren)! Anyway, I love pine cones and red berries as much as I like the evergreens and have always brought that into my home for the winter months. Everyone knows what a sucker I am for birds, so red cardinals & white doves are a favorite, too. In fact, Jesse and I got married January 2nd and our “theme decor” was evergreen branches with white roses and white doves (on the cake) and the greenery branches and white roses on the reception’s buffet table.
Stephanie and JanaLyn have stayed for the past 3 or 4 days. She called Tuesday night and said her hot water tank wasn’t working again and they arrived sometime after 9pm. Then she had car trouble yesterday on the way to work, so Jesse rescued her, gave her our new (used) van to use, and he’s made arrangements for a mechanic friend to look at Stephanie’s van today. I think it’s the thermostat and a fuel line that’s clogged. No heat and a car that jerks after 30mph!
My chocolate chip muffins for breakfast are ready to be served. Off I go to enjoy them!
