AND THE BEAT GOES ON

On Monday I had planned to attend the meeting of the Blue and Gray hooking froup in Gettysburg, however, the meeting was called off due to the uncertain weather forcast. It was a real disappointment to many of us but we will have our Christmas celebration in January so all is not lost.

I could not afford to waste the day so the Christmas preparations continued:

I made spiced nuts to give as gifts. I had

not made this receipt for some years and had

forgotten just how good it was. Of course, I had

to taste to make sure it was right!

Then on to a dessert for Christmas day.

Chocolate cupcakes for all of the chocolate

lovers in the family. My house is very small

so I like to serve buffet style and have everyone

help themselves. That also gives me a

chance to circulate and talk with everyone.

I admit, I am bored with this whole thing.
Nothing in the pot for me yet. Geesh, I
live here too. You would think that a girl with
a bumb leg would get some attention. No,
just a lot of food going on in the kitchen.

Ooops! I underestimated the food preparation.
This is a crock pot full of chicken gizzards and
thigh pieces cooking for ME!

Well, she is still working on Christmas stuff.
On the cooling rack are the spinich balls. I
made 60 of these last week and they are almost
all gone - so another 60 - requested by
friends. Also a great receipe for a
small gift for friends that request them.

And I always find myself with this!

I am planning to serve a pork loin roast as

well as a turkey for Christmas dinner. So

another make ahead dish in the freezer.

This is the raisin sauce for the roast.

It is yummy and goes over any type

of pork.

I have lots of tools in my kitchen but
not many "gadgets." However, I love this gadget.
It is a digital therometer that has never
let me down. Several weeks ago I bought
prepacked half turkey breast (boned)
thinking that if it roasted nicely I could purchase
several of those to supplement
the roasted turkey. It roasted beautifully
and Eloise and I have been having
it for our dinner the last several nights.

When I cook chicken for Eloise I skin it so

that she doesn't get to much fat in her

diet, as well as remove all of the fat

that I can. I freeze this until I get enough

to render. I was surprised one afternoon

when listening to Jacque Pepin's cooking

show to hear him say that rendering

chicken fat was a French way of doing

things. It was something that my mother

mother always did. I just thought it

was a "waste not, want not" thing. I do

know that until you have tasted an

egg fried in chicken fat you have not

had the full delight of a fried egg!

After the fat is rendered it is liquid gold!

I use it to make liver pate' one of my

special holiday dishes. This is not a make

ahead dish but I will wait until

Christmas eve to prepare it.

No matter what I do in the kitchen
it always ends up this way!!

When I see that many dirty dishes I

just get into my usual position in the

bed. Especially the last few days because

It is soooooooo cold.

Hope everyone is having fun decorating and cooking for Christmas. I love this time of year and seem to spend most of it in the kitchen. It is so much fun to pull out the receipe's that are special for this time of year. Next thing on my agenda is to try Pamela's gingerbread. I had forgotten how much my girls loved gingerbread and lemon sauce when they were little. Guess I will look up the old receipt and compare it with Pamela's and probably try both.

Our weather is miserably cold and condusive to staying indoors, a perfect excuse to be in the kitchen. Take care of yourselves - stay safe.

Doris