Thanks for 2010, on to 2011

As 2010 is coming to an end, I was thinking of the things that made this year better.  Of course there's the obvious three people, my family, and friends, but it's the little things that make the day-to-day living good. 

Sophie & Sienna, what I'm most thankful.



Like my JBRAND SKINNY JEANS.  Without these, I'd be walking around in lounge wear all day.

Thank goodness for my LA friends who insisted that I buy these.

RED WINE I'm thankful that this a healthful choice, at least for now.

CAFFEINE I love you coffee, espresso, Diet Coke, tea (basically all drinks that will give my teeth a lovely yellow tinge).



Francis! Francis! Adds a nice kick to my morning coffee.



A GOOD LAWYER  Although it would be nice not to need one, if you do (as I do) it helps if he's also the dad of a dear friend.

A REGULAR BABYSITTER  Date night became a reality this year, and it's a bonus that she's family.

I'm also looking forward to some self- improvement in 2011.  I'm planning to:

1. Talk on the phone less.

2. Allow less TV watching by my children.

3. Get straight hair.  I'm in a quandary over Brazilian hair straightening or Japanese. Decisions, decisions.....

4. Be healthier (i.e. go to the gym more often, consume fewer carbs, lose a few pounds).

5. Have more private time with my husband (wink, wink).

Even if I accomplish some of my list, I'll be happy and grateful for the things I do have, hoping for world peace and equality for all in 2011.



Easy Brunch Recipe: Baked eggs with artichokes & parmesan

I found the easiest breakfast recipe in my (I mean Larry's) new Bon Appetit cookbook.  It takes just minutes to prepare, and can be prepared the night before and popped in the oven and served to two as easily as twenty.  I made them amidst the pleasant chaos of Christmas morning, and thought it would be perfect for a New Year's Day brunch with Bon Appetit's recommended toasted sliced ciabatta, grilled Italian sweet sausages, and Bellinis. 

2 Servings

Ingredients

1 Tb unsalted butter

2 tsp chopped fresh chives

1 tsp chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

8 frozen artichoke quarters, thawed

2 large eggs

2 Tb (packed0 freshly grated Parmesan cheese

RUB butter over bottom and sides of two 6-oz souffle dished or custard cups, dividing equally.  Sprinkle with herbs, dividing equally.  Place 4 artichoke pieces in each dish.  Crack 1 egg into each dish, being careful not to break yolk.  Sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper, and cheese.  (Can be prepared one day ahead.  Cover and chill.)

PREHEAT oven to 400.  Bake until eggs are softly set and cheese is golden, about 9 mins.  Serve immediately.

I usually attempt recipes based on their simplicity and the ability to substitute ingredients, since I'm almost always out of something.  This recipe wasn't an exception.  I had Pecorino Romano instead of Parmesan, so I ended up baking it for more like 15 mins since the cheese wasn't browning.  Also, I prepared the twins their own, but chopped the artichokes further and allowed the dish to cool before I gave it to them.  They each may have had one bite, and then requested grilled cheese sandwiches for breakfast, and of course I complied.

Holiday Cocktail: The Poinsettia

I love a cocktail, especially one with a theme.  Let's face it, besides meaning abundant, plentiful, and pleasing to the senses, the adjective "lush" also has a slang meaning of something else entirely.  I made a drink called the Poinsettia for tree trimming with the family.  The tree trimming was a bit of a flop because I was missing half of my Xmas lights and decorations, but the company, food, and drink were very successful.

The Poinsettia
1/4oz Grand Marnier
3oz Cranberry Juice
Champagne

Add Grand Marnier and chilled Cranberry juice to a champagne flute.  Top with Champagne. 

Grand Marnier can be substituted for Cointreu OR Triple Sec, and Champagne can be substituted for any sparkling wine (I used Prosecco).

Happiness is......

Nothing could make me happier than watching my husband brush our daughter's hair,

except maybe following up the hair brushing with feeding our other daughter spoonfuls of Nutella, to her delight.  The Nutella eating will also appear in a future post titled something like "Things I Swore We'd Never Do As Parents."

And yes, Sophie is almost always wearing a hand-me-down Christmas dress, and Sienna is often wearing a seasonally inappropriate summer dress with pearls.

Gifts, Gifts, and More Gifts

So Thanksgiving is under our belts both literally and figuratively.  It was a great day for our entire little family.  The girls had big kids to play with, we had lots of good food and conversation, thanks to an incredibly well organized dinner by our hosts.  The girls were even in bed at a normal time thanks to all the excitement and lack of nap.

A sure sign they're feeling better: costumes, Icecream sandwiches & Popsicles

The remainder of the weekend was surprisingly low key due to little cold our entire family picked up, but it kept us close to home on what could have been a jam-packed weekend so in the end, I'm grateful that we got some good family time.

IRC Jump Start Trampoline $79 Target.com

Not one to stand in line for door busters, I'd never planned on venturing out for Black Friday shopping, but I was motivated by all the "big girl" toys the girls played with on Thanksgiving.  First thing in the morning, I placed some big gift orders which include a gigantic dollhouse and a small indoor trampoline for the house.  I've already picked up some books, magnetic paper dolls, and sparkly Keds, so I think all Santa needs to bring is some fantastic stocking stuffers, and that should make for a perfect 2-year old Christmas.   I mean, a mom could really get carried away so I'm going to practice restraint.

Now that the major Santa appreciators (I think this will be the year they start to "get" Santa, but I could be wrong) are taken care of, it's time to think of everyone else.  I think I'll start with myself, and a pre-holiday gift of a gym membership, so I can get my own jump start.  





My Thanksgiving Babble

This will only be the third Thanksgiving in my short personal history that I haven't spent with my entire family.  This year we'll celebrate with friends which will no doubt be lovely, fun for the kids, and local, but I can't help feeling a little sad about missing my family, especially as my grandparents are getting on in years.  So much of Thanksgiving's about food, but to me, it's about tradition and gathering with loved ones, and that always happens in my grandparents house. 

As a side note: My maternal grandfather co-authored books about America's early history including the Quest for Columbus, Riding with Coronado, and the seasonally timely Pilgrim Courage adapted from a firsthand account by William Bradford, governor of Plymouth Colony.  This somehow feels that the roots of this uniquely American holiday aren't that far from us.

My father, always says grace in Spanish.  I think that most years he's thanking my Aunt Susie for preparing the meal, maybe apologizing to Native Americans for stealing their land, thanking our President for trying to fix the world, and asking for peace in the world. 

I'm grateful for too many things to list.  I think it's important to be grateful for even the mundane, and things I take for granted, so this year I'm going to list them all in my head (I'm kind of superstitious, and don't like to even say certain things aloud), but know that I will be thinking of them all day as I stuff my face with deviled eggs and wine.

Here are other's words I enjoyed about being "thankful":

Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough.-- Oprah Winfrey

 

Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn't learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn't learn a little, at least we didn't get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn't die; so, let us all be thankful.-- Buddha

As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them. ~John Fitzgerald Kennedy

No matter what your tradition, toast, or grace consists of, please have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

P.S. Here's the previously mentioned Deviled Egg recipe:


Ingredients
6 eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/8 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Smoked Spanish paprika, for garnish

Directions
Place eggs in a single layer in a saucepan and cover with enough water that there's 1 1/2 inches of water above the eggs. Heat on high until water begins to boil, then cover, turn the heat to low, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and leave covered for 14 minutes, then rinse under cold water continuously for 1 minute.

Crack egg shells and carefully peel under cool running water. Gently dry with paper towels. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise, removing yolks to a medium bowl, and placing the whites on a serving platter. Mash the yolks into a fine crumble using a fork. Add mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper, and mix well.

Evenly disperse heaping teaspoons of the yolk mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and serve.

Enjoy.

Portraits in Silhouette

Sophie (left) & Sienna (right) in silhouette

A twin-mom-friend had been searching high and low for an artist who does those old-fashioned silhouettes.  She eventually got a few different names and organized a little party where the artist came, met with the child or children (and the mom), and cut their little picture right there!

The girls were so good and sat very well, although Jean, the artist, didn't seem to really care if they were still.  It seems like hair is her forte.  The silhouette of a little boy with a shaggy hair cut came out particularly cute, and ponytails look adorable via her cutting method.

This was in a party setting so I'm not sure if the pricing is standard, but one child's portrait was $28, the cost of the frame was $29, and each additional portrait was only $10.  I think Jean offers a bit of a discount to the organizer.  She also can do it via mail through a photo (although I think she may prefer in person), offers pet silhouettes, and can be available for fundraisers.

I decided on two separate frames instead of one larger frame with both images.  I plan to give them to each girl for their own home when they're all grown up.  In the meantime, I have to find a space on the wall since they can't stay on the dining room table forever.

Artist info: Jean Comerford 413.477.6179, www.portraitsinsilhouette.com