A Gift

For my sister and her trip abroad. The pen is for scale. Enjoy.

Potted Pork

The other day J and I popped into Cafe Campagne to escape the wind and enjoy happy hour. One of the things we ordered was the potted pork, or RILLETTES DE PORC. Needless to say, it was delicious and we tried to figure out what was in it and how it was made. I searched the internet not finding too many recipes that seemed suitable but I was able to find one that just might work. I made it the other night and surpirse, it was a big success!!! I am very pleased and will be making this several times in the future. Serve it on a toasted baguette with dijon mustard and cornichons on the side. Sea salt is a must as well.

Prost Cheers Santé

Here is me raising a glass (or two or three) hoping that 2009 will be a great year! Cheers and Happy New Year! Go at it with both barrels loaded!

Snow Happens

I am pretty excited at the arrival of the first snow of the year in Seattle! The only thing I was hoping for was a good view of the Olympics today but they are being shy. Maybe we will get a good snow sunset. I went for broke and got the biggest tree I have ever gotten this year. It looks pretty good, although a little sparse on ornaments. I am okay with that, though, because I don't want just any old ornaments on my tree. I like to buy ornaments while on vacation which makes putting up the tree a walk down memory lane. I also have rules now about what kind of ornaments can go on my tree....glass or shiny only. Only one ornament made the non-shiny cut and that is one J and I bought on August 31, 2001 in Bar Harbor, Maine. It was the first one I got for my tree before I had set my "standards" and is a snowman in a yellow rain slicker holding a lobster. Come on, it is cute! I hope you got a little snow wherever you are and that you are enjoying the season. I just wonder if it is worth doing my open house today. The streets are all frozen so I'm not sure if I can even get there!

Happy Birthday!!!!!

BUG:)

I spoke....

Too soon. The crud is back and it is all my fault for boasting about it.

The Crud

Is almost gone. I am happy to say that I am on the road to recovery. Although it was nice to lay in my bed for a week and pretend the rest of the world and all the troubles it encompasses didn't exist! I am very happy that this is Turkey week, another whole week of living with my head in the sand:) Going to celebrate with the parental units and my brother and sister. Looking forward to some deep fried turkey and my personal favorite of seven layer salad. Taking the rv. Thankful to have the sweetest dog ever curled up on my lap at this very moment, keeping me toasty warm....oh yea, also thankful that I have a date with pupusas tomorrow night for dinner.