From my computer link to yours

MERRY CHRISTMAS

May your holiday be full of family, friends, good food and laughter

Elizabeth

On the Sunday before Christmas

With Christmas carols playing and a husband standing by to clean up after me I made things yesterday. Fattening tasty treat things

Over the years Rice Krispies squares have been my one traditional thing, but this year I expanded my horizons and made peanut butter balls.

I had half a container of corn syrup leftover from making Pecan Pie (quite some time ago) as well as all the other ingredients on hand so it was just a matter of following the recipe. I just wish they had expanded on it a little.
Should I have taken the pot off the stove as soon as the melt happened? Probably yes, giving the mixture a chance to cool before trying to roll. I'll know better next time because these are rich and delicious and I'm saving the recipe.

Peanut Butter Balls

1 cup (250mL) corn syrup
1/2 cup (125mL) granulated ( white ) sugar
pinch of salt
1 tsp (5mL) vanilla
1 cup (250mL) peanut butter
2 cups (500mL) slightly crushed cornflakes
2 cups (500mL) Rice Krispies

Bring corn syrup and sugar to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Mix in rest of ingredients.
Butter your hands lightly and roll mixture into balls any size you like.

I put them them on waxed paper on a cookie sheet til cool.

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One of the blogs I always read is SideTrips . Leener does unbelievably wonderful art and takes awesome photos like the one she has kindly let me use as my winter desktop. Thanks E.

Things I learned today

The items I want are the only things not on sale.

Smiles and frowns are running about even.

Dollars stores have the longest line at the cash register.

A daughter can work at a cheese shop named Sam and Son.

Interesting imported cheese is expensive but worth every penny when bought in small quantities. ( Roaring Forties ..... Ilchester beer, ..... Yorkshire Wensleydale apricot )

A kilogram of spareribs gets heavy when it's your first purchase at the market.

Downtown hasn't been improved by Christmas decorations.

Queues at bus stops are out and clusters are in.

Everyone wants a row of seats to themselves.

School kids have no idea how much room their backpacks take up when standing in the aisle or how lethal they are when they turn quickly.

Bus drivers smile when you say Thank you, Merry Christmas when you get off at your stop.

DONE

I decorated yesterday. It made me cranky, testy and a brought about a fair bit of heavy sighing on my part.

It's not that I dislike decorating it's just that when I have to do it all myself I get peeved. Statements like...."totally up to you dear, do whatever you want dear, makes no difference to me dear"...drive me nuts. Of course it's up to me, but I would like some HELP. " You do it so well" is little comfort when I'm cursing the string of lights.

I could leave all the stuff in the boxes. I could sit back and read all afternoon and not worry that the festive season is upon us.

Then come 3 days before the 25th I'd be frantic because the house was bare. Because I could have put the things up like I do every year, alone. Because I like seeing my favourite ornaments in my living room. Because it matters to me to get it done and BECAUSE it seems to have become a tradition for me to put them up, bitching and complaining all the while and then sit back to enjoy what I've done and, of course, remarking on what a fine job I've done, alone.

To be honest if they took over the job I'd be sitting directing, commenting, reaching in to fiddle and generally trying to take charge. I have control issues. Sometimes.

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The quilt patching is done. I have sewn the prepared pieces on and although it does not look as good as the professional repair I'm rather please that it doesn't look terrible. quilt post

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I made Rice Krispies squares today. They are one thing I make well. I don't get cranky when I make Rice Krispies squares. I did notice on the box that they have changed the recipe slight but I have held with tradition and made them the right way, the original way adding in the vanilla and using slight fewer krispies.

Who would have thought

What I saw in the Classified ads on Tuesday: MOUNTAIN GOATS, 2 billies, 1 nanny, approximately 3 years, recently downsized, must sell.

I turned to Paul and said maybe we should make an enquiry. We have dogs and cats in the neighbourhood but no goats. We could let them munch on the grass, send them down the street to nibble the bags of leaves and garden cuttings collected and saved by leafman.
We have some nice sized rocks at the corner of the front yard and next door in the backyard there is a pile of rocks that were suppose to be a waterfall and water feature installed by the previous owner, so they would get to climb and pose majestically.

Instead I got ram.

No not one of these.

Computer ram for Christmas from Stephen. Never one to wrap and sit on a gift until the 25th he flipped my laptop over and installed it as soon as it arrived.


Goat ownership must have be truly decided back in 2007 when we helped with a scene in a filmed segment of The Devlin Show . Our one and only line...."no goat".

Oh well

I made my shopping list for the vegetable-fusilli (in previous post) and started to think it just might be a larger meal than I'd thought so I read to the bottom of the recipe and sure enough .. serves 6-8.
Rather a lot for 2 people and I don't think I'd like it reheated as leftovers.
Guess I'll have to figure out how to make a smaller quantity or heaven forbid, have company for dinner.

Paul has gone off to the Toronto Motorcycle Show by bus. I dropped him at the station and will pick him up when he arrives back. Now that he can get a senior ticket the return fare is cheaper than parking.

I've given the Christmas cake it's second dose of brandy, cut and re-wrapped it into gift giving sizes after a taste test.

Now I just need the mailman to bring the 2 online gifts I ordered and I'd be done with the presents.

Muttering to myself

I was just asking me yesterday why I had a can of romano beans in the cupboard but before I could answer myself....

I remembered I had cut a recipe from somewhere and after leaving it under a magnet on the fridge for weeks I'd put it away. Did I remember what the recipe was? No I did not.

I pulled out my folder and started going through recipes clipped from papers, magazines, downloaded and printed and freebie cards from the grocery store. Looking at all the things I thought I might make but now on further discussion with myself decided I wouldn't, I did some clearing out.
In the weeding out process I found what I was looking for. Vegetable-fusilli bake with Ricotta topping. When this bit of bad weather lets up I'll make a list and head out to buy the rest of the ingredients and give it a try.
Link to recipe