Cataloguing: Part 2

The season of mail continues and not a card in sight. The element of surprise in a mailbox, however, continues with mice in a box finger puppets. One of my December goals is to visit Chinaberry for real in Spring Valley. I cannot wait. I have long loved their catalog for their choice of wares. I find a lot of intriguing book titles. Like this. Recently, mother gave me her Eat, Drink, and Be Chinaberry cookbook for my birthday. They don't sell it anymore and I have consulted hers at every turn when I'm home. They have no plans to reprint. It is by my bed.

Two more personalized gifts have captured my fancy. A photo puzzle with tin. It is $17.99 in the sale catalog, though listed here at $23.99. And, a photo deck of cards (listed in the sale catalog at $14.99 instead of $19.99). If you order by December 14 and enter NEWHOLIDAY25, you can have the lower price. Love a custom gift. Love photography. And, it's really quite unique although I'm perhaps the biggest proponent of the candle and agree one can't go wrong with it.

A Large, Fine Meal

roasted tom with pomegranate glaze

the contessa’s gravy

buttermilk mashed potatoes

herb and onion stuffing

cranberry sauce

corn pudding

pineapple dressing

virginia rolls with butter and jam

green peas

relish tray

and the pies

dutch apple

pecan

coconut cream with meringue

Brian once watched a movie where a character ordered "a large, fine meal" and he was brought to a feast at a banquet  table. The tom was prepared sans glaze. Mother could not find a way to baste the turkey in the plastic bag. She is a dévotée of the oven turkey bag. The turkey appeared pale and wan. It tasted fine. I have never been one for "quick tips" in the kitchen. The potatoes were nice. My goal was to prepare them in a plain delicious potato-y way since they were served with gravy. I didn't want much competition on the plate. I thought the cranberry sauce was a bowl of winter gems. Our raspberry jam was super yum and nicely tart. Someone had made it and given it to mother. Brian liked the turkey, corn pudding, potatoes, and stuffing; he is our classic. Father ate a large plate and helped himself liberally to black olives from the relish tray during the feast. Jeff loved the pineapple dressing his mother used to make and the stuffing. At Robin's feast, they most enjoyed their homegrown carrots roasted with olive oil. 

Cranberry Thanksgiving

But forget all that today. It was Thanksgiving, her favorite day of the year. The cranberries had been picked, boxed and sent to the market. The dried corn had been soaked and the corn pudding made. The turkey was roasting in the old iron oven. Turnips, tiny green peas and a pumpkin pie were ready. Then cranberry bread was cooling on the wooden board. The real work was done and the feast was almost ready.

Every year Grandmother invited a guest for dinner and allowed Maggie to do the same. 

"Ask someone poor or lonely," she always said.

It never mattered to Maggie or her grandmother that the red carpet was worn and mended or that the silver spoons didn't match. Friendship and sharing were important. Everyone knew that. 

Grandmother's Famous Cranberry Bread
(Get Mother to help)

2 C sifted all-purpose flour
1 C sugar
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 C butter
1 egg, beaten
1 t grated orange peel
3/4 C orange juice
1 1/2 C light raisins
1 1/2 C fresh or frozen cranberries, chopped

Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add egg, orange peel, and orange juice all at once; stir just until mixture is evenly moist. Fold in raisins and cranberries.
Spoon into a greased 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

Recipe tested by the Food Department of Parents' Magazine.

Cataloguing: Part 1

1My family receives a lot of mail, much of it catalogs. My mother orders from them. I think it is great fun looking at catalogs. I rarely order from them. So, when I visit the family, I browse the catalogs. I have been especially interested this month as it tis close to December and we are getting in the mood.

Today I came across a gift I can approve of, the personalized topographic jigsaw puzzle. There is also the satellite jigsaw which could be very beautiful, depending on your address. I like this gift for several reasons. The price is not outrageous. The gift is well, personalized. A potential heirloom. Of visual interest. It's a game. It's frameable. And, it could help you out of a scrape when you forget your address.

And while we're talking about games. There is the marshmallow shooter. Appeals to the toy and game aspect of Christmas gifts. The whimsy of Christmas past. For all ages and ideal for grown men. Again, the price is not outrageous. I am a big fan of the price not being outrageous.

Another useful treasure is the aluminum ice tray. Off-the-chart visual interest. Living as one's grandparents. The thwack of breaking ice. Freezing frozen metal. And, a set of two. This is a very tempting product friends.

For the high-ticket contingency, I found this nicely festive. Ideal frame for lovely tokens, one's own accroutrements. It would be such fun to arrange.

I guess this choice stems from loving fire and recently watching A Little Princess with the attic room candleabra. I love it. I envision a stark, dark dining room with a very grande candleabra.

Stockings, Not Nylons

The children have taken on the charge of mother's stocking these past years. It is very fun. I am a bit exacting toward the others. I insist on each finding a few items that are small, light, and her favorites. They hand them off to me before Christmas Eve and I keep them in a drawer in my closet. Despite our annual successes, I have run into a few snags with their offerings. Robin always buys mother a dish cleaner wand or other tall kitchen item that either takes up most of the stocking or sticks out of it unbecomingly. I like whatever sticks out the top to be either cute or festive. Brian often buys heavy-laden sacks of candy. They take up much of the space and weigh down the stocking. In fact, sometimes, a few items are forced to linger outside the stocking what with these choices I previously mentioned.

One year I hit the jackpot. An Eloise pencil box. I think it was her favorite gift she has received from moi. I will spend the rest of my years trying to top this. I read a few neato lists of stocking "stuffers" here. I dreamed up my own list for the joy and entertainment of my kith and kin.

1. doublesided tape
2. jerky and batteries, for the man in your life
3. pens and Sharpies
4. good paper scissors
5. handmade candy cane
6. box of spice
7. jewels, for the woman in your life
8. lip gloss, nail polish, emery board, foot file
9. See's chocolate chips
10. iTunes gift cards
11. Lindt truffles
12. car washes
13. new box of crayons
14. socks
15. Johnson's Creamy Baby Oil with Cocoa and Shea Butter (heavy but worth it!)
16. bubble gum or a favorite candy bar
17. small packages of a favorite cookie (for example, Santa will give me Nutter Butters if I am good. He will give Brian Lorna Doones.)
18. sunglasses
19. super cool matchbooks
20. money
21. hair bands
22. deck of cards
23. and the stocking within a stocking: elegant hosiery

I Love You Sew Sew Sew Sew Much

My niece Taylor and I have a lot in common. We can both look cross-eyed and we can both whistle. These are no small talents in this family. Often the three eldest take turns for their sleepovers at Gramma's house. Since Taylor let fly last month she wanted to learn to sew, I was glad she was up next. Thus, our Saturday night. We started by choosing and cutting out frabric for her sewing project. Our time was short before taking in a high school production matinée of The Phantom of the Opera, punctuated by a real fire drill. I only shushed her and Gramma once in medias play. We came home to preheat the oven and whip the whites for our cheese soufflé (is there anything easier and more noble? nay). We plated a simple and delicious salad and used some of my favorites dishes and chargers. I am not a charger girl but felt it would add to the elegance of our table. We also made a chocolate chip cookie dough with toasted walnuts and See's chocolate chips. We had never tried the See's chips and let us recommend them without apology. Gramma especially recommends them. We ate the cookies after our dinner by candle and used her favorite teapot with her favorite French Vanilla hot drink. Whipped cream. She took up her sewing as the cookies baked. After sweets, we graduated to the sofa for more sewing and a showing of A Little Princess. A movie I love and she watched with interest. Here is the close-up of her salad she requested I digitally record. 

At bedtime, I read A Bargain for Frances and Gramma chose to read Humbug Witch. Though we spent much of the weekend in decorum, she enjoyed a riotous time in the bath and thought this picture of her would be fitting.

Cheese Soufflé

The Best of Sunset: Over 500 All-Time Favorite Recipes from the Magazine of Western Living

Makes 4 to 6 servings


3 T butter
3 T flour
1 C milk
Dash ground red pepper
1/4 t dry mustard
1 C shredded Cheddar or Swiss cheese
Salt
4 or 5 eggs, separated


Melt butter in a medium-size pan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute (do not brown). Remove from heat and gradually stir in milk; then add red pepper and mustard. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce boils and thickens. Add cheese; stir until melted. Season to taste with salt. Remove from heat and beat in egg yolks, one at a time. In a small bowl, beat egg whites with an electric mixer or a wire whisk until they hold distinct  but moist peaks. Stir in about a fourth of the whites into the cheese mixture, then carefully fold in remaining whites until blended. Pour into a well-buttered 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish or four to six 1-cup ramekins. Draw a circle on surface of soufflé batter about 1 inch from rim, using a spoon or the tip of a knife. Bake in a 375 degree F oven until soufflé feels firm when lightly tapped and crack looks fairly dry (about 35 minutes for a 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish; about 20 minutes for ramekins). Serve at once.