B'Twixt and B'Tween

Resolutions

I like a broad resolution that is not hard to start, can be sustained through the year, and should make a difference in my life. Two years ago, I resolved to find a time during my business travels through another state to visit an aunt and uncle. (Well, okay, I haven't been good about sustaining that one, but I did make one visit!) Last year, it was simply to drink more water.  (I have been reaching first for water when I think I'm hungry between meals, or instead of a soda -- if I still want food or pop, I can have it after the water. Which works pretty well.)

I just heard a radio hostess talking about the same sort of resolution.  In fact, she also has resolved to drink more water!  (I am going to try her tip:  she must drink a full glass of water before ordering in a restaurant.)

But more to the point for 2009, she also likes those broad, sustainable ideas that can be made into healthy habits.  After all, while I hope to somehow contribute, it is highly unlikely that I will be the one to bring about world peace.

So here goes:

Parenting resolution:  To help Big T in his quest to learn more about his birth family and then to deal with the information in the healthiest way.  I think this is important for his sense of identity, and I expect it to be at least a little bit hard. Time will tell what the information will be and how we all can incorporate it into our own family.

Personal resolution: To have better posture.  Hey, the 'drink more water' thing worked, so this one should, too!

Do you make resolutions? What's yours?

Silent Night

Husband, Big T and Brother #2 attended church together on Christmas Eve. Sister and my parents attended other services; Brother #1 stayed home in Oklahoma and my in-laws met us that evening at my parents' home. The service we attended was different from previous years, with some amazing voices singing both traditional hymns/carols and new songs as well.  I had not thought of "My Grownup Christmas Wish" as a church song until this rendition, which was truly beautiful.

In the late afternoon Minnesota dusk, the church was dim except for the strategic spotlights and a beautiful hanging star that has graced the sanctuary throughout Advent.  As it shone on Christmas Eve, it reminded me...

Of the "Christmas plays" my cousins, siblings and self used to "perform" for our parents.  Everyone assembled in the living room, usually at my Oleson cousins' house.  Their house was perfect, because the sprayed ceiling included sparkles that we could pretend were stars, making their entry light fixture the Star of Bethlehem.  Very magical, indeed. 

I think the boys' bathrobes were pressed into shepherd service and while the scripture was interpreted pretty loosely, we probably got it mostly right.

Big T tried to get me to fall for "Mom, Uncle is poking me." But he didn't expect me to explain that I had tried that very same claim against that very same Uncle when I was young and Uncle/brother #2 was even younger, and his grandmother only commented that surely I must have done something to deserve it. Some things really don't change.

It really was good to sit with family one more year and hear a new retelling of the Christmas story while recalling the many different ways it's been told to me before... the other sanctuaries and church trees (the unshaped evergreens I like to call Lutheran Church trees; the gold and white scriptural symbols that decorated another church's tree); the carols sung in German or Scandinavian languages by pastors long departed;  and the amateur plays put on by kids; the year I slid thankfully into the pew just as the service started because I had been helping my office reassure consumers that milk was safe after the discovery of an ill-timed case of Mad Cow Disease in Washington State... I looked at the large star hanging from the sanctuary and knew that all was calm and as it should be.

Wiiiiiiiiii all the time

Well, it's true.  Wii really is for everyone. 

It's been nearly nonstop Wii at our house ever since the paper came off the Santa gifts.  Big T has bowled against Grandpa, Mom and Dad; made "mii" likenesses of himself, his parents and his grandparents, and played other sports and Looney Tunes games with pals.

When he hasn't been dripping wet from the sliding hills, he's been glued to the controllers and num chuck. (After Monday's below zero temps, it has warmed up to a balmy mid-30s, perfect weather for trying out the new sled.)

Wait til he figures out that Mom plans to hijack the Wii someday soon to try yoga at home.  Hmmm...

Sugar(less) and Spice

Aunts and uncles, turn away from the screen.  Your packages are coming this evening.

Other reader(s), if you are looking for a last-minute gift idea, here is what Big T made for his grandparents, aunts and uncles this year.  Continuing in the tradition of a handmade gift from him, and following last year's risotto in a jar, we followed Oprah's advice for spice mixes. 

Because both hypertension and diabetes are in both branches of the family, these are the most appropriate recipes we found.

Sugarless Apple Pie Spice

Enjoy in baked goods, or sprinkle on ice cream, hot chocolate or cafe latte. From Budget101.com.

4 parts cinnamon

2 parts nutmeg

1 part cardamom

Combine all ingredients and seal in a zippered bag or watertight jar.

Saltless Surprise

Enjoy on meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, soups and salads. From WebMD.com.

2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. powdered lemon rind or dehydrated lemon juice

Stir and seal in a zippered bag or airtight jar.

Seafood Traditions

Between the rushing around and wrapping, locating dry snow gear and hanging up wet mittens, I am putting together the details for our Christmas dinner.  We will celebrate Christmas Eve at my parents' house, together with my in-laws.  Then the in-laws will come home with us to stay overnight and we will have a smaller dinner at home on Christmas Day.

I have been asking Husband about traditions in his family for several years now.  Last year, he finally came up with a seafood dinner as a Christmas tradition that he had started with his parents.  It was my first time cooking lobster tails (I wasn't even sure how to open the shell -- with a kitchen scissors, it turns out). It was a hit with all of us, so I am preparing to do the same this year.

On the menu: lobster tails (two; they are giant -- totaling 1 1/2 pounds! -- and we will split them into smaller servings), fried shrimp, Caesarsalad, cheddar biscuits, a fruit bowl, homemade Louis sauce (Husband's family isn't much for cocktail sauce), all followed by a cookie tray and coffees. Big T will substitute fish sticks (the ones from Costco are actual pieces of fish, not mostly breading with a tiny bit of fish mixed in).

If there is anything left, it will make a wonderful salad later in the day; I would add a chopped hard-cooked egg, celery and green pepper to salad greens and chopped leftover seafood and top with the rest of the Louis Sauce.  Even if I have to make more Louis sauce, it will be worth it!

Homemade Louis Sauce

1 C. mayonnaise

1/4 C. chili sauce

1/4 C. chopped green onion

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 pinch salt

chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Mix together and chill.

Missing the Toot-Toots

Sounds like I am missing part of my mind, doesn't it?  Actually, it's a reminder of Christmases past... and paper towel rolls and bathroom tissues past...

Husband and I have been using up the Christmas wrapping paper saved so carefully in our Christmas closet.  We had remnants from the year I wrapped everything in the holiday-ish tartan plaids; from the gold wrapping year; from kid gifts featuring Santa as a spaceman or as Buzz Lightyear; from the purple and plum year; you can picture it.  Those years, our packages looked great under our own tree until time to pack them up and give them away.

This year, I've been thinking that purchasing new wrapping: a) kills even more trees and b) takes up more Christmas storage space for the leftover rolls.

So those of you who are receiving packages from us, please excuse a few signs of storage wear and tear.  It's for the environment.  Really.

And, of course, emptying those rolls of paper has created a few "toot-toots."  Those empty cardboard tubes that are instant musical instruments for the preschool set.  Used to be that we couldn't throw a toot-toot away for fear of death, or at least painful wailing. I was even known to sneak a toot-toot or two into the garage garbage can during the cover of night.

So how do you think I felt last weekend with two naked toot-toots in my kitchen and no preschooler in sight?

I actually missed those days. Whoda thunk it?

Cookie Exchange

A work colleague started a virtual cookie exchange -- what a good idea!  I am enjoying the emails from across the country with cookie recipes. 

Of my own holiday baking, the biggest hits have been the pretzel/Rolo candy treats and these cookies. Plus Big T has been enjoying "frosting" cut outs (read: dolloping as much powdered sugar frosting as possible onto a single cookie and devouring immediately). I also had one "miss" with a pumpkin drop cookie topped with chocolate stars -- too gooey for our tastes. Here is the recipe I sent for the exchange (it's originally from Hershey's):

Holiday Mini Kisses Treasure Cookies

1 1/2 Cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 Cup all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)

1/2 Cup butter, softened

1 1/3 Cups coconut flakes

1 Cup mini kisses or semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 1/3 Cups (10-oz. package) holiday baking bits (the swirly green and red chips)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Stir together in a small bowl: graham cracker crumbs, flour and baking powder; set aside.

Beat sweetened condensed milk and butter until smooth; add reserved crumb mixture, mixing well. Stir in coconut, baking pieces or chips and holiday baking bits. 

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool 1 minute; remove to wire rack and cool completely.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Wonders of the Season

Me:  Please make your bed.

Big T:  Why do I have to?

Me: Just one of the mysteries of childhood.

Big T: Oh, Ok.

And he did it.

In the (St.) Nick of Time

That's how I'm living these days.  Christmas is happening on a just-in-time philosophy:  family coming over after the folkdance or Sunday School program? Bake cookies that afternoon. Staff meeting this week? Wrap the team gifts just before loading the car. Expect to see Godchild's mother tomorrow? Sounds like a lunchtime trip to the mall.

In the rush of finishing up the work and school years, I have exhausted myself.  We had an excellent board meeting this week (not particularly stressful, except for the early-early driving on slippery, snow crusted highways to get there).  Big T ended up having dinner and sledding at a friend's home and Husband and I cleaned out the last of the dinner leftovers last night.  (Cashew chicken and pork roast. Are you hungry yet?) Husband headed out to an evening meeting and I crashed on the sofa until it was time to bundle up and venture out to pick up Big T before bedtime.  I am really sick of being freezing cold (it has been below zero nearly all week!).

When Husband returned well before 10 p.m., he wasn't even surprised to find me tucked under the warm covers with a good book.

The teacher gifts? Well, I vowed to wrap them before school this morning.

Which did happen.

And then Big T told me that his classroom teacher began her Christmas holiday early and is already gone.

Guess she'll find a gift when she returns in the New Year.

'Cause we're on the "in the St. Nick of time" system.

Shopping from the Pantry

Even with my "system" of making menu plans first, shopping lists second (to go along with the recipes from the menu plans), I have reached the point where the pantry door should really only be opened at your peril.  Looking for red and green sugar for Christmas cookies yesterday required swooping up slippery packages of rice, marshmallows and crackers to clear the backs of shelves, all the while holding boxed ingredients at bay with a forearm. And still dropping a can on my toe.

I am making a renewed effort to shop from our pantry and freezer this week, with grocery store stops reserved for fruit, vegetables, milk and cheese.  Plus a few Christmas cookie goodies and some ingredients for gift-making.

This week's meals will include spaghetti and meatballs, pork tenderloin slow cooked with apple juice and sweet potatoes, turkey jambalaya, and fish.  Plus whatever else strikes my fancy from the pantry/freezer raids.  I have ready-to-finish meals of beef stroganoff, beef ranch tortilla roll-ups and lasagna in the freezer, plus some salmon.  I am definitely feeling good about this plan.