FLASH BACK - Christmas

As it turned out*, we had our merriest Christmas ever! Very laid back, very wonderful.

Kicked off the holidays delivering Santa Suit cupcakes from Yum Yum to our neighbors - the 4-packs looked fabulous & tasted even better!!!

Christmas caroling around the neighborhood was followed by a party at a neighbor's home. What fun it was!!

Christmas Eve was full of Christmas heart - sat next to Cavanaugh's at Ivyland candlelight service, followed by dinner at our beloved Pineville Tavern, then back home for a snuggle & midnight viewing of The Spirit of Christmas, with its wonderful (marionette!) telling of the Lord's birth - a tradition that John introduced to our celebration.

Intentionally low key Christmas Day. Took Anne Davis Hyatt to cathedral Christmas service, with I loved. Watched holiday movies for a lot of the afternoon. Early dinner was take-out Chinese food. As has become our tradition, waited to do our stockings & presents until later (as it turned out, much later).

Things that I forgot & want to remember next year include what we've traditionally enjoyed for Christmas dinner and which I clear forgot in 2011 - pot roast and poached salmon, my own version of surf & turf! Actually did have a variation on that theme on the day we finally unwrapped gifties - Jan 8!! ~~ corned beef hash with carmelized onions & a rasher of bacon accompanied by rolled up slivers of smoked salmon.

Pot roast & poached salmon ~OR~ corned beef hash delux & smoked salmon? Will be a hard choice this year which to make. Maybe like we did this year - the first for Christmas Day, the more casual for our Great Unwrapping.

It was just a couple days ago that I finally made the pot roast that should have graced our tummies on 12/25. Turned out to be the best gravy I've produced EVER! Might have been because the rump roast - larger & denser than our usual shoulder cut - took longer to slow cook. Oh yum, it was delectable.

A tasty, holly jolly Christmas all around!!!

* Didn't seem it would be all that merry late Christmas Day, when I had a bit of a melt down. It had nothing to do with Christmas & everything to do with John thinking like a guy and me thinking like a gal. Praise be, we came away from it with new insights into guy/gal stuff & a deepening of our relationship.

FLASH BACK - Bryn Athyn Craft Show

My computer was down, so didn't write about the goodie making done for the B.A. Craft Show!

LOTS!! North Pole Specials (choc peppermint sandwich cookies dipped in white chocolate & dusted with different embellishments), Jingle Bark, Pumpkin Whoopies, and my savory crackers. Put in a lot of time for very little profit, but had a blast so it was a good investment.

Pondering doing all chocolates this year (2012), under Karen C's inspiration & guidance. Longer shelf life - if things are left over, will make decadent presents!

CPU CRASHED - blasted virus!

Been offline for weeks & weeks & weeks - oh, the challenges of having to scrimp together the moola to restore my computer. Sans documents, wiped out in the crash. Ah well, gives an unexpected fresh start for my 3rd act.

Big things happening in the baking department! Am baking every Monday morning at Cairnwood Village, whipping up nibblings to take the next day to Bryn Athyn College "with love from Aunt Deev, baked at Cairnwood Village" - chance to make tasty treats for my kids (staff & students) and hopefully have Villagers stop in for a cuppa & chat as I bake. Should be a lot of fun all around!

Am baking for John Treichler's reception before his 01/20/12 show at Bank of Princeton/Lambertville gallery. And the bank manager wants to sample some of my wares with an eye to hiring me to whip up a small tasting for bank customers - we're meeting over breakfast at Fred's this coming Tuesday.

Because I like to have a variety at the artist receptions I cater - which means way more goodies than's needed - have signed up to provide the nibblings for the 01/22 cathedral reception. Planning on mini cupcakes (Triple Lemon, Vanilla Vanilla, Cookies n Cream - all made from one batch of batter!) and small cookies (choc chip w/orange heart shortbread cookies, Tea Tots - light lemon cookies, and Sugar Cookies). Maybe throw in some tartlettes for the cathedral reception; definitely add my savory crackers, cheeses, and fresh fruit - need to find out my budget for the after-service gathering.

And maybe include some mini whoopie pies - would please Margaret G., who gave me exactly the one whoopie pie cookbook I've been longing for!! Mayhaps this will be the Winter of Whoopie!