it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas... in Canada

Road trip!

Actually, my guilt level is pretty high, as I left Gil home sick with Julian while I took off for a week of meetings. Flew to Montreal Monday, and then the boss, a colleague and I drove to Ottawa in a minor snowstorm that evening. (Luckily my boss is originally from Saskatchewan, so we let him drive. And normally it's faster to fly to Montreal -- direct -- and drive down, than to fly to Ottawa from Dallas since American makes you change planes somewhere awful like Chicago. But a lot of snow, and a very slow waitress at your dinner stop can throw a wrench in the best laid plans.)

It's snowing again tonight. I took a picture with my phone, but since my plan charges me for "roaming" up here, I guess I won't be sending it to myself to post until I get back to Dallas. Glad to hear on JW's blog that the weather is finally starting to act appropriately there as well.

I picked up eat pray love in the airport to read. I'm not done yet but it seems like it's going to be great. Might even help me start a spiritual quest -- I can hear Gil holding his breath with anticipation upon contemplation of such a thought.

And as for last weekend's entertainment report -- two thumbs up for Enchanted, one up (J) and one sideways (me) for Mr. Magorium... (what is that voice Dustin is doing all about?!), one thumb WAY up for Gil sitting on the J-bird while I went on a birthday shopping spree alone, and four thumbs up for running into 2/3 of clan Rad at Willow Bend -- Julian fell asleep in the car on the way home after Isaac and he ran around like the crazy men (well, boys) they are.

Thankful...

As I've said, Thanksgiving is probably my favorite holiday of the year -- good food, good friends or family, proximity to my birthday, four-day weekend, start of the holiday season, and fall being my favorite season -- this holiday has it all. And Thanksgiving 2007 was no exception: the cold (well, at least cooler) weather had blown in Wednesday afternoon, when I left work early after IM'ing my boss who replied "YES, please go home!" I cooked for most of 24 hours, because poor Gil has been fighting some ugly cough (although it didn't stop him from doing a bang-up job cleaning the house, spot shampooing the carpet, AND ironing the tablecloth before setting the table with his great grandmother's 100+ year old china -- which he washed afterwards!)

And the event itself was very relaxed, with great friends gathered together, including all the local 'uncles.' And the W's joined us for seconds and dessert and libations and conversation -- and the construction of a very large GeoTrax train complex, which Ben really loved. The big kids got bored and went off to play Hullabaloo in J's room. Juj reports that Sam actually likes his Star Wars figures now, too!

The menu? Mostly from the November 2007 Bon Appetit (BA), with a couple of family favorites thrown in for good measure:

• Cheese tray courtesy of uncle Jack - with Roquefort (a family must-have for T-day), Brie, Cranberry Cheddar, and a lovely Fig-Nut compote
• Pancetta & Sage (and Rosemary) Turkey with Pancetta Sage Gravy (BA but used the Roast Salted Turkey technique from Cook's Illustrated -- and air dried the skin in the fridge the the last 24 hours)
• Three Mushroom Dressing (BA -- deemed just OK by all -- too far from tradition, and probably needed to be assembled further in advance for better cohesion)
• Roasted Root Vegies (Adapted from the BA dressing that also included cornbread, which we did without)
• Brussels Sprouts Hash with Caramelized Shallots (BA - delicious "and not bitter!" per Gil)
• Winter Squash Medley Puree (adapted from Martha Stewart, with warm spices -- curry, cayenne, cinnamon & ginger -- toasted in butter and roasted squash seeds for garnish)
• Cottage Cheese Dill Bread (from Beard on Bread)
  
• Molded Cranberry & Apple Salad (Joy of Cooking, retooled to no sugar added - thank goodness for Splenda and sugar free Jello!)
• Pumpkin Marscapone Pie with Marscapone Whipped Cream (BA)
• Cranberry Apple Pie & Vanilla Ice Cream courtesy of Whole Foods by way of Uncle Jack

And for the rest of the weekend (besides eating a lot of leftovers -- if you're near Carrollton and hungry, stop on by), I'm hoping to hit a trio of kids flicks -- Enchanted, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, and Fred Claus.

Sunday-- funny how it comes 'round once a week?

Sunday supper -- which included some shared cooking duties because I ran off to a jewelry party where I made a rad pair of earrings and bracelet (thanks to Gil for house cleaning & cooking, and to Laura & Lisa for hosting the party as a HUUC PASTA event) -- was a delightful fall meal, even if the weather didn't quite feel right (oh, when is it going to cool off?!)

• America's Test Kitchen / Cook's Illustrated Slow Cooker Pot Roast
• Martha's Pureed Cauliflower (doctored with marscapone and laughing cow)
• Peas & Carrots
• Green Salad with Fennel & Avocado

I don't suppose it would come as a big surprise to anyone that I am totally looking forward to Thanksgiving, the best holiday of the year? Has all the best points of Christmas (family and food and cool weather -- usually) with none of the low points (anxiety about gifts) -- plus my birthday is always nearby, which I enjoy despite the 40-something aspect these days. Juj and I did the requisite grocery shopping today, so now it's just cleaning out the fridge and prep work over the next few days.

But I'll keep you in suspense about the menu until Thursday...

Just another week in paradise...

Quiet week -- I was in training, and Gil had two evenings of HUUC stuff. Quiet weekend -- haircuts Saturday (me and Juj), and church and dinner with Ron and Elsa this evening. Once again, thanks to Martha...

• Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Fig Chutney (brined according to Cook's Illustrated for an hour first)
  
• Roasted Cauliflower with Capers
• Sauteed Beet Greens (adapted)
  
• a nice bottle of Buehler White Zin 2005 (don't knock it 'til you've tried it)
• ice cream with fresh berries (thanks, Elsa!)
• and because I'm beginning to find he's only into poultry but not other flesh, Mac & Cheese for the J-man, along with frozen peas (yes, like little popsicles, not cooked - a taste he acquired a while ago)

And since Juj doesn't read the blog, I can admit I added a little golden beet and butternut squash purees to his Mac & Cheese, per Jessica Seinfeld's Deceptively Delicious. It made me laugh, because his comment about the food was "this is too sweet" which I was able to counteract with the addition of some grated Parmesan. I'm looking forward to hearing if my friend who bought the cookbook for me actually made the brownies with spinach this weekend -- and if they were any good!

Can't believe it's Thanksgiving in 11 days (and my 40-something birthday thereafter), especially because it was over 80 degrees today -- what is up with that?!

mini-Sunday Supper Club

Juj and I had a great weekend! Love that my job provides the flexibility to work at home, so I didn't go back after leaving early Thursday afternoon to pick him up from school since Dad was in Cleveland. Handled conference calls and IMs from the boss at home, planned my next business trip to the great white North, and went out for regular Friday dinner with Ron.

We had a very fun and productive Saturday -- finished reading the first Harry Potter (but no more until he's older!) and then watched the movie version; worked up a sweat mowing and trimming and raking mulch; rested and watched Star Wars Episode VI (for the umpteenth time); and then off for a whirlwind evening at NorthPark.

Whoa! this mall has GROWN since I was last there! We went because I couldn't stay away from the only Lush location in Texas any longer (woo-hoo > butterballs and bubble bars and I don't have to wait for a trip to Canada or order them online anymore), but we ended up staying for dinner and a movie -- Bee Movie, which was cute and happened to be playing at 6:45 when we walked up to the box office at 6:40 to see if there were any appropriate options. It was a fun one, engaging enough for both of us. And it looks like some fun kids movies are coming out for the holiday season, too: Mr. Magorium's Magic Emporium, Fred Claus (well, maybe not for kids), The Golden Compass (again, maybe for the older "kids" in our household only) and a couple of others which escape my mind at the moment.

Sunday was granola making, grocery shopping, a trip to Michael's, glittering up some gourds, and dinner for J, Ron, and I (thanks again to Martha for the recipes):

• Roasted Chicken with Jerusalem Artichokes
  
• Pureed Cauliflower
• Green Beans
• and last week's ice cream with dried fruits in honey sherry sauce again...

And Gil got home safely Sunday night, so all is right in the world -- we are once again Los Guerreros Tres!

I am SO in trouble...

It's Halloween week, right? And all the Guerreros Tres dressed up last Saturday. But did we get a picture? Only this one at the end of the party, when we'd been helping re-set the chairs in the sanctuary -- half dressed with no accessories except the tiara Juj won in the screaming and dying contest.


And then we decorated the house for the big day, carved us a pumpkin, J and I dressed up again, and -- are there any pictures? No, no really cute Anakin Skywalker with a little padawan braid (that we managed not to lose until almost home from our candy looting trip around the neighborhood), not even a zoftig -- that's a nice word for "big boned" right? -- lady pirate with a sword.

So I may have to stage one of the Juj this weekend, although it means making my third padawan braid of the week to attach to his head. How can I be so pathetic? (This is like the old saw about there never being any pictures of the second child, although in our case, it's just there's fewer pictures after the first year or so -- maybe concurrent with when he got mobile, oh so mobile?!)