Weekend Dog Blogging is on hiatus this weekend, taking a break for the holidays, but in the meantime, I was very excited to hear that Kiri of Weekend Cat Blogging Hostess, Eat Stuff found her way home. I knew it. Cats have this uncanny sense of direction, and I’m really glad Clare and her family had a happy ending. On that note, I give you my submission for Weekend Cat Blogging:
Sugar Keeping Warm
Sugar loves to sleep on the radiator to keep extra toasty. As evidenced by the empty toilet paper roll, she also has recently decided that’s her favorite new toy. What you CAN’T see is the shredded pile of toilet paper on the floor!
Dinner last night was really great, with only one dud, recipe-wise. Before dinner munchies were Bleu Cheese Chips (fantastic and oh-so-easy!) and four different spreads/dips for assorted breadsticks, Smoked Salmon Pate, Shrimp Spread, Green Olive and Mascarpone Dip and lastly, Roasted Garlic, Feta and Walnut Spread. My favorite was the Smoked Salmon Pate, and this coming from a non-salmon fan! The dud of the evening was one of the starters, the Green Olive and Mascarpone Dip. Just no real taste, looks like Spinach Dip, and a waste of $10 worth of ingredients!
Dinner was Cioppino with Cheddar Bread. The Cioppino was deliciously flavorful and very simple to make, incorporating 5 of the 7 fishes we had last night. French tradition, as I’ve mentioned, is 13 desserts, which my Mom brought. Everything from fruits and nuts to homebaked cookies, a fudge wreath, Nutrageous bars (Nicholas and my favorite!) and more. A lot of food, but I left with the feeling that I wasn’t overly stuffed. Oh yeah, we had the prequisite antipasto platter in the beginning, and a Warm Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese and Cranberries. Cocktails were Oprah’s Pomegranate Martinis — still a winner.
OK, today’s food. There was a plan. Then there was a Plan B. We stuck with tradition for breakfast and did Dunkin Donuts, nice and easy. My mom ended up waking up with a migraine so we convinced her it was MORE than OK by us to get take-out instead of slaving over the stove for several hours for another big meal. It was perfect … a mix of Chinese and Indian take-out punctuated by dessert in the den watching movies. As my sister proclaimed it, probably the “best Christmas we’ve had yet,” especially in terms of stress levels.
Nicholas loved all his gifts, but the standouts were dinosaurs he got from my parents and The Sister-in-Law, a Thomas the Train set from my Sister and Brother-in-Law, a Guitar from both our house and Grandma and Grandpa’s and a Dora House from Grandma and Grandpa. Poor baby has come down with a bad cold and has been hacking all day and you can really see he doesn’t feel well. I feel bad for him, but it was bound to happen given everyone else around him has been sick.
Anyways, all for tonight folks. Think The Neighbors are coming over for dinner tomorrow night, and I already have the menu planned. In the meantime, I’ll be posting the recipes from last night’s dinner tonight and tomorrow. Tune in tomorrow to see what food/kitchen goodies Santa brought ME!
Happy Holidays!
Sounds like an amazing day and feast!
And what a smart kitty you have!
I’m sitting in front of mine…passed out in a sort of pretzel on this back paws in the air. It’s hilarious.
Merry belated Christmas, I’m already sad it’s 12/26….
Oh some of those sound delicious. Would love to have the recipes for Blue Cheese Chips, Smoked Salmon Pate, and the Roasted Garlic and Feta spread. yummy!!!
Karen