I Must Have Been Temporarily Insane

Between the 3:00, 5:00 and 10:00 Christmas Eve services on Monday, I had Christmas Eve dinner at my house. Husbands two boys, my inlaws, my brother and his two kids came. It is not a huge crowd, but our house is not a large one either. To be honest, I have hosted Christmas Eve before, but in those years, my parents were around (they are now in Arizona) and my mom and my mother-in-law helped with the cooking. In fact, last year, I gave my mom a key and she started cooking early, so we wouldn't have to eat so late.

Not this year, though. This year it was just me. Mother-in-Law had us over the night before at their apartment. I decided if I was going to do this, we were going to keep it simple. So here was the menu:

Store bought appetizers: veggie tray with dip, and shrimp and cocktail sauce.
Swedish Meatballs, Sour Cream Hash Browns, Green Bean Casserole (the recipe even got in The Lutheran Magazine last Easter!), corn, and White Jello (my sister-in-law's recipe, and a favorite of my stepsons'). (Recipe to follow). Dinner rolls, lefse, and a box of cookies sent from my mom! My brother came through with a pumpkin pie!

For two days I was a wreck, trying to figure out how I was going to get sermon-writing, worship planning, shopping and cooking done. (I made the meatballs and the jello Sunday afternoon and evening, and the two casseroles Monday morning before going to church.) I kept saying, "I'm not doing this any more! I'm not doing this any more!"

In the end, it worked. Everything timed out okay. The white jello tasted delicious, and there was just a little left over of everything (except corn. That was gone.)

Still, I don't think I'm doing this any more. Please.

Now, here is my sister-in-law's wonderful recipe for White Jello:

1 8-ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup Cool Whip
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 envelope Knox gelatin

Grease mold with margine or Pam spray. Beat cream cheese and sguar with electric mixer until fluffy. Dissolve gelatin in 1/3 cup boiling water, and let stand. Mix milk, lemon juice, vanilla and gelatin water until well blended Pour into mold and chill overnight. Garnish serving plate with mint leaves and fruit if desired. (I doubled the recipe for the mold I used.)

Merry 3rd Day of Christmas!

P.S. My meatballs did not have little Swedish flags.

Snow Day

It's snowing like Crazy outside, has been since mid-morning. They say sometime later it will turn into sleet, which I am not wild about.

In the meantime, I am making tortellini soup, and dreaming of a quiet evening at home.

Here is the recipe, which I received from a young woman at my internship congregation in Denver:

2 lbs ground italian sausage
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cups beef broth (3 cans)
1 cup water
4 cups fresh tomatoes peeled and chopped
(if using canned tomatoes drain)
3 1/2 cups tomato sauce
2-3 large carrots
2 T. oregano
2 teaspons basil, dried
2 T. parsley, dried
a bay leaf
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 10 ounce packages fresh or fresh frozen tortellini (cheese filled only; one spinach pasta can be used for color)

Brown sausage, keeping it in large chunks. Remove browned meat from pan, reserving 2 T of the oil Saute onion and garlic.

In a large soup pot, mix all ingredients, adding back sausage, except fo the chopped zuccini and tortellini. Bring to a boil and lower the heat.

Simmer the soup for 2-3 hours. About 45 minutes before serving, add the tortellini and the zucchini and summer until tortellini are done.

Soup can be made up to 3 days in advance and kept cool in fridge. Reheat to serving temperature.

Soup, corn bread, hot cocoa, maybe a little knitting and of course, the ubiquitous laundry before the first Sunday in Advent tomorrow.

I found the picture and an alternative soup recipe here

Rhubarb Cake etc.

Early Sunday morning, I took Scout for a short walk before church. I ended up going to church with several mosquito bites on my face and neck. It is that season.

It was the last 8:00 service out on the lawn for the summer, a beautiful day, despite early sprinkles. At 10:00, two single mothers and their four boys sat all together in a row, redefining family. They both hugged one of the ushers as they came to worship. I mentioned something to one of them about a "reunion" and she replied, "there will be an even bigger reunion next week."

After church, in preparation for our short trip up to Stepson's college in Duluth, I:

1) stopped at Barnes & Noble for a new book, The Ode Less Traveled, by Stephen Fry

2) stopped at the grocery store for a small carton of buttermilk, walnuts and brown sugar

3) put together a rhubarb cake to bring up to Duluth for Stepson (he had lots of rhubarb from working at the Farmers Market this summer)

4) cooked Scout's rice for her evening meal up in Duluth

5) changed clothes

6) packed our bags

7) packed Scout's things, including a cooler for her fresh food.

Then we took off for Duluth, one of our favorite places, where one of our favorite people lives.

In the meantime, I 'm a little preoccupied by some things:

Scout has a sore on her flank that she won't stop licking. I'm concerned. I've been watching it and cleaning it for a couple of days.

I have been working on a Big Project lately; I am disappointed not to be finished tonight. It is turning out to be harder than I thought.

I have a lot at stake in a fall "inreach" we are doing, to get in touch with people in the congregation. I want it to be a success, but feel that I still need more allies.

In closing, here is my recipe for Rhubarb Cake: (from my mom)

1 1/2 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup margarine

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Mix in order. Cut fine 1 3/4 cups rhubarb. Fold in with other ingredients. Place in 13X9 in baking pan (greased and floured) and top with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. Bake 40 minutes at 350.

I hear it was delicious.