Seven More Sleeps.

Crunch Time.

So, I glanced at my calendar this morning. It seems like I am going to be very very busy this week. The kids each have parties at their schools and they need to bring goodies. I have a preschool board meeting where I need to bring an appetizer. I have the playgroup cookie exchange where I must show up with five dozen cookies. We have the Big Family Pre-Christmas get-together this weekend and I like to bring something yummy for the hostess. (Oh I hope the Archie McPhee order gets here, or the gag gift exchange will be missing a couple of items)

So, here is my baking list:

Rugelach
Chocolate Crinkles for cookie exchange (Done!)
Sugar Plums (make enough for home and hostess gift) (Done!)
Cupcakes for Emm's party (DONE! well, I need to frost them, but that won't take long and I will do it the night before the party)
Spiced rum nut brittle for hostess gift

I am not sure what I am taking to the board meeting, but I am leaning towards a warm dip I can assemble in my crock pot and serve with melba toast or pita chips. (edited to say I am making this cracker spread)

I also have to finish making some Christmas gifts and wrap everything.

Eeek.

EDIT: I can do this. I will bake today. (once I get to the store and buy a vanload of butter, sugar and flour) I can assemble my meeting munchies during Respite time on Tuesday. I can use crafty night tomorrow to assemble a gift. Char's party just requires me to pick up a couple of things while I am at the store getting supplies for baking.
I can do this.

I will worry about Christmas dinner next week.......

How to mail a package in twelve simple steps.

1. Wake up on the morning of the Domestic Package deadline for your country and curse yourself for the line up that will be waiting for you at the Post Office.

2. Try to find the wrapping paper. Fail. Instead find the stack of hand made Christmas cards you meant to mail. Realize that you may as well address them and send them off since you have to go to the PO anyway.

3. Sign and address cards, stopping several times to remove Baby from various precarious postions. eg: Pantry ,where he is dumping dog food into the flour bin, bathroom --where he is scrubbing toilet with cleaning brush...(.let him finish first), table top -where he is trying to steal your coffee, and then help him down when he can't find his step stool.

4. Go to purse to find stamps.

5. Reach into purse and find that your wallet is suspiciously damp. Search through purse and find a half-empty baby bottle without a cap on it. Discover puddles of milk in the bottom of your purse. Dump out purse and thank The Universe that there were no electronic devices in your purse (this time)

6. Wash out purse and contents. Find lost gift card (yay!)

7. Get juice for preschooler.

8. Rescue baby. (again)

9. Dig out old purse. Don't forget to find wrapping paper while in the basement.

10. Fill old purse.

11. Wrap gift. Stamp cards.

12. Pack up kids to go to the Post Office. Thank The Universe (again) that you made it before the line up was horridly long and the Postal Workers were cranky.

The End

Just Like Grandma's

Grandma and I were chatting last week and she mentioned that my Aunt put in a request for Carrot Pudding at Christmas Dinner. Grandma and my Aunt are going Up North to spend Christmas with my Mom and Dad, and I am hosting Christmas Dinner for some In Laws at my house this year. I was momentarily sad that I would miss the famous Carrot Pudding that I have recently developed a taste for (after spending a child hood turning my nose up at it).

Then I had an epiphany. I could make the Carrot Pudding! I could carry on a family tradition!!! I have the power!!!!

Thankfully, I also have Allrecipes and a Grandma who patiently put up with an afternoon of phone calls while I made this for the first time.

Don't fear the potatoes in the pudding
I didn't realize how few ingredients it takes to make a tradition.
I can always use a little help stirring. You need muscles to mix this stuff!
Now it's time for a nice two hour steam bath.
All that is left is to wait until Christmas Day when we get to pour on some delcious sauce and dig in!

Here is the recipe I used. As per Grandma's instructions, I added 1/2 cup softened butter to the pudding mixture and stirred the baking soda into some of the grated potatoes before mixing them in--she says it activates the soda and makes the pudding lighter in texture. I also cut the amount of cloves in half. It just seemed like a lot considering how strong they are. I then packed the mixture into clean pint jars (two for this recipe) topped with seals and rings, and then steamed as per the instructions. Don't forget to put a rack in the bottom of your pot.
Oh, and only fill your jars about 3/4 full so there is room for the pudding to rise.

I filled one jar a little too full so it didn't seal properly. Richard and I tested it last night. The pudding is rich, moist and sweet with just the right amount of spice.

Carrot Pudding

Submitted by: Joyce Rehagen Rated: 5 out of 5 by 7 members

Yields: 7 servings

"Moist, dense and spicy, this steamed pudding features grated carrots and potatoes, a handful of raisins and a fragrant mixture of ground cinnamon, cloves and allspice. Top with a rich and creamy butter sauce for a truly magical dessert."

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup grated carrots 1 cup peeled and shredded potatoes 1 cup white sugar 1 cup raisins 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon ground cloves 1/2 cup butter 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream 1 cup white sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1.	In a large mixing bowl, combine carrots, potatoes, sugar, raisins, flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, all spice, and ground cloves. Transfer mixture to a clean 1 pound coffee can. Secure wax paper over the top and place the filled can in a large pot with 2 to 3 inches of water. Cover the pot and bring the water to a simmer.
2.	Steam the cake for 2 hours. Serve warm.
3.	Buttery sauce: In a medium-size pot, combine butter or margarine, cream, sugar, and vanilla. Heat until the mixture is liquid. Spoon mixture over the warm carrot pudding to serve.

Christmas Meme reblog.

Ami tagged me for this meme. I did it last year so here it is again, now with updates.

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper--it's more fun for the kids. This year I am also going to experiment with reusable fabric wrappings for the family. The pile of garbage on my floor after Christmas is sickening to me and I want to try to make it smaller this year. I am going to use this tutorial on Furoshiki as a guide.
2. Real tree or artificial?
Artificial. We used to get real trees until I was forever traumatized by a half-dead tree lot tree that had me finding needles in my baseboards for two years afterward. I have fond child hood memories of finding a real tree every winter with my Dad's friend, the forestry teacher from our high school. (Yes, our high school had a conservation program....didn't yours??)
3. When do you put up the tree?
Whenever the mood strikes us.
4. When do you take the tree down?
See number three. I am going to set it up on the front porch this year so Matthew won't climb it, so it will probably get left up longer than if it was in the house.
5. Do you like eggnog?
I like the eggnog lattes at Starbucks--it is too thick and sweet by itself.
6. Favorite gift received as a child?
Hmmm... that would have to be my Barbie RV. I have been trying to find pictures online because mine was much bigger and cooler than the ones you can get now. My Barbies had lots of fun camping in my back yard in it.
7. Do you have a creche?
Yes. I have a cheapo plastic resin one I will use until my kids get old enough to not destroy the one my mom made in ceramics class many years ago. (Hmmm.... I may never get it!!)
8. Hardest person to buy for?
Hubby. He likes things like RAM and hard drives and lap top hinges.
9. Easiest person to buy for?
The kids.
10. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
A battery charger from my then-boyfriend now-hubbie. He has been briefed on appropriate gifts since then.
11. Mail or email Christmas cards?
I don't send them.
12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Muppet Christmas Carol
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
When the mood strikes.
14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
No.
15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Grandma's shortbread and lefse at hubby's aunt's annual Christmas dinner.
16. Clear lights or colored on the tree?
Coloured, but not flashing.
17. Favorite Christmas song?
God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen as sung by Barenaked Ladies and Sarah MacLachlan
18. Travel for Christmas or stay home?
Stay home. How would Santa find us if we traveled?
19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeers?
Yep.
20. Angel on the tree top or a star?
Star
21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Christmas morning. We open our stockings, have breakfast, and then we do presents.
22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
The pressure I feel to make or buy The Perfect Thing for everyone on my list. The pressure to edit that list but not leave anyone's feelings hurt. I am also going through a Spiritual Re-alignment this year so I have a lot of conflicting feelings about Christmas and how to make it meaningful this year.
23. What theme or color are you using when you decorate?
Blue and Silver. I have a large collection of Snowmen so they dominate my decorating scheme.
24. Favourite for Christmas Dinner?
This year it will be the dessert Richard is making. (His famous Rum Cake and my friend's Apple pie)
25. What do you want for Christmas this year?
Anything on my Amazon wish list, a new cordless phone....pretty boring stuff.

I am not tagging anyone...if you feel moved to do this meme, let me know in the comments and I will stop by your blog to read your answers. I do like me some good gossip!!! You can just do it in my comments too, if you want. I will be helpful and post the questions without answers at the end of this post for easy cutting and pasting. (That was a good idea, Ami!)

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

2. Real tree or Artificial?

3. When do you put up the tree?

4. When do you take the tree down?

5. Do you like eggnog?

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

7. Hardest person to buy for?

8. Easiest person to buy for?

9. Do you have a nativity scene?

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received?

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

16. What decorations are on your tree?

17. Favorite Christmas song?

18. Travel at Christmas or stay at home?

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

20. Angel on top of tree or star?

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year?

23 What theme or color are you using when you decorate?

24. Favorite for Christmas dinner?

25. What do you want for Christmas this year?

Last winter I designed an Advent Wreath for my Sunday School Class. It is one of the many interesting posts you will find at the

Make It From Scratch Carnival

that my friend in blogging Mama Bear is hosting over at her place. Why don't you go check it out? You will find lots of delicious looking recipes and fun craft ideas just in time for the busy Holiday season.

Menu Plan Monday

Well, I fell off the wagon for a couple of weeks and you know what happened? Stress. Late dinners. Grumpy family. Random trips to the grocery store for random things. I also learned what was at the bottom of my freezer, which was a good thing!

So, here we go again.....

Meal 1: Lemon Chicken and Rice

Meal 2: Shepherd's Pie

Meal 3: Apple Pork Chops

Meal 4: Tuna Noodle Casserole

Meal 5: Grilled steak and Mediterranean-style potatoes

Meal 6: Sweet potato stew and Ham Sandwiches

If you want to see what other menu planners are up to check out orgjunkie.com

I also want to mention my two go-to cookbooks. They have never led me wrong and almost everything I have tried in them has been delicious. The food is healthy, ingredients easy to find. They are real gems to have in your kitchen.

Eat Shrink and Be Merry and Crazy Plates were both written by two sisters that care about healthy tasty food that will please your family. They sneak health into everything! I swear by their trick of adding broccoli slaw to tuna when making sandwiches now!

I'm a carrot.

A couple of evenings ago we were sitting around the dinner table chatting. The conversation turned to how old everyone was and how we were all related.

I explained to Charlotte that Emmett was the oldest brother, Matthew was the youngest brother and she was the middle sister. I compared them to a sandwich, with the boys bread and she the filling.

We decided the kids were a cheese sandwich, with Charlotte being the cheese. I then asked Charlotte what Daddy was. After a moment of thought she declared that Daddy was a pickle. I then asked her what I was.

"Mommy, you're a carrot!"

So there you go.

Flashback.

If you are Canadian and of a Certain Age, this is your childhood in four video clips:

Young kids had the gentleness of The Friendly Giant (with Gerome and Rusty) and Mister Dressup (with Casey, Finnegan and the ubiquitous Tickle Trunk) to entertain them.







When you got a little older you had to rush home from school lest you miss this:


And, if you were feeling naughty you would sneak out of your room after bedtime and turn this on (quiet! you don't want Mom and Dad to know you have the TV on!)

Squishy New Socks.

Just in time for the cold, some new woolly socks for my chilly feet. This is special yarn, impregnated with aloe and jojoba to sooth winter dry skin.

I bought it on vacation in Moncton a few summers ago. It is my first toe up sock and my first short row heel. I love the look of the short row heel with self striping yarn, I need more practice with it.

I had to fight the kids for them this morning. It turns out that hand knit wool socks are the perfect thing for sliding on our hard wood floors with!

Stats for the yarny folk out there:

Pattern: Toe-up socks with a short row heel that I cobbled together from a couple of on line sources. (Toe, and heel. The rest is K3 P1 rib with a K1 P1 cuff)
Yarn: Austermann Step in Gras colourway
Needles: 2.25 mm Clover Bamboo dpns, my old friends.

What do I cast on next??

Pudding Therapy

As I have mentioned before I am a big fan of cookbooks. Nigella Lawson is a favourite of mine when I need a little light hearted entertainment. I love reading her books, but rarely cook from them.

That is, until a couple of days ago.

I love rice pudding. It is the ultimate comfort food for me. Rich, sweet, creamy, full of starchy carbs.....it is just perfect. tangent: No raisins, please. Don't even make the pudding with raisins and then tell me to pick them out. When you make rice pudding with raisins the flavour permeates the pudding so the whole thing tastes like raisins. Yuck.

So, a couple of days ago I get out my copy of Nigella Bites. There is a recipe in the book for "Rice Pudding for Emergencies." It is made on top of the stove with Arborio Rice and you cook it like you would cook risotto. About half an hour standing at the stove stirring and you get gorgeous creamy, rich rice pudding. The extra starch in the Arborio rice gives the pudding fantastic consistency. Really. I liken it to that really expensive Kozy Shack pudding you find in the refrigerator aisle at the grocery store, only the grains are bigger and more toothsome.

Really. This pudding is fantastic. It is fantastic on a few levels:

• When the kids have been screaming and fighting for half a day and you need to hide for a while, just put on some soothing music in the kitchen. (CBC Radio 2 is my radio station of choice.) Pour a cup of coffee and plant yourself at the stove, and meditate on the soothing repetitive action that you MUST do. You must not leave the stove.
• After the therapeutic stirring portion is complete, you get a smooth, sweet warm treat that you can either shovel in standing at the stove, or split up and share with the ungrateful rugrats who seem intent on giving you ten new grey hairs every day.
• If you share with the rugrats, you get at least two minutes of silence while they eat their shares.
• If you share with the rugrats you get to have a Good Mommy Moment where you can revel in the smug satisfaction that you have made something nourishing from scratch for them. Stirring for 20 minutes at the stove instead of microwaving something or throwing something out of a package at the kids gives you Bonus Points.
• In my draughty house, stirring something at the stove for 20 minutes is sometimes the only way I can warm up now that winter has really settled in here.

Want a little pudding therapy of your own?

Heat just over two cups of milk in the microwave until scalded.
While that is cooking, melt a tablespoon of butter and a couple of spoonfuls of white sugar in a heavy saucepan. Add 4 tablespoons Arborio rice and stir to coat. Add the milk, a splash at a time, stirring all the while. Keep the mixture at a brisk simmer. The pudding is done when the rice has absorbed enough milk to be soft and creamy. That takes at least 20-30 minutes of stirring. Add a splash of vanilla extract at the end and more sugar, if desired. I like to garnish with a sprinkle from my vanilla sugar grinder.

You can take any basic risotto recipe and sub butter for olive oil, sugar for the onion and milk for the stock. Finish with a splash of vanilla extract and some cream, if you really need to guild the lily. (Hmmmm, I wonder if a splash of Bailey's would be good if the kids are in bed and you have a girl movie queued on the DVD player?)

It's my bloggyversary.

Three years ago today I started this little blog. 412 posts . 28, 219 times someone has clicked onto my little corner of the internet. I love checking my hit counter to see how Google has led some of you here. (Dora Knitting Pattern and Arachnoid Cyst are recent popular keywords)

Now, I know that some people have give aways or draws to mark their blogging anniversaries. Sorry. I don't have anything to give right now. Oh wait I do have one thing:
Thank you very much for stopping by and reading. Thank you for your comments and support during the ups and downs my life has had these past three years.

Quick question? Who the heck are you? Bloglines says I have 12 subscribers. Blogger says I have 7. Sitemeter says I get around 35-40 hits a day. I know this is not a huge following, but I do appreciate each and every one of you.

Today is the day to de-lurk. If you are a regular reader, show yourself!!! Tell me what keeps bringing you back. Tell me what you want more of. How did you end up here in the first place?

Thank you for your co-operation on this urgent matter.

Santa Musings.

Every Christmas Season it's the same. The kids say "Is Santa coming?" "Where's Santa?" Santa. Santa. Santa. My stomach clenches. I start the debate in my head. How do I feel about Santa? Is he encouraging mass consumerism in my offspring? Is he teaching about giving with love? Do I like maintaining the illusion, essentially lying to my kids?

Do I like (how do I put this?) playing the party line that he lives in an undisclosed Polar Hideout with Henchmen (er, elves) and a Magical Flying Vehicle propelled by Magical Flying Reindeer?

Wow. When you put it that way, he kind of sounds like a Supervillain. (Cool!)

There is a whole industry designed to support his case. In Canada, every letter to Santa is answered by hand. NORAD tracks him.

I know many parents use Santa as a parenting tool in November/December, bribing their kids to behave with what are probably empty threats. Have you ever known anyone who got coal in their stockings instead of presents??

I got really cynical this weekend when there were two Santa Claus Parades in relatively close proximity happening at the same time. I wondered if Santa at the mall went away while the local parade was happening.

I talk about this with Richard every year. He thinks that we are protecting the kid's innocence by letting them believe in Santa. He reminds me of the fond memory I have of talking to Santa on my Dad's Amateur Radio on Christmas Eve. He reminds me that I was not devastated when I discovered the truth. The newest issue of Chatelaine Magazine had an editorial where the author found out that finding out about Santa is harder on parents than it is on the kids.

Saint Nicholas was real. My church celebrates the feast in his name every year. I think I might let the kids pick out names from the Giving Tree at the Mall so they can play Santa themselves this year.

.
I gamely play along. Emmett wrote his letter. (Click on it to see it big enough to decipher his printing) I will help Charlotte write hers.

How do you deal with Santa in your home?

PS--if you want to write a letter to Santa, his address is: Santa Claus, North Pole, Canada, H0H 0H0

Putting the Knit back in to Knit Wit

My blogging has been kind of boring lately. I've been busy.
A lacey beret for me, a neckwarmer that is going to be a Christmas gift for our respite worker, , some cozy socks for Matthew, and a helmet liner for my brother to wear on the cold days on his oil rig.

I have a couple of other things on the go too, but you can't see them! If you are on Ravelry, look me up. My knitting secrets will be spilled there. I am Prairieknitwit, just like I am here.

On the Mend.....

I am feeling a lot better. A trip to the chiropractor and some good old fashioned rest helped.

Grandma helped too. Everyone knows the about curative effect of fresh baked biscuits and a new magazine, right???

Pain.

I am not the most graceful duck in the pond. This is a well-established fact. As a child my shins were permanently bruised and are now kind of lumpy if you run your hand over them. I stepped on a rake once. It is not as funny as it is in cartoons. I didn't see little birdies flying around my head. I will trip on a busy pattern in linoleum. Last week I sliced my finger so badly I superglued the cut closed so it could have a chance at healing. How did I do it? By washing out a freezer I was preparing to sell. There was a teeny shard of glass stuck to the bottom that I didn't see until I ran my washrag over it.

Yesterday I proved my talent for self injury is growing. I managed to fall UP my basement stairs. My basement stairs are not attached to the wall. When I tripped, I managed to wedge myself between the staircase and wall. In hindsight that was probably preferable to falling towards the side of the stairwell open to the basement. Instead of head trauma I have a hideous scrape on top of an apple-sized bruise on my left upper torso. You don't realize how often your pectoral muscles are used in day to day life until you have an apple-sized bruise on one of them. I have aches and a few random scrapes and bruises all down the left side of my body. I am pretty much in constant pain right now. Sleeping was awful. I couldn't face the water in the shower this morning.

I am feeling pretty sorry for myself right now.

Make me feel better. I need to know I am not the only total dorkwad klutz out there. What was the clumsiest thing you have ever done? Spill! (But please don't slip.)

Menu Plan Monday

Well, it looks like my Slow Cooker is getting a workout this week!

Meal 1: Java Roast Beef, salad

Meal 2: Sweet and Sour Chicken, brown rice

Meal 3: Slow Cooked Pork Chops

Meal 4: Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, steamed green beans

Meal 5: Sticky Chicken breasts (I didn't make it last week, we'll give it another go this week)

Meal 6: Buffet (aka: Leftovers)

Breakfasts are simple around here: Oatmeal with frozen fruit or toast and PB&J. Lunches are sometimes leftovers, sometimes sandwiches, sometimes pizzas made on pita bread.

Need more ideas? Check out what other Meal Planners have in store this week!.

Relief.

Something big happened today. I went into Matthew's room to get him after his nap. He pointed to the ceiling in his room and said: "Light".

His first word.

I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding.

Given that hindsight is so acute, I knew from the start that Matthew wouldn't face the challenges that Emmett has. He nursed like a champ from his first moment out of my belly. He eats anything I set in front of him (well, anything except mushrooms) He has chattered and burbled and babbled like any regular baby does. He climbs on everything like a monkey. He calls me Mama sometimes. Emmett didn't call me Mom until he was three.

Now, I know what you are thinking. What about Charlotte? She has met every milestone like clockwork. Even tonight I was treated to a lovely serenade after the church fall supper. Grandma was at the piano. Char belted out Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and played the triangle like a little Diva. Apraxia usually affects boys. I have always watched Matthew a little closer. Searching for signs. Checking things off my mental list of symptoms.

I am getting to the point where I can feel blessed that Emmett and I are on the journey we are together. (I sure didn't feel that way at first!) He has made me the Mom I am today. He has brought some fantastic people into my life (Hi Sandy!!)

I am just kind of relieved that I don't have to go on this roller coaster again.

A little thing.

From Mama To Mama:

In northern Haiti:

* Just 1 in 5 women receives skilled medical care during childbirth.
* Haiti has the highest maternal mortaility ratio in the Western Hemisphere.
* 1 in 40 women will die as a result of pregnancy complications, unsafe abortion, or obstetrical emergency.
* Twelve percent of children die before the age of 5.

About Konbit Sante:

Konbit Sante is a Maine-based volunteer partnership working to save lives and improve health care in northern Haiti. In Haitian Creole, a konbit is a traditional method of working together to till your friends' and neighbors fields as well as your own - a cooperative effort. Sante means health. The name defines their committment to address the staggering health problems in northern Haiti where most lack basic care and live without running water.
One aspect of their work involves OB/GYN care . Konbit Sante is working to assemble Safe Birthing Kits to be distributed by traditional birth attendants in the desperately poor Fort St. Michel area of Cap-Haitien. These kits - consisting of plastic sheeting, hand sanitizer, a sterile piece of string and razor blade, and these newborn baby caps - have the potential to reduce infant and maternal mortality, and give babies a safer, healthier start.

My dear friend Poppins is collecting little caps to send to Maine to be added to the Safe Birth Kits that Konabit Sante is assembling. Simple little caps made from soft t-shirts that you probably have laying around your house, shrunk in the wash, oddly stained, or just not a colour you like anymore.

I raided my drawers and found four t-shirts. I cut the simple pattern out after bedtime last night and sewed eight little caps during Matthew's nap this morning. All told, I think I invested under two hours of my time to keep eight little newborn heads warm.

Babies need precious little. I think we tend to forget that in our cushy Western lifestyle. Heck, I was stunned to see what is in the safe birth kit for midwives in Hati. I can tell you that there was a lot more equipment littering my bedroom during my own homebirth last year.

One adult-sized shirt can easily make two caps
You don't even have to hem them! (I hate hemming)
One seam
Easy!
Eight little heads covered.

A little something for my American readers.

Don't forget to vote tomorrow!!!